Context Flashcards
1
Q
what was the renaissance?
A
A moment in European cultural history when extraordinary changes were taking place, especially in the fields of religion, politics, science, language, and the arts; an era of intellectual discovery where the discipline of the Medieval period were being questioned and updated.
2
Q
would Marlowe have been aware of ‘renaissance humanism’?
A
Marlowe would have been introduced to this concept at school in Canterbury and at uni at Cambrudge
3
Q
what was ‘renaissance humanism’?
A
- emphasised the development of the subjective reader; an educated person should use their understanding of the classics to investigate all other areas of human knowledge, thought, and experience
- Humanism did not lead to a sense of individualism, but did encourage distinctive thoughts and expression, and development of new ways in which to explore the validity of accepted truths.
- Used the ‘dispute’ - a formal debate in which the speaker would defend or attack a given premise.
4
Q
what was ‘renaissance humanism’ based on?
A
a study of ancient Greek and Latin authors as models of eloquence and virtue
5
Q
when was the reformation?
A
1534
6
Q
what did protestantism emphasise and promote?
A
Protestantism emphasised the importance of faith, and promoted a more direct relationship between the individual and God
7
Q
how did monarchies support protestantism?
A
Absolute monarchies gave it support by challenging the political power of the papacy and confiscating Church wealth; Queen Elizabeth maintained the Protestant religion in England, established by Henry VIII, against a strongly Catholic Europe
8
Q
did religion change that much in this period?
A
The Anglican church under Henry and Elizabeth did retain much of the institutionalism that it had inherited from Roman Catholicism
9
Q
how did the reformation change people’s views on society?
A
People began to think about the relationship between themselves as individuals and the authority of the state and the social order; not everyone still accepted the Divine Right of Kings, and people questioned whether some people should be considered superior due to their birth or that those in power should be overused without question
10
Q
what was religion in this period characterised by?
A
- division - protestant vs catholic
- Divisions within the Protestant church too, with extremist groups like the Puritans
11
Q
how did england’s status/influence change during this period? how did this affect people?
A
England became a leading military and trading power (esp after defeat of Spanish Armada 1588) which meant the rise of a new merchant class, the development of a competitive capitalist economy, and that people could move around the country more easily
12
Q
what would A contemporary audience associate Wittenberg with?
A
Martin Luther
13
Q
when was martin luther born?
A
1483
14
Q
When did martin luther die?
A
1546
15
Q
who was martin luther?
A
a radical professor of moral theology at Wittenberg university.
16
Q
what did martin luther do?
A
- Luther might be said to have initiated the Reformation in Europe
- 1517: Luther nailed his theses to the door of a church, criticising what he saw as the corruption of the Catholic Church (the sale of indulgences). This action lead to the emergence of a new Protestant faith in 1530
17
Q
when did luther nail his theses to the door of a church?
A
1517
18
Q
when did the protestant faith emerge?
A
1530
19
Q
how did luther view god?
A
Luther’s God has been described as both terrible and majestic; humans can have no understanding of him or his intentions, and must be aware that sin is inevitable, but that we have the will to reject it by receiving God. Luther refused to address of whether God, given his omnipotence, is the author of Satan’s evil, or why God does not influence reprobates to become virtuous.
20
Q
when was jean calvin born?
A
1509
21
Q
when did jean calvin die?
A
1564
22
Q
who was jean calvin?
A
French-born Swiss Protestant Church reformer whose position was similar to Luther’s
23
Q
what book did jean calvin publish?
A
Institutes of Christian Religion
24
Q
when did jean calvin publish Institutes of Christian Religion?
A
1536
25
when was Institutes of Christian Religion by jean clavin translated to english?
1561
26
what did jean calvin believe/emphasise?
- Emphasised the central doctrine of predestination (a belief that certain souls are preordained by God, through the sacrifice of Jesus, to salvation, and the rest condemned to damnation).
- Calvinism insists that God hardens the heart of the reprobate and that condemnation of individuals to their doom is a vital part of his divine plan.
27
what is calvinism and lutheranism? how do they differ?
Two different strands of Protestantism; Calvinists believed that at birth your soul was predestined to be saved or damned, irrespective of your actions on earth while Lutherans believed the fate of your soul was determined by your actions on earth and strength of relationship with God
28
who put forward the Manichaean View ?
3rd century prophet Manes in Persia
29
what does the Manichaean View posit?
- the material world is evil as it is an invasion of the spiritual world by the powers of darkness, and this is reflected in the cosmic conflict in the soul of man
- the soul is divided in two: the good soul which is divine and, left to itself, can do no evil; driven by the evil soul of the flesh and the devil, the good soul is led to do things it would normally shun
30
what does the st augustine view posit?
