Doctor Faustus Summary
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Questions and Answers

What motivates Doctor Faustus to pursue magic?

  • The advice of the two scholars
  • Feeling that he has exhausted traditional studies (correct)
  • His interest in learning about hell and its devils
  • The encouragement from the Good Angel

    • Who tries to dissuade Faustus from practicing unholy magic?

  • Cornelius
  • Valdes
  • The Good Angel (correct)
  • Mephastophilis

    • What do the two scholars lament about Faustus' behavior?

  • His interest in magic (correct)
  • His kindness towards others
  • His lack of ambition
  • His desire for a simple life

    • Who informs Faustus that he can do nothing not commanded by Lucifer?

    <p>Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus offer to Lucifer in exchange for unlimited power and knowledge?

    <p>$24 years of unlimited power and knowledge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who does Faustus summon by casting spells?

    <p>A devil named Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the initial reaction of Mephastophilis when Faustus summons him?

    <p>He refuses to appear</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the horse-courser when he rides Faustus' horse into a pond?

    <p>The horse vanishes, plunging the horse-courser into the water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What body part of Faustus comes off when the horse-courser tries to wake him up?

    <p>Leg</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What request does the Duchess make to Faustus at the Duke's court?

    <p>To make grapes appear in the middle of winter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Faustus ask Mephastophilis to send demons after an old man?

    <p>For making Faustus doubt himself.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus ask Mephastophilis to do with Helen of Greece?

    <p>Make her his lover.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do the group of scholars pray for Faustus' soul as his death nears?

    <p>They are horrified by the deal Faustus made with Lucifer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    "One drop of Christ's blood" could save Faustus from his impending doom. What does this statement reveal about Faustus?

    <p>His fear of eternal damnation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus try to bargain with God for in exchange for his salvation?

    <p>$100,000 years in hell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to Faustus as soon as the clock strikes midnight?

    <p>Devils surround him and drag him away.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the moral lesson that the chorus delivers at the end of the play?

    <p>Not to pursue unlawful knowledge beyond human limits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Faustus struggle with repentance as his death approaches?

    <p>He thinks repenting will make him weak.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus hesitate about in his study?

    <p>Repenting and turning back to God</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Faustus sign the agreement with Lucifer in his own blood?

    <p>To certify the agreement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who does Faustus want Mephastophilis to summon for him?

    <p>A devil-woman for marriage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes Faustus want to repent again?

    <p>Mephastophilis' refusal to answer about the world's creation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is Mephastophilis frustrated when summoned by Robin and Rafe?

    <p>They summon him for a banal task</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes Charles V uncomfortable during Faustus' visit to his court?

    <p>Seeing Faustus perform devilish magic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus repay the knight's rudeness with?

    <p>$2^4$ horns on his head</p> Signup and view all the answers

    "Renewing his resolve to give his soul to Lucifer" occurs after Faustus ________.

    <p>&quot;Asks Mephastophilis more questions about hell&quot;</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is the devil Faustus summons when he first tries necromancy?

    <p>Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does Doctor Faustus live?

    <p>Wittenberg</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is Faustus's student and servant in the play?

    <p>Wagner</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which character does not sell their soul to Lucifer in the play?

    <p>Wagner</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who represents Lucifer's interests in Faustus's affairs?

    <p>Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which character primarily delivers monologues in the play?

    <p>Chorus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what century does the play Doctor Faustus take place?

    <p>16th century</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is described as the tragic hero of Marlowe's play?

    <p>Doctor Faustus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What traditional figure does the Chorus represent in Greek tragedy?

    <p>Chorus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does Mephastophilis play at Faustus's side throughout much of the play?

    <p>Advisor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Lucifer usually represent through Mephastophilis's actions?

    <p>Distant interest</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes Doctor Faustus a tragic hero in Marlowe's play?

    <p>Selling his soul to Lucifer for knowledge and power</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is the vintner in the play 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>A wine merchant demanding a stolen goblet from Robin and Rafe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus do to the knight Benvolio in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Places a horn on his head in revenge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who helps Bruno, the pope's rival, escape back to Germany in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Faustus and Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 'Doctor Faustus', who is with Alexander when summoned by Faustus?

    <p>The Clown</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who does Faustus encounter on the road who sells him some hay in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>The Carter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do Robin and Rafe summon demons for in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>To scare off the vintner demanding a stolen goblet</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who disguises themselves as two cardinals in the B-text of 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Faustus and Mephastophilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Doctor Faustus' portrays which character as skeptical of Faustus's magical powers?

    <p>Benvolio</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Wagner's promise to the Clown in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>To teach him magic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of Bruno in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Pope's rival supported by Charles V</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who are with the pope in his chambers when Faustus visits in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Two Cardinals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do the Good Angel and Evil Angel play in Doctor Faustus's life?

    <p>They offer contradictory advice whenever he wavers in his resolve.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is Robin in Doctor Faustus, and how does he contrast with Faustus?

    <p>A stable-hand who bumbles through foolish magical attempts, contrasting Faustus's serious sorcery.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when the Horse-courser disobeys Faustus's warning not to ride the horse in water?

    <p>The horse becomes uncontrollable and throws the Horse-courser off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which character is antagonized by Faustus and Mephastophilis through practical jokes and annoying behavior?

