What do scenes 1 and 3 tell us about Elizabethan beliefs?
What do scenes 1 and 3 tell us about Elizabethan beliefs? By Hayley Sheath 12MF Scene 1. The opening speech to Scene 1 demonstrates how Elizabethan people began to think differently, due to the Renaissance. Lines1-3 tell us abut Faustus' education, as does the use of Latin; this shows that Faustus is educated. Followed by line 4 -'Yet level at the end of every work', that shows how he now considering all options. As a Renaissance man, he no longer has to live the life he was intended to (for example to follow his father's career); instead, he has choices. Line 5 refers to Aristotle, whose work in Elizabethan times was disputed by another philosopher, Ramus. This proves how Elizabethan people were beginning to challenge their own opinions, and the opinions of others, as well as thinking of new ideas- all typical Renaissance attitudes. This first speech also reveals the greed the Elizabethans had for knowledge, a typical Renaissance trait. Faustus asks 'Affords this art no greater miracle', while talking about philosophy. This is saying he needs more than just philosophy, more than just learning, he has experienced both of this already: he wants something new. To satisfy their greed for knowledge many Elizabethans went travelling, in hope to discover more. Lines 82-83- 'I'll have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl,' show how Faustus wants to
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
Explore the presentation of Faustus in the opening scenes.
Explore the presentation of Faustus in the opening scenes. Marlowe uses many techniques to introduce Faustus to the audience within the first few scenes and even from such an early stage in the play the complexity of his character is made apparent, creating a desire for the audience to want to further engage with Faustus in order to try and understand his personality and nature. Through the use of the prologue Marlowe gives a brief history of Faustus life highlighting his success at studying and his lack of content, which followed. Marlowe warns the audience that Faustus will become involved in 'devilish exercise' which is interesting as from the very beginning the audience are anticipating Faustus' fall, knowing that he is a highly skilled man. Through Marlowe presenting Faustus in such a detached way in the prologue, using just simple facts, suspense is created as the audience await the reasons behind such an educated man's decision to become involved in activities that would with certainty condemn him to hell. To the modern audience it is perhaps harder to relate to the great importance religion played in peoples' lives in Marlowe's day when the concept of hell was much a reality of eternity in a physical place, with various punishments of torture depending on the life the deceased had led. Marlowe further highlights Faustus' scholarly nature through his choice of
Absolute Power Simply Seems To Corrupt Faustus. Once He Can Do Everything, He No Longer Wants To Do Anything; Discuss.
Absolute Power Simply Seems To Corrupt Faustus. Once He Can Do Everything, He No Longer Wants To Do Anything; Discuss. Marlowe's representation of Doctor Faustus changes direction through the play. We follow the change in ambition and greed of a human being who seeks pleasure so much that he sells his soul to the devil for a number of years. Does the power that Faustus obtains corrupt him or is he merely dissatisfied with the power he has and is greedy for more. At the start of the play, Marlowe uses powerful language when referring to Faustus' search for knowledge. "O, What a world of profit and delight, of power, of honour, of omnipotence, is promis'd to the studious artisan". This is what Faustus wishes to obtain, the forbidden knowledge that he feels he can achieve, however it seems strange that Faustus should want to learn more and to be taught and able to understand this forbidden knowledge as he previously bids a farewell to thinking "Divinity, adieu!". Faustus is striving for a great power and his intentions are on a grand scale. "I'll have them read me strange philosophy and tell the secrets of all foreign kings; I'll have them wall all Germany with brass and make swift Rhine circle fair Wittenberg". This is what Faustus thinks he will have the ability to do, but later in his same speech we see signs of his arrogance and the way in which he is governed by greed
Reread the opening soliloquy of Dr Faustus. In what way does this establish Faustus' character and at the same time take you back into the Renaissance world?
Reread the opening soliloquy of Dr Faustus. In what way does this establish Faustus' character and at the same time take you back into the Renaissance world? The opening soliloquy of Marlow's , Dr Faustus' reveals many different characteristics and values of the epilogist. At the same time as establishing Faustus' character, the soliloquy takes one back to the Renaissance world by presenting Faustus as a 'man of his times' since his character is greatly influenced by changes in attitudes and society which were encountered in the Renaissance era. One of Faustus' key characteristics, which is very apparent throughout the opening soliloquy, is that he is engaged in a personal power struggle and is not content with his current status. One acknowledges this problem when Faustus asserts demands such as, ' Be a physician, Faustus, heap up gold, And be eternised for some wondrous cure'. In instructing himself to find a wondrous cure in the medical world, Faustus is implying that he wants to be famous and improve his financial situation. This desire to become rich and famous compliments the newly-adopted attitude towards individuals after the Restoration. As the Restoration stripped the Church of its religious authority, prominence was given to individual's own quest for religious understanding and both mankind and his life on earth were therefore given greater value.
What does the play tell us about 16th century attitudes to ambition, pride and defiance to God?
