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Dr Faustus

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'Was this the face that launched a thousand ships...' There are so many great lines in this play! The greatness of Marlowe was recognised in his own time (a gentle modern reminder of this came in the film 'Shakespeare in Love', when almost every actor auditioning chose a bit from Marlowe, and all of those defaulted to this play).

It is somewhat ironic that if Shakespeare and Marlowe were writing today, they should most like be charged with plagiarism and copyright infringement; 'The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus' is likewise not an entirely original construct of Marlowe's, but rather derives from an anonymously penned German poem translated into English shortly before Marlowe recast it for his play. The German poet Goethe was influenced by the same anonymous source, and perhaps knew of Marlowe's play during his writing.

Dr. Faustus may have been based on a brilliant professor in Germany a generation or two prior to Marlowe. In any event, the idea of the seduction of the power of knowledge was (and continues to be) inspiring. The idea of selling one's soul to get the object of one's desire is also not a unique concept. Knowledge in the ancient world often always involved the spiritual realm, which had both its light and dark sides (one has but to think of the Star Wars saga to see how such concepts remain firmly rooted in our own time). Faustus becomes a conjurer, and strikes a deal with Lucifer to maintain power and knowledge in return for his soul after 24 years.

Despite the temptations to repent, Faustus in Marlowe's text never manages to break free of the temptations. 'My heart's so hardened I cannot repent. / Scare can I name salvation, faith, or heaven, / But fearful echoes thunder in mine ears: / "Faustus, thou art damned." ' Even recognising this, in the span of this one monologue, Faustus talks himself out of despair with the temptations of knowledge and secret power. Unfortunately for Faustus, he spends so much of his time and power doing ultimately useless tricks that he ends up in a worthless position despite his deal, and pays the ultimate price for his deal with the devil.

Marlowe had great appeal to the play-going audience of his day, and his words were considered very powerful art, indeed. One story bears repeating, dealing with the performance history of the play: 'A legend developed that during a performance in Exeter, in one scene in which Faustus called up devils, the actors counted one more devil than the scene called for and realised that Satan himself was in the their midst. In terror, they stopped the play; the audience bolted from the playing place; and the actors quitted the town the next morning.' Such was the power of Marlowe's rendering, that his language was thought to have magical conjuring power.

This edition is designed both for students as well as for those who might want to do the play in performance for classes. The spelling is modernised and edited for ease of reading. There are generous notes for the changes in the text versions (there was a publication of this text in 1604 and again in 1616 with changes and revisions). This text also includes many stage-direction and theatrical notes to give a good sense of how the play is performed. It includes many photographs of productions along the way. In addition to all of these features, editor Sylvan Barnet provides an introduction to the play which includes biographical details about Marlowe as well as more details about the background of the play.

Don't let the devil fool you - this is a good text.

This book is NOT a rendition of Goethe's Faust, as one reviewer mentioned. Marlowe wrote the original version (Doctor Faustus), and Goethe rewrote it with his own ideas of forgiveness in Faust. Both versions should be read, as they are often quite different in plot and, espeically, conclusion. Almost competely different stories, both are worth reading for their theological and spiritual value. Doctor Faustus is a quick and easy read, but filled with great stuff! A must read for anyone who appreciates classical literature.

At age 29 Christopher Marlowe was apparently stabbed and killed in an argument over a tavern bill. In his short life he left a remarkable legacy of four great plays and exerted considerable influence on another young playwright, William Shakespeare.

The Tragicall History of Dr. Faustus, or simply Dr. Faustus, is the story of a brilliant scholar whose thirst for knowledge and power leads him to trade his soul to Lucifer.

As we first encounter Faustus, he is systematically dismissing further study of Aristotlean logic, Galen's teachings on medicine, Justinian's works on law, and the study of divinity; Faustus is already the acknowledged master of these subjects. Only the study of necromancy can offer him greater profit, delight, and power.

Faustus through incantations summons Mephistophilis, servant of Lucifer, to negotiate a trade for his soul. Mephistophilis urges Faustus to reconsider, but Faustus is adamant: "Had I had as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephistophilis."

Faustus recklessly forges his agreement with Lucifer, his body and soul to be forfeit after 24 years of service from Mephistophilis.

