DR.FAUSTUS

PRESENTED BY

Samrah Tayyab

Contents

Conscience vs. temptation

Capacity for repentance and sufferrings.

Comparison of medieval and renaissance era

Focused on humankind

Renaissance spirit

Contents

Faith and Choice

Contesting for Faustus soul

Exploring the bounds of knowledge

Renaissance spirit

Cycle Diagram

Changing attitudes

Discovery and exploration

Marlowe’s educationDevelopment

s in the visual arts

RENAISSANCE

MAIN THEME

Printing:

Exploring the bounds of knowledge

IN many respects, Faustus is representative of this thirst for knowledge. His long monologues in Scene 1dramatise his command of - and impatience with - established branches of knowledge and his desire to move beyond them. On the one hand, this desire is admirable, representing the highest kind of human potential. However, the play also represents it as extremely dangerous, leading, in Faustus’ case, to necromancy and the pact with Mephastophilis. Furthermore, when Faustus begins to question Mephastophilis about the secrets of the universe, he is disappointed because he is told very little that he does not already know. By the end of the play, he seems to have lost his hunger for knowledge.

Pride, vanity and lack of self-knowledge

If Faustus’ monologue in Scene 1 demonstrates his knowledge and intelligence, it also begins to reveals the weaknesses in his character. His pride, arrogance, vanity and lack of self-knowledge will ultimately bring about his downfall. Pride and defiance of God was the sin that brought about the fall of Satan, but Faustus ignores Mephastophilis’ references to these events and wilfully pursues his own wishes. The play contains images of falling, in particular of those who overreach themselves (See Imagery and symbolism > Flight and falling), but only gradually does Faustus realise that he has passed the point at which he could have prevented his own fall.

Pride, vanity and lack of self-knowledge

If Faustus’ monologue in Scene 1 demonstrates his knowledge and intelligence, it also begins to reveals the weaknesses in his character. His pride, arrogance, vanity and lack of self-knowledge will ultimately bring about his downfall. Pride and defiance of God was the sin that brought about the fall of Satan, but Faustus ignores Mephastophilis’ references to these events and wilfully pursues his own wishes. The play contains images of falling, in particular of those who overreach themselves (See Imagery and symbolism > Flight and falling), but only gradually does Faustus realise that he has passed the point at which he could have prevented his own fall.

Faustus’ pride leads him to disregard the likely limitations on human power and knowledge and his transgression is appropriately punished at the end of the play.

Conscience vs. temptation

The most straightforward way of describing the part played by the Good and Evil Angels and appearance of old man in Doctor Faustus is that they are external, visible embodiments of the two impulses that are at war within Faustus’ mind

Conscience vs. temptation

The most straightforward way of describing the part played by the Good and Evil Angels and appearance of old man in Doctor Faustus is that they are external, visible embodiments of the two impulses that are at war within Faustus’ mind

Contesting for Faustus’ soul

The Angels make only one further appearance, in the same scene, at the point where Faustus realises that there are some questions that Mephastophilis will not answer and that he has reached the limits of what he can gain from his devilish bargain. As on previous occasions, the Angels are seen at a crucial moment, when Faustus is wavering: 

Contesting for Faustus’ soul

The Angels make only one further appearance, in the same scene, at the point where Faustus realises that there are some questions that Mephastophilis will not answer and that he has reached the limits of what he can gain from his devilish bargain. As on previous occasions, the Angels are seen at a crucial moment, when Faustus is wavering: 

EVIL ANGELToo late.GOOD ANGElNever too late, if Faustus can repent.

EVIL ANGELIf thou repent, devils shall tear thee in pieces.

GOOD ANGEL

Repent, and they shall never raise thy skin.Exeunt [ANGELS]

FAUSTUSah Christ my Saviour, seeks to saveDistressed Faustus’ soul.Scene 7, 75-80

EVIL ANGELIf thou repent, devils shall tear thee in pieces.

GOOD ANGEL

Repent, and they shall never raise thy skin.Exeunt [ANGELS]

Scene 7, 75-80

The Old Man

The Old ManAfter Scene 7, the Good and Evil Angels disappear from the play and their function is taken over by the Old Man, who appears only in Scenes 12 and 13. This represents a very important shift in the play, for Faustus is not being appealed to by non-human beings but by afellow human being and one who has lived his life according to Christian precepts.