Dr. Faustus Essay: Satirizing Renaissance Humanism -- Doctor Faustus E

Satirizing reincarnation Hu publicism In Dr. Faustus In Dr. Faustus, Christopher Marlowe has vividly drawn up the character of an intelligent, learned man tragically seduced by the lure of power greater than he was mortally meant to have. The character of Dr. Faustus is, in conception, an ideal of humanism, but Marlowe has taken him and shown him to be bring up nonetheless, thus satirizing the ideals of Renaissance Humanism. M. H. Abrams A Glossary of literary Terms defines Renaissance Humanism, stating that some of the key concepts of the philosophy centered around the dignity and exchange position of human beings in the universe as argument creatures, as well as downplaying the sensual passions of the individual. The mode of the thought also stressed the desire for a rounded development of and individuals diverse powers... as opposed to entirely technical or specialized training. Finally, all of this was synthesized into and perhaps defined by their tendency to minimize t he prevalent Christian ideal of innate corruption and withdrawal from the present, flawed world in anticipation of heaven. (p. 83) The character of Faustus is reasoning and very aware of the moral (or immoral) status of what he is undertaking. His opening savoir-faire is devoted to working out logically why he is volition to sacrifice both the road to honest knowledge and his soul in favor of more power. (I, 1-63) He exhibits, in his search for power, anything but animal passion he indeed exhibits a chilling logic as he talks himself out of the possible delights of heaven. Not only is he intelligent, he also demonstrates a broad base of learning, another forest admired and upheld by humanists. In several sections of the play, F... ... with the world hereafter. (p. 83) Christopher Marlowe was not a Humanist, as evidenced by how clearly the tragedy that was Dr. Faustus exemplified the downfall of a humanist and reinforced themes which conflicted with the basic tenets presen ted by Renaissance Humanism. If this reading is to be believed, the man was in fact violently and intelligently opposed to it. It is knockout to imagine a more effective and thorough attack on the mentality and methodology of the humanist than Dr. Faustus. Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7th ed. New York Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Marlowe, Christopher Dr Faustus in ed. WB Worthen. The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, second edn., Texas Harcourt Brace 1996. Steane, J.B Marlowe Cambridge Cambridge University Press. 1965.