"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
