Rating: 
Summary: "His waxen wings did mount above his reach"
Review: "Dr. Faustus," the play by 16th century writer Christopher Marlowe, has been published as part of the Dover Thrift Edition series. The brief introduction to this version notes that the play was first published in 1604, and also discusses its relationship to a German text from 1587 known as the "Faustbuch." In his play Marlowe tells the story of the title character, a scholar who is "swollen with cunning." Faust dabbles in the dark arts of "magicians / And necromantic books," and literally makes a deal with the devil. These actions drive the tragedy forward.This play is a curious mixture of Christian theology, tragedy, slapstick comedy, and colorful pageantry. It moves along fast, and contains some really beautiful and stately language. "Dr. Faustus" is ultimately a cautionary tale about human pride and ambition. I must admit that in the end I find it less satisfying than some of the other great tragedies of the Elizabethan era, perhaps because this play relies less on universal human issues than on a culturally-bound theological contrivance. Still, it's a noteworthy play that, I believe, still holds relevance for contemporary audiences. ...
Rating: 
Summary: My soul for profit, delight, and power.
Review: At age 29 Christopher Marlowe was apparently stabbed and killed in an argument over a tavern bill. In his short life he left a remarkable legacy of four great plays and exerted considerable influence on another young playwright, William Shakespeare. The Tragicall History of Dr. Faustus, or simply Dr. Faustus, is the story of a brilliant scholar whose thirst for knowledge and power leads him to trade his soul to Lucifer. As we first encounter Faustus, he is systematically dismissing further study of Aristotlean logic, Galen's teachings on medicine, Justinian's works on law, and the study of divinity; Faustus is already the acknowledged master of these subjects. Only the study of necromancy can offer him greater profit, delight, and power. Faustus through incantations summons Mephistophilis, servant of Lucifer, to negotiate a trade for his soul. Mephistophilis urges Faustus to reconsider, but Faustus is adamant: "Had I had as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephistophilis." Faustus recklessly forges his agreement with Lucifer, his body and soul to be forfeit after 24 years of service from Mephistophilis. Again and again Faustus calls upon Mephistophilis for delights and power and hidden knowledge. Mephistophilis obliges, and Faustus increasingly distances himself from God. Occasionally Faustus has misgivings and considers repentance, but fails to act, due partly to persuasion and threats from Mephistophilis - if thou repents, devils shall tear thee in pieces. The intensity builds as Faustus repeatedly rejects God's offer of mercy and forgiveness, and we are never quite certain whether he will repent or not. Marlowe occasionally lowers the growing intensity by interspersing brief episodes of humor with tragedy, a convention quite familiar to Elizabethan audiences. This inexpensive Dover edition offers only sparse footnotes, but footnotes are seldom needed. Christopher Marlowe's other works included his two part drama Tamburlane the Great, The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward II, King of England, and The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta. I recently read Doctor Faustus, edited by Michael Keefer and published by Broadview Press (ISBN 0-921149-59-X). The detailed introduction, comparisons between the 1604 and 1616 versions, and source material make it a good choice for English literature majors.
Rating:
Summary: Not a masterpiece, but close!
Review: I do not feel Marlowe's "Faustus" is quite as good as his "Massacre at Paris" or "Edward II," but I still consider it an outstanding play. "Faustus" is very true to life in that many people can not stay behind the 'this far and no further point.' The opening is quite chilling as Faustus decides that the legitimate knowledge of this world is not good enough and he immediately decides to cross into forbidden territory even at the expense of his soul. To this day, I never have forgotten the chills I felt in 2.1 when Faustus signs the unholy contract. It is interesting that even after Faustus signs the contract, that he is presented with several oppurtunities to escape his fate: "Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee" (2.2.12). But he can not give up the fruits of the contract. (His powers, having Mephostophilis at his command, etc.) After the chilling tension of the first 2 acts, Marlowe releases the tension for the next two acts by having Faustus perform several practical jokes (of an evil nature to be sure), but nevertheless it offers a release of tension while at the same time we can see how malignant Faustus has become. I once read that many people feel the 3rd and 4th act are way too silly and that they drag the play down. But I don't think this is the case at all. I can not help but think Marlowe was trying to point out that in all honesty, there was a worthless aspect of the fruits Faustus sold his soul for. Furthermore, Acts 3 and 4 help us to see the mentally disturbed side of Christopher Marlowe himself. In 5.1, Faustus has 1 final chance to avoid his fate, but he resolves himself to damnation after enjoying Helen of Troy. If I were a betting man I would be willing to wage that Marlowe is pointing out that sex is an ultimate driving force. To this day, I have never been able to forget the final soliloquy of despair in 5.2 followed by the demons carrying Faustus off to hell. Marlowe himself dedicated much of his life to blasphemy, and I can not help but feel he was coming to terms with the church and starting to realize he better cut it out or else. Not only is this an excellent play, but it also helps us to take a look at Marlowe himself.
