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Doctor-Faustus-Litchart.Pdf LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books. Doctor Faustus • Full Title: The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor INTRO Faustus BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE • When Written: Unknown. Possibly around 1592, when the English translation of a German version of the story is known Born the same year as Shakespeare to a shoemaker and his to have surfaced. wife, Marlowe attended Corpus Christi College at Cambridge • Where Written: Unknown. on scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1584 and • When Published: 1604 (A-text) and 1616 (B-text). Scholars his Master of Arts three years later, despite a controversy debate the authenticity and relative merits of these two which almost robbed him of the Masters because of versions of Marlowe's play that survive. accusations that he converted to Catholicism, which it was • Literary Period: English Renaissance illegal to practice in 16th century England. His first play performed on the London stage, Tamburlaine, was among the • Genre: Elizabethan Tragedy first English plays written in blank verse. Marlowe's plays were • Setting: Wittenberg, Germany; Rome, at the pope's court; the enormously popular, but his career was cut short by his death court of emperor Charles V. in 1593 – an event about which little is known for certain but • Climax: Scene 13. With tension mounting, the hour of much is rumored; he is said to have been a secret agent, and his Faustus's death and damnation draws near. His cries of regret death by stabbing (in the eye!) in some kind of bar fight may in for having sold his soul to Lucifer and his pleas for more time fact have had more sinister or even political underpinnings. He are unsuccessful, and devils drag him away to Hell. is now considered one of England's most important • Antagonist: As is the case with any good tragic hero, Faustus is playwrights, second in his time period to only William arguably his own antagonist. He certainly acts as a bad Shakespeare. influence on his friends and acquaintances (like his servant Wagner) and with petty villainy towards his enemies (like the knight at Charles V's court). Ultimately, though, the title of HISTORICAL CONTEXT antagonist should probably go to Lucifer. Not only does he The play can be seen in terms of a variety of cultural changes claim Faustus' soul, but also, as the devil himself, he is occurring during the Renaissance, especially the newfound ostensibly everyone's antagonist. stress laid on the power and ability of the individual (as opposed to an overarching stress on religious obedience and EXTRA CREDIT piety). Conflict between the Protestant English church and Fake Beards, Real Fear. The Puritan William Prynne reported Roman Catholicism doubtlessly influences the play's that at a 17th century performance of Doctor Faustus, upon the unflattering portrayal of the pope. At the time the play was apparition of the devil on the stage, the actors themselves being performed, Calvinism was on the rise within the Church broke character and fell to prayer in fear. of England but remained a source of controversy. According to Calvinism, people's status as either saved or damned was Celeb Gossip. Much of the popularity of Marlowe's play can be predestined. Readers and scholars have continually debated attributed to his star actor Edward Alleyn, who performed the the stance Marlowe's play takes towards the Cavlinist doctrine title role in three of Marlowe's plays during his lifetime, and for of predestination: is Faustus fated to fall to hell? whom the part of Faustus was written. Ben Affleck plays Alleyn in the movie Shakespeare in Love. RELATED LITERARY WORKS Marlowe likely learned of the Doctor Faustus story from Historia von D. Iohan Fausten, an anonymous volume in German PLOT SUMMARY from 1587, an English translation of which was published in 1592. Marlowe adds his own touches to the story to create an Doctor Faustus is a scholar living in Wittenberg, Germany. original tragedy. The story of Faustus and the general motif of a Feeling that he has reached the ends of all traditional studies, Faustian bargain (giving up one's soul for limitless knowledge he decides to pursue magic, and has his servant Wagner bring or power) reappear frequently in modern literary, artistic, and him Valdes and Cornelius, two men who can teach him how to folk traditions. perform magic incantations. Two angels (a Good Angel and an Evil Angel) appear. The Good Angel tries to convince Faustus not to pursue unholy magic, but the Evil Angel encourages him KEY FACTS to delve into sorcery. Valdes and Cornelius give Faustus spell- ©2016 LitCharts LLC www.LitCharts.com | Follow us: @litcharts | v.004 Page 1 LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books. books and Faustus is excited to begin casting spells and Faustus for his enjoyment. Lucifer gives Faustus another book summoning spirits. to learn from, before leaving. Two scholars, who know of Faustus for his reputation as a A stable-hand named Robin steals one of Faustus' spell-books scholar, wonder what he is up to and, running into Wagner, ask and tells his friend, the inn-keeper Rafe, that they should try to him. Wagner tells them that Faustus is with Valdes and cast some magic spells. Wagner informs the audience that Cornelius, and the two scholars lament Faustus' interest in Mephastophilis has taken Faustus on a grand tour of the world magic. in a chariot drawn by dragons, in order to learn all the secrets of Faustus begins conjuring, and summons up a devil named astronomy. The pair is now headed for Rome. Mephastophilis. Faustus orders Mephastophilis to do his Once in Rome, Faustus wants to see all the city's monuments, bidding, but Mephastophilis informs him that he can do nothing but Mephastophilis tells him to stay in the pope's private that is not commanded by Lucifer. Faustus asks him questions chambers and play a joke on him. Mephastophilis makes about hell and its devils, and then tells Mephastophilis to bring Faustus and himself invisible, and they conduct mischief as the an offer to Lucifer: he will give his soul to Lucifer, on the pope and his cardinals attempt to have a banquet. A group of condition that he gets 24 years of unlimited power and friars attempt to sing a dirge to drive away malevolent spirits. knowledge, with Mephastophilis as his willing servant. Back in Germany, a vintner (wine merchant) confronts Robin Mephastophilis goes to Lucifer, and Faustus thinks that he has and Rafe about a goblet they have stolen. The pair uses made a good deal. Faustus' spell-book to summon Mephastophilis in order to Meanwhile, Wagner finds a clown and persuades him to be his scare the vintner away. Mephastophilis comes, but is frustrated servant, promising to teach him some magic in return. In his that he has been summoned by two lowly “slaves” (VIII, 39) for study, Faustus begins to hesitate about the deal he has such a banal task. Meanwhile, after some more traveling, proposed with Lucifer. As he debates repenting and turning Faustus returns to Germany. His fame as a conjurer has spread back to God, the two angels appear again and try to persuade far and wide. The German emperor Charles V has invited Faustus in their respective directions. Faustus renews his Faustus to his court, having heard about his magic skills. resolve to give his soul to Lucifer. At the emperor's court, Faustus indulges the emperor by Mephastophilis returns and Faustus questions him about hell calling up the spirit of Alexander the Great, essentially Charles' before officially agreeing to his deal with Lucifer. hero. Charles V is exceedingly impressed, but a knight of his is Mephastophilis demands that Faustus certify the agreement uncomfortable with the devilish magic and is skeptical of with a deed of gift written in Faustus' own blood. As Faustus Faustus. Faustus repays the knight's rudeness by making horns attempts to sign the agreement, his blood congeals, as if appear on his head. refusing to sign. Mephastophilis fetches some hot coals to melt After Faustus' visit to the emperor, a horse-courser (horse- the congealed blood, and Faustus signs the agreement. Faustus trader) finds him and asks to buy his horse. Faustus agrees but immediately regrets the deal, but is distracted from his worries tells him not to ride the horse into water. Thinking that Faustus when Mephastophilis summons up a group of devils bringing is trying to trick him, the horse-courser rides the horse into a various riches to him. Faustus then asks Mephastophilis more pond. In the middle of the pond, the horse vanishes, plunging questions about hell. He asks Mephastophilis for a wife, but the horse-courser into the water. Angry, he attempts to Mephastophilis cannot do anything related to marriage (a holy confront Faustus, who is sleeping. He yanks on Faustus' leg to ceremony), so he summons a devil-woman instead. wake him up, but the leg comes right off Faustus' body. He runs Mephastophilis gives Faustus books containing all the off, scared, while Faustus' leg is instantly replaced by magic. knowledge of astronomy and the stars, as well as of all plants Wagner informs Faustus that his company is requested at the and trees. Faustus again begins to regret giving up his soul and court of a nobleman, the Duke of Vanholt. considers repenting. At this, the angels re-appear and again At the Duke's court, Faustus entertains the Duke and Duchess make their cases to Faustus. Faustus again decides not to with his magic.
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