Doctor Faustus by Marlowe - General Introduction

 Doctor Faustus by Marlowe 

Written 1588-1592; published 1604

Doctor Faustus, full name -  The Tragicall History of D. Faustus, tragedy in five acts.

        This play tells the story of the man who sells his soul to the devil in return for 24 years of power and knowledge - a legend that began in Germany in the 1500s. The story has inspired countless writers, dramatists and composers ever since, but the first major stage version of the story in England is this one by Shakespeare's contemporary Christopher Marlowe (1564-93). Written sometime between 1588 and 1592, but first published in 1604, the play was extremely controversial at the time, as it explores the paths human beings can take when they allow the devil into their lives. 

        Doctor Faustus was performed many times around the year of Marlowe's death, and its demonic impact on the audiences became the stuff of legend. During the Elizabethan period, the popularity of theatre had grown so much that the Crown was concerned about the effects of controversial plays. Plays were given an official licence if they were deemed suitable, but playwrights could be censored, arrested or even imprisoned. James I passed an act in 1606, which forbade any blasphemous or profane references to God or Christ - actors were fined £10 for each profanity. Marlow was forced to make a number of revisions to Doctor Faustus.

Play Summery of Doctor Faustus

Character list in the play - Doctor Faustus

General Introduction - Doctor Faustus by Marlowe

Character list in the play - Doctor Faustus

 Doctor John Faustus - 

Main Character, 

A learned scholar in Germany during the fifteenth century who becomes dissatisfied with the limitations of knowledge and pledges his soul to Lucifer in exchange for unlimited power.

Wagner 

Faustus' servant, 

He tries to imitate (copy) Faustus' methods of reasoning and fails in a ridiculous and comic manner.

Valdes and Cornelius 

Two German scholars who are versed in the practice of magic and who teach Faustus about the art of conjuring.

Lucifer 

King of the underworld and a fallen angel who had rebelled against God and thereafter tries desperately to win souls away from the Lord.

Mephistophilis

 A prince of the underworld who appears to Faustus and becomes his servant for twenty-four years.

Good Angel and Evil Angel 

Two figures who appear to Faustus and attempt to influence him.

The Clown 

The clown who becomes a servant of Wagner as Mephistophilis becomes a servant to Faustus.

Horse-

Courser A gullible man who buys Faustus' horse, which disappears when it is ridden into a pond.

The Pope 

The head of the Roman Catholic church, whom Faustus and Mephistophilis use as a butt of their practical jokes.

Charles V, 

Emperor of Germany The emperor who holds a feast for Faustus and at whose court Faustus illustrates his magical powers.

Knight

 A haughty and disdainful knight who insults Faustus. In revenge, Faustus makes a pair of horns appear on the knight.

Duke and Duchess of Vanholt

 A couple whom Faustus visits and for whom he conjures up some grapes.

Robin 

An ostler who steals some of Dr. Faustus' books and tries to conjure up some devils.

Rafe (Ralph)

 A friend of Robin's who is present with Robin during the attempt to conjure up devils.

Vintner

A man who appears and tries to get payment for a goblet from Robin.

Old Man He appears to Faustus during the last scene and tries to tell Faustus that there is still time to repent.

Seven Deadly Sins, - Alexander, - Helen of Troy, and - Alexander's Paramour

 Spirits or apparitions which appear during the course of the play.

Chorus A device used to comment upon the action of the play or to provide exposition.

Read Also Topic Given Below

Play Summery of Doctor Faustus

Character list in the play - Doctor Faustus

General Introduction - Doctor Faustus by Marlowe

Play Summery of Doctor Faustus

     Faustus becomes dissatisfied with his studies of medicine, law, logic and theology; therefore, he decides to turn to the dangerous practice of necromancy, or magic. He has his servant Wagner summon Valdes and Cornelius, two German experts in magic. Faustus tells them that he has decided to experiment in necromancy and needs them to teach him some of the fundamentals.

        When he is alone in his study, Faustus begins experimenting with magical incantations, and suddenly Mephistophilis appears, in the form of an ugly devil. Faustus sends him away, telling him to reappear in the form of a friar. Faustus discovers that it is not his conjuring which brings forth Mephistophilis but, instead, that when anyone curses the trinity, devils automatically appear. Faustus sends Mephistophilis back to hell with the bargain that if Faustus is given twenty-four years of absolute power, he will then sell his soul to Lucifer.

        Later, in his study, when Faustus begins to despair, a Good Angel and a Bad Angel appear to him; each encourages Faustus to follow his advice. Mephistophilis appears and Faust agrees to sign a contract in blood with the devil even though several omens appear which warn him not to make this bond.

        Faustus begins to repent of his bargain as the voice of the Good Angel continues to urge him to repent. To divert Faustus, Mephistophilis and Lucifer both appear and parade the seven deadly sins before Faustus. After this, Mephistophilis takes Faustus to Rome and leads him into the pope's private chambers, where the two become invisible and play pranks on the pope and some unsuspecting friars.

        After this episode, Faustus and Mephistophilis go to the German emperor's court, where they conjure up Alexander the Great. At this time, Faustus also makes a pair of horns suddenly appear on one of the knights who had been skeptical about Faustus' powers. After this episode, Faustus is next seen selling his horse to a horse-courser with the advice that the man must not ride the horse into the water. Later, the horse-courser enters Faustus' study and accuses Faustus of false dealings because the horse had turned into a bundle of hay in the middle of a pond.

        After performing other magical tricks such as bringing forth fresh grapes in the dead of winter, Faustus returns to his study, where at the request of his fellow scholars, he conjures up the apparition of Helen of Troy. An old man appears and tries to get Faustus to hope for salvation and yet Faustus cannot. He knows it is now too late to turn away from the evil and ask for forgiveness. When the scholars leave, the clock strikes eleven and Faustus realizes that he must give up his soul within an hour.

        As the clock marks each passing segment of time, Faustus sinks deeper and deeper into despair. When the clock strikes twelve, devils appear amid thunder and lightning and carry Faustus off to his eternal damnation.

Read Also Topic Given Below

Play Summery of Doctor Faustus

Character list in the play - Doctor Faustus

General Introduction - Doctor Faustus by Marlowe