Biography and Background

Cultural Context:

Comes from religious and theatrical background, in which physiognomy was a strong part

Traditional devices were left over from an earlier play tradition

Visual level that Dr Faustus appeals on-that evil is ugly.

1564-1593

Son of a shoemaker, and went to Cambridge

Thought to be a spy, and some argument over his death-presumably killed in a pub brawl

Killed by Ingren Fraiser

Thought to be an Athiest, but brought up as a Calvanist-belived in pre-destination. 

Paradox within religion that we’re born with free will, yet God knows and guids everything.

Marlowe seeks to show that pre-destination is wrong. Faustus repents, but he repents too late-but the opportunity to repent is always there.

Good and the Bad angle taken from the traditional morality play

Wrote: Dido Queen of Dardage Tambalan part 1 and 2The Jew of Malta (anti-sematic play)Edward II The Massacre in Paris Shakespeare’s early histories are influenced by Marlowe, apparently.

Influenced by Machiavelli

Christopher Marlowe: The overreacher by Christopher Rexed

Dr Faustus: Cultural taboos- what happens when you overreach

People don’t believe Marlowe wrote all the comic scenes.Look at the parallels in the sub-plot, to the main-plot (how little he got for his soul)

Helen of Troy symbolises the perfect woman. In Faustus’s version she is exposed as a Devil. Lust is ugly? 

Prologue refers to Tambalan. He runs you through things that aren’t seen in the play. ‘Witenburg’-well thought of University. Faustus achieves what he’s got through his own merit.‘Till, swoll’n with cunning of a self-conceit,His waxen wings did mount above his reach,And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.’Gluttony is brought up at the beginning.Reference to bliss-instead of heaven, he has chosen necromancy.

Biography