An Analysis of Marlow's Dr. Faustus

In 1564 Christopher Marlow was born in Canterbury. His father was a shoemaker, and it was only through scholarships that Marlow was able to attain his education. He attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he wrote Tamburlaine. According to The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Marlow wrote Dr. Faustus in the last stages of his life. Christopher Marlow only lived to be twenty-nine years old; he was killed in London during an argument over the bill at a bar (1: 970-971). This essay will discuss the aspects of plot and theme as well as explaining the purpose of the chorus in Christopher Marlow's Dr. Faustus.

The prologue of Dr. Faustus introduces the audience to Faustus' character through the use of a chorus. The play opens with Faustus concluding that magic is the only art form great enough for his mind. The Good and Bad Angel first appear in Scene 1 of the play. Two scholars are introduced in the next scene. One of the two scholars thinks Faustus can still be helped while the other believes it to be too late. Mephostophilis comes to Faustus in Scene 3. He agrees to tell Lucifer that Faustus will sell his soul for 24 years of power. The audience is offered some comic relief in the next scene when Wagner, Faustus' servant, conjures two demons to scare a clown into being his servant. It is in Scene 4 that Faustus shows any regret for what he has done. He calls out to Christ for help, but is easily diverted with a promise from Lucifer. Faustus performs a sort of mockery himself in the next scene when he visits the Pope and torments he and his friars. Faustus rescues Bruno from the Pope and in the next scene they return him to the Emperor. After scamming a horse courser in Scene 10, and entertaining the Duke and Duchess in Scene 11, Faustus' 24 years is coming to an end. Regret begins to enter Faustus' mind again in Scene 12, where an old man tells him there is still time to repent. Instead of repenting Faustus is persuaded otherwise by a conjured figure of Helen of Troy. In the final scene Faustus pleads with God for help, as the devils drag his body out of the room. The chorus arrives on stage again and warns the audience of falling into the evils that Faustus did.