Doctor Faustus - Christopher Marlowe

Johann Faust the Legend scholar and magician, Johann Faust allegedly sold soul to the devil to gain magical powers 1488 - 1541 1587 Germany - English translation 1592 The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus Versions A and B A 1604 shorter (13 scenes) B 1616 additions (5 Acts) o Meph: Twas thine own seeking thank thyself o Dick (Rafe) o Scene with Bruno, Saxon Pope o Benvolio (Knight) Beheading and Faustus revenge o All those tricked by Faustus confront him at Dukes mansion silenced by Faustus o Before final soliloquy: Good angel - too late for salvation Bad angel look at hell Mephistophilis it was all my doing turning the Scripture pages, etc. o Students finding his dismembered limbs and Christian burial for body parts The Prologue Chorus sets scene; introduces Faustus Wittenberg well-known university (Martin Luther) implies good student and intelligent man Allusion: Icarus waxen wings Faustus = overachiever / overreacher Faustus Opening Soliloquy What would you sell your soul for? Faustus: for knowledge - forbidden fruit that tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden Knowledge is power! Opening Scene Faustus in his study Mastered rhetoric, philosophy, and theology, as well as law and medicine 1

He knows everything that a university can teach him now seeks the knowledge contained in necromantic (black magic/arts) books. Abjuring the Scriptures Faustus calls up Mephastophilis Mephastophilis offers a warning of sorts: Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it. /Thinkst thou that I, who saw the face of God, / And tasted the eternal joy of heaven, / Am not tormented with ten thousand hells / In being deprived of everlasting bliss? / O Faustus, leave these frivolous demands, / Which strike a terror to my fainting soul. (3.76-82) but Faustus doesnt heed him. The Contract A contract in blood his blood congeals Comic relief as M runs off to heat the congealed blood Homo fugit Fly, man!! 24 years of service from the devil - no doors closed to him (?) power and knowledge that no mortal man has previously enjoyed his soul forfeit to Satan The Fineprint Doors closed to him: Knowledge of God and all of Gods miracles

Faustus Use of Knowledge To perform tricks for others and on others: o Pope (B: saving Bruno) o Grapes for the Duchess o Raising spirit of Alexander the Great and his paramour (B: Darius, too) o Raising the spirit of Helen for the scholars o Horse-selling and leg-pulling episode Comic Relief Mirror Faustus actions: Wagner and the Clown Robin and Rafe (Dick) and the book stolen from Wagner Lucifer and His Minions Whenever Faustus has doubts, the devils distract him, by delight*ing+ his mind: o Devils giving crowns and riches to Faustus 2

o The Seven Deadly Sins Pride, Covetousness, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth and Lechery Oh, this feeds my soul!

Helen of Troy Faustus wastes his omnipotent years on self-indulgence Helen of Troy - a bed partner (demoniality) The soliloquy is Marlowes most famous. Ironically, the woman isnt Helen but a succubus, a soul-stealer. Was this the face..... Helena. Faustus, the Coward Faustus is betrayed, not by his intellect, but by his flesh Fear of pain stops him from repenting Faustus Final Soliloquy Faustus commands the spheres of heaven to stop so that his doom will be postponed. He watches as sunset begins: See, see, where Christs blood streams in the firmament! / One drop would save my soul, half a drop: ah, my Christ! (13.70-71) A demon appears and tears at Faustuss flesh. o Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ! Redemption still possible: true repentence and acceptance of the pains that the Saviour suffered on the cross are necessary, but hes too much of a fleshly man to do that Doom is Approaching Clock ticking; tries bargaining with God o Not for redemption, but for a thousand years of hell to be saved at the last Compares his fate to being worse than a beasts death hell for him Water drop in ocean hide from Lucifer Ill burn my books!Ah, Mephastophilis! Faustuss last words Books and knowledge the cause of his downfall (?) Importance of books for self-learning v. teaching coming from such institutions as universities or the Church Will he or wont he repent? The major question He could if he wanted to Faustus knowledge of Gods mercy faulty Good Angel, the Old Man - telling him to repent and that God is merciful The Evil Angel and the devils constantly ensure that he doesnt 3

Epilogue Chorus: Faustus is dead He wanted too much from life. allusion to laurel and the Roman god Apollo - the laurel is the Apollos sacred tree and traditional symbol of triumph Faustus - an example of someone who does not use his intelligence for good but for greed which surpasses heavenly limits Faustus Medieval Hero? Medieval: God places man in position he should be content Pride cardinal sin; revolt against God the reason for Lucifers fall Faustus desire for forbidden knowledge He transgresses the natural laws of the universe and must be justifiably punished Or Renaissance Hero? Great potential of humanity Rebels against limitations on medieval knowledge and restriction of position Desire for knowledge = desire to become greater than he is Condemned to damnation for noble attempts to go beyond the petty limitations of mankind

Master-Servant Relationship Faustus wants to be Master Paradox: can only be master if servant to Lucifer Mephastophilis servant to Lucifer; 24 yrs servant to Faustus Wagner servant to Faustus Clown servant to Wagner Servitude, like sin, is compounded Concept of Hell Hell is state of mind; not a place Deprivation of the presence of God Misery likes company Hell = ugly; Meph first appears as a dragon; franciscan friar Adders and serpents, let me breathe awhile! / Ugly hell gape not! (13.112-113) Questions to think about: Is Faustus' damnation tragic or an act of justice? The master-servant relationship The function of the Good Angel and the Evil Angel Relationship of the comic interludes to the main plot Role of the old man who appears toward the end of the play 4

How does Faustus' use of his magical powers correlate with his earlier desires and plans? The depiction of hell After the original contract with Lucifer, is there a possibility for Dr. Faustus to repent? How is the image of the "fall" used throughout the drama? Explain the satire against the Roman Catholic church and describe its purpose.