What does the play tell us about 16th century attitudes to ambition, pride and defiance to God? Doctor Faustus was written in the Renaissance period where there was a shift from Christian ideals. People wanted to achieve their potential. At that time society was God-fearing, they believed that God gives the world purpose and the church at the time was extremely powerful. There were church laws and atheists were hung. The 16th century brought about a high level of paranoia that Satan was everywhere and God was no longer a guardian angel saving us from evil but that we had to defend ourselves from him. However with new discoveries, people began to look beyond religion and God, towards science and magic. Marlowe was quite ahead of the people of his time and was an atheist. He uses Faustus to represent the new ambitious intellects that wanted to test their abilities and turn away from religious theories. With the strict laws of the time, Marlowe wouldn't have been able to express his ideas openly and so he depicts the Christian idea of the time that the individual is responsible for his own fate, and in this story Faustus' own attitude represents the changing attitudes of the people of his time. There were many advances in this period and they came about because of the ambitions of the people to gain a deeper knowledge in all the different studies but Faustus' damnation is almost
Comparative discussions between the First and Last soliloquies in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus.
Comparative discussions between the First and Last soliloquies in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. Ans.: The two soliloquies, namely the first and last ones by Dr. Faustus in the beginning and in the end respectively, are for their structure and unmatched brilliance of poetry, extraordinary superb. These two, as considered by the critics, are instances of some of the most mature verses of Marlowe. These two soliloquies, in Aristotle's words, capture the man Faustus "in action." Especially in the last scene of the play the drama with the aid of the brilliant speech rendered by Faustus, marks the climax of the play. This is a soliloquy in the profoundest sense, since it isolates the speaker. These two soliloquies have considerable structural similarities. Both the soliloquies contain lines of iambic pentameter. Marlowe has used blank verse in both of these soliloquies. The first soliloquy contains sixty-three lines. The last one, in the other hand, contains fifty-five lines. The first soliloquy justifies the speech of the chorus made earlier depicting Doctor Faustus as a scholar. We find in the first soliloquy the Renaissance spirit in Doctor Faustus. Faustus, the legendary scholar, who has mastered over the disciplines of philosophy, astronomy, medicine, jurisprudence, etc. with all his attempts to expand his knowledge and power beyond the limits imposed by the medieval
What do you see as the key features in the renaissance, in terms of its input on Elizabethan plays, and in what ways could Marlowe be said to be a typical renaissance figure.
What do you see as the key features in the renaissance, in terms of its input on Elizabethan plays, and in what ways could Marlowe be said to be a typical renaissance figure. The word renaissance means rebirth. It describes the period in Europe's history when people exposed the art and knowledge of the past, and added additional innovative exhilarating features of their own. Around 1500 A.D. new ideas began to become known. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for stimulation. Scientists such as Copernicus studied the world and disagreed with the church. There were also affluent merchants prepared to back new ideas and ventures. There were also various new ways of spreading knowledge, such as Gutenberg's then, recently invented printing press. I believe that humanist ideas had the greatest effect on the literature of the Elizabethan period. Renaissance Humanism is the spirit of learning that developed at the end of the Middle Ages with the revival of classical letters and a renewed confidence in the ability of human beings to determine for them-selves truth and falsehood. This has to be a key feature during this time as people were able for the first time to be authorized to think freely even though there may have been untold consequences for these sorts of actions. Marlowe in this way was definitely a emblematic renaissance figure as he
How does Faustus use the magical gifts that he receives?
How does Faustus use the magical gifts that he receives? Faustus is an extremely ambitious and clever man. This is seen to the extent that he sells his soul to fulfil his ambitions. He uses magic in order to strengthen his power and knowledge and thus this makes him dangerous. He is hubristic and aims to posses knowledge that no other mortal should have. In doing so he becomes synonymous to God. Faustus states "O what a world of profit and delight/Of power, of honour, of omnipotence/Is promis'd to the studious artisan!" This is what he intends to do with the magical gifts he receives but it soon becomes clear that ultimately everything Faustus does is for his own selfish needs. By comparing himself to a 'studious artisan' he hopes to gain the recognition of a scholarly work however, he fails to understand that scholars study for personal enlightenment and not material gain. Therefore ultimately Faustus achieves nothing with his magical gifts throughout the whole play. He gains no wealth, no recognition and no delight from his magic. Instead he condemns himself to death and illustrates that no man can ever be God as all men are fallible. Faustus's attempts to use his magical gifts are futile and thus he gains nothing and is forever in debt to Mephostophilis. The pursuit of knowledge is directly linked with obtaining power. Faustus intends to acquire a greater intellect so
It has been suggested that Marlowe's audience would have seen Dr Faustus as a simple morality play. Consider this view using scene 5 as your starting point.
It has been suggested that Marlowe's audience would have seen Dr Faustus as a simple morality play. Consider this view using scene 5 as your starting point. Dr Faustus cannot be seen as a simple morality play but as a play, which deals with and brings into focus complex issues and ethics regarding Elizabethan ideals at that point in time. Scene 5 has significance to the question of whether or not it is true that 'Dr Faustus' is a simple morality play. It is in this particular scene that we find Faustus ready to sell his soul in exchange for what was essentially a servant for 24 years. The Good Angel and the Bad Angel represent Faustus' conscience and present a dichotomy to him i.e. two opposing views to his dilemma of whether he should sell his soul or "abjure this magic, turn to God again". By choosing "that execrable art" of necromancy instead "of heaven, and heavenly things", Marlowe's audience would have seen the eventual downfall of Faustus in this play. When Mephastophilis comes again to Faustus, he asks for Faustus to "write a deed of gift with thine own blood, for that security craves great Lucifer". As Faustus complies and signs the contract in blood, it seems to refuse and "congeals". This physical refutation of the contract must have been a very powerful image for Marlowe's audience to envision and it seems to demonstrate that what Faustus is doing is sinful.
