Doctor Faustus: AS & A2 York Notes

How to study Doctor Faustus

How can these Notes help you?, Reading the play, Interpreting or critiquing the play, References and sources, Revising for and responding to an assessed task or exam question

Doctor Faustus in context

Christopher Marlowe's life and times, A problematic text, Doctor Faustus on stage, Gothic literature, Faustus's pact

Timeline

Further reading

Editions of the text, Biography, Criticism, Background, Critical theory

Literary terms

Synopsis

A pact with the devil, Magic and practical jokes, Helen, hell and damnation, Study focus: Key issues

Chorus 1

Summary, Analysis

Scene 1

Summary, Analysis

Scene 2

Summary, Analysis

Scene 3

Summary, Analysis

Scene 4

Summary, Analysis

Scene 5

Summary, Analysis, Extended commentary

Scene 6

Summary, Analysis

Scene 7

Summary, Analysis

Chorus 2

Summary, Analysis

Scene 8

Summary, Analysis

Scene 9

Summary, Analysis

Chorus 3

Summary, Analysis

Scene 10

Summary, Analysis, Extended commentary

Scene 11

Summary, Analysis

Scene 12

Summary, Analysis

Scene 13

Summary, Analysis, Extended commentary

Characters

Characterisation, Chorus (Chorus 1, Chorus 3 and end of Scene 13), Faustus (Scenes 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13), Wagner (Scenes 1, 2 and 4, Choruses 2 and Scene 12), Good Angel and Evil Angel (Scenes 1, 5 and 7), Valdes (Scene 1), Cornelius (Scene 1), The Scholars (Scenes 2, 12 and 13), Mephastophilis (Scenes 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13), Clown (Scene 4), Baliol and Belcher (Scene 4), Lucifer and Belzebub (Scenes 7 and 13), The Seven Deadly Sins (Scene 7), Robin (Scenes 6 and 9), Rafe (Scenes 6 and 9), The Pope and the Cardinal of Lorraine (Scene 8), Friars (Scene 8), Vintner (Scene 9), Emperor (Scene 10), Knight (Scene 10), Horse-Courser (Scene 10), Duke and Duchess of Vanholt (Scene 11), Old Man (Scene 12), Helen (Scene 12)

Themes

Atheism, Body and soul, Magic and the supernatural

Structure

Narrative patterns in the play, Time

Form

The Gothic, Morality plays, Narrative technique, Staging

Language

Study focus: Marlowe's language, Poetic styles

Historical background

Catholics and Protestants in sixteenth-century England, Religion in Doctor Faustus, Humanism, Despair

Literary background

The Faust story, Other literary sources

Critical debates

Early reception, Romantic and liberal humanist approaches, A biographical approach, The comic scenes, The later twentieth century

Assessment focus

What are you being asked to focus on?, What do these AOs actually mean?, What does this mean for your revision?

Targeting a high grade

Improving your grade, Typical C grade features, Typical features of an A or A* response

How to write high-quality responses

How you write, Five key areas

Questions with statements, quotations or viewpoints

Example questions, Key skills required, Answering a 'viewpoint' question

Comparing Doctor Faustus with other texts

Example question, The task, Writing your response

Responding to a general question about the whole text

Example question, Structuring your response

Writing about contexts

Assessment Objective 4, The context for Doctor Faustus, Targeting a high grade

Using critical interpretations and perspectives

The 'meaning' of a text, Writing about critical perspectives

Working through a task

What you should do, Task title, Decode the question: key words, Plan and expand, Develop further, then draft

Further questions

Mark scheme