"Doctor Faustus" by Christopher Marlowe is a tragic cautionary tale about a brilliant scholar who sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge, ultimately leading to his damnation.
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dr faustus is a tragedy written by
christopher marlowe
shortly before the playwright's death in 1593.
1593.
a cautionary tale the play tells the
story of faustus
a man who sells his soul to the devil in
exchange for power
and riches the character of faustus has
origins in german legend
and is rumored to have been based on a
real alchemist from the renaissance era
johann georg faust
the play opens with a prologue in which
a chorus introduces us to faustus
a brilliant doctor of divinity who rose
to prominence as a scholar
despite modest origins when we meet faustus
faustus
he has moved on from theology to magic
and the dark arts
which he believes will give him more
power than
kings two angels
one good and one evil try to advise
faustus the good angel tells him to put
the dark arts aside
and prioritize his chance at heaven
while the evil angel
encourages faustus to pursue magic as it
could give him
limitless powers on earth
faustus orders his servant wagner to
summon valdez and cornelius
to famous magicians and friends to faustus
faustus
when they arrive faustus informs these
friends that he has decided to practice witchcraft
witchcraft
valdez and cornelius are delighted and
promised the aspiring magician that
with their knowledge and his mind they
will be able to control
nature itself meanwhile
two scholars meet wagner the servant and
ask him where faustus is
wagner informs them that his master is
with valdez and cornelius
the scholars are concerned and decide to
inform the clergy
that night fausta summons mephistopheles
a devil from hell
at first mephistopheles form is too ugly
for falsus to bear
so he asks the demon to transform into
the shape of a friar
instead faustus then commands
mephistopheles to be his servant
but the devil explains that only lucifer
can be his master
faustus is intrigued and orders
mephistopheles to tell lucifer
he'd like to sell his soul in exchange
for 24 years of magical powers
mephistopheles asks that faucets seal
the deal by signing a contract in his
own blood
faustus agrees but when he cuts his arm
to sign it
the wound is divinely healed bearing the inscription
inscription
man flee which frightens faustus
ignoring the warning he signs the contract
contract
finalizing his deal with the devil
faustus asks mephistopheles several
questions about heaven
hell and god but he is dissatisfied with
the demon's answers
encouraged by the good angel to repent
faustus wishes he could
but worries that it's too late learning
of falsus's desire to repent
lucifer mephistopheles and another demon
called beelzebub
intimidate him into honoring his contract
contract
over the years fauces travels far and
wide earning riches
and acclaim he pulls pranks on the pope
and commoners alike
even becoming a favorite of the german
emperor whom he entertains by conjuring
long dead legends
despite his enemies attempts to kill him
faustus survives
proving that he indeed cannot be killed
nearing the end of the 24 years
faustus prepares for certain death
leaving everything to wagner
a pious old man insists that falsus can
still repent
but mephistopheles threatens faustus
with physical violence
doomed faustus asks mephistopheles to
summon helen of troy
the famous beauty from homer's iliad to serve
serve
as his final indulgence
finally the night on which falsus must
surrender his soul arrives
along with faustus's scholar friends the
good angel laments
faustus's fate while mephistopheles
lucifer beelzebub and the evil angel
taunt him the gates of hell open
and despite falsus's pleading the devils
drag him into the abyss
in a final speech the chorus warns the
audience to remember the story of faustus
faustus
a man who wasted his potential for a chance
chance
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