Doctor Faustus Analysis:
Context of Christopher Marlowe’s “Dr. Faustus”:
Christopher Marlowe:
Marlowe was born in 1564 in Canterbury, Kent, attending King’s School and later Corpus
Christi College, Cambridge (Theology and Ancient Languages). While a student at
Cambridge, Marlowe travelled abroad on Government business, from which contemporary
information scholars conclude he was spying for Sir Francis Walsingham’s secret service.
He may have infiltrated the Catholic Jesuit Community at Rheims in France, and it is also
speculated that he may have become a Catholic sympathiser and a double agent during his
time in France. Marlowe left London in 1587 to take up the profession of a playwright.
His lifestyle in London was that of a single man who lived amongst a crowd of similar friends,
including playwright Thomas Kid. His contacts included intellectuals, con-men, and spies. He
also had political connections, including the spymaster and Secretary of State to Queen
Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham. At the time of his death, (May 1593), some
contemporaries claimed that Marlowe expressed atheist views and often tried to persuade
men to Atheism. However we cannot take this as a straightforward truth.
Protestantism and Cultural Context of the Play:
“Doctor Faustus”, a play centred around the idea of ambition and sacrifice, was first
performed in September 1594, during which England maintained a rigid Protestant belief
system. The play is set in Wittenberg, Germany, seen as the ‘birthplace” of Protestantism.
Catholicism still lingered in Elizabethan society despite it being illegal, heretical, and
punishable by death. Anti-Catholic sentiment is rife in the play, entertaining a Protestant
audience through the mocking of traditional Catholic beliefs. Marlowe was accused of being
an atheist, which allows him in the play to explore topics which would have been seen as
scandalous. The character of Faustus, presented as a doomed sinner, allows Marlowe to
discuss religious doubt throughout with relative safety. The story plays on the idea of the
tragic hero, a man who’s thirst for knowledge and power leads him to make a pact with the
Devil which brings about his inevitable downfall.
The Real Dr. Faust:
It is now clear to us that the real Dr. Faust, on whom Marlowe based his play, was not a
magician at all but rather an incredible braggart and trickster. His stories were bred in the
German inns of the 16th century, an environment described by E.M Butler as a place where
“jugglers, charlatans, and quacks of all kinds thrived.. The ideal breeding ground for those
crass deceptions and knavish tricks associated with the real Faust.” (121)
Morality Plays as a Genre:
The morality play genre became popular during the fifteenth to late sixteenth century, during
the medieval to early modern period. They had a common basic narrative, each with a main
character as an ordinary man (usually male), approached by tempters who suggest he
should leave his moral responsibilities. The mankind figure goes downhill, while virtuous
characters try to remind the mankind figures of his duties. He follows their advice until the
,tempters appear again, before humiliating the virtuous characters who have tried to help. A
repeated tug and pull pattern follows until he contemplates committing suicide. A virtuous
character comes along to help, drives the vice crew away and the mankind figure turns back
to God. Unlike classic morality plays however, Faustus is not saved at the end but damned.
He pushes boundaries and makes the same mistakes, representative of the “typical”
mankind figure. The idea of the good angel and the bad angel is symbolic of morality plays
during the mediveal era, representative of Faustus’s inner conflict (psychomachia).
Aristotle’s Poetics:
Aristotle established the three unities of drama: plot, place, and time.
Marlowe subtly mocks typical literary convention of a plot taking place in 24 hours, by adding
24 years to Faustus’s life. He breaks the rules of the unity of time to metatheatrically reflect
Faustus’s breaking of the rules. In the second chorus, Marlowe presents Faustus as
gathering ever more knowledge while not experiencing it firsthand, therefore going against
human experience. The numerous Greek references also suggest how he is stretching the
boundaries of Christian convention.
Notable Themes in Christopher Marlowe’s “Dr. Faustus:
Religion (Protestantism vs Catholicism), Greek Mythology, Seven Deadly Sins,
Morality/Faustus as an unconventional morality play, Magic, Abuse of Power, Tragic hero,
Psychomachia
Martin Luther:
One man stood against the corruption of the establishment. Luther’s fight was, of course,
one of theology. Theology is found in God’s love for the people. There is connection between
Faust’s disillusionment and Luther’s misgivings regarding the dogma of the church. Luther
and the other reformation theologians believed that all mankind sinful, that everyone is guilty
of error in God’s sight. They also believed that God will punish those who do what He
forbids. The problem is not only that everyone sins, but that mankind’s sinful condition
means there is no way to do enough good things to earn God’s love. Luther’s teaching, and
that of the reformation, is often summarised in three “solas”. Sola gratia, sola fide, and sola
scriptura - by faith alone, by grace alone, and by scripture alone; The key to reformation.
