The tragical history of the life and death of doctor faustus, commonly referred to simply as doctor faustus, is an elizabethan tragedy by christopher marlowe, based on german stories about the title character faust. Jun 24, 2011 marlowes doctor faustus is one of the most disconcerting plays in the english language. Marlowes doctor faustus is one of the most disconcerting plays in the english language. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in doctor faustus, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
This guide offers students an introduction to its critical and performance history, surveying notable stage productions from its initial performance in 1594 to the. Alone in his study in wittenberg, germany, faustus delivers his first soliloquy. Famous for being the first dramatised version of the faustus tale, the play depicts the sinister aftermath of faustuss decision to sell his soul to the devils henchman in exchange for power and knowledge. Other references to witchcraft and magic in the bible have always caused people to look upon the practice of magic as inviting eternal damnation for the soul.
In the firstever staging of this menacing drama at the globe theatre, matthew dunsters production features paul hilton as the arrogant, powerhungry faustus. It has also been told in so many forms over the centuries that it has had a lasting artistic impact on western culture, especially in literature and drama. Doctor faustus, novel by german writer thomas mann, published in 1947. I ts not often that, on a balmy summers evening, one finds oneself willing night to fall. Christopher marlowe was a great blasphemer, but theres an attractive spiritual ambiguity at the heart of doctor faustus, a play that is as much a medieval morality as it is a study of a soul in. Doctor john faustus a learned scholar in germany during the fifteenth century who becomes dissatisfied with the limitations of knowledge and pledges his soul to lucifer in exchange for unlimited power. Doctor faustus is an intellectual who has mastered most of the major subjects of the time. Go, haste thee, gentle mephistophilis, follow the cardinals to the consistory. I studied it at school and was thrilled by the arrogant hero who makes a pact with the devil to gain. Christopher marlowes take on the familiar faust legend, bold in its religious content, was a controversial hit of its day, but the plays almost medieval apposition of high thinking and. For those of you who like to do a little extra research on the books you are reading, i highly recommend.
Famous for being the first dramatised version of the faustus tale, the play depicts the sinister aftermath of faustus s decision to sell his soul to the devils henchman in exchange for power and knowledge. Bored with study, doctor faustus looks for a short cut to infinite knowledge in his magic books and raises satans little helper, mephistopheles, who joins the renegade scholar as they rampage. It isnt long before faustus has doubts about the bargain, but mephistopheles has plenty of entertainment at hand. Arthur darvill mephistopheles, matthew dunster director, paul wills designer and richard pinner illusionist talk about the puppets, magic and illusion you can expect to see in doctor. He is offered a choice of christian conscience by a good angel, and the path to damnation by an. His other books include rewriting the nation, the theatre of martin crimp, john osbornes look back in anger, the methuen drama guide to contemporary british playwrights and modern british playwriting.
About doctor faustus the story is thought to have its earliest roots in the new testament story of the magician simon magus acts 8. Praised for their innovative and anarchic reinvention of the classics, the jamie lloyd company propels christopher marlowes legendary tale doctor faustus into the here and now in an explosive and magical new production starring kit harington game of thrones in his longawaited return to the london stage. Faustus is a great story of hubris, temptation, and regret. Doctor faustus, is christopher marlowes most popular play and is often seen as one of the overwhelming triumphs of the english renaissance. The repeated incidences of fireworks in doctor faustus also suggest that magicians are more powerful than religious figures. Christopher marlowes doctor faustus, performed by oxford. But this doctor faustus needs a helping hand with sepulchral atmosphere. The life of the german composer adrian leverkuhn, told by a friend. It isnt long before faustus has doubts about the bargain, but mephistopheles has plenty of entertainment. Christopher kit marlowe baptised 26 february 1564 was an english dramatist, poet and translator of the elizabethan era. Doctor faustus, tragedy in five acts by christopher marlowe, published in 1604 but first performed a decade or so earlier.
Jun 14, 2011 arthur darvill mephistopheles, matthew dunster director, paul wills designer and richard pinner illusionist talk about the puppets, magic and illusion you can expect to see in doctor. And, as they turn their superstitious books, strike them with sloth and drowsy idleness, and make them sleep so sound, that in their shapes. The foremost elizabethan tragedian next to william shakespeare, he is known for his magnificent blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his own mysterious and untimely death. Meanwhile, in londons west end, those watching harington play the title role onstage in doctor faustus can feel reassured that, however much prolific director jamie lloyd and. Doctor faustus is a german novel written by thomas mann, begun in 1943 and published in 1947 as doktor faustus. Paul hiltons pale, skinny faustus is in his study with a pile of books, one of them the good book. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This edition of christopher marlowes play contains two selfcontained versions, known as the atext and the btext, allowing readers to compare the available versions, and performers to choose the version that suits them best.
