Compare and contrast the Murders in The Rue Morgue and The Big Sleep.

Compare and contrast the Murders in The Rue Morgue and The Big Sleep The extract taken from Murders in The Rue Morgue is from when Dupin is going over the police investigations of the murders and showing the narrator that there is more to the murders than the police have found e.g. the police believe there is a motive yet nothing had been taken from the house. Although the story is written in the first person narrative this extract is written as direct speech. Through this direct speech, Dupin shows his attitude to the police when he says 'The conclusion here is absurd,' as this shows he is undermining the conclusions of the police. Rhetorical questions such as '...why did he not take the best...' involve the reader and make them think about possible answers to Dupin's questions. It also makes you think along the same lines as Dupin. The Big Sleep extract shows Marlowe questioning Brody about his involvement with Geiger. The Big Sleep is written in the first person narrative, as is The Murders in The Rue Morgue. In this extract this helps show Brody's attitude to Marlowe (e.g. 'Brody was breathing hard,' shows Brody is scared of Marlowe.) This extract also shows direct speech as in the extract in The Murders of The Rue Morgue extract. This shows Marlowe's attitude to Brody. For example Marlowe say's to Brody, 'you didn't watch hard enough.' This shows that

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the role of Mephistopheles - How much of a role does he play in Faustus' damnation? How does Marlowe complicate his character and inspire our sympathy?

Discuss the role of Mephistopheles. How much of a role does he play in Faustus' damnation? How does Marlowe complicate his character and inspire our sympathy? James Batchelor Dr. Faustus isn't a one-character play. Though Faustus is undoubtedly the main and most important character, he is closely followed by Mephistopheles. The name 'Mephistopheles' is originally from the Hebrew language, derived from the two words 'mephiz', meaning 'destroyer', and 'tophel', meaning liar. This suits his character reasonably well; at least, it fits the character given to him by medieval beliefs. The people of Marlowe's time would have believed that Mephistopheles would have been a deceitful, strong, intimidating and destructive monster. However, Marlowe presents him as a very different figure. Mephistopheles is a fallen archangel, much like Lucifer himself. He is one of the highest-ranking devils in Hell, and is a servant, agent and messenger to Lucifer. His loyalty to Lucifer is unquestionable, mainly because Mephistopheles understands and respects the Satanic law, i.e. Lucifer is ruler of Hell and none shall oppose him. His main job is to secure and bargain for souls for Lucifer's kingdom, so he arrives immediately as Faustus attempts to summon him. He pretends to be Faustus' servant, knowing that he can't back out of the contract that Faustus signed for Lucifer, but is always loyal to

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  • Level: AS and A Level
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In the context of all Marlow's plays, it has been suggested that the heroes are 'tragic, but only in a weak sort of way.' Explore the presentation of Faustus in the light of this suggestion.

. In the context of all Marlow's plays, it has been suggested that the heroes are 'tragic, but only in a weak sort of way.' Explore the presentation of Faustus in the light of this suggestion A tragic hero is similar to an idol (someone we look up to) because there is something about them that distinguishes them from ordinary people. They may have a flaw which inevitably leads to their downfall. Because of their elevated status their fall is great. They fall from greatness is an emotional experience for the audience - this is known as 'catharsis' - a release of tension. In a certain respect, Faustus can be seen as a tragic hero. In addition to being portrayed as a tragic Hero, Faustus can be perceived as an ordinary human being. Right from the beginning of the play, he has understood the concept of his mortality. 'What art thou Faustus, but a man condemned to die!' This shows that Faustus is aware of his inevitable death. At the end of scene 1, after his discussion with Valdes and Cornelius, Faustus proclaims the 'trade-off' between magic and death. 'This night I'll conjure, though I die therefore.' Faustus does realise that dabbling with black magic will result in his death, but he still seems determined to continue, as the thought of having 'all that power' is just too much to resist! However, although Faustus realises he is going to die (from the beginning of the play)

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The Importance of Scene 5 in context with the whole play - "Now Faustus, must thou be damned, And canst thou be saved"

