Dr+Faustus+-+context

toc =Blank Verse=

1. Blank verse is composed of unrhymed, iambic pentameter and was first developed in Italy, though it was widely used throughout the Renaissance. Marlowe is well known for his ability to utilize blank verse with exceptional range and flexibility and has influenced many English writers, such as Shakespeare and Milton. Specifically, he disregarded the traditional rhymed couplets, thus giving his characters a more natural means of expression and a more powerful voice. The phrase “Marlowe’s mighty line” was first coined by Ben Jonson because he felt that Marlowe’s writing was charged and intense as opposed to the more conventional “jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits". Suplot passages involing Wagner, the Clown, the horse courser usually speak in prose. Doctor Faustus uses prose in the end. Marlowe uses prose to suggest the course nature of the couse of nature of the speaker and for comic effect. [|http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/CraftOfPoetry/blankverse.html] http://www.amrep.org/articles/3_2b/mighty.html http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/faust/section1.html

http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng211/Marlowe.html

=Religion= __**2. What do we need to understand about Elizabethan ideas of religion? Discuss Catholicism, Puritanism, the Reformation, the seven deadly sins, the Elizabethan concept of atheism and the ideas of divine mercy, damnation and the sin of despair.**__

Elizabethan idea of atheism: not as the same as we view atheism today. Instead anyone that didn’t believe in God, or His mercifulness was considered to be without “Religion”, or belief.

Ideas of divine mercy: man can be saved from any harm by the powers of Jesus Christ if it is compatible with his will. All sins can be forgiven.

Damnation: Damned to hell, sent to hell by God as a result of not redeeming their sins. You would suffer eternally and not be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven, damnation was eternal.

Sin of despair: The complete abandonment of hope of saving one’s soul. //A loss of belief in God's capacity to forgive.// It is an active decision to not reach eternal life and enter hell as opposed to the kingdom //of Heaven// because the person feels that: their sins are too great to be forgiven or that the person is unwilling to cooperate with the grace of God and that God is in fact too merciless to forgive his creations. Also the sin of not seeking redemption implies that a person feels capable of seeking a better alternative to save their soul than the one that has been afforded by God. //The sin of despair leads to suicide, which is why it was treated as such a serious sin; because it indicated a loss of faith in God and a usurping of his authority.//

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04755a.htm http://www.answers.com/damnation

The reformation was the birth of a new religion; it represented new ideas, breaking away from the pope and Catholicism. Queen Mary I passionately believed in the Catholic religion and persecuted Protestants for their beliefs hence the name “Bloody Mary”. In Catholicism, the pope had a lot of authority for God ordained him. The pope was the link between God and the people. Protestants on the other hand, believe that people could find God without the pope and only God could forgive them of their sins. //Catholicism was banned in England in 1558 when Elizabeth I took the throne; Spanish invasion and war was a real threat until 1588. Laws and taxes were used to suppress Catholicism and priests attempting to administer Catholic rites were arrested and tortured to death.//

The puritans were the zealous Protestants that found some of the Churches traditional forms of worship offensive, they wanted to purify the church of its “popish remnants” such as all Catholic ceremonies and symbols. //They also believed in free speech and did not believe in conforming to the dictates of organised religions.//

The seven deadly sins are also known as the capital vices, they consist of: PRIDE, LUST, WRATH, SLOTH, ENVY, GLUTTONY and GREED. These vices were believed to impede on one’s grace and lead to eternal damnation that could only be forgiven through redemption.

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/religion-elizabethan-england.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Deadly_Sins

=**__Classicism__**=
 * __QUESTION 3: the classical references in the play. Would you agree that Faustus uses classicism imaginatively to create a fantasy alternative universe where the Christian notion of damnation does not apply?__**

__Explanation of the references__ Helen: A beautiful woman, supposedly the daughter of Zeus and Leda (a mortal), was said to be the fairest woman of all lands. Her beauty in fact, is said to be the cause of the Trojan War, when she eloped with Paris while married to Menelaus, king of Sparta. In Greek mythology, is it believed that Aphrodite helped Paris win Helen’s heart (Servi, 134-135) in exchange for the golden apple. Olympus : The Greeks thought the world was flat and Greece was the middle country. The center point was believed to be Mount Olympus, which is the home of all the gods. (Bulfinch, 1) Semele: Daughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. Zeus was seeing her secretly and she became pregnant. However, while she was pregnant Hera, Zeus’s wife found out about the affair and deceived Semele in to asking Zeus to see him in his true form, which was too much for her mortal body to take and she turned to ashes. Zeus rescued the unborn child who became Dionysus, the god of wine. Elysium: Where favored heroes go to after death, as described by Homer. It is said to be “west of the earth and near Ocean” and is a peaceful land where these heroes go to live peacefully as opposed to a spirit life with Hades in the underworld. (Bulfinch, 219).

