Waingels MOOC - Christopher Marlowe

WEEK TEN - Reflecting on your MOOC You have now explored some of the most important ideas surrounding Marlowe and his, arguably, most famous work 'Dr Faustus'. It is now time for your to reflect on the understanding you have developed and what you have learnt. Reading this article from the British Library would be an excellent start. https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/an-introduction-to-doctor-faustus-morality-and-sin To conclude this MOOC, you need to produce something that shows your new understanding. This final piece can take ANY form that you choose, however some ideas can be found below. The most important thing is that your final piece shows what you have learnt from doing this MOOC. This could be subject content (what you have learnt about Marlowe, the play and his context) or learning skills (what you have learnt about how you study and how to effectively work independently). Your final piece could be: - a creative writing piece, like a...

WEEK NINE - The End In the final scene, Faustus has to face up to the ultimate consequences of the deal he made with the devil(s).. Readers and critics dispute whether he could actually be saved in this final scene, or if Mephistophilis is correct when he says, ' thou hast no hope of heaven'.  Read the final scene. Think about these key questions while you are reading/watching the scene: - Why does Marlowe give Faustus this final soliloquy? - What role(s) do the Angels play in this scene? - Who appears to be the hero and the villain in this scene? - What do you think the impact is of the final line of the play? Watch these two versions of the scene.  VERSION ONE - The Globe Theatre VERSION TWO - Richard Burton film Post your comments below, which of the two versions do you think is most suitable for your meaning and interpretation of the scene? 

WEEK EIGHT - Influences on Dr Faustus As he approaches damnation, Dr Faustus encounters a number of different influences on him and his situation.  Each of these other characters represent different features of society and humanity. They can also be seen as allegorical representations  of different parts of Faustus's personality. A: The Old Man Read the dialogue between Faustus and the Old Man at the beginning of Act 5 Scene 1. Post in the comments below your responses to the character, what he represents and why Marlowe included him in this scene. B: Helen of Troy Many critics see this moment with Helen of Troy as the final moment of Faustus's damnation. Read this information about the importance of Helen's appearance   http://crossref-it.info/textguide/doctor-faustus/14/1719 If you were a director, how would you stage this moment? How would you deal with the problems that this character presents? How do you show 'the world's mo...

WEEK SEVEN - Political satire After selling his soul to the devil, Faustus spends time travelling the world and trying to experience everything he can. In Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 2, Mephistophilis and Faustus visit Rome and spend time with the leaders of the Catholic church.  In order to understand the satirical aspects of this scene you need to understand the religious and political contexts that Marlowe was writing in.  Use this study guide to develop and improve your understanding of the religious situation in Tudor England. This is a good, detailed starting point but with a little research you could extend this understanding through further independent research.   http://crossref-it.info/textguide/Doctor-Faustus/14/1661 Read the scenes (Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 2) and comment below with your thoughts about this question: Why does Marlowe include these scenes in the play?