DOCTOR FAUSTUS

Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe. It is the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge.

Doctor Faustus is a talented German scholar. He is unsatisfied with the limists of human knowledge. He thinks that he has learned everything he can from the traditional diciplines. That’s why he turns to magic. His friends Valdes and Cornelius teach him the fundementals of the black arts. He begins his new career as a magician. He summons the devil Mephostophilis. Though Mephostophilis warns him about the horrors of hell, Faustus tells the devil to return to his master with an offer of Faustus’s soul in Exchange for twenty four years of service from Mephostophilis. By the way we learn that Faustus servant Wagner learns some magic and uses it to make Robin th Clown to be his servant. Mephostophilis brings th news that Lucifer has accepted Faustus offer. Faustus has some worries before signing the contract but nevertheles he signs the contract with his blood. As soon as he does so the word “Homo fuge” (o man fly) appears on his arm.

Mephostophilis gives him a book full of spells and knowledge. Mephostophilis answers all of his questions about nature of the world but he doesn’t want to answer the question when Faustus asks him who made the universe. Full of his new powers and attended by Mephostophilis, Faustus begins to travel. He visits the pope’s court in Rome making himself invisible. He makes some tricks and disturbing the pope. Then he goes to the courts of Europe, with his fame spreading as he goes. Finally the court of German invites him. Charles V asks Faustus tol et him see Alexander th Great. Faustus conjures up an image of Alexandre, and Charles was impressed a lot.

Meanwhile Wagner’s clown Robin learns some magic on his own. Once he manages to summon Mephostophilis, who threatens to turn Robin and Rafe into animals to punish them for their foolishness.  

Faustus goes on with his travels. He plays a trick on a horse-courser along the way. Faustus sells him a horse that turns into a heap of straw when ridden into river. Then he gets news that the court of the Duke of Vanholt invites him. There he performs his feats. The horse-courser appears there, along with Robin, a man named Dick, and others who have fallen victem to Faustus’s tricks. But Faustus feats spells on them and sends them on their way, amusing the duke and duchess.

While the twenty four years of contract runs out, Faustus begins to fear of his death. At the final night before the time is overi he begs for mercy, but it is too late. At midnight the devils enter. While Faustus begs God and the devil for mercy, the devils drag him away. In the morning the scholars find his limbs and decide to hold a funeral for him.

-http://www.gradesaver.com/dr-faustus/study-guide/short-summary/
-http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/doctorfaustus/summary.html
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Faustus_(play)