Doctor Faustus
Scholar sells soul
Doctor Faustus is the protagonist of a German legend who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and worldly pleasures.
The story, dramatized famously by Christopher Marlowe and later by Goethe, has made Faustus a byword for dangerous ambition and bargains with dark consequences.
A Faustian bargain trades long-term cost for short-term gain.
- deal with the devilUnholy exchange for advantage
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- overreachingExceeding proper limits
- morality playDrama teaching ethical lessons
- Renaissance humanismHuman-centered intellectual movement
Marlowe · Mephistopheles · Protestant Reformation · German folklore · seven deadly sins · redemption · allegory · soliloquy · alchemy · black magic · tragic hero · tragic flaw · Helen of Troy · temptation · damnation · eternal damnation · free will · theological debate
Doctor FaustusPilgrim's Progress
Allegorical journey to salvation
Everyman · The Prodigal Son · Saint Augustine · redemption narrative · Mary Magdalene
Doctor FaustusSocrates
Ancient Athenian questioning philosopher
Solomon · holy fool · Thomas Aquinas · mystic · ascetic
Doctor FaustusAbraham
First Hebrew patriarch
the elect · Moses · baptismal vow · marriage covenant · Ruth
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