The Comic Scenes in Christopher Marlowe‟s Doctor Faustus, Purwarno & Jumat Barus. THE COMIC SCENES IN CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE’S DOCTOR FAUSTUS Purwarno & Jumat Barus Faculty of Literature Islamic University of North Sumatra, Medan e-mail: [email protected] Abstract This article is the result of a study which consists of the writer’s description of the comic or farcical scenes in Christopher Marlowe’s play “Doctor Faustus”. The comic episodes in dramatic or serious plays perform some definite functions. They provide comic relief, throw additional light on the meaning of the tragic action and present a contrasting point of view. Marlow’s introduction of crude buffoonery in “Doctor Faustus”, which was the common stock-in-trade of the Elizabethan dramatist, and which became the demands of the groundlings, the most important section of the audience in that age, have become an adversely criticism of literary critics. Thus, this article is an attempt to find out the significance of the comic scenes in the play as to see if they perform their functions as expected so that instead of becoming dubious humours which have no relation to the theme, and becoming the defects of the play, they throw additional light on the meaning of the tragic action and are accepted as organic parts of the tragic play. Keywords: farcical, tragedy, Elizabethan, humour, tragic-relief, I. INTRODUCTION In any tragic or serious play, the dramatist always endeavors to give relief to the audience by introducing comic scenes or episodes. The literary term for such comic interludes is known as tragic relief. Tragedy or a serious play is bound to create tension in the mind of the audience; and if this tension is not relaxed from time to time it generates some sort of emotional weakness or lassitude in mind of the audience. Hence, comic interludes are a necessity to ease the tension and refresh the mind of the audience. The chief purpose of the introduction of the comic episodes is to offer a 173 JULISA, Volume 8 Number 2, October 2008, Page 173 - 187 temporary relaxation of tension engendered by the serious scenes. Another point is that there was also a pressing demand from the side of Elizabethan audience for such interludes. Hence, playwrights had to introduce such scenes as the producers also demanded it for a successful run of the play. Then the comic interlude may have an appropriate emotional connection in the development of the tragic play or it may be a formal burlesque of a tragic scenes. The art of tragic relief, especially in its former aspect, found its supreme artistic excellence in the dramas of Shakespeare, and this art of tragic relief was also followed by Marlowe as to achieve the same purpose. Christopher Marlowe‟s Doctor Faustus is recognized as one of the masterpieces of English drama. This play undoubtedly belongs to the tragic play, especially the tragic history of Faustus himself, whose soul is carried off to his eternal damnation by devils at the end of the play. At the beginning of the play, Faustus is seen already at the peak of his worldly career. He is already master of all the existing knowledge and skills. After getting his degree of Doctorate, and studying all the important branches of learning like Philosophy, Physics, Law, and Divinity realizes that he is „still but Faustus and a man‟. He feels that all are inadequate and none of the subjects can help him to become as powerful „on earth, as Jove in the sky‟. Faustus‟ dream is to gain super-human power, and he would attain this power at any cost even by selling his soul to the Devil. Hence, in the end, Faustus, with his limitless lust for power and pelf, ultimately finds with horror how the flush and glory of his temporary success bring about his doom and eternal damnation. However, in this play Marlow also presents some comic or farcical episodes which have been much adversely criticized by many critics who claim that the comic elements in the scenes are low and vulgar, full of coarse buffoonery and cannot be accepted as organic parts of the tragic play. But, there are also eminent critics like Swinburne, Clifford Leech, J.C. Maxwell and even T.S. Eliot who asserted that Marlow was not devoid of a highly developed sense of humour and that Marlowe should not be judged by Shakespearean standard in this respect. Marlow had to introduce crude buffoonery as it was a common trend of the Elizabethan dramatists and the demands of the audience in that age. 174 The Comic Scenes in Christopher Marlowe‟s Doctor Faustus, Purwarno & Jumat Barus. II. DISCUSSION In this article, the writer discusses the significance of comic or farcical scenes found in Christopher Marlowe‟s Doctor Faustus, which has become the controversial discussions of many critics. 