Dr. Faustus: Contents and the Biography of Christopher Marlowe

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Contents

  • Introduction
  • Theme of the Play
  • Characters of the Play
  • Summary of the play
  • Questions

Introduction to the Play

  • Christopher Marlowe
  • The Tragical History of the life and death of Dr. Faustus
  • Genre: tragedy
  • Reflects the spirit of Renaissance

The Theme of the Play

  • Faith in God
  • Avoiding the black magic

The Biography of Christopher Marlowe

  • Father - john Marlowe (shoemaker)
  • Mother Catherine
  • Baptism date - 26 feb 1564
  • Education - at kings school Canterbury
  • Ba at Cambridge (1584)
  • Ma (1587)

1) father of English tragedy drama

2) morning star of English tragedy drama

3) the creator of English verse

Major Characters

  • Doctor Faustus
  • Mephistopheles
  • Lucifer
  • Old Man
  • Good Angel
  • Evil Angel

Summary

  • Doctor Faustus, a well-respected German scholar of logic, medicine, law, and religion — and decides that he wants to learn to practice magic.
  • summoning up Mephistopheles, a devil.
  • Faustus՚s soul in exchange for twenty-four years of service from Mephistopheles.
  • Despite warning “Homo fudge,”
  • Signed in the agreement with blood

Questions on Hell and Heaven to the Devil

  • Faustus begins to travel. He goes to the pope՚s court in Rome, makes himself invisible, and plays a series of tricks.
  • Charles V (the enemy of the pope) , who asks Faustus to allow him to see Alexander the Great, Faustus summons Helen.
  • Faustus is overcome by fear and remorse.
  • He begs for mercy, but it is too late.
  • At midnight, a host of devils appears and carries his soul off to hell.
  • In the morning, the scholars find Faustus՚s limbs and decide to hold a funeral for him.

Manishika