Rating:
Summary: See, see where Christ's blood streams in the firmament!
Review: I have read and reread all of Marlowe's plays, and this one, written when he was 24, is still my favorite. It dramatizes the fall from grace of Dr. John Faustus, a physician in 15th century Germany. Faustus is unsatisfied with the laurels of earthly fame, so to extend his knowledge and his power he sells his soul to the devil. The tragedy is that he doesn't get nearly what he thought he would, and in the end he descends to using his powers to play sophomoric tricks on country bumpkins. The final scene, in which Faustus realizes it is too late, and he is damned to hell forever, is one of the most terrifying, powerful and moving in English literature.
Rating:
Summary: Faustus...devilishly good
Review: I've been studying this play for English, that's why I read it. I originally thought it would be boring, but I was totally wrong! It's dramatic, tension-filled, and gives you a lot to think about, even if you're not a religious person. The last scene is especially powerful. Admittedly, when reading the play, some of the comic scenes come across as rather annoying - they really need to be seen on a stage - but it doesn't harm the book to any great degree. I would have appreciated less comedy, but I still recommend this play.
Rating:
Summary: This should be required reading for life
Review: I, like many English majors, was assigned this play for my English Lit I class thinking it would be more of an exercise than anything else. I was pleasantly taken off guard. I was surprised about how well I could relate to or at least empathize with the character of Faustus, in a play written hundreds of years ago.
Marlowe has a great sense of style in his writing which was ahead of his time, rivialing Shakespeare historically though slightly predating him. He shows a great sense conflict and tension throughout the plot and characters who are very much architypical of the human condition; the quest for forbidden fruit, dealing with own's own need to conquer, lust for greed, exhibiting vanity (the other of the seven deadly sins make appearances) and so on. There is a religious undertone to the play which is easy enough to follow without having much knowledge of Christianity, this play is easy to enjoy without considering much of the religious dogma which was inserted as a guide for the audience of the time.
Perhaps what is most interesting about the play is Marlowe's use of black humor as the reader will find that there is much comic relief spread throughout the play (mostly through other characters mocking Faustus in ways unbeknowst to him, and you yourself may be laughing alongside of them.) Marlowe's style could arguably be seen as a significant influence on Monty Python and other British comedies going back as far as Shakespeare. The play is very much in the vein of what we might consider modern day 'British humor'; dark, often bleak, obsurd, hysterical.
Dr. Faustus doesn't take long to read, is highly entertaining, and you may even get something extra from it by examing your own moral tendencies. Without a doubt the best piece of literature I've read last semester.
Rating:
Summary: A different approach to the work
Review: My interest in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus is far different than most. Whereas the majority of readers are interested in the play for its basic themes of religion and the juxtaposing of the Medieval/Renaissance worlds, or for its value for the theatre, mine was specifically for *why* Faustus sold his soul to Mephostophilis, and what great feats of necromancy were performed. Why was I interested in that? Certainly not because I have aspirations of being a Necromancer. That would be ridiculous. My interest was for research for a book that I'm working on, where a group of people engage in acts of magic that would be classified as necromantic. So I was initially disappointed when I discovered that there was no necromancy here - nay, there is "nigromancy", which strictly defined means "black magic". That black magic is, of course, the summoning of Mephostophilis. As I read further, however, I found that it contained exactly what I was looking for, and that the characters in the book I'm working on were surprisingly Faustian. The parallels were quite encouraging, and I took more from the work than I originally thought I would. I also enjoyed it tremendously for the themes and motifs which are its hallmark (mentioned above). It's a terrific play, and I'm now looking forward to seeing it performed.