2.1 Comic Relief The first witty episode in the play can be seen in the conversation between Wagner, the boy-servant of Dr. Faustus, and two scholars who enquire if his master is at home. Wagner is a fun-loving person and he indulges in a bit of light-hearted talk with the scholars. Wagner argues with them in the learned manner which he has picked up from Faustus‟s discussions with fellow-scholars. Wagner plays upon words and tries to baffle the two scholars who have asked him a simple question. First Scholar : How now, sirrah! Where‟s thy master? Wagner : God in heaven knows Second Scholar : Why, does not thou know? Wagner : Yes, I know, but that follows not. First Scholar : Go, to sirrah! Leave your jesting and tell us where he is. Wagner : That follows not necessary by force of argument, that you, being licentiates should stand upon: therefore knowledge your error, and be attentive. Second Scholar : Why, didst thou not say thou knewest? Wagner : Have you any witness on‟t? Fist Scholar : Yes, sirrah, I heard you. Wagner : Ask my fellow if I be a thief. Second Scholar : Well, you will not tell us? Wagner : Yes, sir, I will tell you: yet, if you were not dunces, you would never ask me such a question; for is not he corups naturale? … and so, the Lord bles you, preserve you, and keep you, my dear brethren, my dear brethren! First Scholar : O, but I fear me nothing can reclaim him! Second Scholar : Yet let us try what we can do (I, ii, lines: 4-42) The quotation above shows that Wagner is a witty servant who has picked up the jargon and the manner of talk of Faustus and his fellow scholars. Wagner is seen 175 JULISA, Volume 8 Number 2, October 2008, Page 173 - 187 parodying the scholarly manner of talk he has often heard at his master‟s house. On being asked an innocent question as to the whereabouts of his master, Wagner tries to puzzle them by his answer. He says that it is a foolish question because, even if he were to tell the Scholars where he saw his master last, his master being Corpus naturale, might have moved away from that place by now. It is quite amusing to hear him refer to his master‟s being corpus naturale and the possibility of his having moved away from the place where he was a little while ago. He refers to the dinning- hall as the “place of execution”, and playing upon the word “execution” he expects to see the two Scholars “hanged at the next session” of the court. Wagner claims to have won a victory in his verbal debate with the Scholars and condescends to inform them that his master is inside the house at dinner with Valdes and Cornelius, as “this wine, if could speak, would inform your worships”. There can be no doubt about Wagner‟s ready with which has undoubtedly been sharpened by his having been in the service of a great scholar at whose house he must have been over hearing learned discussions of various subjects. And he concludes his speech with the words “and so, the Lord bles you, preserve you, and keep you, my dear brethren, my dear brethren”. The conversation above serves as an example of comic relief. The verbal jugglery and quibbling in which the servant of a celebrated logician indulges is a typical example of Elizabethan foolery, which is quite entertaining and relieves the tension created by the solemnity of the occasion when a great Doctor of Divinity is poised on a step towards deliberate damnation of his soul. The episode is structurally related to the play. Next, Faustus‟s servant, Wagner, tries to befool the Clown, who is a typically Elizabethan character indulging in puns, for whom, however, he feels a genuine sympathy. The Clown is unemployed and is not only semi-naked, but semi-starved. Wagner would like to employ the Clown as his errand-boy, referring to the poverty and the need of the clown, says that the clown is so hungry that “he would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood-raw”. The clown is not utterly stupid and so her refuses to accept such a proposition. If he must give his soul to the devil for the sake of food, he will insist on the mutton being “well roasted” and being served “with good sauce”. 176 The Comic Scenes in Christopher Marlowe‟s Doctor Faustus, Purwarno & Jumat Barus. Wagner : Sirrah, boy, come hither. Clown : How, boy! Swowns, boy! I hope You have seen many boys with Such pickadevaunts as I have: Boy, quotha! Wagner : Tell me, sirrah, hast thou any Comings in? Clown : Ay, and goings out too; you may see else.