Doctor Faustus

Question 1

Origins of Doctor Faustus? ( as a character)

Answer 1

From “base of stock” which means he is of humble beginnings.

Studied at Wittenburg

Question 2

Main characteristics of Doctor Faustus?

Answer 2

• Ambitious- wants more knowledge (admirable?) and more power.
• Or GREED?- he is very gluttonous and always wants more- more power, more knowledge, more fame, more time.
• Pride- his hamartia/ hubris that leads to his downfall. Thinks he deserves the best. Later is too proud to ask for forgiveness and thinks his sin is too large to be forgiven ( the sin of despair)
• Ignorant- the play is full of irony and dramatic irony as a knowledgable, esteemed and proud man cannot see the absurdity of giving up everything he has worked for in a bad deal that takes his life for 24 year power that isn’t even his (its Mephistopheles’)

Question 3

What is his fatal flaw and what does it cause?

Answer 3

PRIDE (which leads to his arrogance and ignorance.

His pride- stops him from seeing that he is being ignorant. Believes he can and will become all powerful yet Mephistopheles is doing all the work for him.
Stops him from fixing the situation and repenting. He had ample warning in last scene with oldman.

His arrogance also caused this downfall as he wanted to have the MOST power.

By the end he overcomes this fatal flaw but his fear of God and the consequences mean it is too late.