Rating:
Summary: The English Faust
Review: Not everybody knows Faust(us). But a lot do. Most readers know this tragic personnage who allied himself with the devil and finally paid the price for his betrayal of God from a famous play written by J.W. Goethe. It was him who wrote the most famous version of Faust's history. (If you want to know more about Goethe's work, please visit my reviewer page.) But he wasn't the only dramatist who considered this lost magician worth a tragedy. Exactly 2 centuries and 1 year before Goethe published his work, a play by the Englishman Christopher Marlowe saw the light of the world. Marlowe and Goethe are different personalities living in completely different times so that it's no wonder their plays vary in character. Goethe lived in prosperity and had all his life to think about subjects like human nature, social relationships, history and its influence on the present, love, religion and much more. He was a philosoph, and that's the reason why Goethe's "Faust" is sometimes difficult to understand because you have to dive under the surface of things to understand their true nature. Marlowe's work is different: This man was certainly very intelligent and knew a lot about the forces that moved the world, but, unlike Goethe, he didn't have a lifetime to think about one single play. You can imagine that Marlowe's "Faust" became more shallow, but still not shallow enough to be ignored by this imaginary institution we call World Literature. As a compensation, Marlowe's work contains more life and action in it, something I can't say about Goethe's. Both men were geniuses. In this review, I'd like to pay my tribute to the Englishman. As stated above, the play tells the story of a medieval scientist who allies himself with the devil. The latter promises to serve the first in this world, whereas Faust must do the same in hell. The poor doctor doubts his choices because it's his soul being sold, still he follows the devil and has the time of his life. I beg your pardon, for I feel the need to return to Goethe to show you another important difference between both versions: Whereas Marlowe's Faust wants the devil to provide him with fun and all richness of the world (materialism), Goethe's alter ego feels the importance to be educated by the devil to get a complete picture of the world. At the end, Marlowe's Faust realizes that all experiences weren't worth his soul. He begs God to save him, but it is no longer possible. The devil tears his body apart and takes his soul with him to infinite sufferings. The effect this play had on me was tremedous. Fascinated, I watched Faust's development. I particularly liked the 5th act where he realizes that all is finally lost. You can really feel his pain in those scenes; the effect is unbelievable. So, if you want to be touched by human tragedy, I really advise you to read this book. It's done very quickly, so you needn't worry about the time it takes. If you want to make a step further and find additional material on Faust, read Goethe's "Faust 1" as well as Thomas Mann's "Doctor Faustus". It's a marvelous novel and the most modern narration based on the medieval German scientist named Johann(es) Faust(us).
Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read
Review: The story of the infamous Dr. Faustus shows depth on many levels. Marlowe explores the developing morality play genre while calling upon aspects of classic tragedy. The main character, Faustus, finds himself too intelligent for the sciences of mortal man, and pursues a god-like existence in exchange for his soul. Prodded and guided by Mephostiphiles, servant to Lucifer, Faustus explores aspects of nature and society that the common man only dreams about. The conflict within Faustus is the central focus of the play, and Marlowe challenges the reader to consider whether it is more worthwhile to pursue mortal prestige or eternal salvation
Rating:
Summary: NOT a rendition of Faust
Review: This book is NOT a rendition of Goethe's Faust, as one reviewer mentioned. Marlowe wrote the original version (Doctor Faustus), and Goethe rewrote it with his own ideas of forgiveness in Faust. Both versions should be read, as they are often quite different in plot and, espeically, conclusion. Almost competely different stories, both are worth reading for their theological and spiritual value. Doctor Faustus is a quick and easy read, but filled with great stuff! A must read for anyone who appreciates classical literature.
|
