The Tragic History of Doctor Faustus

[Robostar]

I gotta reads this play for history class. I find it really boring lol. Has anyone else read this play?

[Rye]

Moved to the Lounge since this is where we discuss literature. Hope you don't mind! :)

I've heard of it before, but I've yet to read it. It sounds fairly interesting though, but I can certainly sympathize if it is boring. A lot of the most interesting stories are written in very dense and difficult language.

[Robostar]

I dont mind at all! I'm bout half way thru it now, and I gotta say this faustus dude is blinded by knowledge.

[Aurey]

I've been meaning to read this, actually. Only know about Faust through Mikhail Bulgakov's novel Master and Margarita, but that is more of an allusion specifically to Goethe's play rather than Marlowe's, I think.

[Tavrobel]

I gotta say this faustus dude is blinded by knowledge.

That would be the point. That, along with the other details of his life slowly being consumed by his less redeeming traits is what makes the play a tragedy, instead of a comedy. It starts with his pride (his overbearing intelligence), and then it begins drawing him to the other seven deadly sins, including a scene between him, Mephistopheles, and the personifications of all of the deadly sins.

It's a pretty interesting play, but there are some rather interesting parts interspersed with incredibly boring parts. You'll either love act IV for its slapstick-esque comedy or find it pointless, because it doesn't ever match the tone of the rest of the book. In any case, this was a work written before epic plot twists.

[Hot Shot]

I heard about this play ages ago and really wanted to read it. The themes raised in the play are extremely interesting. Now that I remember it, I think I will look look for a copy of it. And I'm sure you lot have heard of, if not read, Paradise Lost. That is such an amazing epic poem, I would suggest it to anybody who loves literature. And Rotting Yuna is right about the language, in literature of thr time, the language was extremely difficult.

[Robostar]

We discussed the play in class today. Im glad I pulled the rite ideas out of it. We were suppose to discuss the author's opinion on knowledge. I said that the play portrays that all scientists are greedy and selfish only out for there personal gain. Im glad its done lol. On to Economics hw!

[Hollycat]

No, I read shaekspear instead

[Kossage]

I've read it, and it's an interesting, thought-provoking play. I was particularly fond of Mephistopheles who was actually portrayed in a rather sympathetic light. His speech about hell is very touching.


You'll either love act IV for its slapstick-esque comedy or find it pointless, because it doesn't ever match the tone of the rest of the book.

Yeah, the slapstick does stand out but I see it as an essential part of the play in any case. I find the comedy in that act ironic: Faustus has all these great powers at his disposal and yet he only resorts to pulling pranks when he could do greater things instead.

[Croyles]

Faust is very good, but the second half is pretty difficult, and near impossible to play on stage.

[Bastian]

I read it back in high school and loved it!

It's actually based on a legend, so there are countless versions written by different writers. There's an opera version. Also there was a film released this year called The Imaginirium of Doctor Parnusis which is clearly based on the same legend to a small degree.

[Bolivar]

I've only read the Goethe one, which I liked a whole lot. Took it in a really good course on Romantic & Colonial literature