Dr Faustus1

A detailed Summary of Dr Faustus1

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is a significant and masterful play written by Christopher Marlow. It is a unique play that it written during the beginnings of the renaissance period and therefore neither solely Renaissance nor Medieval in style. It is instead a great story of a man torn between the differences of the outgoing Medieval Period and the incoming Renaissance told in a brilliant style composed of the two distinct schools of thought. The brilliance of this play is that it can be viewed from both a Medieval and Renaissance perspective.

If Dr. Faustus is interpreted from a Medieval perspective, it goes along with the same principals and morals that the majority of medieval literature tried to instill; that is, the righteousness of God and the Roman Catholic Church. In order to make this story more effective, Marlow chooses to have Faustus deal with the essence of evil, Lucifer, the banished angel who betrayed God. In a classic satirical form the play shows Faustus' downfall after straying from God's

godliness and let greed and evil get the best of him. The existence of supernatural entities, namely devil-influenced beings such as witches and sorcerers, was very possible if not probable. Without the answers of science the unexplained was often chalked up to the powers of the supernatural.

From a renaissance point of view, Dr. Faustus is a heroic tragedy. The renaissance movement emphasized the power of the individual and the fulfillment of life. It brought forth a desire for conquest, achievement and surmounting all obstacles. In the play, Faustus, is not satisfied with his abilities, or as he saw them limitations, as a human being. He did what he had to do to further advance his accomplishments, striving to achieve his goals by any means necessary. In Scene 1, Lines 49-54 we read:

In these lines Faustus expresses his desire to hold control over all. Even the likes of the Holy Roman Emperor shall fall to the power of his "black magic." Although the use of magic and the character of the devil seems more of

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Approximate Word count = 695
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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