Again and again Faustus calls upon Mephistophilis for delights and power and hidden knowledge. Mephistophilis obliges, and Faustus increasingly distances himself from God. Occasionally Faustus has misgivings and considers repentance, but fails to act, due partly to persuasion and threats from Mephistophilis - if thou repents, devils shall tear thee in pieces.

The intensity builds as Faustus repeatedly rejects God's offer of mercy and forgiveness, and we are never quite certain whether he will repent or not. Marlowe occasionally lowers the growing intensity by interspersing brief episodes of humor with tragedy, a convention quite familiar to Elizabethan audiences.

This inexpensive Dover edition offers only sparse footnotes, but footnotes are seldom needed.

Christopher Marlowe's other works included his two part drama Tamburlane the Great, The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward II, King of England, and The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta.

I recently read Doctor Faustus, edited by Michael Keefer and published by Broadview Press (ISBN 0-921149-59-X). The detailed introduction, comparisons between the 1604 and 1616 versions, and source material make it a good choice for English literature majors.

Well, the other reviews seem to talk about German legend, Goethe, spying, and being stabbed in a pub, so I'll skip all that. I'll just say that this is one of my favorite plays.

Here's an idea: why not order ten or so copies of this very reasonably-priced play and have your friends over for a Dr. Faustus party? You will need old costume dresses and some fresh fruit. It will be fun. It's better than Trivial Pursuit, anyway.

"Dr. Faustus," the play by 16th century writer Christopher Marlowe, has been published as part of the Dover Thrift Edition series. The brief introduction to this version notes that the play was first published in 1604, and also discusses its relationship to a German text from 1587 known as the "Faustbuch." In his play Marlowe tells the story of the title character, a scholar who is "swollen with cunning." Faust dabbles in the dark arts of "magicians / And necromantic books," and literally makes a deal with the devil. These actions drive the tragedy forward.

This play is a curious mixture of Christian theology, tragedy, slapstick comedy, and colorful pageantry. It moves along fast, and contains some really beautiful and stately language.

"Dr. Faustus" is ultimately a cautionary tale about human pride and ambition. I must admit that in the end I find it less satisfying than some of the other great tragedies of the Elizabethan era, perhaps because this play relies less on universal human issues than on a culturally-bound theological contrivance. Still, it's a noteworthy play that, I believe, still holds relevance for contemporary audiences. ...

I've been studying this play for English, that's why I read it. I originally thought it would be boring, but I was totally wrong! It's dramatic, tension-filled, and gives you a lot to think about, even if you're not a religious person. The last scene is especially powerful. Admittedly, when reading the play, some of the comic scenes come across as rather annoying - they really need to be seen on a stage - but it doesn't harm the book to any great degree. I would have appreciated less comedy, but I still recommend this play.

This seems to be a good point to enter the Faust myth for those interested. Marlowe retells Johann Spies' tale with theatrical flourish.

Well i just started reading the "damn" book and I can understand why some people would not like it. I belive Mr.Mrlowe crosses lots of bridges in where words and actions overcomes one's mind, trying to forget that you are reading the name lucifer repeatedly. It is important to remember that is just a book, a well written one by the way. I am fascinated by the way he prepares you for whats coming, the small battle with the good and bad Angels its the begining of an ambitious and evil portrayal. I think that the main character is evil but somehow heroic, by the way he wants the power to defeat his foes nad defend his friends, but that is just a point of view. I am sure i will keep enjoing it untill the end, where i will come back with more and final thoughts.

Joshua P.

Not everybody knows Faust(us). But a lot do. Most readers know this tragic personnage who allied himself with the devil and finally paid the price for his betrayal of God from a famous play written by J.W. Goethe. It was him who wrote the most famous version of Faust's history. (If you want to know more about Goethe's work, please visit my reviewer page.) But he wasn't the only dramatist who considered this lost magician worth a tragedy. Exactly 2 centuries and 1 year before Goethe published his work, a play by the Englishman Christopher Marlowe saw the light of the world.

Marlowe and Goethe are different personalities living in completely different times so that it's no wonder their plays vary in character. Goethe lived in prosperity and had all his life to think about subjects like human nature, social relationships, history and its influence on the present, love, religion and much more. He was a philosoph, and that's the reason why Goethe's "Faust" is sometimes difficult to understand because you have to dive under the surface of things to understand their true nature. Marlowe's work is different: This man was certainly very intelligent and knew a lot about the forces that moved the world, but, unlike Goethe, he didn't have a lifetime to think about one single play. You can imagine that Marlowe's "Faust" became more shallow, but still not shallow enough to be ignored by this imaginary institution we call World Literature. As a compensation, Marlowe's work contains more life and action in it, something I can't say about Goethe's. Both men were geniuses. In this review, I'd like to pay my tribute to the Englishman.

