Dr Faustus Thinking Activity

THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH DOCTOR FAUSTUS BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE :
                   
                 Doctor Faustus is a play written by Christopher Marlowe. In this play he represents one scholar who sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and for power. Knowledge is center in doctor Faustus.

Before I start my answers let me tell you a little about "GLOBE THEATER". As sir told us that the globe theater was a theater in London associated with William Shakespeare. The globe theater was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company. The second globe theater was started in June 1614 and it was closed by an ordinance issued on 6 September 1642. It was a type of Elizabethan theater. The globe theaters are famous because Shakespeare performed many of his greatest plays in this theater. 

Question no. 1. The play directed by Matthew Dunster for globe theater ends with this picture scene. What does it signify?

The play directed by Matthew Dunster for globe theater ends with the scene of Lucifer. In this scene we can see the wings of Lucifer which signifies his power. Lucifer becomes more powerful after taking the soul of Dr. Faustus, and his wings also shows that he was more stronger than before. We can say that Lucifer is a symbol of devil. And also the king of the hell or master of Mephistophilis. If we see the first  scene of the play we can see that Faustus ask one question to Mephistophilis that,

"was not that Lucifer an angel once?"

At that time Mephistophilis answers him that he was angel and god loves him but by aspiring pride and insolence, for which god threw him from the face of heaven. So, in last scene we can see the pride of Lucifer, and now he believes that I have more power than god. And I am the king of hell. In last scene Faustus also pray to god to save him. So that this all scene or picture signifies the conflict between good and evil.

Question no. 2. Is god present in the play? If yes, where and how? If no, why?

According to me god is not present in the play physically but god is present throughout the play in the mind of Dr. Faustus. In christian tragedy, they have to follow certain rules otherwise god punish them. If son is not obedient to parents, then god punish them. In the play, Faustus is not obedient to god and he is not follow the rules. So that according to christian tragedy in the last scene god punish him.

" Be obedient to god because god control the tragedy of human being. " 

 In the first scene we can see that Faustus wish to be like god and he wants to change certain things through magic like he says in the first scene,

" I"ll have them wall all Germany with brass,

And make swift Rhine circle fair westernbery;

I" ll have them fill the public school with silk,

Where with the students shall be bravely clad; "

( act. 1, scene. 1, page no. 8, Faustus himself)

He wants to do this because of his nation ( patriotism ). so through knowledge he want to be god.if we see his calculation we comes to know that for him knowledge is the god and if know everything then I become the god. so that we can say that for him,

" Knowledge = God "

so that we can say that god is not present in the play physically but in the sense of good angle, the old man. In the last scene we can see that Faustus recalls god and request to save him from devils.

" one drop of blood will save me: o my Christ;-

Rend not my heart for naming of my Christ;"

Question no. 3. What reading and interpretation can be given to this image ( see the image of daedalus and icaras ) with reference to central them of the play Doctor Faustus?

This is the image of two Greek mythological characters - Daedalus and Icaras. Daedalus was a good craft man and artist. So that, when his son Icaras says his father that I want to fly in the sky at that time Daedalus makes waxen wings for his son and also he warns him to do not fly more. If he fly more than his wings would have melt. But Icaras ignores his father's caution and fly more so after sometimes his waxen wings melt down and he fall and drowned into sea. So, here we can say that, Icaras is responsible for his own fall, his father is not. In the play, there are two main central themes are  power as a corrupting influence and the divided nature of man. in the play Faustus demands for Helen. Helen is symbolic. she represent the attractive nature of evil. Doctor Faustus hubris or pride is the cause of his downfall, fall down from his higher position of knowledge.

" then fear not, Faustus, but be Resolute"

In this line we can see the pride of doctor Faustus. In the play he rejects Aristotelian philosophy, medicine, law and religion orthodoxy. The good angle argues that to set aside that books of magic and read the bible. But Faustus choose magic. In act two, Faustus commits the most serious error in his life. He sells his soul to the devil for power or magic. At that time good and evil angels appears again.

" good angel: sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art.

Faustus : Contrition, prayer, repentance - what of them?

Good angel : rather illusion, fruits or lunacy,

That makes men foolish that do trust them most."

Therefore this image is connected with the play Doctor Faustus. 

 Question no.4. How do you interpret this painting?

This picture is also releted with the mythology of Daedalus and Icaras. This picture signifies the fall of Icarus from sky. The name of the picture is " landscape with the fall of Icaraus". In this scene we can see that one shepherd looks at the sky he was actually looking at Deadalus and think that he is god and coming to them to worship and on the other hand Icarus fell down in the sea and was drowning. But nobody observe that and see. All peoples are busy with their works. This is interpretation on the picture named " landscape with the fall of Icarus" by pieter bruegel.