Editing Edward II of England (section)

===Cultural references===
{{Main article|Cultural depictions of Edward II of England}}
[[File:Edwardiiquarto.gif|thumb|upright|alt=photograph of first page of the Edward II play|Title page of the earliest published text of ''[[Edward II (play)|Edward&nbsp;II]]'' (1594)]]

Several plays have shaped Edward's contemporary image.<ref name="Burgtorf2008P31">{{Harvnb|Burgtorf|2008|p=31}}.</ref> [[Christopher Marlowe]]'s play ''[[Edward II (play)|Edward&nbsp;II]]'' was first performed around 1592 and focuses on Edward's relationship with Piers Gaveston, reflecting 16th-century concerns about the relationships between monarchs and their favourites.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lawrence|2006|p=206}}; {{Harvnb|Martin|2010|pp=19–20}}.</ref> Marlowe presents Edward's death as a murder, drawing parallels between the killing and martyrdom; although Marlowe does not describe the actual nature of Edward's murder in the script, it has usually been performed following the tradition that Edward was killed with a red-hot poker.<ref>{{Harvnb|Martin|2010|pp=19–20}}.</ref> The character of Edward in the play, who has been likened to Marlowe's contemporaries [[James&nbsp;VI of Scotland]] and Henry&nbsp;III of France, may have influenced [[William Shakespeare]]'s [[Richard II (play)|portrayal of Richard&nbsp;II]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Logan|2007|pp=83–84}}; {{Harvnb|Perry|2000|pp=1055–1056, 1062–1063}}.</ref> In the 17th century, the playwright [[Ben Jonson]] picked up the same theme for his unfinished work, ''[[Mortimer His Fall]]''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lawrence|2006|p=206}}.</ref>

The filmmaker [[Derek Jarman]] adapted the Marlowe play into a [[Edward II (film)|film]] in 1991, creating a [[postmodern]] [[pastiche]] of the original, depicting Edward as a strong, explicitly homosexual leader, ultimately overcome by powerful enemies.<ref>{{Harvnb|Burgtorf|2008|p=31}}; {{Harvnb|Prasch|1993|p=1165}}.</ref> In Jarman's version, Edward finally escapes captivity, following the tradition in the Fieschi letter.<ref>{{Harvnb|Prasch|1993|pp=1165–1166}}.</ref> Edward's current popular image was also shaped by his contrasting appearance in [[Mel Gibson]]'s 1995 film ''[[Braveheart]]'', where he is portrayed as weak and implicitly homosexual, wearing silk clothes and heavy makeup, shunning the company of women and incapable of dealing militarily with the Scots.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brintnell|2011|pp=40–41}}; {{Harvnb|Burgtorf|2008|p=31}}; {{Harvnb|Phillips|2011|p=31}}.</ref> The film received extensive criticism, both for its historical inaccuracies and for its negative portrayal of homosexuality.<ref>{{Harvnb|Aberth|2003|pp=303–304}}.</ref>
[[File:Edward II & Gaveston by Marcus Stone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.59|An 1872 painting by English artist [[Marcus Stone]] shows Edward&nbsp;II cavorting with Gaveston at left, while nobles and courtiers look on with concern.]]

Edward's life has also been used in a wide variety of other media. In the Victorian era, the painting ''Edward&nbsp;II and Piers Gaveston'' by [[Marcus Stone]] strongly hinted at a homosexual relationship between the pair, while avoiding making this aspect explicit. It was initially shown at the [[Royal Academy]] in 1872 but was marginalised in later decades as the issue of homosexuality became more sensitive.<ref>{{Harvnb|Horne|1999|pp=31, 40, 42}}.</ref> More recently, the director [[David Bintley]] used Marlowe's play as the basis for the ballet ''[[Edward II (ballet)|Edward&nbsp;II]]'', first performed in 1995; the music from the ballet forms a part of composer [[John McCabe (composer)|John McCabe]]'s symphony ''Edward&nbsp;II'', produced in 2000.<ref name=Burgtorf2008P31/> Novels such as John Penford's 1984 ''The Gascon'' and Chris Hunt's 1992 ''Gaveston'' have focused on the sexual aspects of Edward and Gaveston's relationship, while [[Stephanie Merritt]]'s 2002 ''Gaveston'' transports the story into the 20th century.<ref name=Burgtorf2008P31/>