The Tragic History Of The Life AND Death Of Doctor Faustus Research Paper Samples

Doctor Faustus, a play by Christopher Marlowe, is based on the German story in which a man signs a contract with devil for worldly power, its al about lust for knowledge and pleasure. Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe first published in 1604, after eleven year of Marlowe’s death; it considered one of the most controversial plays in the Elizabethan era.
Pride is above all other deadly sins. Doctor Faustus is the one who has committed this sin of sins. The chorus informed us in the prolog of the play that how Dr. Faustus self-conceited pride with an ambition for black magic. The fate of Dr. Faustus is the result of his accord with Lucifer for twenty-four years of worldly gains. Dr. Faustus is an excellent example of medieval time, and Christopher Marlow has endeavored to tell the Christians that if we neglect the rules set in Christianity we will all suffer a fate like Dr. Faustus (Hamlin 257–275).
Mephistopheles sent to inform Faustus about horrors of hell. When Faustus mentions that devils are free from hell when Faustus happily and ridiculously informed that he is talking to a demon, he immediately pronouncedly hell unreal. Then Mephistopheles moans and persists that hell is an actual and horrific. He warned that Faustus would soon come to know this fact. Actually, Mephistopheles wanted to warn Faustus against his pact with Lucifer. Although odd but it was obvious that Mephistopheles wanted Faustus not to make a same mistake that he has already made. Unfortunately, for Faustus he made that deal that made him a kindred spirit along with Mephistopheles. It is suitable for both these characters to dominate Christopher Marlowe's play. They are the two arrogant disembodied spirits for eternal damnation.
Faust curses Mephistopheles because it deprives him of the joys of heaven. Good Angel advises Faust repent and trust in the mercy of the Lord. Angry Angel says that God does not take pity on such a great sinner. However, he is confident that Faust and will not repent. Faust really do not have the courage to repent, and it starts with Mephistopheles debate about astrology, but when he asks who created the world, Mephistopheles is not responsible and recalls Faust that he was cursed. Cries Faust that Christ, redeemer please save my suffering soul. Lucifer Faust blames for the fact that it violates the word and thinking of Christ. Faust swears that it will not happen again. Lucifer Faust shows the seven deadly sins in their true guise. In front of him are Pride, Greed, Anger, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, profligacy. Faust wants to see hell and back again. Lucifer promises to show him hell, and yet gives a book to read Faust and learned to take it anyway (Ullman 25–53).
Nevertheless, Faustus disregards the next line of John, which says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (one John 1:9) by neglecting these lines. Faustus neglects everything related to salvation. In fact, Faustus sees what he finds suitable for earthly pleasure and not the things appropriate for the life hereafter. This behavior of Faustus is obvious in his speech's second line when he turns his back on heavens and feigns that "these metaphysics of magicians, /and necromantic books are heavenly".
Therefore, he reverses the creation, and black magic "heavenly" and view faith as the origin of "everlasting death". As his attendant Mephistopheles explains to him that awful is hell, even for a devil like him. He immediately proceeds to ignore him. The Mephistopheles dialog shows in a particular light (Williams 284–288). Mephistopheles is committed to Faustus’s fall. Unfortunately, Faustus has made his mind about the hope he has put in his faith, that faith he has created himself by hoping that by renouncing God and putting his trust on Lucifer. Despite Faustus allegiance to Lucifer, Mephistopheles continues to warn him not to exchange soul for twenty-four years reign to Lucifer, persuading him to “leave this frivolous demand, /which strike a terror to my fainting soul”. Definitely, there is a similarity between Mephistopheles and Faustus. What Faustus is today, Mephistopheles once was, arrogant and rebellion of God, Mephistopheles is eternally damned? May because of this reason, Mephistopheles want to warn Faustus about his cheerful termination. He therefore, warns Faustus against the reality of hell, and because of his knowledge, he wants to warn Faustus to avoid his horrible fate (Ullman 25–53).
The constant indication is given to Faustus, but he never comprehends what he is really doing. Faustus is a true example of secular Renaissance man, so contemptuous of faith that he thinks that hell is just a "fable" even during his oral communication with Mephistopheles. He has a retrogress perspective. Faustus thinks about Mephistopheles statement that hellhole is earth like place, which will not be heaven. He did not understand the difference between himself and Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles has no hope or chance for heaven. On the other hand, despite Dr. Faustus's treaty signed, he can still return if he repents. He even did not realize the tortures of hell, which Mephistopheles informs him about. Mephistopheles warns him about his fate. (Ullman 25–53)
Even at the end of twenty fours of pact with Lucifer and his eternal damnation, Faustus Continues to enjoy is worldly power because these powers give him delight. Wishful Thinking is the main characteristic of Faustus character in the whole drama. In the beginning, he rejects religion and embraces the magic. Now he is seeking superiority in a woman. He desires to attempt heavenly beauty in an illusion of Helen, which can only Benefit lusty pleasure not an eternal bliss in heaven.
