This play, written about the year 1589, is actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith both as the chief work of the actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith of English tragedy, and as the first play based on the Faust actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith. Marlowe’s ‘Doctor Faustus’ is rather a tragic actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith than a drama, consisting actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith only fourteen scenes without any grouping into actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith. It is remarkable for singleness of aim and simplicity of actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith, though there is plenty of variety and incident. The passionate and actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith scenes are very impressive, and the actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith tremendous monologue before Lucifer seizes Faustus’s actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith is unsurpassed in all the range of tragedy. Faustus, dissatisfied actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith philosophy, resolves to enlarge his sphere by cultivating magic. He actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith up Mephistopheles and bids him be his servant. The spirit, however, actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith that Lucifer’s permission must first be actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith. Faustus then voluntarily offers to actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith his soul after four-and-twenty years, if during that time Mephistopheles will be his actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith. Lucifer agrees, and demands a promise written in Faustus’s actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith. Then Faustus sets out in search of knowledge and actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith, traveling about invisible. He provides grapes in midwinter, and actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith up the spirits of Alexander and Thais to please the emperor. At the request of his actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith he summons Helen of Troy, and impressed by her beauty, exclaims:—
“Was this the actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith that launched a thousand ships,
And burnt the topless actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith!”
At times the desire for repentance actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith him; but the exhilaration of pleasure is too great, and the powers of actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith are too strong. Finally the time actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith, and Faustus in agony awaits the coming of Lucifer. He actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith to God and Christ, but has forfeited the actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith to pray; and at the stroke of twelve Lucifer actsappealsbearsbloodcallsconjuresconstructionevilexpiresfacefinalfoundergainedkisslegendofpleasurepoemremarkablerepliesrightscholarsseizesslavesolemnsoulsurrendertowerswith him away to everlasting doom.
(adapted from "The Reader’s Digest of Books" by Helen Rex Keller)