Dr Faustus

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Drama in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Dr Faustus

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2

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3

Moving wagons

Church

Theatres

Church yard

Setting of plays - changes in location: 

Middle Ages - Renaissance

1. Plays started in church to make services more attractive and understandable
2. Plays became too wordly and entertaining --> moved to churchyard
3. Plays were banned from church grounds --> plays were now performed on moving wagons
4. In the Renaissance the first official theatres were built for:

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2

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Guilds

Actors

Clergy

Development of actors

1. In church plays were performed by clergy
2. Later the guilds took over 
3. In the Renaissance period acting became a profession
   Mind you: not for women though, boys played female parts:

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Morality Play

Tragedy/Comedy/History

Mystery Play

Content

1. Mystery plays: about saints and characters from the Bible
2. Morality plays: allegorical, teach a moral lesson.
   Characters were personifications of abstract qualties.
3. For entertainment: comedies/tragedies/histories

English Drama

According to the classical tradition a play had to conform to three unities:

• Unity of action
• Unity of place
• Unity of time

English writers however, did not necessarily stick to this tradition

Chistopher Marlowe

- Famous playwright

- Shakespeare's contemporary

- Died at an early age - rumours about his death

- His play, Dr. Faustus, is a good reflection of the changes the country was going through

Discuss: What was the role of religion in the Renaissance?

What do you think is a Faustian bargain?

What are the Seven Deadly Sins?

This play contains the personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins

Lust

Gluttony - the habit of eating and drinking too much

Greed

Sloth - the habit of being lazy

Wrath - extreme anger

Envy - jealousy

Pride

Discussion Questions

• What elements of medieval and renaissance drama can you find in this work?
  
• What elements of the Renaissance period can you find in this play?
• What do you think is the message Chorus is trying to teach us at the end of the play?