"Doctor Faustus" As A Christian Morality Play

“DOCTOR FAUSTUS” AS A CHRISTIAN MORALITY PLAY
The later half of the 14th century witnessed a new type of drama – the Allegorical Plays or Moralities.
HARDIN GREIG defined morality plays as:
“The presentation of man in the past – lapse situation, where he is destined to die in sin
unless he be saved by the interference of divine grace or by repentance.”
This definition of Morality play is applicable fully well to “Doctor Faustus”. Professor KIRSCHBAUM insists that we
must forget what we would like the play to be (a tragedy) and concentrate on what it is. Though MARLOWE was
influenced by Renaissance and MACHIAVELLI yet he reverted to medieval Morality play in “Doctor Faustus”. As a
whole, the play offers a great moral lesson by treating a great psychological theme. Morality plays have a few distinct
characteristics. Let us trace out these features in “Doctor Faustus”.
Alongwith the explicit morals, some elements have the allegorical significance in the play just like
‘Moralities’. The abstractions like virtue, fear, ambition, gluttony etc. appear on the stage like medieval Morality plays
and symbolize definite morals. Some other characters too have allegorical significance and embody their inherent
elements of vice and virtue. Lucifer, Mephistophilis, Helen of Troy, Good Angel, Bad Angel, Seven Deadly Sins and
the Old Man have their individual capacities but they are allegorically symbolic of Faustus’ inclination towards evil. It
also indicates that man can’t tame the animal in him unless he guards his character with faith.
General theme of Morality plays was theological dealing with the struggle of the forces of evil and good for
the soul of man and the aim was to teach doctrines and ethics of Christianity. “Doctor Faustus” presents moral and
ethical theme on two levels: vertical and horizontal. On vertical level it describes hell and heaven as the ideals of
higher morals and high ambition. On the horizontal level, conflict of conscious is externalized by the debate between
Good and Bad angels. He pays respect to the personification of the world, flesh and admonitions of the devil as in
Morality plays.
The comic scenes in “Doctor Faustus” also belong to the tradition of Morality plays. The comic scenes with
its buffoonery were not integral parts of those plays but were introduced to entertain and to raise hoarse – laughter as
in the case of a realistic comic scene where Noah was shown beating his wife for refusing to enter the ark. The same
is the case with almost all the five comic scenes in “Doctor Faustus” – especially in scene I of the third Act, Faustus is
found playing pranks on the Pope.
Then just like the Morality play “Doctor Faustus” also suffers from looseness of construction. It has been
rightly said:
“ ‘Doctor Faustus’ is rather a succession of
detached scenes than a regular play.”
MARLOWE’S “Doctor Faustus” follows Morality plays in tradition of Chorus and Epilogue just to introduce
the story before the beginning of the first scene and subsequently filling in the gaps in the narrative and announcing
the end of the play with a very solemn moral.
Since Morality plays have one towering figure and all the actions and incidents centre round him. “Doctor
Faustus” also deals with life of a scholar who has longings for infinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite wealth.
Consequently, he renounces knowledge and abjures divinity. He seeks shelter in the shadowy power of necromancy
and commits intellectual sin of pride yet he remains emotionally attached to God and his attachment causes a tragic
conflict in his mind. He commits errors upon errors, realizes his fault yet never repents truly and falls a victim to
despair and damnation.
The chief aim of Morality Play was didactic – It was a dramatized guide to Christian living and Christian
dying. MARLOWE has also attempted in “Doctor Faustus” to impress upon us the results of Faustus’ creed and dire
consequences of his own creed as an over reacher.
“Cut is the branch that might have grown straight.”
The counter forces of good and bad exist with the man and without man. His success and real happiness lies in the
discrimination of the righteous path. HUDSON has rightly said:
“No finer sermon than MARLOWE’S “Doctor Faustus” came from the pulpit”
In spite of all its links with medieval moralities, “Doctor Faustus” can never be treated wholly as a Morality.
Because it is the greatest heroic tragedy before SHAKESPEARE with its enormous stress on characterization and
inner conflict in the soul of the towering figure. J.P.BROCKBANK opines:
“Faustus’ final soliloquy consummates the play in both of its aspects – morality and heroic
tragedy – and each in its own way triumphs the other.”
NICHOLAS BROOKE has also claimed:
“It is in construction a Morality play.”
But we can also say that it is not a Morality play because Morality plays always have a happy end. Here “Doctor
Faustus” also has the characteristics of Morality plays but for its end it may be regarded as a tragedy. It may be
declared the tragedy of Renaissance, as it has been said that “Doctor Faustus” is full of the spirit of Renaissance
ambition and virtue but there is also a specifically Christian background.

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