Doctor Faustus (play)
An Elizabethan tragedy of a scholar who sells his soul.
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Christopher Marlowe · Public domain
Doctor Faustus is an Elizabethan tragedy by Christopher Marlowe, based on German stories about a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for magical power. The play has had a lasting influence, inspiring adaptations across stage, film, and other media, and its characters remain iconic figures in Western literature.
Background
Legends quickly accrued around early productions: William Prynne recorded a tale that actual devils once appeared on stage during a performance, and John Aubrey recorded that lead actor Edward Alleyn devoted his later years to charitable endeavors in response to this incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the main characters in Doctor Faustus (play)?
Beyond Faustus himself, Mephistopheles acts as his demonic servant and the voice of Lucifer's will, while the Good Angel and Evil Angel externalize his inner moral conflict. The Old Man and the Pope offer theological counterpoints that underscore the play's religious stakes.
What major themes does Doctor Faustus (play) explore?
The play interrogates the limits of human knowledge, the corrosive pull of unchecked ambition, and the friction between Renaissance humanism and orthodox Christian theology. It also raises the question of whether genuine free will can survive a contract sealed with the devil.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Doctor Faustus (play) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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