Q. 1. What does Renaissance mean? Write a comprehensive note on RENAISSANCE SPIRIT IN DR.

FAUSTUS.
(Prof. Muhammad Aslam Gondal)

RENAISSANCE SPIRIT IN DR. FAUSTUS

Literally speaking, Renaissance means “rebirth”. It was a passionate period of European artistic, cultural,
political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. It started from the 14th century to the 17th
century. The Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art. We can
say that during this period the ancient Greek and Roman thinking culture, civilization, writings and
philosophy saw their revival.
The Renaissance people were fascinated by new learning and knowledge. They took all knowledge to be
their province. Dr Faustus is a glaring example of renaissance. He regarded knowledge a key to
boundless power. He developed an insatiable thirst for further curiosity, knowledge, power, beauty,
riches, and worldly pleasures. Marlowe is the greatest and truest representative of his age. Dr. Faustus
represents the Renaissance spirit in various ways.
Thirst For Knowledge AND Intellectual Curiosity
The most important desire of the Renaissance man finds expression in Dr. Faustus. He has an
unequalled thirst for knowledge and power to be acquired with the help of that knowledge. In the very
beginning of the play Dr. Faustus is found considering the importance of various subjects which he may
study. He has already studied various subjects at the universities and impressed scholars with his
knowledge. After considering the relative importance of various subjects as - Logic, Metaphysics,
Medicine, Law and Theology - he concludes that they can give knowledge but no power. He remarks, ‘Yet
art thou still but Faustus, and a man’. So he decided to study the "Metaphysics of Magicians" and
regarded “necromantic books as heavenly". With the help of this knowledge he wants to acquire power
and become “as powerful as Jove in the sky”.
There was an intellectual curiosity during the Renaissance. The new discoveries in science and
developments in technology went beyond material advances. It was a youthful age to which nothing
seemed impossible. This period opened a new world of imagination. In Dr. Faustus, Marlowe has
expressed such ideas, when Faustus says:
O, what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence,
Is promised to the studious artisan!
All things that move between the quiet poles
Shall be at my command.
Wealth And Exploration
Dr. Faustus desired unlimited knowledge, unbounded wealth and infinite worldly pleasures. After his
agreement with the Devil, Dr. Faustus would have spirits at his command to do whatever he liked. He
would like them to bring gold from India, pearls from oceans and delicacies from every part of the world.
In this way he would have a lot of power and wealth to enjoy worldly pleasures. He wanted to travel
across the world. So with the help of Mephistopheles he traveled to distant countries. And
He views the clouds, the planets and the stars
The tropes, zones, and quarters of the sky
From east to west his dragons swiftly glide.

Love of Beauty:
Apart from having love of knowledge, power, pelf, and pleasure, Dr. Faustus has the Renaissance love of
beauty, so he wanted to have a wife the fairest maid that is in Germany. As he wanted to see the most
beautiful woman in the world, he conjured the vision of Helen. He expressed his feelings of great delight
in the following words
Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?
And burnt the topless tower of Ilium.

Disregard For The Authority Of The Pope AND RELIGION

Dr. Faustus not only disregarded the Pope and the Bishops, when he stayed in Pope's palace, but also
gave him a box on the ear. He also made fun of bishops because he pointed that they were interested in
only belly cheer. It shows the total disregard for religion and religious people. (WORDS:614)