As stated above, the play tells the story of a medieval scientist who allies himself with the devil. The latter promises to serve the first in this world, whereas Faust must do the same in hell. The poor doctor doubts his choices because it's his soul being sold, still he follows the devil and has the time of his life. I beg your pardon, for I feel the need to return to Goethe to show you another important difference between both versions: Whereas Marlowe's Faust wants the devil to provide him with fun and all richness of the world (materialism), Goethe's alter ego feels the importance to be educated by the devil to get a complete picture of the world. At the end, Marlowe's Faust realizes that all experiences weren't worth his soul. He begs God to save him, but it is no longer possible. The devil tears his body apart and takes his soul with him to infinite sufferings.

The effect this play had on me was tremedous. Fascinated, I watched Faust's development. I particularly liked the 5th act where he realizes that all is finally lost. You can really feel his pain in those scenes; the effect is unbelievable.

So, if you want to be touched by human tragedy, I really advise you to read this book. It's done very quickly, so you needn't worry about the time it takes. If you want to make a step further and find additional material on Faust, read Goethe's "Faust 1" as well as Thomas Mann's "Doctor Faustus". It's a marvelous novel and the most modern narration based on the medieval German scientist named Johann(es) Faust(us).

In the Faust legend, a man by the name of Faust or Faustus sells his soul to the devil for twenty-four years of worldly power. This legend has been told many times over by such writers as Goethe and Mann, but no doubt the most famous retelling, and probably the best, is the play, Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe.

The most prominent influence on Marlowe's version of the Faust legend was the social upheaval during the time period in which it was written. Doctor Faustus was probably first performed in 1594, a time of tremendous change in Europe. The Medieval times were over and the Renaissance was beginning, however, influences of both times can be found in the play. Doctor Faustus is a transitional play where beliefs from both time periods intermingle, sometimes with disastrous results.

Doctor Faustus, himself, is a man torn between two traditions. He is a man with medieval beliefs, but renaissance aspirations. When he first attempts to conjure Mephistopheles, Faustus believe that Mephistopheles was forced to come by his (Faustus's) words. In response, Mephistopheles says, "for when we hear one rack the name of God, abjure the Scriptures and his savior Christ, we fly in hope to get his glorious soul." Mephistopheles has, of course, come of his own accord, because he feels that there is a soul to be had. He states this blatantly, yet Faustus is clouded by his old beliefs and also by his desires.

From a medieval point of view, Doctor Faustus can be looked upon as a morality play; a play about one man who aspires beyond his God-given place in the world. On the other hand, from a renaissance perspective, this play is a tragedy. The Renaissance was a time of individuality unlike the Middle Ages where a man was trapped in whatever social class into which he was born. Faustus is "an essentially good man" by Renaissance ideals who believes he has reached the end of human knowledge and is thus justified is using the black arts to further his knowledge. As in most classical tragedies, his downfall is complete and is due to his pride.

After Faustus makes his deal with Lucifer, the question must be asked: Is there any way back for him? Faustus believes he is damned at the moment that he signs his name in blood, although he has many chances to repent during the course of the play. The first chance comes after his first conjuring. He says, "O something soundeth in mine ear, 'Abjure this magic, turn to God.' Aye, and Faustus will turn to God again. To God? He loves thee not." Something is pleading for Faustus to repent, but Faustus remains firm in believing God has already condemned him. Each time the Good Angel appears is yet another chance for Faustus to repent, but the Evil Angel continues to threaten him if he even thinks about repenting. If it were not possible for Faustus to save his soul, then the Evil Angel and his demons would have simply left Faustus alone to cry out in anguish to God.

The final indicator that Faustus could have been saved at any point over his twenty-four year bargain is given by Mephistopheles, himself, as Faustus's fate is sealed beyond irrevocability.

Christopher Marlowe's brilliant retelling of the Faust legend springs not only from his own creativity, but from the times in which he lived. Marlowe's life and times allowed him to create the greatest retelling of one of Western cultures more timeless stories. When put to words, the legend seems so simple, yet its possibilities and implications, as Marlowe proves, can be nothing less than monumental.