The aim of today's session was to reintroduce the students to the wonderful and dramatic world of Christopher Marlowe's 'THE TRAGICALL HISTORY OF DR.FAUSTUS'.The focus of the lesson was Scene Ten in The Court of the Emperor. Students were asked to consider why this scene is so monumentally important when considering the nature of Faustus's power. This scene is HUGE because Marlowe uses this moment to:
- Inform the audience that Faustus cannot raise the 'right shapes' of Alexander the Great and his paramour. Mephistophilis can only conjure 'spirits' that 'lively resemble' these characters. Faustus cannot summon the dead!! What are the dramatic implications of this moment?
- Encourage the audience to consider whether Faustus's earlier ambition to become a 'sound magician' or a 'mighty God' has been realised. Earlier in the play Faustus states that when he sells his soul: 'All things that move between the quiet poles shall be at my command' and 'I'll be great Emperor of the World.' How much authority does Faustus display in Scene Ten? Do you agree with the Knight that Faustus is a 'conjuror'? WHAT IS MARLOWE'S AIM HERE?
The lesson then concluded with a consideration of how Marlowe's play could be linked to 'FAIR IS FOUL AND FOUL IS FAIR.'
HOMEWORK: Read/Listen/Watch the play and consider the thematic implications of Scene Ten. Read the rest of the play and consider why THE OLD MAN is such an important symbolic character. We will be reading the HORSE-COURSER scene on Friday and we will consider the function of the comedy in this play. The comedy in Marlowe's play is a unique aspect of our gothic texts therefore students need to be aware of why Marlowe constructs these comedic moments.
In today's lesson I referred to the great Bill Hicks. Click on links below to access Mr.Hicks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X56vWHFGGU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Fl9ZVJ7B8
No comments:
Post a Comment