“Make me immortal with a kiss,” He asks her to “Make me immortal with a kiss,” continues to display blindness. In fact, the only hope he has is to repent. The final speech of Dr. Faustus before the devil takes his soul with him as was in the pact . It is the most dramatic moments of drama. Christopher Marlowe uses most Empty talk to create a memorable masterpiece of a human being who is almost away For his eternal damnation. Dr. Faustus continues to switch ideas in desperation of trying to way out. However, unfortunately, no escape is available to him and ultimately resulting his guilt feelings. "No, Faustus, curse thyself, curse Lucifer, / That hath deprived thee of the joys of heaven." There is a very logic question that why Dr. Faustus did not repent sooner and more significantly why his dire mercy calls to Christ is not answered. According to Christianity, Faustus can redeem even at the last hour. However, Faustus was not able to redeem and wanted to please himself with earthly please until his end time come and devil took his soul away for eternal damnation. Lastly, Faustus shows the clash between medieval values and renaissance. "I'll burn my books," Faustus finally screams when the devil comes for his soul for eternal damnation (Ullman 25–53).
Suggesting his pact with Chief devil is all about his lust for worldly knowledge to full fill all his ambitions. Here he shows that although Renaissance is celebrated but at the expense of medieval Christianity. As Lucifer carries him away for hell, Faustus is trying to show the Christian worldview, about desperately denouncing the black magic, which he has achieved, is not slipping away from him forever. In his final lines, Faustus is attempting for the Christian way of life. The great tragedy of the Doctor Faustus that despite his scholarly learning and knowledge he could not understand that he is speaking of Christian philosophy with the use of his intellectual capacity (Reno 167–180). However, we find that Dr. Faustus is a victim of his own inner self. His mind is between and God and Devil. That is the reason that Good Angel, his conscience urges him to close that ‘damned book' and to start reading from the scriptures. Unfortunately, Faustus's lust for a life totally blotted out his sight and corrupted his soul. He ignored the urgent appeal of the Good Angel. His worldly lust made the job of Evil Angle easy, and his soul was easily taken away to hell in the end by the chief devil (Lucifer)
Dr. Faustus a very learned man of Renaissance (Tracy 163–177). Despite all his learning in Medicine and Law. He was a very dissatisfied person. He thought knowledge to be something equal to God. He did not understand his place and decided to rebel against God very much as Satan did. He wanted to do many more things; he was a symbol of Renaissance man. His lust for more knowledge and earthly desires made him a very evil man. Unlike the faithful, Christians who only want to desire the salvation through Christ. He thought the only thing that can fulfill his desires was through acquiring the art of black magic. Therefore, he seeks the pupilage of well know magicians of his age (Sands 40–49).
He found that by learning the art of black magic, he can fill his mission, but he has to sign a contract with the chef devil Lucifer and Mephistopheles shall be a mediator. He is warned that after the expiry of twenty-four years of power Lucifer should take his soul away for eternal damnation. Although it was horrific but to enjoy the full power and full fill all his desires he willfully signed the contract. Although he reigned successfully for twenty-four years but when time nears, he became doubtful about the fulfillment of the contract and thought that hell is not a very horrific thing, and he went even further and described hell as a fable. When the time was near the soul wanted to repent but his body wanted to enjoy lust for the remaining time. In the end, Lucifer took his soul away for eternal damnation.
In this play Christopher Marlowe, warn the Renaissance people who were hungry for power and lust for knowledge. He warned him that too much lust for power would result in the rebellion against God and eternal damnation.
As the eleventh hour of his impending doom approaches. He begins to realize his approaching death and soul to be taken away by the devil for his eternal damnation. Mephistopheles calls Helen of Troy to ensure his end in wane. Then an old man stresses Faustus to repent even in this eleventh hour, as God is merciful to all his beings, but he still he asks Mephistopheles to torture the old man and force him to leave. Even at this last hour he summons Helen once again so that he can bury himself in her beauty. Lastly, Faustus confesses his sins to the group of men, who dedicatedly pray for Faustus.
On his final moment before his death, Faustus asks for mercy, but it is all too late for him now. At midnight devils enters his room for his soul for his eternal end. In the morning his torn body found by his colleagues who then give him a burial.

Works Cited

Hamlin, William M. “Casting Doubt in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus.” SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 2001: 257–275. Web.
Ullman, B L. “History and Tragedy.” Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 73 (1942): 25–53. Web.
Reno, R. R. “Pride and Idolatry.” Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 2006: 167–180. Web.
Sands, Paul. “The Deadly Sin of Pride.” Family & Community Ministries 23 (2010): 40–49. Web.
Tracy, J. L., A. F. Shariff, and J. T. Cheng. “A Naturalist’s View of Pride.” Emotion Review 2010: 163–177. Web.
Williams, Lisa A., and David Desteno. “Pride: Adaptive Social Emotion or Seventh Sin?” Psychological Science 20 (2009): 284–288. Web.