Doctor Faustus as an Embodiment of the Spirit of the Renaissance
The
Renaissance was a period of fundamental change. The Renaissance means revival
of learning and knowledge which marked the end of the “Dark Age” and beginning
of the modern world. The Renaissance gave Impetus to new discovery and brought
a change in human outlook which was dominated by religious dogma and Christian
theology. The main ingredients of this new spirit were individualism, and
worldliness; and these two traits found manifestation in many forms such as its
great yearning for knowledge and learning without fetters, its love for beauty
and hankering after sensual pleasures of life, its brave spirit of adventure
and its sky-high ambition and supreme lust for power and pelf in this world.
Christopher
Marlowe was the product of the Renaissance and his Doctor Faustus represents
the spirit of Renaissance who shows great yearning for unlimited knowledge,
power and glory. His craving for earthly power also shows a spirit of revolt
against conventional religious doctrine.
Doctor Faustus took a dangerous step to fulfill his aspiration, to gain superhuman
power. For a voluptuous life of 24 years, he sells his soul to Lucifer to
exercise the black art of necromancy. Hence Faustus discards God and defiles
all religious and moral principles.
Doctor
Faustus’s love for beauty is a Renaissance quality. To Faustus knowledge means
power and it is the power, which will enable him to gratify sensual pleasure of
life. He requests Mephistophilis to bring Helen, the destructive Greek beauty,
as his paramour. The magnificent apostrophe to Helen is the most inspired and
lyrical passage of the play wonderfully illustrates the Renaissance spirit of
love and adoration for classical beauty.
To
conclude Marlowe himself was child of the Renaissance. “To know everything to
possess everything- is the motto of Marlowe’s heroes. Dr. Faustus is the
embodiment of the passion. The high ambition of the Renaissance to conquer
everything is reflected through the character of Faustus.
Very Clear
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