Study Guide For Christopher Marlowe Doctor Faustus Course Hero Study Guides

This study guide will help you understand the play Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. It provides a summary of the plot, an analysis of the characters, and a discussion of the play's themes.

Study Guide for Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus (Course Hero Study Guides)

by Paige Powers

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1290 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	981 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Summary of the Plot

Doctor Faustus is a play about a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. The play begins with Faustus, a brilliant scholar, who is dissatisfied with the limits of human knowledge. He decides to turn to magic to learn more about the world. He summons the devil, Mephistopheles, and makes a pact with him. Faustus agrees to give up his soul to Mephistopheles after 24 years in exchange for knowledge and power.

For the next 24 years, Faustus enjoys the benefits of his pact with the devil. He learns all the secrets of the universe, and he travels the world, performing miracles and feats of magic. However, as the end of his 24 years approaches, Faustus begins to regret his decision. He realizes that he has traded his soul for nothing more than a few years of pleasure and power.

In the end, the devil comes to collect Faustus's soul. Faustus tries to repent, but it is too late. He is dragged down to hell, where he will spend eternity in torment.

Analysis of the Characters

Doctor Faustus is a play about the dangers of ambition and the importance of redemption. The play's protagonist, Faustus, is a complex and tragic figure. He is a brilliant scholar, but he is also arrogant and ambitious. He believes that he can achieve anything he wants, and he is willing to pay any price to get what he wants.

Mephistopheles, the devil, is a cunning and manipulative character. He knows Faustus's weaknesses, and he uses them to tempt him to make a pact with him. Mephistopheles is not interested in Faustus's soul; he is only interested in getting Faustus to damn himself.

The other characters in the play, such as Wagner, Valdes, and the Good Angel, represent different aspects of Faustus's personality. Wagner is Faustus's servant, and he represents Faustus's darker impulses. Valdes is a fellow scholar who represents Faustus's ambition for knowledge. The Good Angel represents Faustus's conscience, and he tries to warn Faustus of the dangers of his pact with the devil.

Discussion of the Themes

Doctor Faustus is a play about many different themes, including the dangers of ambition, the importance of redemption, and the nature of good and evil. The play explores the consequences of making a deal with the devil, and it shows how even the most brilliant of minds can be corrupted by power.

The play also explores the themes of good and evil. Faustus is a complex character, and he is not simply good or evil. He is a man who is both capable of great good and great evil.

Doctor Faustus is a classic play that has been performed for centuries. It is a play about the dangers of ambition and the importance of redemption. The play explores the consequences of making a deal with the devil, and it shows how even the most brilliant of minds can be corrupted by power.

Study Guide for Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus (Course Hero Study Guides)

by Paige Powers

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1290 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	981 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE