Quotes from work
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is an Elizabethan tragedy by Christopher Marlowe, based on German stories about the title character Faust. It was written sometime between 1589 and 1592, and might have been performed between 1592 and Marlowe's death in 1593. Two different versions of the play were published in the Jacobean era, several years later.The powerful effect of early productions of the play is indicated by the legends that quickly accrued around them—that actual devils once appeared on the stage during a performance, "to the great amazement of both the actors and spectators", a sight that was said to have driven some spectators mad.


Christopher Marlowe photo
Christopher Marlowe photo
Christopher Marlowe photo
Christopher Marlowe photo

“He that loves pleasure, must for pleasure fall.”

Evil Angel, Act V, scene iv
Source: Doctor Faustus (c. 1603)

Christopher Marlowe photo

“Pray for me! and what noise soever ye hear, come not unto me, for nothing can rescue me.”

Faustus, Act V, scene ii, lines 57–58
Doctor Faustus (c. 1603)

Christopher Marlowe photo

“Che serà, serà:
What will be, shall be.”

Faustus, Act I, scene i, lines 47–58
Doctor Faustus (c. 1603)

Christopher Marlowe photo

“When all the world dissolves,
And every creature shall be purified,
All places shall be hell that are not heaven.”

Mephistopheles, Act II, scene i, line 120. In the first line, Marlowe references Isaiah in Isaiah 24:19 and 34:4; in the second line, he references Daniel in Daniel 12:10.
Doctor Faustus (c. 1603)

Similar authors

Christopher Marlowe photo
Christopher Marlowe 55
English dramatist, poet and translator 1564–1593
Henry Fielding photo
Henry Fielding 70
English novelist and dramatist
Pedro Calderón de la Barca photo
Pedro Calderón de la Barca 8
Spanish dramatist
Alexander Pope photo
Alexander Pope 158
eighteenth century English poet
John Donne photo
John Donne 115
English poet
John Milton photo
John Milton 190
English epic poet
William Shakespeare photo
William Shakespeare 699
English playwright and poet
Samuel Butler (poet) photo
Samuel Butler (poet) 81
poet and satirist
Samuel Johnson photo
Samuel Johnson 362
English writer
Daniel Defoe photo
Daniel Defoe 43
English trader, writer and journalist