Similarities between the Life and Views of Christopher Marlowe and His Character Doctor Faustus in the Play Doctor Faustus Essay

Out of ancient myth of the magician who sells his soul to the Devil for occult powers, Marlowe has fashioned a veritable fable of Renaissance man (Source 5 113). The goal of any true renaissance man is to improve himself. This goal may border on heresy, as it leads to a man trying to occupy the same position as God. Lucifer commits this same basic sin to cause his own fall. To Doctor Faustus, this idea of sin is of no concern at the beginning of Christopher Marlowes Doctor Faustus. Faustus goal is to become god-like himself. In order to accomplish this, he learns of science and shows an interest in magic. He turns to the pleasures of magic and art and the poewr of scientific knowledge as substitutes for the Christian faith he has lost (source 5 115). Clearly, this total disregard for God makes Faustus an atheist. However, it is only his renaissance quality, which seals his damnation, not his lack of faith. It is interesting to note how Faustus directly parallels Marlowe himself. The play is written as if Marlowes vindication of Faustus will vindicate him in the end. This has a direct effect on style as well as the overall spin, which Marlowe takes on the archetype. Such as strong connection between Faustus and Marlowe makes it practical to speak of the damnation of both of these interesting characters almost simultaneously. Therefore, Marlowe and Faustus are both damned by their own self-improvement, not only by God, but also by themselves, and society. Doctor Faustus opens with a depiction of Faustus as the perfect Renaissance man. He is partly an artist, who does not wish to glorify God, as his medieval predecessors did, but to applaud and please man he is partly a scientist and philosopher, whose hope is to make man more godlike and not to justify his miserable life on earth and, most significantly he is a Protestant, a...

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