Waingels MOOC - Christopher Marlowe

WEEK TWO - Marlowe's Work In order to develop a more detailed understanding of Christopher Marlowe and his context, you are going to explore one of his most famous works, 'The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus'. It is estimated that the play was first performed somewhere between 1588 and Marlowe's death (1593). Using the ideas of the Faust Legend , Marlowe explores theological and philosophical issues that were incredibly pertinent to his time. To complete your second task, you will need to read Act 1 Scene 1 of the play. You can access the text online here: http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/doctorfaustus/   If you find the language or ideas challenging, use online study guides such as Spark Notes  or Shmoop to help you understand the text. TASK: The play begins with Faustus contemplating the idea of knowledge. Read his thoughts, and think carefully about these questions. Add your responses to this post. You are welcome to add your own views and t

Literature MOOC - Developing our understanding of Renaissance Tragedy and the contexts surrounding this Renaissance Tragedy is a crucial and much studied genre in English Literature. The use of the tragic genre was redefined by Shakespeare, but also by a number of his contemporaries, who took the genre conventions and shaped and adapted them to reflect the concerns of their contemporary audience. By studying Christopher Marlowe and his famous play 'Dr Faustus', you will develop a deeper understanding of this genre, its place in the tragic genre as a whole and the contextual factors influencing these writers. WEEK ONE: Christopher Marlowe's biography Your task for the first week is to research Marlowe, his background, his life and his work. Marlowe had an incredibly dramatic, rebellious and interesting life, so you should be able to find out a huge range of information. Try using these links as a starting point: https://www.biography.com/people/christophe