Doctor Faustus – Critical Analysis
Christopher Marlowe’s
Doctor Faustus (first performed c. 1592;
published 1604 in the A-text, and 1616 in the B-text) is one of the most
significant works of the English Renaissance. It dramatizes the tragic downfall
of a brilliant scholar whose overreaching ambition leads him to sell his soul
to the Devil in exchange for knowledge, pleasure, and power.
Marlowe adapts the
German Faust legend, but infuses it with Renaissance humanist concerns —
particularly the tension between medieval Christian doctrine and the spirit of
scientific inquiry and individualism.
Summary
·
Exposition:
Dr. Faustus, a scholar at Wittenberg, grows dissatisfied with traditional forms
of knowledge—philosophy, medicine, law, and theology—and turns to necromancy.
He summons Mephistophilis, a servant of Lucifer.
·
Pact with the Devil:
Faustus signs a contract in
blood, granting Lucifer his soul after 24 years of service from Mephistophilis.
He rejects warnings from the Good Angel and embraces temptation from the Evil
Angel.
·
Middle Acts:
Faustus
wastes his powers on frivolous tricks—summoning historical figures for
amusement, playing pranks on the Pope, and entertaining nobility—rather than
pursuing profound knowledge.
·
Approaching Doom:
As
the 24 years near their end, Faustus is plagued with fear and remorse, but
still fails to repent, deceived by the belief that his sins are unforgivable.
·
Climax and Conclusion:
In the final hour, Faustus
desperately begs for time to stop, but at midnight, demons drag him to Hell.
The Chorus delivers the moral warning: those who seek forbidden power without
moral restraint will be damned.
Critical Analysis
1. Faust
as a Renaissance Over-reacher
Faustus embodies
the Renaissance ideal of the “overreacher” — one who strives beyond human
limits, akin to Marlowe’s Tamburlaine.
His quest for ultimate knowledge reflects the era’s fascination with human potential
but also its moral anxieties.
2. Conflict
Between Medieval and Renaissance Worldviews
·
Medieval
Morality Play: Like earlier morality plays, Doctor Faustus uses allegorical figures (Good Angel, Evil
Angel, Old Man) to dramatize spiritual conflict.
·
Renaissance
Individualism: Faustus rejects the scholastic tradition for personal
ambition, representing the humanist break from medieval orthodoxy.
3. Tragic
Structure
Faustus’ downfall follows the Aristotelian
tragic model:
·
Hamartia
(fatal flaw): Pride and intellectual arrogance.
·
Peripeteia
(reversal): Realization of the cost of his pact.
·
Catharsis:
Audience experiences pity for Faustus’ wasted potential and fear of similar
damnation.
4. Religious
and Moral Dimensions
The play reflects
the Calvinist doctrine of predestination (suggesting Faustus was doomed from
the start) but also leaves room for free will — Faustus could repent, yet chooses not to.
5. Theatrical
Innovation
Marlowe blends
serious theological debate with comic interludes, catering to both learned and
popular audiences in the Elizabethan public theatres.
Major Themes
1.
Overreaching
Ambition:
The desire to transcend human limitations drives Faustus to ruin.
2.
Knowledge and
Power:
The play critiques the misuse of intellectual potential for trivial purposes.
3.
Good vs. Evil:
Represented through allegorical characters and moral dilemmas.
4.
Damnation and
Salvation:
Explores repentance, grace, and the permanence (or reversibility) of sin.
5.
Illusion vs.
Reality:
Faustus gains magical powers but achieves nothing of lasting substance.
MCQs (UGC NET Style)
1.
Where is Dr.
Faustus a scholar in Marlowe’s play?
a) Heidelberg
b) Wittenberg
c) Leipzig
d) Prague
Answer: b) Wittenberg
2.
How many years of
service does Faustus bargain for with Mephistophilis?
a) 7 years
b) 14 years
c) 21 years
d) 24 years
Answer: d) 24 years
3.
Who warns Faustus
in the final act to repent?
a) Lucifer
b) The Old Man
c) The Clown
d) Cornelius
Answer: b) The Old Man
4.
Which of the
following is NOT a source of the Faustus legend?
a) German chapbooks
b) English translations by P. F. Gent
c) Italian epics of Ariosto
d) Lutheran sermons
Answer: c) Italian epics of
Ariosto
5.
In the end,
Faustus is taken away by:
a) Lucifer and Beelzebub
b) Angels
c) Mephistophilis and other devils
d) The Good Angel
Answer: c) Mephistophilis and
other devils
PYQs (Based on UGC NET Pattern)
1.
(NET 2014)
The opening soliloquy of Doctor Faustus
shows his dissatisfaction with:
a) Alchemy and necromancy
b) Philosophy, medicine, law, and theology
c) Astrology and astronomy
d) Politics and governance
Answer: b) Philosophy, medicine,
law, and theology
2.
(NET 2016)
Match the following characters with their functions in Doctor Faustus:
i. Good Angel – 1. Tempts Faustus toward sin
ii. Evil Angel – 2. Urges Faustus toward repentance
iii. Mephistophilis – 3. Servant of Lucifer
iv. Wagner – 4. Comic relief
Answer: i–2, ii–1, iii–3, iv–4
3.
(NET 2018)
The moral of Doctor Faustus is best
summarized by which statement?
a) “The wages of sin is death.”
b) “Knowledge is power.”
c) “Fortune favors the bold.”
d) “To thine own self be true.”
Answer: a) “The wages of sin is
death.”
4.
(NET 2020)
Which source did Marlowe most directly adapt for Doctor Faustus?
a) Goethe’s Faust
b) The English translation of the German Faustbuch
c) Chaucer’s Parson’s Tale
d) Holinshed’s Chronicles
Answer: b) The English
translation of the German Faustbuch
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