Faustus When Knowledge Becomes a Curse

Published on July 1, 2025 by Joud

Doctor Faustus is one of Marlowe’s most famous plays. The main character, Dr. Faustus, is a highly ambitious man who lets his ambition turn into greed, which eventually leads to his downfall. He is an intelligent scholar who has already mastered the four main academic disciplines of the time, which are medicine, law, philosophy and theology. But even after all this, he still wants more. He isn’t satisfied with what humans can normally achieve.


Beyond Human Limits

Faustus dreams of breaking the limits of humanity. He wants to live forever and even bring people back from the dead. These are things that go far beyond normal human knowledge or ability. His hunger for power and knowledge drives him to make a deal with the devil, giving up his soul in exchange for magical powers.


From Power to Punishment

In his first soliloquy, Faustus wishes to be like a mighty god. He believes that with his new powers, he can do anything. But by the end of the play, in his final soliloquy, everything changes. Faustus realizes the seriousness of what he has done. He pleads with God to reduce his time in hell, asking for any limit, even just seven years, but he gets no answer. His fate is already sealed.

This contrast between the two soliloquies shows how much he changes throughout the play. At first, he wants to be more than human. In the end, he wishes he were less than human, something soulless like air or water, just to escape the punishment.


Too Late to Regret

The story of Dr. Faustus is a warning about unchecked ambition and turning away from faith. There’s no benefit in regretting your choices after going too far. Once he challenged God, Faustus had to face the consequences. His story reminds us that we are responsible for our actions and behavior, and it’s always better to repent before it's too late.



References

The Open University 2016, educational resource, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, viewed 1 July 2025.
Marlowe, C. 2016, Doctor Faustus, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, United States of America.

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