Thinking activity: Dr. Faustus: A play by Marlowe

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

Ans.In the Last Sense of the Play Directly by Matthew Dunster for the Globe theater. The soul of Dr. Faustus Lucifer repenting from more powerful. We can say that the tragedy of life is in what dies inside a man. End of the play in evil wins against the god. It also shows that when we doing some wrong against the god and when we doing something against the god.so Lucifer feel his great triumph against him. Thus, here the last scene in his great evil power success against the god and Lucifer signify his great victory.

2) Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If No, why?
Ans. Yes, god present in the play.
# Good Angel
    Good angel is the voice of God, the voice of Faustus's conscience, the good angel Faustus to repent and serve God.
# Homo fuge - a sign
     A Latin word, it means 'o man fly', a sigh of the god in the play.
# Old man
     An enigmatic figure, he sees at last part of the play, he urged Faustus to repent, a last try of God to damnation.
# Chorus
       The role of chorus is very important at end, their view of Faustus's fate, the law of God in Earth shows the existence of God, chorus is a soul of God, chorus as a voice of God at last.
# God and Renaissance spirit in the play
     The play shows religious values of Renaissance man, terrible fate that awaits a renaissance man who rejecting God's worth, at last Faustus pays the price for all western culture in the play.

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

Ans. This Greekis the image myth of lcarus, a son whose father Daeduls give wings to him. Wings which is made by wax but lcarus forget that truth closer to the sun and cause of it his wings melt and he fall down on earth and died. Similarly here Dr. Faustus died. Fall down from his higher position of knowledge. Knowledge is good at some level but cross the limitations it is bad... Thus we can say that this image of falling of lcarus shows the central theme of same falling of Dr. Faustus.

4) How do you interpret this painting?

Ans. This painting is a modern portrayal of the Greek myth Daeduls and lcarus. This painting was painted by Pieter Bruegel the elder. The painting known as'Landscape with the fall of lcarus'. As we know that after getting the power lcarus ignores her father's warning not to fly too near to the sun and fell down because his waxen wings melt down. So here I would like to interpret that is a drowning leg of lcarus. Lcarus is drowning down but every one is busy in their work no one has a time to look at his suffering. Here we can also see the harsh reality of world.

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

Ans. This article was a reply to his religious friend who thought Bhagat Singh became an atheist because of his vanity 

He wrote last monologue of doctor Faustus. It is being proud of my ideas and my thoughts. Absolutely no one of this sort, don't make me wait this long, didn't occur to your all knowing god. I don't think that by strengthening my belief in God and by offering prayers to him every day because I am an atheist. The heaven stop not till you end up your clock faster. So god can not save my life.

O' Lucifer take my soul and challenge all the quest power. The clock strikes the half-hour. O' , if my soul must suffer for my sin. That hath depriv'd thee of the joys of heaven. Let I'll burn my books with entire library! - o mephistophilis.

6) summarise article discussed in calss.

Ans. Marlow and god : tragic theology of dr. Faustus.

The Tragic History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly shortened to the title.

Doctor Faustus, a respected German scholar, is bored with the traditional types of knowledge available to him. He wants more than logic, medicine, law, and religion. He wants magic. His friends, Valdes and Cornelius, begin to teach him magic, which he uses to summon a devil named Mephistophilis. Faustus tells Mephistophilis to return to his master, Lucifer, with an offer of his soul in exchange for twenty-four years of having Mephistophilis and all his knowledge of magic at his beck and call.

Mephistophilis returns to Faustus with a contract for his soul, which Faustus signs in his own blood. As soon as he signs the contract, words appear on his arm, which give him doubts about what he has just done. Mephistophilis calms Faustus' doubts by giving him valuable gifts and a book of spells to learn.

Later, Mephistophilis answers all Faustus' questions about the nature of the world, and refuses to answer only when Faustus wants to know who created the universe. This sets off yet another series of doubts in Faustus, but Mephistophilis and Lucifer quiet those doubts by bringing in the seven deadly sins in human form to dance for Faustus.

Mephistophilis then takes Faustus on a wild chariot ride through the heavens, landing in Rome, where Faustus torments Pope Adrian for his passing judgment on a rival pope by making himself invisible, stealing Pope Adrian's food and smacking his ears. He becomes famous for this and is invited to visit the German Emperor, Charles V, who is the enemy of Pope Adrian. Faustus impresses the emperor by conjuring up an image of Alexander the Great. One of the emperors' knights sneers at Faustus' magical powers and Faustus punishes him by making antlers sprout from his head.

Meanwhile, Robin, the clown of Faustus' servant, Wagner, has picked up some magic on his own and, with a stable hand named Rafe, uses his new magical skills to get free booze, and even summons Mephistophilis, who threatens to turn them both into animals. Their misadventures add to the comic relief of the play.

Faustus travels to England, where he sells an enchanted horse to a horse dealer. When the man rides his new horse over water, it turns into a bale of straw. The Duke of Vanholt hears about this and invites Faustus to visit him and his wife, the duchess. The horse dealer shows up, along with Robin and Rafe, vowing to get even. Faustus casts a spell of silence on them so they cannot speak of his wrongs, and sends them on their way, which amuses the Duke and Duchess of Vanholt.

As the end of his contract approaches, Faustus begins to dread his impending doom, and has Mephistophilis call up Helen of Troy so that he might impress a group of his colleagues. An old man urges Faustus to repent and turn back to God, but he sends Mephistophilis to torment the old man, and drive him away. Faustus then summons up Helen again so that he might immerse himself in her ancient beauty. But time grows short. Faustus, filled with dread, confesses his misdeeds to a group of his colleagues, who vow to pray for him.

Myth, phycology and Marlow's doctor Faustus.
Marlow's doctor Faustus article is very enargatic to seeing this play and we can show that modern condition. Faustus had use of hubris, quest for knowledge, quest for power, quest for ego, redemption and damnation, use of thing is immortal.
      Dr. Faustus choose the way of food and bed. Pride of dr. Faustus in myth, subsiquant try to prove and critic ever to repent. But he gave the soul to the devil, Lucifer. He asserts that 'psychology' is fundamentally objective, secular and willful whereas the core identity of religion is mysterious, spiritual and willing. According to me, modern psychology also ignores our spiritual longing, believing that expanding knowledge can take it place. Dr. Faustus turns to magic to satisfy his lust for power.

         Thank you........