__Classical references in the play__ Act 1 Scene 3 line 58 Confound hell in Elysium: Faustus says not to tell the difference between hell and one of the Greek afterlife Act 2 Scene 2 line25 Alexander (or Paris) and Oenone ( Paris ’ lover before Helen) reference, discussing how he already made ‘Homer s ing to him’ Act 3 Scene 1 Lines 48-49 References to Styx, Acheron and Phlegethon (rivers of the underworld) Act 3 Scene 2 Line 21 Hecate- Goddess of the crossroads Act 4 Scene 2 Faustus conjures Alexander the great and his paramour Act 4 Scene 2 line 54 Actaeon- Actually said by Ben volio, but he can be seen as Actaeon and Faustus as Diane Act 5 Scene 1 Faustus conjures Helen and kisses her Lines 95-114 All directed to Helen

__Interpretation__ The significance of these references Faustus makes to Greek characters and mythology, is how Greek mythology is based on a completely different belief system from Christianity. Greek mythology is not only polytheistic, believing in multiple gods and deities, but its view on the afterlife is very different in now all souls go to Hades (with a few exceptions such as the Elysium) and the difference in consequence we see in Christianity with heaven and hell is not as emphasized. This shows the denial state Faustus is in about hell and damnation, as he is looking to different belief systems such as Greek mythology where the consequences he is about to face does not exist.

__Bibliography__ Bulfinch, Thomas. __Bulfinch's Greek and Roman Mythology__. Unabridged Dover Ed. Mineola, New York: Dover Publication Inc, 2000. Servi, Katerina. __Greek Mythology__. Trans. Cox & Solman. Athens: Ekdotike Athenon, 2005.

=__Tragedy__= __4**. In which ways does the play fir the model of Aristotelian tragedy? What about Senecan tragedy?**__ - Six elements of __**Aristotelian tragedy**__ (by order of importance to Aristotle) in Dr. Faustus: 1) Plot  -  __ A clear beginning, middle, and end __ (signing of the deed, the times with Mephostophilis, and Faustus’ demise).  -  An episodic plot—an incident does not necessarily lead to the next--the worst kind.  -  __pity and fear__…? Maybe fear, but not pity. - __ Peripety __ (reversal of fortune): signing the deed - __ Anagnorisis __ (discovery): none. He has known about his demise all along. - __ Suffering __ : death! 2) Character  -  Faustus is __like us__ (“his parents base of stock”) but is of __high estate__, since he is very well-educated.  -  __ Good in nature __ …? Disputable.  -  __ Appropriate __ to his class at first, but falls to low humor in the end. - __ Like the reality __, except he conjures devils. - Not __consistent__; he repeats the cycle of hesitation and becoming resolute. - His __hamartia__ (tragic flaw) is his hubris (excessive pride). 3) Diction  -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  Faustus speaks in verse, but in prose when with Mephostophilis; his last soliloquy is again in verse.  4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  Thought—contentment of diction -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> L  anguage shows his confusion and Mephostophilis’ influence—e.g. swearing by the Devils. 5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Spectacles  -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  Some grandiose spectacles on stage—e.g. the parade of the Seven Deadly Sins  6)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  Melody -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> The Chorus plays the role of filling in the time gap between actions sometimes. "Aristotle." 17 Feb. 2008 <[|http://www.michaelbryson.net/academic/aristotle.html>.] Aristotle. __Aristotle's Art of Poetry: A Greek View of Poetry and Drama__. Trans. Ingram Bywater. Ed. W. Hamilton Fyfe. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1940. __Questia__. 17 Feb. 2008 <[|http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=55062970>.]
 * Bibliography**

Also known as “ Revenge Tragedy” or “ Tragedy of Blood,” Senecan tragedies are known to have bloody plots, rhetorical speeches, ghosts, five acts, blank verse, the “madness” or feigned madness of the hero, revenge motif and a clash between the “old order” and the “ new freedom.” Dr. Faustus fits the model of a Senecan Tragedy; firstly it comprises 5 Acts and “ghosts,” the Bad and Good Angels, appear frequently. Blank verse is also used in this play, for example Faustus’s last soliloquy in Act 5 Scene 1. The “old order” and the “new freedom” clash when Faustus rejects the four areas of study and declares to study magic. <[|http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/english/brady/211.__charac._of_Aris_and_Sen_tragedy.htm>.</span]>
 * __Senecan Tragedy and Dr. Faustus__**

=**__Myth__**=
 * __5. What are the myths which inform the plays' theme of over-reaching ambition? Describe the stories of Prometheus and Icarus and reflect on their relevance to the play. Also, consider the stories of Adam and Eve and Lucifer.__**

