The Tragical History Of Doctor Faustus - 1163 Words

In Marlowe’s play, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Christianity is painted in a negative light. This reflects the disillusionment with religion that Marlowe and other Renaissance men had as a consequence of the conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism that occurred during the Protestant Reformation. Through Faustus’s lines, Marlowe was able to air some of his less-than-pleasant views about Christianity. Even in the first act, Faustus’s opinion of religion is made clear. â€Å"Philosophy is odious and obscure; both law and physic are for petty wits; divinity is the basest of the three, unpleasant, harsh, contemptible and vile.† Faustus is more than just disillusioned with religion; he is disgusted by it. It’s understandable how he†¦show more content†¦Faustus sees God as cruel and without mercy. Through this, one can conclude that Marlowe may have held similar views. Marlowe’s low opinion of Christianity comes through in ways other than Faustus’s words; it also shows in the events of the play. Act three scene one is entirely devoted to making fun of the Catholic church. In this scene, Faustus and Mephistopheles wreak havoc on a banquet held by the pope, who seems to care more about his dinner than he does his divine duties. Indeed, almost every line spoken by the supposedly-holy man is about food. He, and by extension organized religion as a whole, is painted as greedy and gluttonous: two deadly sins. This makes Marlowe’s opinion of the catholic church quite clear. As the scene goes on, a group of priests begins a holy dirge in attempt to oust the pesky spirits disturbing the banquet. â€Å"Cursed be he that stole away his Holiness’ meat from the table†¦ cursed be he that took away his holiness’ wine.† This ritual, as opposed to being solemn and holy, seems petty and secular. Furthermore, it reinforces the pope’s gluttony. After the dirge is completed, Faustus and Mephistopheles chase the priests offstage, beating them and throwing fireworks. The prayers of these holy men are shown to be utterly ineffectual, and the friars themselves are made out to be clowns on the receiving end of slapstick comedy. From this, it is possible to draw theShow MoreRelatedThe Tragical History Of Doctor Faustus1991 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus,† or â€Å"Doctor Faustus,† is a tragedy, written by Christopher Marlowe, which conveys the heavy use of symbolism and allusions to illustrate the conflict between good and evil during a time of rebirth in England. This play was first performed sometime between 1588 and 1593, and published sometime in the early 1600s and is based on the protagonist, Faustus, who originates from a classic oral German legend. â€Å"Doctor Faustus† is one of the first of many publicationsRead More The tragical history of Doctor Faustus Essay1562 Words   |  7 PagesThe t ragical history of Doctor Faustus, which followed in the wake of Tamburlaine, is acclaimed by all as Marlowes best play in which the leaven of fertile poetry and fearless imagination works wonders. Introduction: The tragical history of Doctor Faustus, which followed in the wake of Tamburlaine, is acclaimed by all as Marlowes best play in which the leaven of fertile poetry and fearless imagination works wonders. 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Behind their clownishRead MoreThe Tragic Downfall of Faustus in Tragical Histor of Doctor Faustus921 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tragic Downfall of Faustus in Tragical Histor of Doctor Faustus Christopher Marlowe’s Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is about a man who seeks power that comes from knowledge beyond the human realm. Throughout the story, the seven deadly sins are shown and have an impact on Dr. Faustus during his search for ultimate power. However, it is one of these vices of the seven deadly sins that plays a particular and key role in his demise. Pride, creates Dr. Faustus’ inability to repent,