- a unitary soul which fluctuates between 2 contrary wills: good and evil
- Evil is attributable to the abuse of freedom, and the site of conflict was the will, not soul itself; the will is not inherently evil but becomes so when it rejects good (both the fall of man and angels came about through a perverse choice made by the free will)
- this implies that the soul is incorruptible
31
what did elizabethans believe about fear, hope, and salvation?
Elizabethan accounts of conscience show that fear was ordained by God, and that, while a person was capable of experiencing it, there was still hope for their salvation - to deny hope was to give way to despair, the greatest of all sins (for many Renaissance theologians, as it gave lie to God's promise that heaven would always be open to a repentant sinner)
32
how did elizabethans view hell?
Despite the religious orthodoxy of the time, a concept such as 'hell' was still capable of more than one interpretation
33
how is hell understood in dr faustus?
In Dr Faustus, hell is both physical and spiritual; for Mephistopheles, hell is a state of mind; it is also clearly a geographical location - it is the torment of eternal deprivation and severance from god
34
what was the 'anti-catholic agenda'?
- Anti-Catholic propaganda runs throughout the play, which is a reflection of England as a strongly Protestant nation in the 16th century.
- After battling Catholic Spain and their vast armada in 1588, Catholics were seen as the enemy.
35
why was the catholic church seen as greedy and corrupt?
due to questionable policies such as the selling of 'indulgences,' which were monetary gifts made to the church in exchange for forgiveness of sin
36
give an example of how the anti-catholic agenda influence english law
the practising of ‘mass’ was outlawed in Jacobean England.
37
what does the great chain of being posit?
- According to traditional Christian cosmology, the universe is viewed as a hierarchy which descends from God, through the angels, then humans, the animals, and finally to inanimate nature.
- Everything has been put in its proper place by God and each should be content to remain there.
38
what does the great chain of being suggest about pride and ambition?
it is dangerous for a person to attempt to rise above the station assigned to human beings and it is also forbidden to descend to the animal level; Ambition to go beyond one's natural place in the hierarchy is considered a sin of pride.
39
how is faustus' soul jeopardised by the theory of the great chain of being?
Faustus' desire to rise above his position as a man by resorting to supernatural powers places his soul in dire jeopardy.
40
how did science and technology change in the elizabethan period?
- Scientists began to question traditional authorities and depended upon their own observation of the world
- Development of instruments like the telescope
41
give an example of a 'transgresisve' scientist of the elizabethan period
Galileo (1564-1642), for example, came into conflict with the Church for claiming that the Earth was not the centre of the universe
42
when was galileo born?
1564
43
when did galileo die?
1642
44
what did galileo claim?
that the Earth was not the centre of the universe
45
how did discovery change in the elizabethan period?
Explorers brough new produce, like spices, silks, and gold, and created excitement in the popular imagination for stories of distant lands
46
why was latin originally seen as superior to english?
More traditional scholars regarded Latin as the only adequate language for scholarly discussion (it also prevented many 'uncultured' people from understanding philosophy & medicine etc)
47
why was there a new interest in the english language in this period?
A new interest in the English language came with England's growing importance and sense of identity; this was a time when people were intensely excited by language
48
how did protestantism influence the enlish language?
Protestants favoured a personal relationship with God, so being able to read the Bible themselves was important. The Authorised Version of the Bible (King James) published 1611.
49
how did grammar schools affect education
Grammar schools increased after the Reformation, which increased literacy (but mostly among males in middle-upper classes, and mainly in London)
50
how was the printing press influential?
it led to more people having access to information and new ideas
51
when did gutenberg put his printing press to commercial use?
1454
52
from 1500-1650, how many new words entered the english language?
OVER 10,000
53
who was dr dee?
a well-respected scholar who served as royal advisor and court astronomer to Elizabeth I
54
why did dr dee leave elizabeth i's service?
to go on a quest for more powerful knowledge in the realms of magic and the supernatural - became a magus
55
what was the name of james i's pamphelt on necormancy?
Daemonologie
56
why is this era sometimes referred to as the era of the 'satanic panic'?
thousands of people were tried and executed for witchcraft.
57
how many people were convicted of witchcraft 1542-1746?
at least 3000
58
who was ptolemy?
2nd century Greek astronomer, mathematician, and geographer who worked in Alexandria
59
what was the ptolemaic view?
Theory, described in the Almagest, placed the Earth at the centre of the universe with other celestial objects orbiting it in concentric spheres
60
where did ptolemy descive his theory of the universe?
in the Almagest
61
what does dr faustus suggest about the ptolemaic view?