PROMETHEUS Prometheus often challenged Zeus’ power; he tricked gods into eating bone instead of meat, he did not tell Zeus about a prophecy that one of Zeus’s gods would overthrow him and he stole the sacred fire from Zeus. He usually challenged Zeus in order to help humans. This caused Zeus to decide to chain Prometheus to a rock where an eagle (or a vulture) would eat his liver. However, his liver would be replaced every day, giving him endless punishment. Heracles then killed the bird. Prometheus, like Dr. Faustus goes against the will of the highest of the gods, thinking he knows best, and is punished accordingly. Both Prometheus and Faustus were meant to be punished for eternity. The ending of both stories are different, Prometheus is saved whereas Faustus stays in hell.

Evans, Bergen. Dictionary of Mythology. New York: Random House, Inc., 1970. "Prometheus." Encyclopedia Mythica from Encyclopedia Mythica Online. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/prometheus.html> [Accessed February 18, 2008].

ICARUS Icarus was imprisoned by the Cretan King Minos. Daedalus, his father, made wings for Icarus and himself which they used to fly to freedom. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but Icarus didn't heed this warning, his wings melted and he fell into the ocean and drowned. Marlow makes direct allusions to Icarus within Dr. Faustus, for example in the Prologue, line 20 and 21 state “His waxen wings did mount above his reach/ And melting, heavens conspired his overthrow!” The allusion foreshadows Faustus's fall to come at the climax of the play.

Evans, Bergen. Dictionary of Mythology. New York: Random House, Inc., 1970.

ADAM AND EVE|| || || Tree of Knowledge by Lucas Cranach || God's command not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge was to give Adam and Eve free choice and allow them to earn a higher level than the one on which they were created. According to this tradition, Adam and Eve would have attained absolute perfection and retained immortality had they succeeded in withstanding the temptation to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. After failing at this task, they were condemned to suffer and toil and live as mortals. This is similar to Faustus' insatiable thirst and presumptuous for knowledge which ultimately leads to his downfall.

"Adam-and-Eve." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia, 2008. //Answers.com// 18 Feb. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/adam-and-eve "Fall of Man." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia, 2008. //Answers.com// 18 Feb. 2008. [|http://www.answers.com/topic/fall-of-man-2]> "tree of knowledge of good and evil." __Wikipedia__. Wikipedia, 2008. //Answers.com// 18 Feb. 2008. [|http://www.answers.com/topic/tree-of-knowledge-of-good-and-evil]>

LUCIFER In Christian legend, Lucifer is considered to have been an archangel in heaven who was motivated by pride to lead a revolution against God, in "The War of Heaven". Lucifer opposed the Creation of Man, whereupon God ordered all his angels to bow down to Mankind. Lucifer considered this an insult, and rallied discontent amongst other angels who felt the act was degrading since they were God's first creation themselves. When the rebellion failed, Lucifer was cast out of heaven, along with a third of the heavenly host, and came to reside in the world. Again, this is similar to Faustus' own hubris and egotistical focus.

"Lucifer." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia University Press., 2003. Answers.com 18 Feb. 2008. [|http://www.answers.com/topic/lucifer]> "Lucifer." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2008. Answers.com 18 Feb. 2008. [|http://www.answers.com/topic/lucifer]> "War of Heaven." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2008. Answers.com 18 Feb. 2008. [|http://www.answers.com/topic/war-of-heaven]>

=  **Archetypes**   = =    =    **6. What is an archetype? Has Faustus become one? List versions of Faustus**

A term used to describe universal symbols that evoke deep and sometimes unconscious responses in a reader. In literature, characters, images, and themes that symbolically embody universal meanings and basic human experiences, regardless of when or where they live.
 * An archetype is...**

an original model after which things are patterned after. In literature an archetype sets up a model to follow, such as including the same type of characters, common themes and the same basic patterns of action and plot.


 * Has Faustus become an archetype?**

Faustus does become an archetype because Marlowe’s Faustus represents a archetypal human dilemma (related to the myths of Icarus, Prometheus and Don Juan) of how to achieve immortality and omnipotence in the face of death—if only for a little while. Like any archetypal character, Faustus focuses our attention on terrifyingly simple questions: What do we really want out of life? What is the point of our existence? When Faustus sells his soul, it leads us to question whether we hold any value to our souls as we regard riches and pleasures to be of more value and grant us more satisfaction. Another reason why this is an archetype is because the temptations that people experience are still common emotions that people still associate with today.

