Author |
Marlowe, Christopher, 1564-1593 |
Editor |
Dyce, Alexander, 1798-1869 |
Title |
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus From the Quarto of 1616
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Note |
See also PG#779 from the Quarto of 1604
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Note |
Reading ease score: 84.3 (6th grade). Easy to read.
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Credits |
Produced by Gary R. L. Young, and David Widger
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Summary |
"The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" by Christopher Marlowe is a play that delves into themes of ambition, knowledge, and the consequences of a pact with the devil, written in the late 16th century. The narrative centers around Dr. Faustus, a highly educated scholar who becomes disillusioned with the limitations of traditional forms of knowledge and ultimately decides to pursue necromancy, aiming to gain power and knowledge beyond human constraints. The opening of the play introduces Dr. Faustus, who is initially portrayed as an ambitious intellectual dissatisfied with the bounds of human knowledge. He weighs his options among various fields—ranging from medicine to theology—before ultimately succumbing to the allure of magic. Faustus seeks to summon Mephistophilis, a servant of the devil, to make a pact that could grant him immense power and earthly pleasures, disregarding the spiritual ramifications. This commentary on the human desire for greater understanding sets the stage for Faustus's tragic trajectory, as he navigates contrasts between good and evil influences, pondering the implications of his choices even as he moves closer to his fateful deal with Lucifer. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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Language |
English |
LoC Class |
PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
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Subject |
Germany -- Drama
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Subject |
Tragedies
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Subject |
Faust, -approximately 1540 -- Drama
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Subject |
Magicians -- Drama
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Category |
Text |
EBook-No. |
811 |
Release Date |
Feb 1, 1997 |
Most Recently Updated |
Jan 18, 2013 |
Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
Downloads |
835 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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