The Importance of Scene 5 in context with the whole play "Now Faustus, must thou be damned, And canst thou be saved" Scene 1 These are the words that open scene five as Faustus says them whilst sitting in his study. He is pondering on the like-hood of damnation. This scene has a repetitive sequence with a few phases. This is also the first time that we see Faustus expressing doubt as written in the above quote. This is one of the phases. He also becomes more resolute as he calls on the devil Memphostophilis. Persuasion is the second as persuasive efforts are made by the Good and Evil Angels to influence him. "...think of heaven, and of heavenly things" - Good Angel. "...think of honour and of wealth" - Evil Angel Scene five is important because it shows Faustus' transaction from an honourable Christian to a greedy Satanist. It is the most important scene as all his ambitions are shown for the first time. The scene focuses on all the major strands that play a key role in the other scenes - intellectual curiosity, Faustus' moral hesitations and the display put on by the Devil to keep him happy and forget the negative issues. Faustus himself is dominated by two main character traits; intellect and ambition. It's his intellect that creates doubt when his ambition alone can carry on forward, but on the other side; it's also his intellect that makes his

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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What does Marlowe's presentation Mephistopheles tell the audience about ides of hell and damnation?

What does Marlowe's presentation Mephistopheles tell the audience about ides of hell and damnation? As the title suggests the Faustus is the number one character in the play however if there was to be a number two it would be Mephistopheles. The name 'Mephistopheles' is originally from the Hebrew language, derived from the two words 'mephiz', meaning 'destroyer', and 'tophel', meaning liar. The people of Marlowe's time would have believed that Mephistopheles would have been a deceitful, strong, intimidating and destructive monster. However, Marlowe presents him as a very different figure. Mephistopheles is a fallen archangel, much like Lucifer himself. He is one of the highest-ranking devils in Hell, and is a servant, agent and messenger to Lucifer. His main job is to secure and bargain for souls for Lucifer's kingdom, so he arrives immediately as Faustus attempts to summon him. He pretends to be Faustus' servant, knowing that he can't back out of the contract that Faustus signed for Lucifer, but is always loyal to Lucifer. Mephistopheles is incredibly determined to get Faustus soul, and this is shown by the lengths that he goes to in order to prevent Faustus from repenting or seeking delights directly connected to God or religion. Whenever Faustus talks about the possibility of repenting, or backing out of the deal he has made with Lucifer, Mephistopheles either manages to

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Do you think that the lines of the Chorus which end Doctor Faustus sum up satisfactorily the meaning of the play?

Do you think that the lines of the Chorus which end Doctor Faustus sum up satisfactorily the meaning of the play? The Chorus provides several subjective and realistic appraisals of the play in different sections, providing a clear and concise explanation of the characters and the events. The epilogue is no different to any of these previous interventions. However, the question remains as to whether the chorus 'sums up satisfactorily the meaning of the play?' This can be answered in one of two ways, depending on whether you consider the epilogue as a summary of the play and the dangers posed, or as a brief explanation of the plays moral message. If the Chorus is used as a summary of the play then it fails to meet the required criteria and therefore cannot be considered as satisfactory. This is because the play is in no way explained and the audience is not clearly reminded of the plays beginning, this is only hinted at - 'Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight'. The play is also briefly mentioned when Faustus has descended into hell, as is implied by the sentence 'Regard his hellish fall'. Apart from these brief references the Chorus simply laments the life of Faustus, the fact that he was a great scholar who was tempted by evil and eventually lost everything that he held dear. For example, the initial image of the 'branch that might have grown full

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  • Subject: English
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Do Renaissance texts deal primarily with Renaissance concerns, or with universal human emotions and themes? Illustrate your answer from at least TWO texts.

