Dr. Faustus

[Dunpeal]

I know that the real Faust(us) was a magician[?] (doctor?) (and people would say that he sold his soul and that he practiced the "dark arts") and he became legend.

That I know of, there are two Faust(us) plays. Anyone out there know who wrote their version first? was it von Goethe or Christopher Marlowe? (both versions have a different title) one of 'em is called "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" (something like that)

[Capnplank]

Marlowe's was "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus". I couldn't tell you for certain if Von Goethe's was first or not, but as I recall Marlowe based his on at least one or two previous texts of the legend, one of them being from just a few years earlier. I don't happen to have the links at hand for some of the sites I used to research a paper on it last year, but there are quite a few handy ones around that will give you several conflicting "facts" about it all. At least the dates can tend to be somewhat accurate...

[crisaor]

The story of Faust is an archetypal myth. The legend of a man that strikes a bargain with the devil in exchange for his heart's desire is common to most cultures. I believe that the ancient and original legend is referred to as Urfaust.
The texts written about him differ because they emphasize different aspects of his personality, and because most authors have imprinted their work with their own opinion of the character, which is generally the one that belonged to the outlook on life of the author's period (i.e. the traditional view of Faust is different from the Romantic one). For example, Marlowe's version, which was previous to Goethe's, concludes with tragedy, as Faust ends in hell. In Goethe's version, there's a second (and very weird) part, in which Faust manages to achieve redemption. If anyone read Neil Gaiman's Sandman, you'll recall that in the werewolves's story, the book Lucien lost is Christopher Marlowe's The Redemption of Doctor Faustus, a book that was never written, except in dreams.

[Dunpeal]

Whoa...

Thanks for all that info.

It's funny how whispers and rumors go around through the ages.
say.. how King Arthur really existed or is based on someone real.
and that supposedly Ian Fleming's stories are based on true events.

[crisaor]

I don't know if Fleming's stories are based on true events (they're a bit too exaggerated for my taste), what I do know is that he was part of the British Intelligence during WWII.

[totyfroty]

hi guys
i think this is my first post
actually i am going to studay dr faustus this year and i am seeking help and i really want to be part of this forum because i know it will help
take care

have a nice day

[PeterL]

I know that the real Faust(us) was a magician[?] (doctor?) (and people would say that he sold his soul and that he practiced the "dark arts") and he became legend.

That I know of, there are two Faust(us) plays. Anyone out there know who wrote their version first? was it von Goethe or Christopher Marlowe? (both versions have a different title) one of 'em is called "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" (something like that)

\

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 -1832

Christopher Marlowe 1564 - 1593

[Whifflingpin]

"Christopher Marlowe 1564 - 1593"

1593 maybe - or maybe he wasn't killed in that brawl, but went on writing under the name of Bacon?

[Mind_Ape]

Marlowe treats the legend pretty much as it was in found in German folklore in good Elizabethan style. Goethe's version is much more esoteric and lofty, crammed with dense language and allusions...In fact, only Part 1 is ever really staged (part 2 calls for Elephants and things to be on stage...)

[PeterL]

"Christopher Marlowe 1564 - 1593"

1593 maybe - or maybe he wasn't killed in that brawl, but went on writing under the name of Bacon?

Or maybe he called himself Shakespeare. Francis Bacon was a real person who had a known life during Marlowe's life.
Bacon's bio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon .

Those ideas that Marlowe went on to write under a different name are silly. The people whose names he might have used were known to be alive and doing things before 1693. I suppose that if Marlowe had been a true master of disguise, then he might have been carrying on a double life. Compare pictures of Marlowe to pictures of Bacon and Skakespeare and you will notice that he looked different from both.
Marlowe's bio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Marlowe . There is a picture included. Scroll down to a transcription of the Coroner's report regarding marlowe's death. At the very least, I take from that that Christopher Marlowe did die in Deptford and was buried on the first of June 1693.

[Tingis]

I am new and want to read the Faustus of Marlowe. My English knowledge makes me fear though, that I will certainly not understand every thing, so I will certainly seek help here.
Also the quote of Arabian Nicht was wonderfull.
Tingis

[JCamilo]

Neither, Marlowe used the book "The Historie of the Damnable Life, and Deserved Death of Doctor Iohn Faustus" as his source and there was Biderman version too...

[Patrick_Bateman]

I have to study this book for my next History and the Arts course and I'm dreading it

renaissance literature is usually hard going and I've heard this is no different

I may need to pick some people's brains on here in the near future.

[blazeofglory]

There are Mephistophelean characters, and this melodramatic play could be a great lesson to all of us to live a life of harmony and poise while human greed is endless and ambition sways us and it will swerve even a morally guided and spiritually inspired person. Or else Dr. Faustus who could have anticipated the plight he would have at the end of the day would abstain from such things