This document provides information about Christopher Marlowe's play "Doctor Faustus". It summarizes the plot, which follows the titular Doctor Faustus as he makes a deal with the devil Mephisto to gain magical powers for 24 years in exchange for his soul. During his time with magical abilities, Faustus travels across Europe performing magic. As his 24 years come to an end, Faustus is overcome with fear and regret for his actions but is unable to repent in time. Demons appear and carry his soul to hell, demonstrating the tragedy of selling one's soul to the devil. The document also lists the play's characters and themes around sin, redemption, and the corrupting nature of power.

1. DOCTOR
FAUSTUS
Taranjot Singh
16090 (Group:16)

2. CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
 Born in Canterbury in 1564.
 An actor, poet, and playwright
during the reign of Britain’s Queen
Elizabeth I .
 Marlowe attended Corpus Christi College at
Cambridge University and received degrees in 1584
and 1587.
 Most well known of his plays are Tamburlaine, The

3. ABOUT THE PLAY
• Doctor Faustus was probably written
in Early 1590s; England.
• Source of Marlowe’s play seems to be
the anonymous German work
Historia von D. Iohan Fausten.
• Setting (time) : The 1580s
• Setting (place) : Europe, specifically
Germany and
Italy
• Genre : Tragedy

4. PLOT
• Doctor Faustus, a well-respected German scholar.
• Decides that he wants to learn to practice magic.
• Faustus offer his soul to Lucifer in exchange for twenty-four
years of service from Mephastophilis, a devil.
• Faustus has second thoughts, but Mephastophilis bestows rich
gifts on him and gives him a book of spells to learn.
• Armed with his new powers and attended by Mephastophilis,
Faustus begins to travel.
• He goes to the pope’s court in Rome, courts of Europe and is
invited to the court of the German emperor, Charles V.

5. • Robin, Wagner’s clown, has picked up some magic on his own, and
with his fellow stablehand, Rafe.
• Faustus then goes on with his travels, playing a trick on a horse-
courser along the way, invited to the court of the Duke of Vanholt.
• As the twenty-four years of his deal with Lucifer come to a close,
Faustus begins to dread his impending death.
• Faustus tells the scholars about his pact, and they are horror-stricken
and resolve to pray for him.
• On the final night before the expiration of the twenty-four years,
Faustus is overcome by fear and remorse. He begs for mercy, but it is
too late.
• At midnight, a host of devils appears and carries his soul off to hell.
• In the morning, the scholars find Faustus’s limbs and decide to hold a

6. CHARACTERS
 Faustus
 Mephastophilis
 Chorus
 Old Man
 Good Angel
 Evil Angel
 Lucifer
 Wagner
 Clown
 Martino and Frederick
 Robin
 Rafe
 Valdes and Cornrlius
 Horse- Courser
 The Scholars
 The Pope
 Emperor Charles V
 Knight
 Bruno
 Duke Of Vanholt

7. THEMES
 SIN, REDEMPTION, AND DAMNATION
 THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MEDIEVAL AND
RENAISSANCE VALUES
 POWER AS A CORRUPTING INFLUENCE
 THE DIVIDED NATURE OF MAN

8. SYMBOLS
 BLOOD
 FAUSTUS’S REJECTION OF THE ANCIENT
AUTHORITIES
 THE GOOD ANGEL AND THE EVIL ANGEL
MOTIFS
 MAGIC AND THE SUPERNATURAL
 PRACTICAL JOKES

9. EXPOSITION
In the whole setup Doctor Faustus never took anything seriously.
Always use to enjoy the powers he has from the devil. Talking of
man made laws, he didn’t follow the natural laws and divine
laws as he misuse the powers e.g. when a knight scoffs at
Faustus’s powers, and Faustus chastises him by making antlers
sprout from his head, in another instance when the horse-
courser shows up there, along with Robin and various others
who have fallen victim to Faustus’s trickery. Where Faustus casts
spells on them and sends them on their way, to the amusement of
the duke and duchess. At last nature plays its role as he begs for
mercy, but it is too late. At midnight, a host of devils appears and

10. CRITICISM & CONCLUSION
• The play is basically fictitious in nature as including
elements like devil, magic and time travel.
• Doctor Faustus has elements of both Christian
morality and classical tragedy.
• Faustus sells his soul to Lucifer in exchange for
twenty-four years of immense power, but the desire
to repent begins to plague him as the fear of hell
grows in him.

11. THANK YOU