In Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, the audience is enthralled by a classical version of good versus evil battling for the soul of a disgruntled scholar. As the play continues, we understand how much symbolism is displayed in the words of Marlowe’s Mighty Lines. Is desiring the world’s most precious gifts condemning one’s soul to hell for all eternity? This is the message that is being delivered, the same message that is delivered even in modern times. Though God barely plays a role and is merely mentioned once or twice, the audience is made to understand that the sinners will be condemned for wanting more than their means. Yet Doctor Faustus, who was born a commoner, is trying desperately to attain a higher level of possessions and knowledge. It is as if the Church, written from the perception of Marlowe, is trying to convey the message to not wish for this classified knowledge that only God, and apparently Lucifer, knows. It points a finger to those in the audience during the Elizabethan era that lived richly and may desire more power above their earthly capabilities to feed their boredom.
This same message is constantly delivered now a day, and even in recent history, through films and books. When parents teach morals to their children, they let them watch Disney movies and television shows that communicate to them the Seven Deadly Sins. Even novels and children’s books have some moral to the story that teaches what is right and what is wrong. Yet there is always a happy ending to the story where the person learns their lesson. Doctor Faustus repents in the end and prays God for forgiveness, yet there is no happy ending. He still goes to hell.
Though Doctor Faustus digs deeper into the mind of a person encompassing every part of the deadly sins, Marlowe seems to be rejecting a part of the religion though, sometimes even clandestinely mocking Christianity. Doctor Faustus and Mephistopheles play tricks on the Pope, sort of pointing that he is a mere mortal man and has no protection from bad spirits. It undermines the Catholic religion, one that believes the Pope to be a saint above mortals. Another hidden key in many plays, novels, and films that is open to interpretation is the writer’s own viewpoint masked by the grandiose of his words. The audience would assume Marlowe was praising religion, but others, like myself, will believe he was mocking it. Yet whatever morals or enlightenment Doctor Faustus conceives in the mind of the reader, Faustian literature throughout the ages will always be either conceptually right, morally wrong or both.
i think its interesting that you compared the message Doctor Faustus to Disney movies, because it had reminded me of the debate of whether or not Disney movies also have a hidden message in them as well. As you mentioned, Disney movies have always had this reputation of having a kid-friendly audience, but some have argued that in some of their movies, there is a form of underlying mockery present as well.