Christopher Marlowe

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Christopher Marlowe¿s classic interpretation of the Dr. Faustus legend, was first performed in London by the Admiral¿s Men around 1592. It is believed to be the first dramatization of this classic tale wherein Faustus, a German scholar, trades his soul to Lucifer in return for magical powers and the command over the demon Mephistopheles. Faustus at first seeks to expand his knowledge of the universe, but soon finds that a deal with the devil brings little satisfaction. All too soon the contract expires, and Faustus is faced with the prospect of eternal damnation. Two principal versions of this play exist, one based on the 1604 quarto (the A text) and a longer, emended version published in 1616 (the B text). This edition is based on Havelock Ellis¿s 1893 edition of the 1604 text (the A text is currently believed by many scholars to be the closest to Marlowe¿s original). Often considered to be Marlowe¿s greatest work, Doctor Faustus builds on the ancestry of the medieval morality play, but brings a more sympathetic view to the straying hero than those precursors to Elizabethan drama, and even ventures to pose questions of common Christian doctrine. This is the last play written by Marlowe before he was killed in a Deptford tavern.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Culturea
• Seitenzahl: 92
• Erscheinungstermin: 14. Mai 2023
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 210mm x 148mm x 6mm
• Gewicht: 132g
• ISBN-13: 9791041806881
• Artikelnr.: 68448811

Autorenporträt

Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 ¿ 30 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the many imitations of his play Tamburlaine, modern scholars consider him to have been the foremost dramatist in London in the years just before his mysterious early death. Some scholars also believe that he greatly influenced William Shakespeare, who was baptised in the same year as Marlowe and later succeeded him as the pre-eminent Elizabethan playwright. Marlowe was the first to achieve critical reputation for his use of blank verse, which became the standard for the era. His plays are distinguished by their overreaching protagonists. Themes found within Marlowe's literary works have been noted as humanistic with realistic emotions, which some scholars find difficult to reconcile with Marlowe's anti-intellectualism and his catering to the prurient tastes of his Elizabethan audiences for generous displays of extreme physical violence, cruelty, and bloodshed.