Doctor Faustus As A Morality Play
Liturgical Drama in the beginning had three forms, Mystery, Miracle and Morality. The morality play is really a fusion of allegory and the religious drama of the miracle plays (Which presents the miracles of saints and the subjects depend upon Bible). It flourished in the middle ages, was at its height in the first half of the 15 century, disappeared after the second half, but reappeared in Elizabethan drama. In this play the characters were personified abstractions of vice or virtues such as Good deeds, Faith, Mercy, Anger, Truth, Pride etc. The general theme of the moralities was theological and the main one was the struggle between the good and evil powers for capturing the man’s soul ...
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plays the characters were personified abstractions of vice or virtues. In “Dr.Faustus” also we find the Good and Evil angels, the former stand for the path of virtue and the latter for sin and damnation, one for conscience and the other for desires. Then we have the old man appearing, telling Faustus that he is there “To guide’ thy steps unto the way of life”. He symbolizes the forces of righteousness and morality. The seven deadly sins are also there in a grand spectacle to cheer up the despairing soul of Faustus.
If the, general theme of morality plays was theological dealing with the struggle of forces of good and evil for man’s soul, then “Dr. Faustus” may be called a religious or morality play to a very great extent. We find Marlowe’s hero, Faustus, abjuring the scriptures, the Trinity and Christ. He surrenders his soul to the Devil out of his inordinate ambition to gain:
“-----a world of profit and delight’
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence.”
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doth entice such forward wits,
To practice more than heavenly power permits.”
Hudson has rightly said: “No finer sermon than Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus ever came from the pulpit.”
The tradition of chorus is also maintained. We find the chorus introducing the story just before the beginning of the first scene and subsequently filling in the gaps in the narrative and announcing the end of the play with a very solemn moral. The appearance of seven deadly sins shows that Marlowe in “Dr. Faustus” adopted some of the conventions of the old Morality plays. The seven Deadly sins- pride, Covetousness, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth and Lechery of good old Morality plays are also very much here in ...
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Doctor Faustus As A Morality Play. (2011, March 29). Retrieved April 26, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Doctor-Faustus-As-A-Morality-Play/97082
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"Doctor Faustus As A Morality Play." Essayworld.com. March 29, 2011. Accessed April 26, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Doctor-Faustus-As-A-Morality-Play/97082.
"Doctor Faustus As A Morality Play." Essayworld.com. March 29, 2011. Accessed April 26, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Doctor-Faustus-As-A-Morality-Play/97082.
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