'Dr. Faustus', Extra Notes, Revision

Dr Faustus, Extra Notes, Revision

Themes –

• Religion and Politics – the main political satire is directed at Charles V. Faustus and Mephistopheles visit his court which reveals Charles’ excessive family pride. Has no dignity > easy target for F and M’s tricks.

• Humanism – about human aspirations and potential and human aspirations but also human limitations.

Characters –

Mephistopheles – subtle manipulator – knows when to respond to Faustus, e.g. appearance of 7 deadly sins for amusement. He is an honest character – always says the truth about the outcome. Marlowe uses M to show ‘hell’ is also an inner psychological state that delivers its keenest pain mentally: ‘my fainting soul’.

Faustus – his intellect is his strength and his weakness. He is arrogant enough to think he has power over M. Doubts the reality of hell – ‘I think hell’s a fable’ – naïve. Is F the epitome of the new Renaissance scholar? – has command of new branches of knowledge and is familiar with recent learning and geographical discoveries. Asks for knowledge after asking for a wife – shows another side of his nature; his love of sensual pleasure.

Good and evil angels – they are external, visible embodiments of the two impulses that are at war within Faustus’s mind. They contest for F’s soul. Often appear when F is wavering.

The Old Man – key character as F is now being appealed to by a fellow human being. Previously F was appealed to by non-human beings. The Old Man brings warnings to F. Uses the word ‘sweet’ more than once – demonstrates that the Old Man retains his faith in F whose soul might be redeemed.