Doctor Faustus - Full Deck Flashcards
Drama Revision
What convention of Greek tragedy does the play open with?
A Chorus
The Chorus establishes Doctor Faustus as what type of figure?
An Everyman
What technique is used in the following quotation: ‘Not [be found] marching in the fields of Trasimene…Nor sporting in the dalliance of love…Nor in the pomp of proud audacious deeds.’? (Chorus)
Repetition/Listing
What is the significance of Faustus being described as ‘base of stock’ in the prologue?
It introduces him as an Everyman, a stock character of morality plays.
How is conventional theological knowledge presented through these quotations - ‘fruitful plot of scholarism’…‘sweet delight disputes’?
Conventional knowledge is presented as nourishing and enriching.
Which real life university did Faustus attend?
Wittenberg
What religious event is connected with Wittenberg University?
The Protestant Reformation of 1517. Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of a church in the city.
Which radical professor of moral theology is associated with Wittenberg University?
Martin Luther
What did Martin Luther criticise?
The corruption of the Catholic Church
What dramatical device is used by playwriters to convey a character’s thoughts on stage?
Soliloquy
Why does Marlowe have Faustus repeat the word end (‘Is to dispute well, logic’s chiefest end’…’ thou hast attain’d that end’) when contemplating traditional knowledge?
To convey that he sees traditional Medieval disciplines as finite.
What does Renaissance mean?
Re-birth
The Renaissance questioned beliefs and disciplines from which time period?
Medieval
What does omnipotence mean?
All powerful
‘Necromantic books are _________’ (1.1)
Heavenly
What technique is used in the line ‘Necromantic books are heavenly’
Oxymoron - this conveys how Faustus sees necromancy as a path to gaining God-like power.
‘O, what a world of __________ and delight’ (1.1)
Profit
What is the effect of the listing: ‘what a world of profit and delight, of power, of honour, of omnipotence’?
This conveys how Faustus sees necromancy, unlike traditional knowledge, as being infinite and full of possibilities.
‘A sound magician is a mighty _______’ (1.1)
God
‘Here, Faustus, try thy brain to gain a ________’
Deity
Which historical figure of Elizabeth I’s court is the character of Faustus apparently somewhat based on?
Dr John Dee
How does the good angel present God when he warns Faustus to not ‘heap God’s heavy wrath upon thy head!’ (1.1)
Marlowe uses personification to present God’s judgement as a real and weighty force.
How does the evil angel try to persuade Faustus when he promises that he can ‘be thou on earth as Jove is in the sky’
The evil angel tries to tempt Faustus with the promised of God like power (Jove was the king of the Gods))
The Good and Evil Angels are stock characters from what type of plays?
Morality