Dr_Faustus_-Summary_and_Comments

Christopher Marlowe, baptised on 26 February 1564, was an English dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. Marlowe eas born in Canterbury, his date of birth is unknown. He went to the King's School in Canterbury and then to Cambridge. Marlowe's first play performed on the regular stage in London was Tamburlaine the Great. Marlowe is often alleged to have been a government spy. In 1592 Marlowe was arrested for his alleged involvement in the counterfeiting of coins. On Wednesday 30 May marlowe was killed. Doctor Faustus Doctor faustus was first performed in 1590. Marlowe uses blank verse: a strongly rhythmic, regular unrhymed line in iambic pentameter which is usually end-stopped The tragedy is also a comedy because it was a parody of Faustus's own pride and stupidity. He exchange is soul and gain nothing more than satirist's trivial trickery. It is the foolosh comedy that shows us Faustus as something of an idiot. This man who hoped to become something more than human by trading his soul for supernatural knowledge in the end reamins with nothing. To construct Doctor Faustus, Marlowe used many of the conventions of the medieval morality play. This popular form narrated the gradual education of its hero into an understanding of the difference between right and wrong. The hero came to the conclusion of the play a maturer, wiser and better man. In the first Scene we know something about the protagonist. He came from poor parents in germany and became a talented scholar at the university of wittemberg. His intellectual skill led him to lose all humility, since he could defeat anyone in argument. One level of pride led to another and he became excessively ambitious. Scene 1 Faustus lists the great authors he has read, all of them are useless to him. So he sends his servant to fetch Valdes and Cornelius, who are to be his tutors in black magic. The good and evil angel appear and offer him advice. But he has already made his decision. He explains that he wants to be famous in Europe. Valdes and Cornelius promise him that the spells they will teach him will make the devils appear and he will commands them. And they say to him that the spirits will have no choice because the power of the magic spells compels them to obey. Scene 2 The scholars ask Wagner where is Faustus and he told them that he will be damned. Scene 3 Mephastophilis appears and Faustus asks him information about Lucifer. Faustus fails to understand the significance of the fact that he doesn't have total power over Mephastophilis. Scene 4 Wagner meets a Clown. This is a scene of low comedy. The Clown could be an ironic representation of Faustus Scene 5 Faustus signs his soul over to the devil. In exchange he receives information, apparitions of the devils . The good and evil angel appear and they try to persuade Faustus. Faustus comes close to saving himself. But each time the power of the darkness tempt him. Scene 6 Two servants use the magic book that they have stolen from Faustus. Time has passed and Faustus has become famous. Scene 7 Faustus is in Rome and he asks Mephastophilis to make him invisible. The Pope arrives with Cardinal and a parade. Faustus boxes the Pope on the ear. Scene 8 Robin and Rafe have stolen a silver goblet and they are punished by Mephastophilis. Scene 9 Faustus gives the Empereor Charles V a magic show. An images of Alexander the Great and Alexander's queen appear. But they are replicas , created by devils and not real person. Faustus realizes that for all his skill, he is not the social equivalent of the Empereor as he had planned to be. Scene 10 Faustus plays a series of tricks on a horse-trader. He is at the end of his life, he uses his magic to gain money. For a moment he thinks more seriously about afterlife, and about Christ's forgiveness. But his actions contradict these thoughts. Scene 11 Faustus impresses the Duke and Duchess of Vanholt The Duchess is pregnant and she wants some grapes, but we are in the middle of winter. Faustus sends Mephastophilis to fetch some grapes in the other side of the world. Scene 12 An old man appear and he is probably the representation of the Christian religious. The old man said to him that God will give him another chance. Mephastophilis threatens Faustus with torture if he reneges on his bargain. And so Faustus asks the devil to torture the old man. Scene 13 Faustus die alone. The scolar in the next room pray for him. Conclusion When Faustus devises his own contract of sale he doesn't believe that he possesses a soul or that the hell exists. If he is right he wins the pleasures and power for nothing, but if not he loses everything in every sense. In the end he believes that turning to God is a betrayal of his purpose, while to betray God is a way to be true to himself. He believes in hell and soul now, but it is too late. Faustus expresses the idea that his fate was inevitable from the moment of his birth. He begins to believe that it is a part of what he is and he could only have avoided it by being born without a soul.