DOCTOR FAUSTUS BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE December 13, 2009
Consider Marlowe’s ‘Doctor Faustus’ as a play of morality?
While the miracle plays were still going strong, another medieval dramatic form emerged in the 14th century
and flourished in the 15th-16th centuries, a form which has more direct links with Elizabethan drama. This is
the morality play, which differs from the miracle play in that it does not deal with a biblical or pseudo-biblical
story but with personified abstractions of virtues and vices that struggle for man’s soul. Marlow’s most
celebrated play ‘Doctor Faustus’ fulfill all the essential qualities of a morality play. It is regarded as one of the
prominent morality play in English literature.
In morality plays, there is a conflict and a tussle between the good and evil forces. Throughout the play, the
main character moves towards eternal salvation or eternal damnation. ‘Dr Faustus’, a moral tragedy faces
many of the same conflicting value systems as ‘Everyman’. However, with much more temptation from the
seven deadly sins, Faustus finds it much more difficult to be moral. Faustus gets into a moral conflict with his
mind, and the good and bad angels are symbols of this.
Good Angel: Sweet Faustus, think of heaven and heavenly
Things
Bad Angel: No, Faustus, think of honour and wealth.
Morality plays always portrait vice characters. Mephostophilis and Lucifer are clearly reminiscent of the Vice
character, taking the role of the tempter in a manner both sinister and comic. . In Doctor Faustus, the evil is
shown very appealing in beginning. The Lucifer is shown as a great force. Doctor Faustus sells his soul to devil
in return of services of spirit for twenty-four years. He wants to become most powerful in the world. He is
controlled by inordinate desires. There are heaven, hell and God in the play, which are characters of the
Morality plays. Seven deadly sins are presented in personified form. Marlow moves towards damnation by and
by. In the end he is left alone, he put blame to his parents who born him but then he put blame on Lucifer
and on him self. Now he says
“My God, My God look not so fierce to me
Ugly hell gape not come not Lucifer”
Under the circumstances Doctor Faustus gives up his morality and proceeds to anti Christianity. Marlowe
diverges from the morality tradition by ending Faustus’ journey in damnation.
‘Doctor Faustus’ portraits the extreme result of a man who tries to go against the morality. The whole play is
wrapped with moral Christian ideas. We are always warned through the character Doctor Faustus. We are
told in the ending chorus that one should not try to do the thing which God has forbidden, and take lesson
from the end of Doctor Faustus. ‘Doctor Faustus’ by Christopher Marlow is enriched with all these qualities of
a perfect morality play.
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The play can be said to be structurally based on a Morality Play. Faustus spends the play in a state of ambiguity
between repentance and despair. Mephistopheles also creates conflict by doing whatever Faustus asks. This
means that Dr Faustus is able to commit any sin that he wants. The people in the society around him give him
knowledge of what will happen to him if he does not repent, yet he won't repent through fear of punishment.
So even though Dr Faustus turns to worldly delights to put off confrontation of the real problem, the problem
is always there. This means that the conflict in Dr Faustus mind hasn't gone away, he is just trying to forget
that he has a dilemma. The figure of the old man shows that there is still a chance for Dr Faustus to repent
and to be saved. Here is a quote showing that there are two sides of an argument in Dr Faustus:
©2009 sanjibkrbiswas.hpage.com
December13, 2009
DOCTOR FAUSTUS BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE December 13, 2009