Christopher Marlowe

Boredom, ambition and the usual man’s willingness to overcome his limits push famous scientist Faustus to reject traditional disciplines and even God in favour of necromancy.
 Seduced by dreams of glory and omnipotence, Faustus gives in to Mephistopheles’s temptations and signs a contract with no less than Satan himself: 24 years of knowledge in exchange for his soul.
 Distracted by devilish performances, travels around the world, beautiful past queens and pleasurable tricks, will Faustus succeed in saving himself?
 An old but modern story on Man’s thirst for power and knowledge topped with five rich extensions to contextualize the work and its author. 
 
 Teacher's Resources available online: Answer Key - Audioscripts - Summing-up Activities
 
 La noia, l’ambizione e la solita volontà dell’uomo di sfidare Dio spingono il famoso scienziato Faustus a firmare un contratto addirittura con Satana stesso: 24 anni di conoscenza in cambio della sua anima.
 Distratto da quadretti demoniaci, bellissime regine del passato e piacevoli scherzi, riuscirà Faustus a salvarsi?
 Una storia antica ma moderna sulla sete dell’uomo per il potere e la conoscenza, arricchita da approfondimenti utili a contestualizzare i vari personaggi e l’autore.

Characters

Chapter 1 – The thirst for knowledge

Extension: Progress, science and technology in the Renaissance

Chapter 2 – The pact with the devil

Extension: The real Dr Faustus

Chapter 3 – In Rome with Pope Adrian

Extension: Angels and demons

Chapter 4 – In Germany at Charles V’s court

Extension: Major and minor characters in Doctor Faustus

Chapter 5 – The punishment

Extension: Faustus in music

Summing-up activities

Glossary

1 The thirst for knowledge BEFORE READING Chapter 1 Answer these questions. a. What do you think the expression  selling one s soul to the devil  means? b. Can you mention any popular films and/or books based on this idea? c. Have you ever been tempted into making dangerous decisions? What were they? 2 Find out which words refer to the world of magic and which to the world of education and write them in the appropriate column. Necromancy   Logic   spell   Philosophy   scholar   sorcery   Law   Theology   incantation   charm Magic Education Necromancy 3 Match each word to its opposite. Look up in the dictionary any words you don t know. a. good b. quick c. sharp d. refuse e. fury f. proudly g. ugly h. thick 1. slow 2. thin 3. humbly 4. calmness 5. beautiful 6. accept A 7. evil 8. dull 8 

Dr Faustus The thirst for knowledge Chapter 1 Dear readers, the story you are going to hear needs your patience and intelligence... it will take you into the complicated and tragic existence of a cultured scholar1, Faustus, whose fortunes went through good and evil. Please, don t rush to judge him, be concentrated and objective till the end. Faustus was born in the town of Rhode in Germany to a humble and poor family and, since he was so talented and witty2, he was sent to study Theology at Wittemberg University. Faustus was clever and quick in learning and he was soon admired by intellectuals and scientists from all over Europe... he was called  Doctor Faustus . However, his high opinion of himself and ambition couldn t accept his human limits and he did just like Icarus3 had done... He went beyond his limits: he turned to necromancy4 to obtain excitement, glory and divine power. Look at him, there he is, in his study, surrounded by his books...  Make up your mind5 Faustus! Make up your mind!  he kept repeating to himself,  What have you discovered so far? How deeply has your knowledge gone? What else should you do?  He was walking around his desk looking at the pile of dusty6 books on it; his expression was worried and upset and, when he picked up a text by Aristotle7, he exclaimed,  Logic, you seduced me when I was young but... if your purpose is only to give your reasons and convince with words... Well, I ve 1. scholar: a very intellectual person. 2. witty: very clever. 3. Icarus: Greek mythological figure who flew too close to the sun on wax wings. The wax melted and he drowned into the sea. 4. necromancy: black magic. 5. make up your mind: to make a decision. 6. dusty: covered with a small powder that comes from dirt. 7. Aristotle: one of the greatest Greek philosophers (384-322 BC). 9 

Faustus, celebre scienziato, cede alla tentazione di conoscere e potere, firmando un patto con il diavolo. Ma riuscirà a salvare la sua anima?

Doctor Faustus

Level B1 • Pre-Intermediate - Collana RAINBOWS

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