There are several key features that are typical of a Gothic text. Arguably, one of the most vital and interesting components to play on is the hero or anti-hero to be an “over reacher”, in the sense that they try to obtain things that are out of reach, usually for a reason.
The first example of this comes in the form of the prologue, in which a chorus would usually arrive on the stage to set the scene of the play and introduce key characters. Marlowe has chosen to compare Faustus to “Icarus”, who was a character in a Greek myth in which his father made him a set of wings from wax and feathers, with the warning not to venture too closely to the sun. Alas, Icarus flew too near to the sun thus overreaching, and the wax melted and the fell to his death. An interesting comparison to draw as Faustus too meets an untimely end.
Act one scene one also sees Faustus overreaching. In speech such as “Yet art thou still but Faustus, and a man. Wouldst thou make man to live eternally?” which clearly suggests that Faustus longs to be more than a man and live for eternity which is a prime example of him overreaching far beyond what is humanly possible and natural. This is also later evidenced when he says “Here, Faustus, try thy brains to gain a deity” meaning he wishes to become a God, which is overreaching in its most extreme form.
Not only is there overreaching evident of Faustus in the prologue alone, several sins are named that Faustus possesses, including “Self-conceit” otherwise known as pride which is a dramatical device in the Greek tragedy play’s where this quality in the protagonist is known as Hubris. Faustus is also described as being “glutted”, which is another of the seven deadly sins, showing that although this is our main protagonist, he will be an anti-hero as he is a sinful man. We are also faced with the sin of lust when Valdes says he wants Faustus to conjure up woman for him once he has the power of black magic.
Later in Act one scene one, we get a very carefully thought out and well planned piece of blaspheming. Faustus says “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there’s no truth in us” which is practically admitting that he is a sinful man, which makes sense as we are all born from sin, as after all, sex is sinful. He goes on to say “Why then belike we must sin, and so consequently die. Ay, we must die an everlasting death. What doctrine call you this, che sera, sera, what will be, shall be? Divinity, adieu!” This is an interesting viewpoint to take as Marlowe himself was a student of Divinity, so we have to ask ourselves is this piece of essentially blasphemy, Faustus’ views alone, or Marlowe’s expressed through Faustus? This would’ve been shocking to hear for the 16th century audience of the time as blasphemy was a punishable crime at the time, so this was a risky line to include. Blasphemy also occurs later; “Divinity is basest of the three, Unpleasant, harsh, contemptible, and vile”.
As for evil in Dr. Faustus, it is most prominent when Mephistopheles arrives, as he describes his aim as to “fly in hope to get his glorious soul”, so he admits that his aim of his travels is to attempt to steal the soul of whoever was blaspheming, which is an evil act in itself with evil intentions.