Doctor faustus marlowe shakespeares globe theatre video. Aleks sierz frsa is a theatre critic, and author of the seminal study of new 1990s playwrights, inyerface theatre. Mar, 2002 a udiences, it seems, can resist everything except temptation which is one reason that christopher marlowes doctor faustus is being revived at londons young vic, starring jude law. But this is christopher marlowes tragic history of doctor faustus the divinity scholar who sells his soul to the devil in spite of that hellfire warning.
Doctor faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its a and its b text, showing the enormous and fascinating differences between the two. He may also have been involved in espionage which may have played some part in his demise. Whatever the inspiration, the development of marlowes play is very faithful to the faust book, especially in the way it mixes comedy with tragedy. Review of doctor faustus at the shakespeare globe theatre. He flicks it open and reads out from romans, vi, 23. This superiority is shown when faustus and mephastophilis beat the friars and fling fireworks among them when they go to rome to torment the pope 3. I studied it at school and was thrilled by the arrogant. Christopher marlowe was a great blasphemer, but theres an attractive spiritual ambiguity at the heart of doctor faustus, a play that is as much a medieval morality as it is a study of a soul in torment. It is a reworking of the faust legend in the form of a biography of a fictional 20thcentury composer and is interwoven with an exploration of how and why germany chose to ally itself with dark forces in its embrace of fascism. Thyself and i may parley with this pope, this proud confronter of the emperor.
Doctor faustus was one of the most popular plays of the time and was regularly performed for half a century after the playwrights death. It has had a rich and varied critical history often arousing violent critical controversy. The tragical history of the life and death of doctor faustus, commonly referred to simply as. Christopher marlowes take on the familiar faust legend, bold in its religious content, was a controversial hit of its day, but the plays almost medieval apposition of high thinking and knockabout farce by no means guarantees it success. He professes to have sounded the depths of each major field of study and to have found each undeserving of his full attention. The tragical history of doctor faustus by christo marlowe and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Wagner faustus servant, who tries to imitate faustus methods of reasoning and fails in a ridiculous and comic manner. This is the 1631 edition of christopher marlowes bestknown play, doctor faustus. Dec 25, 20 bored with study, doctor faustus looks for a short cut to infinite knowledge in his magic books and raises satans little helper, mephistopheles, who joins the renegade scholar as they rampage. Doctor faustus is christopher marlowes most renowned and controversial work. Doctor faustus, globe theatre, london the independent. Played here, marlowes drama invites us to see theatre itself as an act of conjuring.
Like prospero in the tempest, faustus raises moral questions about the exploitation of magic as a means of. Matthew dunster s production has its charms, including paul hiltons vain faustus, some strong set pieces and an amusing clown in pearce quigley. Doctor faustus, restless for knowledge, forsakes scholarship for magic and makes a pact with the devil. Doctor faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its a and its b text, showing the. The globe 2011 production of christopher marlowes doctor faustus doctor faustus is christopher marlowes most renowned and controversial work. Jun 23, 2011 there be dragons aplenty, angels, demons and ghastly creatures both fleshy and feathered in the globe theatres inaugural production of doctor faustus. A contemporary of shakespeare, marlowe met an untimely end in 1593 when he was stabbed above the eye during a quarrel about a guesthouse bill, or reckoning. Doctor faustus shakespeares globe 2011 london theatre guide. Its title page shows faustus as a magician with his robes, book and staff, alongside a devilish figure. Apr 26, 2016 for some the tombola of directorial ideas may be a distraction from the wrestling for ones own humanity, for others the on stage madness will serve as a bonkers reflection of faustus tormented state of being. The tragical history of the life and death of doctor faustus, commonly referred to simply as doctor faustus, is an elizabethan tragedy by christopher marlowe, based on german stories about the title character faust, that was first performed sometime between 1588 and marlowes death in 1593. The worlds great plays at a great little price the classic story of the learned doctor faustus who sells his soul to the devil. Doctor faustus opens with its protagonist john faustus, eminent scholar of theology, medicine and metaphysics in wittenberg, renouncing his studies in favour of the metaphysics of magicians and necromantic books 1.
It was written sometime between 1589 and 1592, and might have been performed between 1592 and marlowes death in 1593. Doctor faustus, a talented german scholar who decries the limits of human knowledge, believes that he has learned all that can be learned by conventional means. Released two years after the globe theaters stunning performance of the doctor faustus b text, this book is a marvel that offers literary theorists, students of elizabethan and jacobean theater, and avid readers the world over a new and startling look at christopher marlowes bestknown and most influential play. That said, it is a story that everyone who loves books and theater should read. Marlowes play followed by only a few years the first translation into english of the medieval legend on which the play is based. Jun 24, 2011 i ts not often that, on a balmy summers evening, one finds oneself willing night to fall. A udiences, it seems, can resist everything except temptation which is one reason that christopher marlowes doctor faustus is being revived at londons young vic. Apr 25, 2016 meanwhile, in londons west end, those watching harington play the title role onstage in doctor faustus can feel reassured that, however much prolific director jamie lloyd and playwright colin.