“Metempsychosis” is Pythagoras’s doctrine that believes in the transmigration of souls,
another term for reincarnation. Faustus is trying to cheat his own fate, knowing that the
Christian doctrine will not save him. Reincarnation was not a christian ideology. “See, see
where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament! One drop would save my soul.” “Yet for
Christ’s sake whose blood hath ransomed me. Reference to crucifixion.
Impose some end to my incessant pain.” Theme of gothic horror in the last few lines of the
play, Faustus is finally experiencing the true horrors of Hell.
, The Chorus
Marlowe’s use of a chorus:
The chorus in Dr. Faustus frames the play through a prologue and epilogue which introduces
a didactic element to the plot. The chorus expresses traditional attitudes and guides the
audience’s response to the play. The chorus provides background information and additional
details to the play’s events and characters. The chorus in this circumstance acts as
Marlowe’s mouthpiece in relation to the morally driven play. Not only this, the use of a chorus
as a neutral observer and mouthpiece sets the scene for the tragic play, and Marlowe is able
to safely express his views on anti catholic-sentiment. During the prologue, the chorus
establishes a connection to Greek mythology, by likening Faustus to the tragedy of Icarus.
Founded on the idea of the traditional morality play, Faustus’s fate is somewhat inevitable
following his initial pact with the Devil. The opening passage reveals the perilous
consequences of resorting to magic.
“Not marching now in fields of Thrasymene,
Where Mars did mate the Carthaginians:
Nor sporting in the dalliance of love..”
The Chorus explains how the play, instead of concerning subjects of love or war, will focus
on the downfall of a man from common birth. Typically, tragedies would concern the downfall
of kings, however Marlowe’s play does not fit into this formula.
“Till swollen with cunning of a self conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach
And, melting, heavens conspired his overthrow.”
An allusion to the Greek tragedy of Icarus, “waxen wings”, suggests Faustus’s downfall.
Foreshadows how Faustus will similarly ignore warnings about the dangers of pursuing
forbidden knowledge. By using such a classic tale like Icarus, Marlowe is able to set the
scene for Faustus’s downfall. The chorus also uses numerous references to magic, more
specifically the dangers that come as a consequence of resorting to necromancy.
“Nothing so sweet as magic to him
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss”
Sibilance creates an alluring and unsettling tone and heightens the significance of Faustus’s
choice.
Context of Christopher Marlowe’s “Dr. Faustus”:
Christopher Marlowe:
Marlowe was born in 1564 in Canterbury, Kent, attending King’s School and later Corpus
Christi College, Cambridge (Theology and Ancient Languages). While a student at
Cambridge, Marlowe travelled abroad on Government business, from which contemporary
information scholars conclude he was spying for Sir Francis Walsingham’s secret service.
He may have infiltrated the Catholic Jesuit Community at Rheims in France, and it is also
speculated that he may have become a Catholic sympathiser and a double agent during his
time in France. Marlowe left London in 1587 to take up the profession of a playwright.
His lifestyle in London was that of a single man who lived amongst a crowd of similar friends,
including playwright Thomas Kid. His contacts included intellectuals, con-men, and spies. He
also had political connections, including the spymaster and Secretary of State to Queen
Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham. At the time of his death, (May 1593), some
contemporaries claimed that Marlowe expressed atheist views and often tried to persuade
men to Atheism. However we cannot take this as a straightforward truth.
Protestantism and Cultural Context of the Play:
“Doctor Faustus”, a play centred around the idea of ambition and sacrifice, was first
performed in September 1594, during which England maintained a rigid Protestant belief
system. The play is set in Wittenberg, Germany, seen as the ‘birthplace” of Protestantism.
Catholicism still lingered in Elizabethan society despite it being illegal, heretical, and
punishable by death. Anti-Catholic sentiment is rife in the play, entertaining a Protestant
audience through the mocking of traditional Catholic beliefs. Marlowe was accused of being
an atheist, which allows him in the play to explore topics which would have been seen as
scandalous. The character of Faustus, presented as a doomed sinner, allows Marlowe to
discuss religious doubt throughout with relative safety. The story plays on the idea of the
tragic hero, a man who’s thirst for knowledge and power leads him to make a pact with the
Devil which brings about his inevitable downfall.
