The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus | |
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Frontispiece to a 1620 printing of Doctor Faustus showing Faustus conjuring Mephistophilis.
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Written by | Christopher Marlowe |
Characters |
Doctor Faustus |
Mute |
Darius |
Date premiered | c. 1592 |
Original language | English |
Genre | Tragedy |
Setting | 16th century Europe |
Doctor Faustus
Chorus
Wagner
Good Angel
Bad Angel
Valdes
Cornelius
Three scholars
Lucifer
Mephistophiles
Robin
Beelzebub
Seven Deadly Sins
Pope Adrian VI
Raymond, King of Hungary
Bruno
Two Cardinals
Archbishop of Rheims
Friars
Vintner
Martino
Frederick
Benvolio
Charles V
Duke of Saxony
Two soldiers
Horse courser
Carter
Hostess of a tavern
Duke and Duchess of Vanholt
Servant
Darius
Alexander the Great
Alexander's Paramour
Helen of Troy
Devils
The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is an Elizabethan tragedy by Christopher Marlowe, based on German stories about the title character Faust, that was first performed sometime between 1588 and Marlowe's death in 1593. Two different versions of the play were published in the Jacobean era, several years later.
The powerful effect of early productions of the play is indicated by the legends that quickly accrued around them—that actual devils once appeared on the stage during a performance, "to the great amazement of both the actors and spectators", a sight that was said to have driven some spectators mad.