Dr Faustus drama - summary

Dr Faustus is a 16th century play written by English playwright Christopher marlowe .

About author -  Christopher Marlowe 

Christopher Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593) was an English playwright, poet and translator of theElizabethan era. Marlowe was the foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day. He greatly influenced William Shakespeare, who was born in the same year as Marlowe and who rose to become the pre-eminent Elizabethan playwright after Marlowe’s mysterious early death. Marlowe’s plays are known for the use of blank verse and their overreaching protagonists.

After 1587, Christopher Marlowe was in London, writing for the theater and probably also engaging himself occasionally in government service. What is thought to be his first play, Dido, Queen of Carthage, was not published until 1594, but it is generally thought to have been written while he was still a student at Cambridge. According to records, the play was performed by the Children of the Chapel, a company of boy actors, between 1587 and 1593.

During his short career as a dramatist, Marlowe gained a significant reputation on the basis of four dramas. Other than his first play, Tamburlaine, he was also the author of Faustus in 1589 or 1592, The Jew of Malta in 1589, and Edward II in 1592. In addition to his dramatic pieces, he translated Lucan's Pharsalia and Ovid's Amores. He also wrote poems, among which his most famous are "The Massacre of Paris" and "Hero and Leander."

Some people think that Marlowe was killed in some kind of conspiracy but violent death was common in the 16th century.

Faustus is an  unambitious German  scholar who had very much eager of knowledge. He was not satisfied with studying mundane subjects like Law, medicine, Justinian law and excetra .
He also renounced studying theology and wished to learn black magic .
when he got that thought of studying necromancy, the good Angel tries to persuade Faustus to leave his idea and told him to go back to God and study scriptures but instead is used to listen bad Angel who encourage him to pursue black magic .

Faustus  invites his magician friends Valdez and Cornelius to dinner and also to get their opinion of learning black magic that magicians encouraged Faustus  and told him that he could become rich and famous through magic .
After dinner Faustus draws a circle and chant some spells to Conjuring up Mephistopheles a devil who the personal assistant of Lucifer .
When Mephistopheles appears Faustus tells him that he would like the devil to be his servant for 24 years .Mephistopheles answers that he would have to ask permission from Lucifer the most powerful devil. Then Mephistopheles go back to hell to deliver the message of Faustus to Lucifer .
When Mephistopheles return to Faustus, he tells him that Lucifer has agreed to the deal of giving his service for 24 years but he has to surrender his  soul to Lucifer ,and also tells that he should will fully surrender his soul by signing a document with his own blood, to make the agreement most official . Faustus  cuts his arm in order to sign the document but the blood stops flowing . He wonders whether this is a sign of warning from God that he should not sign the agreement to sell his soul but Mephistopheles brings some fire to free the clotted blood ,anyway Faustus signs to the agreement as he decided .
After Faustus signs away his soul the words 'Homo fuge' or 'flee man  'appeared on his arm. Two Angels visit Faustus again, good angel tells him that it is not too late for salvation and to ask for repentence but Faustus doesn't want to give up his magic  . With the help of Mephistopheles Faustus did too many bad things, he visited Rome and harmed the banquet of pope, and he shows his magic to many kings and queens and gets highly qualified awards and gifts.  When he wanted to change the mind, bad Angel was arriving to discourage him. And Lucifer also comes and warns Faustus not to think of God, and he also shows seven deadly sins to him. Finally when his last hour comes he likes to spend in solitary  but, there his mind wants to see Helen and to kiss her and he did unforgivable sin. finally this lead him to eternal death or to hell .

Dr Faustus is a Christian play which deals with the themes of bible and Christianity .In this play there is the idea of sin and salvation. Each time Faustus tries to remain loyal to Lucifer than Jesus,  so ultimately this led Faustus to eternal death.