It is clear from Faustus' discussions with Mephistopheles that the Ptolemaic view was struggling to provide all the answers
62
how had views on astronomy changed by the mid-16th century?
different interpretations of the Ptolemaic system had evolved, and these were hotly debated, not least at Cambridge
63
when did Nicolaus Copernicus propose that the sun was the centre of the universe?
1543
64
who was Nicolaus Copernicus?
polish astronomer
65
what did nicolaus copernicus propose?
that the sun was the centre of the universe
66
who developed nicolas copernicus' theory of the universe?
galileo
67
is there any evidence that marlowe was influenced by copernicus?
Not overtly referred to in the play, but Marlowe must have been aware of it - Faustus' reply 'Well, I am answered' [2.3.68] suggests at least part of Marlowe's audience would not have been satisfied with Mephistopheles's explanations
68
how may marlowe's audience have reacted to the play's enquiries and speculations about the universe?
In view of the post-Copernican writing in circulation, Marlowe's audience may have felt that they had been invited to question the orthodox cosmography of the age
69
when was marlowe born?
1564
70
where was marlowe born?
canterbury
71
what was marlowe's father's job?
shoemaker and churchwarden
72
where did marlowe gain a scholarship to?
King's School, Canterbury
73
when did Marlowe gain a scholarship to the King's School, Canterbury?
1579
74
what was the curriculum in the grammar school based on?
The curriculum in the grammar school (a new type of educational environment) was based on the teachings of the classical world
75
where did marlowe go to university?
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
76
when did marlowe go to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge?
1580
77
why was marlowe Initially refused permission to proceed to an MA?
because of a series of mysterious absences
78
why was marlowe eventually allowed to study an MA?
an intervention from Queen Elizabeth’s Privy Council wrote to explain that he had been ‘employed…in matters touching the benefit of his country’ (working for Walsingham’s secret service, set up principally to counter Roman Catholic threat)
79
by what year had marlowe completed faustus?
1589
80
which prison did marlowe spend time in?
newgate
81
when did marlowe spend time in newgate?
1589
82
why did marlowe spend time in newgate?
for his involvement in a street fight where a man was killed
83
why did marlowe Have issues with Netherland authorities?
on a charge of counterfeiting currency and intending to defect to join the English catholic exiles
84
when did marlowe Have issues with Netherland authorities?
1592
85
which authorities did marlowe get in trouble with for counterfeiting currency and intending to defect to join the English catholic exiles?
the netherlands
86
when was thomas kyd arrested?
1593
87
why was thomas kyd arrested?
under suspicion of having written a public libel against Dutch immigrants living in London
88
who was thomas kyd?
dramatist and friend of Marlowe
89
how did thomas kyd implicate marlowe?
under torture, he claimed that some heretical writings found in his lodgings belonged to Marlowe
90
how did marlowe die?
Marlowe was killed in a fight in association with some other members of the secret service
91
how did people view marlowe's death?
The puritan, Thomas beard, maintained that the atheist Marlowe ‘even cursed and blasphemed to his last gasp’ and saw his fate as a ‘manifest sign of God’s judgement’ - Marlowe death was clearly richly deserved after such an unashamedly sinful life
92
what did richard baines accuse marlowe of?
Just before or just after marlowes death, Richard Baines (the agent involved in his alleged counterfeiting) accused him of heresy in a report which helped Kyd’s claim that Marlowe had repeatedly expressed ‘monstrous opinions’
93
who was richard baines?
the agent involved in marlowe's alleged counterfeiting
94
what genre is dr faustus
- tragedy
- also influenced by morality plays
95
what was a morality play?
Popular form of drama in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period
96
what type of stories did morality plays tell?
Typically told stories about the progress of the soul and humanity's relationship with virtue and temptation
97
what is the moral of the play 'everyman'?
however materially successful our earthly life, is is only our virtue which will help us reach heaven
98
give an example of a morality play with a clear moral?
e.g. most famous morality play, Everyman, (early 1500s) had a clear moral: however materially successful our earthly life, is is only our virtue which will help us reach heaven
99
when was 'everyman' written?
early 1500s
100
what are the features/techniques of a morality play?
- Typically had personified human qualities like the Seven Deadly Sins, who would not only appear, but engage in disputes
- Comic scenes in morality plays frequently involved the devil or Vice and were characterised by physical comedy and carnival elements: preoccupation with sex, food, and drink, combined with a disruption of social ritual, order, and hierarchy
101
what type of characters are the angels and 7 deadly sins?
stock characters
102
give an example of a morality play which uses similar technqieus to dr faustus
The Castle of Perseverance (early 15th c.)
103
give an example of a morality play which has a similar plot to dr faustus
A Pleasant Satire of the Three Estates (1552, by Sir David Lindsay)
104
when was The Castle of Perseverance written?
earl 15th century
105
what features does The Castle of Perseverance have in common with dr faustus?
battle between vices and virtues; mixture of allegorical figures and diabolical agents; the enactment of Death of Judgement.
106
when was A Pleasant Satire of the Three Estates written?
1552
107
who wrote A Pleasant Satire of the Three Estates?
Sir David Lindsay
108
how is the plot of A Pleasant Satire of the Three Estates similar to dr faustus?
shows the temptation of Rex Humanitas (everyman figure); also a kind of sub-plot involving 'low-life' characters and an attack on the church (as in Faustus)
109
hwo does the morality play 'Fall of Lucifer' present lucifer?
presents him before his rebellion as a figure who commands reverence, but after is reduced to a ludicrous no-hoper
110
give 2 examples of morality plays which use comic scenes
- Fall of Lucifer
- Bishop John Bale's The Temptation of our Lord (1538)
111
when was The Temptation of our Lord written?
1538
112
who wrote The Temptation of our Lord
Bishop John Bale
113
give an example of comedy from The Temptation of our Lord
Satan attempts to convince Christ: 'Forsake the belief that ye have in God's word / The ye are His son, for it is not worth a turd.'
114
what could the plot of a mora;ity play focus on, apart from the soul?
Some also focus on the behaviour of rulers and their responsibilities to the state
115
how could dr faustus reflect the responsibilities of the state and the behaviour of rulers?
some critics have seen in Lucifer's exercise of power over Faustus a parallel with the tyranny of a despotic Renaissance prince
116
give an example of a morality play which focusses on the behaviour of rulers and their responsibilities to the state
John Skelton's Magnificence (1515)
117
who wrote Magnificence?
john skelton
118
when was Magnificence written?
1515
119
WHAT is the plot of magnificence?
shows a generous prince ruined by his misguided generosity and bad counsellors, but saved by Good-hope and Perseverance
120
what is the main source for dr faustus?
The Damnable Life
121
what is the damndable life?
book published in Germany, later a best-seller across Europe, which told the story of a man called Johann Faustus who sold his soul to the devil
122
when was the damnable life published?
1587
123
what was the damnable life inspired by?
May have been based on the real-life activities of a Faustus who died ~1540, having allegedly practiced the black arts
124
what is the full title of the damnable life?
The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus
125
when was the Earliest surviving English translation of the damnable life produced?
1592
126
what dramatic moments in dr faustis come from the damnable life?
e.g. 'Homo, fuge!' and the use of coals to liquefy Faustus' congealed blood, even to the comic scenes (chapters of the Damnable Life contain titles life 'How Faustus served the drunken clowns')
127
how did marlowe improve/alter the damnable lfie?
The Damnable Life was little more than an orthodox moral narrative; by exploring Faustus' inner conflict and motivations, Marlowe turned the story into a powerful and ambiguous Renaissance tragedy, raising questions surrounding sin, damnation, and the bounds set upon human learning and experience
128
what classical and biblical mythology may have influence dr faustus?
- Book of Genesis: tells of humanity's first disobedience towards God and its subsequent awareness of good and evil
- Myth of Icarus: the overreacher
- Myth of Prometheus: not overtly alluded to in the play, but foreshadows Faustus' struggle to break the limits placed on human knowledge and offers a warning of the punishment that inevitably follows
129
what is the book of genesis about?
tells of humanity's first disobedience towards God and its subsequent awareness of good and evil
130
how is the myth of pomethetheus related to dr faustus?
not overtly alluded to in the play, but foreshadows Faustus' struggle to break the limits placed on human knowledge and offers a warning of the punishment that inevitably follows
131
which philosopher magaicians are referred to in the play by faustus?
- Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486-1535)
- Roger Bacon (1212-92)
- Pietro d'Abano (1250-1316)
132
who was Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim?
German humanist scholar who wrote a book on the defence of magic
133
who was Roger Bacon?
English experimental scientist interested in alchemy, astronomy, and mathematics, who had to work secretly
134
who was Pietro d'Abano ?
Italian physician with a reputation as a conjurer and sorcerer
135
what line refers to Agrippa?
'Will be as cunning as Agrippa was, / Whose shadows made all Europe honour him.' [1.1.119-20)
136
what line refers to Roger Bacon and Pietro d'Abano?
'bear wise Bacon's and Albanus' works' [1.1.156]
137
why may Marlowe have been inspired to make Faustus be born to a family of low social rank?
Marlowe also rose from ‘base stock’ to celebrity q
138
