Thinking activity :- Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

Question : 1

The play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre ends with this scene  (see the image of  Lucifer ) what does it signify ?

                  

( Lucifer : prince of Hell )

             The play " the Tragical History of Doctor Faustus " is written by  Christopher Marlowe . And the play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre . This is Lucifer's picture.  Marlow's major dramas are stories about heroes who seek power : Dr. Faustus is no different. 

            Lucifer presented by Mephistopheles

in answering Faustus' question and also represent idea of his absolute power. And

master of Mephistopheles . In this image we find that Lucifer is the cunning and cruel manifestation of eternal damnation. The fallen angel and  "prince of Hell " . Who hold the contract for Faustus's soul. He holds dominion overall devils . In the drama many dilogues shows power of Lucifer like , 

            

             " Christ cannot save the soul , for he is just. There's none but I have interest in the same ".

             Lucifer's kingdom now is hell and work against God , corrupting humans , learning them into sin and capturing their immortal soul to populate his realm for eternity. And Lucifer is aclever and merciless manipulator who wield fear as a tool to get what he wants . And Lucifer celebrating his win to spreading his wings.

Question : 2

        If God is present in the play. If yes  , where and how ? If no , why ?

               Christopher Marlowe's drama  " the Tragical History of the Doctor Faustus " is a story of damnation . In this story we find absence of God . It is a story of one man's desire to attain the power and knowledge he associates with Godhood and thereby become like God himself. Dr. Faustus , Marlow's tragic hero , embraces his own tragic flow and willingly selles his soul to Lucifer through the demonic minion Mephistopheles . Throughout the intervening year Faustus the man , the magician and the damned soul attain power success and fame . Dr. Faustus does not think God and Marlowe conspicuously leaves God's presence out of the play.

            And in this drama we see that God is mentioned once time and Lucifer is mentioned three time. The power of these line compares to the entirety of the play  were Good is rarely even mentioned and is never a presence. Where demonsand their dark magic is ever present. And at the end Faustus begins to appeal to Christ for Marcy, 

              " O Christ , my saviour, my saviour Help to save distressed Faustus soul ! "

                And at the end we find that the prince of hell Lucifer was win. And swelling pride will lead to his downfall.

Question : 3

What reading and interpretation can be to this image  ( see the image of of Daedalus and Icarus ) with reference to Central theme of the play Dr. Faustus ?

               

            

            The myth of Daedalus and Icarus is one of the most known and fascinating Greek mythology , as it consist of both historical and mythical details. 

               Daedalus was the skillful craftman and artist. And he was seen n as a symbol of wisdom , knowledge and power . He was father of Icarus. He and his son Icarus devised a plan to escape by using wing made of wax that Daedalus invented . They escaped , but sadly Icarus did not head his father's warning and flaw too close to the sun . In wax melted and Icarus fell to his death .

           In the Greek myth and Dr. Faustus drama we find many similar themes like , 

               • pride

               •Quest for knowledge

The Greek myth and Dr. Faustus both tell us that his pride will lead to his downfall. And more importantly it compares Dr. Faustus ' desire to Icarus' doomed attempt fly. The Icarus myth act as guide to let us have better understanding of Dr. Faustus. The Icarian tregedy of Faustus is consequences of his characters : proud , blind and greedy. The force of his own nature compels him to the study of magic and his unable to resist. In this sense Faustus's character determines his destiny, like Icarus , he fall down from the heavens and is doomed to death.

 Question : 4

     How do you interpret this painting ? 

               

               

               This is the painting of landscape. Normally we can find that the beauty of nature , everyone is busy daily routine , tthe shepherd was looking the sky and sheeps graze grass , farmer is busy his work and someone has fallen in the water but nobody look that side.  But the critical way we find that the term centre v/s periphery and Greek mythology, Icarus succeded in flying with wings made by his father Daedalus using feathers secured with wax. Ignoring his father's warning Icarus chose to fly to close to the sun melting the wax and fell into the sea and drowned. And another we find the symbol of " ignorence " .

Question :5

 Read this article by  Ghagat Singh . In light of the arguments made by Ghagat Singh in this article , can you re- write last monologue of Doctor Faustus ? 

                     

       Bhagat Singh was one  great  atheist. And he says that my luck of beliefs is the existence of an omnipresent , omnisient God is due to my arrogant pride and  vanity. Pride and vanity are two different things . And he also believe that   " you  believe in him when you feel like it.  And he change authority of God .  And he also says that , 

        " Philosophy is outcome of human weakness " .

         

      If we can apply Bhagat Singh' s idea in the last monologue of Dr. Faustus  let's see what happens. We all know that Dr. Faustus is tregic drama and drama of lust for gain more knowledge . And in this drama Dr. Faustus who sell his soul to Lucifer. And at the end we find fell down of Dr. Faustus. If Dr. Faustus became an atheist  the end will be happy and different. And Dr. Faustus who setisfied with his power of knowledge.

Question : 6

Summarise articles discussed in the class :

(1)  Marlowe and God : Tregic theology Dr. Faustus : 

         

The article Marlowe and God : the tragic theology of Dr. Faustus is written by  Robert ornstain. The Dr. Faustus the narrative fellife of Tragical  hestory of Dr. Faustus as it related in the Faustbook. In the hero' s defient  , blasphemous chois of black magic is a splendid beginning his final moment of dread and despaire are a powerful confusion. Robert Ornstain says too late or with little conviction turn towards christ , but we cannot says that the Faustus  of the early scenes ignore the sacrifice when he reject his faith , Faustus disappeared because he misconceived the nature of God . But talking a larger perspective on Marlowe's art. And we find that Christ 's blood symbol of redemption.

 (2)  myth , phychology and  Marlowe 's Dr. Faustus :

        

              The article Myth , phychology and Marlow's Dr. Faustus is written by  Kenneth L . Golden.  The beginning of the article Kenneth L. Golden put the example of  Jung . The death meaning in the mythic symbolof Christianity was beginning during the renaissance Reformation and he says that " mankind has never liked powerful images  to lend magical aid against all the uncanny think that live in the depths of the  phyche " .