It is not difficult to discern the moral and overall theme of the play The Tragical History

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1 Moises Hinojos Professor Acosta English November 2015 Dr. Faustus: New vs Old It is not difficult to discern the moral and overall theme of the play The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus written in mid-sixteenth century by Christopher Marlowe. It is quite simple and clear: Good vs Evil. God is good and the devil is evil. Granted, this is an over simplification, but this theme is essentially what the play is centered around. The better question to ask is: who or what makes the determination of what is good and what is evil? It is obvious that the author makes this determination, but why does he make the choices that he does? In Dr. Faustus the audience sees the very traditional representation of good and evil via the devils, angels, and other supernatural creatures. It is all based on very Christian roots, but why is it significant to the story and to the audience? James Ross Macdonald attempts to answer this question when he says, The religious upheavals of the sixteenth century defined the cultural boundaries within which such questions could be considered (823). The significance of these Christian roots is that they are tied to social conventions of the time, which influence the definitions of good, bad, and evil. Taking into account the period in which this play is written, one does see how Marlowe was influenced by the heavy presence of religion in society in the writing and developing of this story. From the beginning of the play, the audience is introduced to the chorus, and is given one key piece of information: the college where Faustus attends, Wittenberg. This is important because a significant historical figure was a monk here, Martin Luther, who is the father of the Protestant Reformation. Britain, at the time the play is performed, has just broken free, for the

2 most part, from the Roman Catholic Church. England had begun to embrace the Protestant faith prompted by Martin Luther in Wittenberg, Germany. This is key because at the time of Marlowe s writing, the Protestant Reformation was preaching the promise of heaven through salvation while the Catholic Church was preaching the promise of heaven through good works. This was a fundamental break between the two sects of Christianity, which is touched upon within Marlowe s play. In the play the audience sees Dr. Faustus studying and practicing black magic, and, as he does this, both a good and bad angel appear, trying to influence Faustus, each respectively, to desist and continue his course. Faustus says, Contrition, prayer, repentance: what of them? (5.16). The Good Angel replies, O they are means to bring thee unto heaven (5. 17). This moments captures a very Protestant belief, which is in direct opposition to the Catholic beliefs. Protestantism, as per Martin Luther, teaches that salvation through Jesus Christ is the only way to get into heaven and this is demonstrated within this scene where Dr. Faustus conscience is being influenced by the good and bad angels. It is important to acknowledge that despite the time period and the author, the definition of the terms good and bad are still defined by society. We see this in a different adaptation of Dr. Faustus written by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe in the late 1700 s. In Goethe s version of the story one sees that it is no longer a morality play, as it was in Marlowe s time, but a play of philosophical implications. Marlowe s Faustus shows a man who is tempted by evil and makes the wrong choice. It is meant as a cautionary tale, while Goethe s version of Faustus shows a man as a pawn caught in a wager made between God and Satan. The man is caught in the middle and must make a series of choices based on the wager. This is important to note because Goethe was not influenced by religion as Marlowe was, but by scholars and philosophers of the time. Times had changed from religious influence to a more intellectual type

3 of society. Johnathan Y. Rowe says the following about the role of wisdom in society, It is noteworthy, therefore, that in everyday situations people do not seem to struggle to juggle moral goods but exhibit a fairly clear idea of which ones are more important (645). Goethe himself had managed to distinct himself in such a society by his works in philosophy, botany, literature, and social position. So much so that Gabriel R. Ricci claims, He is the liberated thinker who thirsts not for universal truths of the pseudo-free thinkers who are harnessed to a faith, a fatherland or a dogma, but the unattached and independent thinker who embraces the serenity of solitude (157). Goethe was influenced by academia, and at the height of the Romantic Period where one was encouraged to challenge beliefs and create art for art s sake, Goethe wrote an adaptation of Faustus that had a similar story line but was influenced by a society one hundred years after Marlowe. Society s influence on the definitions of the terms good and bad is shown in even more modern examples. Thomas Mann wrote a very different version of Faustus in a novel written in Germany in Mann s version of the story of Dr. Faustus does not reflect either Marlowe s or Goethe s version. In Mann s version, the main character is a composer named Adrian Levekuhn, who willingly contracts syphilis in order to gain better musical aptitude. In the novel, the composer meets a character who is much like Mephistopheles and offers the composer musical genius for a period of 24 years in exchange for his soul. Mann was influenced in his writing by the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich. He compares Faustus s deal for his soul to Germany s loss of humanity when they gave into Hitler. In his book, Mann says, in an obvious reference to Hitler, You will lead, you will strike up the march of the future, boys will swear by your name, and thanks to your madness they will no longer need to be mad (243). Mann opposed Hitler s views and he did so publicly by participating in anti-nazi radio broadcasts that

4 he made from the United States because he had already fled Germany due to his opposition to Nazi rule. Many stories are universal and while different adaptations and spin-off story lines exist, the truth remains that society dictates what one perceives as right and wrong. As little as 25 years ago gay marriage was perceived as wrong and now society has deemed it not only acceptable but something that ought to be celebrated and necessary, at least according to Nathan Goetting who says, The right to marry, and to marry a person of one s choice, is a fundamental right and a necessary aspect of human happiness (138). Personal feelings and beliefs do influence our everyday life but the pressure of social structure and behavioral expectations play an incredibly strong role in everyday civilian life. This is so prevalent in every work of literary art that has survived the test of time and will continue to do so, until society dictates otherwise. The various adaptations of Dr. Faustus is a clear example of how immediate societal conventions impact the meaning and outcome of the same story in different ways. Marlowe s Faustus is influenced by 16 th century ideas of Protestantism, Goethe s Faustus has a philosophical spin influenced by the Romantic Period, and Mann s Faustus reflects social anxieties towards Nazism and Hitler.

5 Works Cited Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von, and Calvin Thomas. Goethe s Faust. Boston: D.C. Heath, Print. Goetting, Nathan. Gay Marriage is a Fundamental Right. National Lawyers Guild Review 70.3 (2013): Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov Mann, Thomas. Dr. Faustus: The Life of a German Composer, Adrian Leverkuhn. New York: A.A. Knopf, Print. Marlowe, Christopher. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9 th ed. Vol. B. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W.W. Norton, Print. Ricci, Gabriel R. Goethe's Faust: Poetry and Philosophy At The Crossroads. Humanitas 20.1 (2007): Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov Ross Macdonald, James. Calvinist Theology and Country Divinity in Marlowe s Dr. Faustus. Studies in Philology (2014): Academic Search Complete. Web 9 Nov Rowe, Jonathan Y. Vision of the Good or Understanding Goods? Political Theology 14.5 (2013): Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov