Y13 TEXTS AND GENRES LITB3 - THE GOTHIC - 'DR FAUSTUS'

We are making fantastic progress through the book, and all of you are clearly enjoying and understanding what is actually a very complex play -  very well done!  Bearing that in mind, I think it is time that we looked towards producing the dreaded essays.  Let's start with: 'What have you found striking about Marlowe's presentation of Mephistopheles and Hell in Dr Faustus?  You have already got the notes from the activity we completed on - Mephistopheles 'sweet friend' or 'accursed spirit,' and I will go through more during both Monday and Tuesday's lessons.  The Old Man will need to be a part of any answer, so read ahead to his entrance and speeches, and bring your thoughts, ideas and opinions to the classes.


Marlowe's presentation of Hell also includes the Seven Deadly Sins; follow the link to look at images of the same: http://atheism.about.com/od/christianhistory/ig/Seven-Deadly-Sins-Punishments/Deadly-Sin-Sloth-Punishment.htm
                                                                     

 The Sin of Pride was thought to be the most serious of the Seven Deadly Sins, and was responsible for Lucifer being thrown out of Heaven:

F: 'How comes it then that he is Prince of devils?

Meph: 'O,by aspiring pride and insolence;

 

                                                                                         
 'Punishing the Gluttonous: punishment in
  Hell for the Deadly Sin of Gluttony is to be
  force fed Rats, Toads and Snakes.'  
  Not exactly 'belly cheer' is it?

Also find supernatural and fantastic images of the Mouth of Hell, which will also need to be included in your essay; this might be a good place to start:

http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=zz8&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&biw=984&bih=671&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=the+mouth+of+hell&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g2&aql=&oq=



  For the next lesson look again at the YouTube clips from the Royal Exchange's production in the Blog's archive, and read ahead through the next scenes with the Emperor, his Knight and the horns - what do the Knight's comments (and the tone in which they are made) about Faustus's 'magic' reveal?  Does the Knight's presence emphasise the great respect that Faustus commands, or the rather the cynicism?  Does it reinforce the audience's feeling that Faustus is a mighty god or that he is nothing more than a lowly conjuror - was this what he wanted at the beginning, has he achieved his aims?

 

                                     KNIGHT: "Thou damned wretch and execrable dog"