    <p>The Pope</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Faustus make horns appear on the head of the Knight at Charles' Court?

    <p>To punish the Knight for his skepticism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the Three Scholars in Wittenberg react to Faustus's interest in necromancy?

    <p>They gossip about and bemoan his actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Doctor Faustus, who is summoned by Lucifer to entertain Faustus with a show of sins?

    <p>Robin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the profession of Valdes and Cornelius, and what influence do they have on Faustus?

    <p>They are magicians who encourage Faustus to delve into magic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does Belzebub play in Doctor Faustus?

    <p>He is a devil sometimes summoned by Faustus or assisting Lucifer and Mephastophilis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impresses Emperor Charles V during Faustus's visit?

    <p>Faustus's performance of magic tricks for entertainment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Doctor Faustus, what advice does the Old Man offer to Faustus?

    <p>To repent and seek God's forgiveness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does the Duchess of Vanholt ask Faustus to perform a magical trick?

    <p>To fulfill her desire for fresh grapes in winter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ultimate sin that Faustus commits in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Selling his soul to Lucifer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the good angel and old man in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Personifications of Faustus's conscience</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What condemns Faustus to spend an eternity in hell in the play?

    <p>Selling his soul to Lucifer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Faustus's desire to repent at the end of his life fail?

    <p>He asks God for forgiveness too late</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does gaining absolute power have on Faustus according to the text?

    <p>It transforms his boundless ambition into a delight in petty celebrity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 'Doctor Faustus', what do the good angel and the evil angel represent?

    <p>Faustus's divided will.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does separation from God render one powerless according to the text?

    <p>It condemns individuals to mediocrity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Faustus constantly undecided about in the play?

    <p>Whether he should continue to follow his pact with Lucifer or repent and return to God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do the good angel and the evil angel urge Faustus to do in the play?

    <p>Good angel urges him to repent, evil angel urges him to continue his pact with Lucifer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What negative outcome does Faustus experience after gaining absolute power?

    <p>He becomes mediocre and becomes delighting in petty celebrity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one significant way in which Faustus's final moments differ from the rest of the play?

    <p>He is in a universe where redemption is impossible.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Marlowe highlight the clash between medieval and Renaissance values in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>By having Faustus embrace classical learning and secular matters.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Faustus's early ambition to pile up great wealth and plumb the mysteries of the universe reveal about him?

    <p>His desire for personal power and knowledge.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Faustus's perception of his power change after he attains it?

    <p>His horizons seem to narrow.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does theology play in the medieval model that Faustus rejects in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>It restricts individual inquiry.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Marlowe's depiction of Faustus's descent from grand ambitions to petty conjuring tricks contribute to the play's themes?

    <p>It symbolizes a Faustian dead end.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What idea does Faustus explicitly reject in his opening speech in 'Doctor Faustus'?

    <p>Tradition and authority</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Marlowe portray Faustus's tragic fate as a clash between two different eras?

    <p>As a symbol of the clash between the medieval and Renaissance worlds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one key theme that Dawkins's remark about Doctor Faustus conveys?

    <p>The clash between traditional and emerging values</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way does Marlowe depict Faustus as a hero of the new modern world?

    <p>By portraying him as free from religious constraints</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one significant change that occurs in Faustus's outlook once he gains unlimited power?

    <p>His ambitions narrow down</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Marlowe use Faustus's rejection of medieval thinking to enhance the play's themes?

    <p>To showcase his defiance against limitations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Doctor Faustus' Motivations and Goals

    • Doctor Faustus is motivated to pursue magic to gain unlimited power and knowledge.
    • He offers his soul to Lucifer in exchange for power and knowledge.

    Characters and Their Roles

    • Mephastophilis is a devil who serves Lucifer and represents Lucifer's interests in Faustus' affairs.
    • Wagner is Faustus' student and servant in the play.
    • Valdes and Cornelius are scholars who influence Faustus with their knowledge of necromancy.
    • Belzebub is a devil who plays a role in Doctor Faustus.
    • The Good Angel and Evil Angel represent moral guidance and temptation in Faustus' life.
    • The Old Man offers Faustus advice and represents moral guidance.

    Plot and Events

    • Faustus summons Mephastophilis by casting spells.
    • Faustus asks Mephastophilis to send demons after an old man.
    • Faustus tries to bargain with God for his salvation, but it's too late.
    • Faustus eventually struggles with repentance as his death approaches.
    • He tries to repent, but it's too late, and he is damned to hell.

    Themes and Symbolism

    • The play portrays the clash between medieval and Renaissance values.
    • Faustus' descent from grand ambitions to petty conjuring tricks contributes to the play's themes of power and morality.
    • The Good Angel and Evil Angel represent moral guidance and temptation.
    • Lucifer represents evil and temptation, while God represents redemption and salvation.

    Character Analysis

    • Doctor Faustus is a tragic hero who struggles with morality and repentance.
    • He is unwilling to accept moral guidance and is tempted by power and knowledge.
    • Faustus' constant indecision and struggle with morality lead to his downfall.

    Setting and Context

    • The play takes place in the 16th century.
    • Doctor Faustus lives in Wittenberg, Germany.

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    Test your knowledge on the summary of 'Doctor Faustus' by Christopher Marlowe. Explore the story of a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge and magical powers.

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