Welcome to the World of Doctor Faustus!
Hello! Welcome to your study guide for Christopher Marlowe’s famous play, Doctor Faustus. This play is a cornerstone of the Drama section of your Edexcel AS Level. Don’t worry if the old-fashioned language seems a bit intimidating at first—at its heart, this is a very modern story about a man who wants it all and is willing to pay a terrifying price to get it. Think of it as the ultimate "be careful what you wish for" story!
In these notes, we will break down the play’s meaning, its historical context, and the clever ways Marlowe uses the stage to tell his story. Let’s dive in!
1. The Big Picture: What is Doctor Faustus About?
Imagine someone who has finished every degree possible at university and is still bored. That is Faustus. He is a brilliant scholar who feels he has reached the limit of human knowledge. To get more power and "forbidden" knowledge, he makes a deal with the Devil (Lucifer): he gets 24 years of magical power, but in exchange, the Devil gets his soul forever.
Did you know? The story is based on an older German legend, but Marlowe turned it into a complex psychological drama. It’s one of the earliest examples of a character having a "mental breakdown" on stage!
Quick Review: The Basic Plot
1. Faustus gets bored with normal science and religion.
2. He learns magic (necromancy) and summons a demon named Mephistopheles.
3. He signs a contract in blood to sell his soul.
4. He spends 24 years traveling and playing tricks but never does anything truly great.
5. As time runs out, he feels regret but is ultimately dragged down to Hell.
Key Takeaway: The play is a Tragedy, which means it follows the downfall of a person from a high status to a total disaster because of their own choices.
2. Understanding the Context (The "Why" Behind the Play)
To understand why Faustus acts the way he does, we need to look at when the play was written (around 1588–1592). This was a time of massive change called the Renaissance.
The Tension: Middle Ages vs. The Renaissance
Faustus is caught between two worlds:
1. The Medieval View: Life is about God. Humans are small and should be humble. Seeking too much power is a sin (Pride).
2. The Renaissance View: Humans are amazing! We should explore, learn, and push boundaries. This is called Humanism.
Analogy: Think of the Medieval view like a strict set of "house rules" and the Renaissance view like a "limitless internet." Faustus wants the limitless internet but lives in a house with very strict rules.
The "Overreacher"
Marlowe is famous for creating Overreachers—characters who want to go beyond what is humanly possible. Faustus isn't just "naughty"; he is challenging the very structure of the universe.
Key Takeaway: Faustus represents the fear and excitement of a world moving away from total religious control toward scientific discovery.
3. Key Characters: Who’s Who?
Doctor Faustus (The Protagonist)
He is a Tragic Hero. He isn't all bad, but he has a Hamartia (a fatal flaw). His flaw is Pride (or hubris). He thinks he is smarter than God and the Devil.
Mephistopheles (The Demon)
He is Faustus’s "assistant" from Hell. Interestingly, Mephistopheles is often quite honest. He warns Faustus that Hell is terrible, but Faustus doesn't listen.
Common Mistake: Don't confuse Mephistopheles with the Devil himself. He is just a servant of Lucifer.
The Good and Bad Angels
These characters represent Faustus’s internal conflict. When they appear, it’s like the little angel and devil you see on characters' shoulders in cartoons. They show us that Faustus always has a choice to repent (say sorry to God) until the very end.
Key Takeaway: The characters often represent ideas (like "Good" or "Evil") rather than just being realistic people. This is a carry-over from older Morality Plays.
4. Dramatic Devices and Structure
As this is a Drama paper, you need to talk about how the play works on stage.
Blank Verse vs. Prose
Marlowe uses different styles of speaking to show status:
- Blank Verse (Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter): Used by Faustus and the demons for serious, poetic, or grand moments. It sounds noble and important.
- Prose (Everyday speech): Used by the comic characters (like Wagner or the Clowns). It’s used for jokes and "low" behavior.
The Soliloquy
This is when a character speaks their inner thoughts out loud to the audience while alone. Faustus’s first and last speeches are soliloquies. They allow the audience to see his fear, his ego, and his eventual despair.
Comic Relief
Between the serious scenes, there are "funny" scenes where servants try to do magic.
Why it matters: These scenes often mirror Faustus’s actions. If a clown looks stupid doing magic, it makes Faustus look stupid for selling his soul for the same tricks.
Key Takeaway: Marlowe uses high-level poetry for the soul-searching parts and "slapstick" comedy to show how cheap Faustus's powers really are.
5. Major Themes to Remember
Use the mnemonic S.A.K.E. to remember the main themes:
S - Sin and Damnation: Can Faustus be saved? He thinks his sin is too big for God to forgive, which is actually a further sin of despair.
A - Ambition: The desire for power. Faustus wants to be a "spirit," not a man.
K - Knowledge: The difference between "useful" knowledge and "forbidden" magic.
E - Endings/Time: The play is obsessed with the clock. In the final scene, time moves faster and faster as the 24 years run out.
The "Waste" of Power
Notice how Faustus starts with big dreams (joining continents, finding gold) but ends up just playing pranks on the Pope or making grapes appear in winter. This shows that sin makes you smaller, not bigger.
Key Takeaway: The play warns that human ambition is dangerous if it isn't balanced by morality.
6. Tips for the Exam
1. Don't worry if it's tricky: The language is 400 years old! If you get stuck, look at the verbs. What is Faustus *doing*? Usually, he is either boasting, questioning, or panicking.
2. Watch for "Spectacle": Mention things the audience sees, like the Seven Deadly Sins parade or Faustus writing in his own blood. Drama is meant to be watched, not just read.
3. Use Literary Terms: Instead of saying "he talks to himself," say "he delivers a soliloquy." Instead of saying "he's too proud," say "he exhibits hubris."
Quick Review Box: Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Thinking Faustus has no choice.
- Correction: The Good Angel and Mephistopheles both remind him he can turn back. He chooses not to.
- Mistake: Focusing only on the magic.
- Correction: Focus on the language. The way Faustus speaks tells us more about his soul than the magic tricks do.
7. Final Summary
Doctor Faustus is a Tragedy about a Renaissance Overreacher. Through the use of blank verse, soliloquies, and allegorical characters (like the Angels), Marlowe explores the conflict between human ambition and religious limits. Faustus’s journey from a brilliant scholar to a terrified man being dragged to Hell serves as a powerful warning about the cost of losing one's integrity for the sake of power.