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Summary of Doctor Faustus Context
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The context for Marlowe and Doctor Faustus within the literary canon.
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CONTEXTMARLOWE
Christopher Marlowe was the son of a shoemaker and studied Chris anity at Cambridge University on a
religious scholarship, however then de ed religion and holy orders by becoming a writer instead of a priest as
expected. He was a suspected homosexual atheist and was murdered at 29, one year a er, DF was rst
performed.
THE PLAY
DF was rst performed in 1592 and was published in 1604.
The play is considered a Renaissance text because it was wri en during that era (1400-1618) and has a
plethora of links to the period. For example, the Renaissance was a period of religious decline, which is
explored in the play through Faustus himself turning away from religion. The period also cantered around the
re-awakening of astrology and scien c understanding with discoveries in Britain, for example, the shi to the
Heliocentric astronomical model. The Renaissance period ended with the 30-year war in 1618.
The Protestant Reforma on (1517 - 1618) began in Wi enberg, Faustus' home, when Mar n Luther wrote the
'ninety- ve theses' cri cising indulgences in Catholicism. This led to his excommunica on in 1521 and inspired
Lutheranism. He ed Germany as "Friar George" to escape immola on for heresy (burned at the sake for
defying religion) and then translated the Bible into German from La n for all to access.
In uence of the classics on the play:
•Ancient Rome, Greek Mythology, the Chorus, personi ca on of Vice/Virtue, classical scholars (Galen,
Hippocrates), taught theocracy allegorically
•Quote Aristotle on tragic heroes… "A man cannot be a tragic hero un l he can see the root of his own
downfall."
•Aristotelian criteria for a tragic hero: nobility, hamar a, peripeteia, anagnorisis and catharsis.
•"his waxen wings did mount above his reach" (chorus) - a Greek myth where Icarus was given wings made
of feathers and beeswax, but ew too close to the sun and fell to his death
•The chorus: a classical Greek theatre method describing the ac on through recita on, movement or
song. These passive narrators opened Greek tragedies.
Calvinism was a reforma on movement that cri cised Catholicism and determined that we are born pre-fated
to go to heaven or hell.
In uences of tragicomedy; use of comic rhyme (e.g., "a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or a rat" Sc.3), includes comic
scenes in a tragic plot, strong gravity of dic on to depict and parody events/movements
Faus an cycle of doubt- doubt, persuasion, resolve, gains.
Types of comedy- Alterna ve (human foolishness), black (disturbing subject ma er), insult (o ensive), physical
(slaps ck), parody (sa re mocking)
Gothic in uences- Midnight/lightning (pathe c fallacy) in the nal scene, evil forces (demons), moral issues
(necromancy, Hell)
PLANNED INTRODUCTION
For both modern-day and post-reforma on, protestant, Jacobean audiences, Doctor Faustus is a Renaissance
tragicomedy that pushes socio-poli cal and theological boundaries. Through expertly analysing the declining
prowess of religion in Renaissance Europe, Marlowe promotes a discussion surrounding the pursuit of
heavenly, yet extraordinary, knowledge, in a me driven by the re-awakening of astronomy, scien c
understanding and Heliocentrism. Though the inclusion of social stra ca on and sa rising evangelicalism…
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