Do Renaissance texts deal primarily with Renaissance concerns, or with universal human emotions and themes? Illustrate your answer from at least TWO texts. Literary works in sixteenth-century England were rarely if ever created in isolation from affairs in the cultural and social world. Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene (published in 1590) and Christopher Marlowe's Dr Faustus (1601) were written during a period widely accepted as the Renaissance, which is said to have reached England in the early sixteenth-century. Literally, the term means 'rebirth' and it signified a resurgence in the arts and sciences. New discoveries were being made in all fields, as people began to question what they were told by the church and the state. One of the most important changes that took place during this time was the creation of the Church of England in defiance of the Pope and Roman Catholicism. When Elizabeth became queen in 1558, her right to the throne was still not accepted by the church in Rome or even by a number of her own subjects. Spenser and Marlowe were undoubtedly aware of the time they lived in, as many of their works show. In The Faerie Queene Spenser, who was called 'Elizabeth's arse-licking poet' by Karl Marx, presents an eloquent and captivating representation of the Roman Catholic as the evil force pitted against England and the rightful queen. However, the story of the

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My own productions staging of Dr Faustus.

Dr Faustus The reason for a Prologue is to give the audience background information about Faustus' life and education and set the mood, as well as prepare the audience for what they are about to see. In this play, the Chorus, a single actor, introduces the plot of the play and starts by stating what it will not be about. He says that it will involve neither love nor war, but instead will trace the "form of Faustus' fortunes". The Chorus goes on to explicitly tell how his swelling pride will lead to his downfall. In my own production's staging of it I intend to inform, as well as prompt, a reaction from the audience and indicate how their reaction should be by the way my Chorus delivers his lines. It will be a fairly young man in his late twenties. He will wear ordinary 21^st century clothes (a t-shirt, jeans and trainers). He will casually, with his hands in his pockets, walk to the front of the stage and deliver the lines as if he normally spoke the way it is written. I chose to have him this way because if you read between the lines, you can see that there is a connection between him and the prologue. By coming out and stating what it won't be about and telling the audience that even though it's not what you expected, that doesn't mean that it won't be good. He is actually a living example as he doesn't look like the way an audience would expect, but

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Faustus: Renaissance Martyr or Tragic Hero

Faustus: Renaissance Martyr or Tragic Hero Faustus died a death that few could bear to imagine, much less experience. After knowing for many years when exactly he would die, he reached the stroke of the hour of his destiny in a cowardly, horrid demeanor. Finally, when the devils appeared at the stroke of midnight, tearing at his flesh as they draw him into his eternal torment, he screams for mercy without a soul, not even God Himself, to help him. However, what to consider Doctor John Faustus from Christopher Marlow's dramatic masterpiece The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus is a very debatable issue. For example, one can see that he threw his life away for the sake of knowledge, becoming obsessed with the knowledge that he could possess. In this case, he is unarguably a medieval tragic hero. However, when considering the fact that he died for the sake of gaining knowledge, pushing the limits of what is possible in spite of obvious limitations and, eventually, paying the ultimate penalty, he could be considered a Renaissance martyr. These two points of view have their obvious differences, and depending on from what time period one chooses to place this piece of literature varies the way that the play is viewed. However, the idea of considering him a martyr has many flaws, several of which are evident when considering who Faustus was before he turned to

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What does the play show us about attitudes to sin and damnation?

What does the play show us about attitudes to sin and damnation? The play deals with sin and damnation at the heart of Christianity's understanding of the world. The play shows us that Faustus' pride, which causes him to strive for knowledge, may have seemed admirable at the turning point in the Renaissance period, but that this pride and insolence to go against God makes him despaired of God's mercy. I n medieval tradition despair was called the "sin against the Holy Spirit", and was considered the worst sin of all. Christian belief is that after Adam and Eve were temped by the devil to eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, God punished mankind because of this act of disobedience, he subjected the world to death and before men and women died they would go to hell. However, he sent his son Jesus Christ to show mankind how to live and now men and women have the choice of going to heaven if they live the way Christ taught them to. If you don't live in this way you will be eternally damned in hell. Hell is represented as a rather psychological torture in the play rather than a physical one. Damnation can be seen in two different ways: Is Faustus damned because he sells his soul or does he sell his soul because he is damned, and selling his soul is the only avenue left open to him? We can get an idea of the attitudes of the people in Faustus' time by looking at how

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  • Subject: English
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