The Real Dr. Faust:
It is now clear to us that the real Dr. Faust, on whom Marlowe based his play, was not a
magician at all but rather an incredible braggart and trickster. His stories were bred in the
German inns of the 16th century, an environment described by E.M Butler as a place where
“jugglers, charlatans, and quacks of all kinds thrived.. The ideal breeding ground for those
crass deceptions and knavish tricks associated with the real Faust.” (121)
Morality Plays as a Genre:
The morality play genre became popular during the fifteenth to late sixteenth century, during
the medieval to early modern period. They had a common basic narrative, each with a main
character as an ordinary man (usually male), approached by tempters who suggest he
should leave his moral responsibilities. The mankind figure goes downhill, while virtuous
characters try to remind the mankind figures of his duties. He follows their advice until the
,tempters appear again, before humiliating the virtuous characters who have tried to help. A
repeated tug and pull pattern follows until he contemplates committing suicide. A virtuous
character comes along to help, drives the vice crew away and the mankind figure turns back
to God. Unlike classic morality plays however, Faustus is not saved at the end but damned.
He pushes boundaries and makes the same mistakes, representative of the “typical”
mankind figure. The idea of the good angel and the bad angel is symbolic of morality plays
during the mediveal era, representative of Faustus’s inner conflict (psychomachia).
Aristotle’s Poetics:
Aristotle established the three unities of drama: plot, place, and time.
Marlowe subtly mocks typical literary convention of a plot taking place in 24 hours, by adding
24 years to Faustus’s life. He breaks the rules of the unity of time to metatheatrically reflect
Faustus’s breaking of the rules. In the second chorus, Marlowe presents Faustus as
gathering ever more knowledge while not experiencing it firsthand, therefore going against
human experience. The numerous Greek references also suggest how he is stretching the
boundaries of Christian convention.
Notable Themes in Christopher Marlowe’s “Dr. Faustus:
Religion (Protestantism vs Catholicism), Greek Mythology, Seven Deadly Sins,
Morality/Faustus as an unconventional morality play, Magic, Abuse of Power, Tragic hero,
Psychomachia
Martin Luther:
One man stood against the corruption of the establishment. Luther’s fight was, of course,
one of theology. Theology is found in God’s love for the people. There is connection between
Faust’s disillusionment and Luther’s misgivings regarding the dogma of the church. Luther
and the other reformation theologians believed that all mankind sinful, that everyone is guilty
of error in God’s sight. They also believed that God will punish those who do what He
forbids. The problem is not only that everyone sins, but that mankind’s sinful condition
means there is no way to do enough good things to earn God’s love. Luther’s teaching, and
that of the reformation, is often summarised in three “solas”. Sola gratia, sola fide, and sola
scriptura - by faith alone, by grace alone, and by scripture alone; The key to reformation.
“Metempsychosis” is Pythagoras’s doctrine that believes in the transmigration of souls,
another term for reincarnation. Faustus is trying to cheat his own fate, knowing that the
Christian doctrine will not save him. Reincarnation was not a christian ideology. “See, see
where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament! One drop would save my soul.” “Yet for
Christ’s sake whose blood hath ransomed me. Reference to crucifixion.
Impose some end to my incessant pain.” Theme of gothic horror in the last few lines of the
play, Faustus is finally experiencing the true horrors of Hell.
, The Chorus
Marlowe’s use of a chorus:
The chorus in Dr. Faustus frames the play through a prologue and epilogue which introduces
a didactic element to the plot. The chorus expresses traditional attitudes and guides the
audience’s response to the play. The chorus provides background information and additional
details to the play’s events and characters. The chorus in this circumstance acts as
Marlowe’s mouthpiece in relation to the morally driven play. Not only this, the use of a chorus
as a neutral observer and mouthpiece sets the scene for the tragic play, and Marlowe is able
to safely express his views on anti catholic-sentiment. During the prologue, the chorus
establishes a connection to Greek mythology, by likening Faustus to the tragedy of Icarus.
Founded on the idea of the traditional morality play, Faustus’s fate is somewhat inevitable
following his initial pact with the Devil. The opening passage reveals the perilous
consequences of resorting to magic.
“Not marching now in fields of Thrasymene,
Where Mars did mate the Carthaginians:
Nor sporting in the dalliance of love..”
The Chorus explains how the play, instead of concerning subjects of love or war, will focus
on the downfall of a man from common birth. Typically, tragedies would concern the downfall
of kings, however Marlowe’s play does not fit into this formula.
“Till swollen with cunning of a self conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach
And, melting, heavens conspired his overthrow.”
An allusion to the Greek tragedy of Icarus, “waxen wings”, suggests Faustus’s downfall.
Foreshadows how Faustus will similarly ignore warnings about the dangers of pursuing
forbidden knowledge. By using such a classic tale like Icarus, Marlowe is able to set the
scene for Faustus’s downfall. The chorus also uses numerous references to magic, more
specifically the dangers that come as a consequence of resorting to necromancy.
“Nothing so sweet as magic to him
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss”
Sibilance creates an alluring and unsettling tone and heightens the significance of Faustus’s
choice.
