Discussion Topic
Foreshadowing in Doctor Faustus
Summary:
In Doctor Faustus, foreshadowing occurs through Faustus' initial disregard for the consequences of his pact with Mephistopheles and the repeated warnings from the Good Angel and scholars. These elements hint at Faustus' eventual damnation and the tragic outcome of his overreaching ambition.
What are examples of foreshadowing in Doctor Faustus?
There are many elements of foreshadowing in Dr. Faustus.
The crudest and most obvious is the title, which tells you his history is tragic. That means things will end badly for him. If you know what a tragedy meant historically, in other plays, it specifically means he’ll overreach due to ego (the flaw of pride known as hubris), which Faustus definitely does.
However, there are definitely other more specific elements of foreshadowing. Look at the opening section of the play, where you’ll see these lines:
“Till swoln with cunning, of a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And, melting, heavens conspir'd his overthrow;
For, falling to a devilish exercise,
And glutted now with learning's golden gifts,
He surfeits upon cursed necromancy;
Nothing so sweet as magic is to him...”
Here the chorus compares him to Icarus from Greek mythology, who didn’t listen to wise council...
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but instead flew too high, only to have his wings melt, leaving him to fall to his death. That comparison tells you that Faustus will soar high (metaphorically), and then crash (fatally).
References
What devices and signs does Marlowe use to foreshadow Faustus' damnation in Doctor Faustus?
Till swoln with cunning, of a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And, melting, heavens conspir'd his overthrow;
For, falling to a devilish exercise,
And glutted now with learning's golden gifts,
He surfeits upon cursed necromancy;
The foreshadowing that Marlowe uses begins in the very beginning through the device of disclosing foreshadowed information in the Chorus's opening remarks. The Chorus uses the allusion to Icarus who disobeyed the commands of his father, Daedalus, to not fly too close to the Sun with his waxen wings. Icarus did fly too close to the Sun and fell to his horrifying death in the sea as the wings melted. Icarus is a symbol for the chance Faustus will take in flying to close to the metaphorical sun of magic before his even more horrible fall to a more horrible death.
References