DR. FAUSTUSCHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

“. . .We must now perform The form of Faustus’ fortunes, good or bad”

I. 1. 7-8

BACKGROUND

RENAISSANCE DRAMA WRITTEN BY A CONTEMPORARY OF SHAKESPEARE

BASED ON TRADITIONAL FAUST LEGEND (MAN SELLS HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL IN RETURN FOR WISH FULFILLMENT)

DEALS WITH THE POWERS OF GOOD AND EVIL

BIBLICAL AND MYTHOLOGICAL ALLUSIONS

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

TRAINED FOR THE CLERGY BUT NEVER BECAME A CLERGYMAN

WROTE 7 PLAYS AND SOME POETRY DIED IN A QUARREL OVER A TAVERN BILL 1ST TO USE BLANK VERSE (UNRHYMED

IAMBIC PENTAMETER) USED THE RUN-ON LINE TO CONTINUE

THOUGHT FROM ONE LINE TO THE NEXT FREQUENT USE OF CLASSICAL ALLUSIONS

THE RENAISSANCE

EMERGENCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL BIRTH OF LITERATURE AS A

PROFESSION “MIDDLE AGES MINUS GOD”

WHAT IS TRAGEDY?

SERIES OF EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON OF SIGNIFICANCE, ENDING IN UNHAPPY CATASTROPHE, THE WHOLE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND SERIOUSNESS

ARISTOTLE’S POETICSAND

THE THEORY OF TRAGEDY

TO AROUSE EMOTIONS OF PITY AND FEAR WHICH PRODUCE A CATHARSIS IN THE AUDIENCE

TO IMITATE THE ACTIONS OF MEN CONFLICT BETWEEN PROTAGONIST

AND ANTAGONIST PROTAGONIST’S ACTIONS DICTATED

BY HIS TRAGIC FLAW (HAMARTIA) PLOT: “THE TYING AND UNTYING OF

A KNOT”

THE TRAGIC HERO

1. MAN OF DIGNITY, POSTION2. POSSESSES A TRAGIC FLAW

(HAMARTIA)3. DIES WITH DIGNITY; HIS DEATH

EVOKES PITY

PLOT STRUCTURE

EXPOSITION

RISING ACTION

CLIMAX

FALLING ACTION

CATASTROPHE

PROLOGUE

SPOKEN BY THE CHORUS (A SINGLE ACTOR IN THIS CASE)

FAUSTUS’ BACKGROUND FAUSTUS DISSATISFIED WITH HIS

STUDIES AND HAS A DESIRE FOR FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE

ACT I

FIELDS OF KNOWLEDGE FAUSTUS HAS MASTERED

WHY HAS HE REJECTED THEM? WHO ENCOURAGES HIM TO STUDY

NECROMANCY? GOOD ANGEL / BAD ANGEL LUCIFER MEPHOSTOPHILIS STORY OF THE FALL FAUSTUS’ PLAN COMIC RELIEF

ACT II

FAUSTUS’ CONTRACT WITH THE DEVIL

DEFINITION OF HELL APPEARANCE OF 7 DEADLY SINS

ACT III

FAUSTUS’ ACTIVITIES FAUSTUS’ PRACTICAL JOKES BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE ROBIN & DICK --- COMIC RELIEF CLIMAX?

ACT IV

FAUSTUS’ FAME BENVOLIO, MARTINO, & FREDERICK FAUSTUS’ TRICKS ON HORSE-

COURSER, CARTER

ACT V

FAUSTUS’ FINAL REQUEST FAUSTUS’ PLEAS WHAT IS THE FINAL OUTCOME?