Faustbauch (1587) Volksbuch (1587) of Johann Spiess Dr. Faustus (c.1588) 1774 Goethe’s Urfaust 1808 Goethe’s Faust, Part I 1830 Goethe’s Faust, Part II Dr. Faust, the Notorious Magician and Necromancer -1857 1947 Thomas Mann’s Doktor Faustus 1962-Great and Powerful Sea Ghost -Doctor Faustus (1968) movie -Bedazzled (2000) -symphonic works including Berlioz, Gounod, Schumann, Liszt, and Boito were influenced by Faustus. -The good angel and bad angel are seen in a countless number of cartoons, stories and movies. It is good representation of our conscience.
 * List of versions of the Faust legend, both pre- and post Marlowe:**

http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/marl-h4.htm http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Faust.html (www.sil.org/~radneyr/humanities/litcrit/gloss.htm) (www.sil.org/~radneyr/humanities/litcrit/gloss.htm)
 * Sources**

7.Explain the Elizabethan concept of "The Great Chain of Being" and explore how understanding it could illuminate the play

=  __Elements__   = =    =    __8. **The four elements of medieval science - earth, air, water, and fire - were part of a complex system of correspondences in which every part of the natural world had an affiliation to one of them. Identify the imagery of the elements used in the play. How does Marlowe use them to create atmosphere and how does understanding them clarify the play?**__

-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> common sense -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> hard facts -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> believed by few ancient philosophers to be main element -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> mother of all physical being (Gaia) -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> female -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> limitations of existence -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> “Earth lies at the bottom, the beast of burden and provider of goods, which overvalued leads to materialism and undervalued becomes dreary necessity and imprisoning flesh” -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Dry/cold
 * Earth (Autumn/Black Bile/Saturn):**

References: [5.2, pg. 80] Faustus’ final soliloquy: “Mountains and hills, come, come and fall on me And hide me from the heavy wrath of God! No? Then I will headlong run into the earth. Gape earth! O no it will not harbor me.” §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Faustus’ seeks protection and comfort upon realizing his imminent death Faustus being dragged to hell §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> His overachieving and materialism leads to his death //The earth is linked with the Devil: in the play Valdes and Cornelius use minerals (from the earth) for conjuring; and Mephistophilis is knowledgeable about geography and the earth. The earth is linked with the physical body: hence the recurrence of eating/ gluttony/ satisfying physical appetites as an accompaniment to Devilish activities (grapes, Pope's food etc)//

-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> what everything originates from -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> evokes impermanence, change, instability -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> “baptizes, like a second emergence from the womb”; cleansing -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> essentially chaotic, lacking form -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> mostly feminine associations -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> deathly connotations -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> third ranking -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> cold/wet
 * Water (winter, phlegm, Luna or Venus)**

References: [5.2, pg. 81] Faustus’ final soliloquy: “O soul, be changed into small water-drops And fall into the ocean, ne’er be found.” §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> rebirth, cleansing, second chance §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> deathly connotations

-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> infinity and divinity -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> “simplicity bordering on foolishness”, yet also superiority -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> wet/hot -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> freedom, detachment leading to abstract thought -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> phlegm and the biles are “surplus humors”, while blood is necessary - superiority -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> life-giving and enhancing - //the soul is the breath of God//
 * Air (spring, blood, Jupiter)**

References: [3, pg. 34] The description of Faustus’ travels: “And mounted then upon a dragon’s back That with his wings did part the subtle air” §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Faustus’ self-perceived superiority to others §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> “simplicity bordering on foolishness” – wanted to influence the world, now only does mediocre things that amount to nothing §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> reference to how Icarus flew too high before he fell [5.2, pg. 80-81] Faustus’ final soliloquy: “Now draw up Faustus like a foggy mist ”Into the entrails of yon laboring cloud That when you vomit forth into the air, My limbs may issue from your smoky mouths- But let my soul mount and ascend to heaven!” §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> detachment – Faustus’ wish to leave behind his problem §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> ideas of ascension, divinity and heaven - //the play has a cluster of images around the soul, air, the heavens, and height//

-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> masculine -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> highest ranking/most valued (fallen from favor by renaissance) -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> light -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> rage/violence -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> building block of life -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> soul -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> creativity -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> consciousness -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> energy -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> hot/dry -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> irrational thought
 * Fire (Summer/Bile/Mars):**

References: -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> All references to hell §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Violent end to people who act irrationally -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Icarus’ flight §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> His irrational thought leads to his demise (foreshadowing Faustus’ end) -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> [2.2 p. 26] Mephistophilis brings fire to help dissolve Faustus’ blood so he can sign the pact. §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Shows Mephistophilis’ control over the fate over Faustus’ soul

Source: Frater, V.H. "The Four Elements in the Western Tradition." __Golden Dawn Research Center__. The Order of the Golden Dawn. 17 Feb. 2008 <http://golden-dawn.org/four_elements.html>