Page 126 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes Introduction

The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as
Doctor Faustus, is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story, in which a man sells
his soul to the devil for power and knowledge. Doctor Faustus was first published in 1604, eleven
years after Marlowe’s death and at least twelve years after the first performance of the play.
“No Elizabethan play outside the Shakespeare canon has raised more controversy than Doctor
Faustus. There is no agreement concerning the nature of the text and the date of composition... and
the centrality of the Faust legend in the history of the Western world precludes any definitive
agreement on the interpretation of the play. A judicious analysis and interpretation of the play
ascertain that it is a morality play.
This unit elaborates the morality features of Doctor Faustus at length. More emphasis is given to
justify that it is a morality play. The themes and characteristics of morality have also been dealt
with in this unit.

10.1 Morality of Doctor Faustus Play

Liturgical Drama in the beginning had three forms, Mystery, Miracle and Morality. The morality
plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personification of various moral
attributes, who try to prompt him to choose a godly life over one of evil. 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 and good always won. The story of whole morality play centres round the
single towering figure. The seven deadly sins were found engaged in physical and verbal battle
with cardinal virtues. The antics of vices and devils, etc. offered a considerable opportunity for low
comedy or buffoonery. The morality play often ended with a solemn moral.

10.1.1 Themes of the Morality Play
• The main theme of the morality play is: Man begins in innocence, man falls into temptation,
man repents and is saved or killed.
• The central action is the struggle of man against the seven deadly sins that are personified into
real characters.
• Morality plays help the audience understand the greater concepts of sin and virtue.

10.1.2 Characteristics of the Morality Play
Following are some elements of morality plays:
• In these plays character were personified abstractions of vice and virtues such as good and evil
and faith and anger.
• Theme was dividing in terms of general and main.
• General: this theme was theological. Main: the struggle between good and bad powers for
capturing man’s soul.
• Seven sins were also the part of these plays.

• Comic scenes were also included in morality plays.
• Concept of damnation/salvation was also there.

120 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY