Dr. Faustus Essay Satirizing Renaissance Humanism

Satirizing Renaissance Humanism In Dr. Faustus In Dr. Faustus, Christopher Marlowe has vividly drawn up the character of an intelligent, learned man tragically seduced by the lure of power greater than he was mortally meant to have. The character of Dr. Faustus is, in conception, an ideal of humanism, but Marlowe has taken him and shown him to be damned nonetheless, thus satirizing the ideals of Renaissance Humanism. M. H. Abrams A Glossary of Literary Terms defines Renaissance Humanism, stating that some of the key concepts of the philosophy centered around the dignity and central position of human beings in the universe as reasoning creatures, as well as downplaying the animal passions of the individual. The†¦show more content†¦Faustus is rarely more humanist than when he describes what he will do with his hell-bought power. Marlowes attack on humanism is subtle. He demonstrates an admirable complexity of narration as he weaves these grand-seeming gestures of the power of the individual in with the essential damnation that walks hand-in-hand with man. There is little or nothing which Faustus does which is not unto itself humanistic. His downfall is woven into the fact that he is and will always be human- thus, flawed. Marlowe creates a character who is intelligent, broad-based in his education, logical, and poetic... and still damned. Despite his humanism, he is unequivocally corrupt, a quality which Renaissance Humanism as a philosophy tended to gloss over. When Faustus achieves his power, he time and again fails to take advantage of it for any but the silliest operations. From the viewing of the Seven Deadly Sins (V, 277-322) to enchanting an offensive knight with horns (X, 52-80), the mans professed intentions of greatness are shown for the hopeless dreams they really are- they contain neither truth nor purpose, in the end, despite what Sydney stated. Marlowe points out again and again in conversation with the wise (if evil) demons