Thinking Activity- Doctor Faustus

1) The play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre ends with this scene (see the image of Lucifer). What does it signify?

 

In this picture we can see Lucifer-Celebrating his victory at the end in this play Doctor Faustus Evil wins,Lucifer wins in tempting Doctor Faustus with the help of Mephistophilis,At las Doctor Faustus regrets a lot and didn't want to go with Lucifer;but it was too late,now nothing can be changed.

The wide wings of Lucifer suggests the superiority and victory of his evilness and in another way we can say that Lucifer becomes more powerful after taking Faustus's soul.So this image significe the full victory of the prince of Satanic world-Lucifer.

2) Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If No, why?

We can say that God is there by two perspective; one is that God is not diractely there but in mind of Faustus he is present throughout this play.And in another way we can say that God is there by character of Old Man and Good Angel.Both Old Man and Good Angel tries to stop Faustus assuring sin.So Anyhow in Faustus's mind or by Character of Good Angel and Old Man God is invisibly visible throughout the play.

 3) What reading and interpretation can be given to this image (see the image of Daedalus and Icarus) with reference to central theme of the play Dr. Faustus?

This image represents two Greek mythological character,Daedalus-Father and Icarus-Son.

According to Greek Myth father Daedalus makes waxen wings to fulfil his son Icarus's desire fly;

Daedalus warns Icarus to do not fly too near to son otherwise his waxen wings would have melt.But Icarus ignores his father's warning and while flying near son falls into the sea.As per this myth we can say that Icarus is responsible for his own fall.

In the play "Doctor Faustus" Faustus-himself is responsible for his fall.Old man and Good Angel suggests him to repent for all the sins done by him but when Death comes near he wanted to repent but it was too late and in this way Ignorance and Declining from moral values becomes the main reason for his tragic end.Icarus has also done same mistake which leads him towards his tragic fall-In this way this image is connected with play "Doctor Faustus".

4) How do you interprete this painting?

This image is a modern Portrayal of Greek Myth of Daedalus and Icarus by Pieter Brueges-The Elder. This painting is known as "Landscape with the fall of Icarus".As per Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus-Icarus falls because he ignores his father's warning to not fly too near the sun.So,we can interprete that near the ship there is a drowning leg of Icarus and while he was drowning everyone around is busy in their work and no one looks at him it suggests reality of world that;

  " Your Rise or Fall Doesn't Matters;

       -everyone is busy in theire own" 

                                                                  ~ChaH