Doctor Faustus | Study Guide

Christopher Marlowe

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Doctor Faustus | Infographic

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Check out this Infographic to learn more about Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. Study visually with character maps, plot summaries, helpful context, and more.

doctor-faustus-christopher-marloweFaustus, Act 2, Scene 3carce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven,But fearful echoes thunder in mine ears:“Faustus, thou art damned!”Sources: Biography.com, Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Marlowe Society Copyright © 2017 Course Hero, Inc.BloodSignifies the soul and seals Faustus’s pact with LuciferAngelsSymbolize the battle for Faustus’s soul between heaven and hellBooksRepresent the hidden knowledge Faustus seeksSymbolsMephastophilisTormented devil and collector of souls for Lucifer; mediates deal between Lucifer and Faustus to gain Faustus’s soul; must obey Faustus for 24 yearsLuciferFallen angel and the prince of devils; searches for human souls to populate hell; provides Faustus with knowledge and power in exchange for his soulDoctor FaustusAmbitious but petty Renaissance scholar; gets unlimited power and knowledge for 24 years at the cost of his soul when he makes a deal with LuciferMain CharactersIn a literary career spanning less than six years, Marlowe changed English drama forever. His skillful use of blank verse transformed English poetry and brought a new level of maturity to Elizabethan theater. As a contest between desire and conscience, rebellion and remorse, Doctor Faustus remains relevant today.CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE1564–93AuthorWhen his ambitions soar too high, Faustus’s insolent pride damns him to hell.Pride & AmbitionFaustus’s desire for unholy knowledge conflicts with his desire for salvation.Good vs. EvilThe cost of sin is eternal death, but the reward of salvation is eternal life.Damnation vs. SalvationReflecting the Renaissance spirit of inquiry, Doctor Faustus is the tale of an ambitious man whose thirst for knowledge goes too far. John Faustus sells his soul to Lucifer to acquire all the power and knowledge he desires. Too late he realizes the truly hellish price he must pay.Soaring Ambition and a Hellish FallTHEMESEnglishOriginal Language1604Year PublishedChristopher MarloweAuthorDoctor FaustusTragedyPlay
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