Duality In The Play Dr Faustus

1866 Words8 Pages
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus written by Christopher Marlowe contains, like other works of Marlowe, a protagonist that struggles with the changing tide. The transition from the Medieval era towards the Renaissance and the struggle of choosing to believe in the medieval morals or go with the liberating ideals of the Renaissance, which is in fact making someone decide on which side they stand on. The side of God or the side of the devil. The play of dr. Faustus brings the situation lots of people must have been in around that time to light. The never ending fight between good and evil brings all sorts of dualities to the foreground in the play. These dualities play a big role, if not the biggest, in the life of Faustus. They are the reason of his indecisiveness. The play of dr. Faustus begins with a chorus. The chorus introduces the reader to time, setting and place along with Faustus. Towards the ending of this introduction a reference is made to Icarus, the Greek myth “His waxen wings did mount above his reach, and melting heavens conspired his overthrow”. (Prologue, l.21-22) Faustus is in these line compared to Icarus what can be interpreted as Faustus being disobedient like Icarus. Icarus is disobedient to his father and Faustus is disobedient for reaching too high, wanting too much knowledge, which was unheard of in that period. The last part of that sentence “heavens conspired his overthrow” could also refer to Lucifer as he was the one who tried to overshadow God. Faustus also tries to overshadow God in a way of becoming all-knowing. He wants to outsmart God and believes he can by “falling to a devilish exercise”. (Prologue, l.23) When delving deeper into the reference made to Lucifer the very big contrast between the Medieval period and the Renaissance in this play becomes more clear. In the Medieval period God and the church stood at the centre
Open Document