What Do I Read Next?
One logical next read might be Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, which was released in two parts in 1808 and 1828. If Marlowe's play embodies Renaissance ideals, Goethe's work reflects the distinctive values of the Romantic era. Both plays share a broadly similar narrative but conclude in very different ways, making a comparison between their endings worthwhile.
Generally, any of Nathaniel Hawthorne's works would serve as engaging follow-up reading to Doctor Faustus, but several of his short stories are particularly fitting. In "Young Goodman Brown," a newlywed ventures into the forest to contemplate selling his soul to the devil. Although he decides against finalizing the deal, he becomes convinced that his wife has, leading him to spend the rest of his life unhappily aware of the perceived corruption around him.
Two other Hawthorne short stories explore the theme of forbidden knowledge, suggesting that sacrificing everything for the sake of science is akin to making a pact with the devil. In "The Birthmark," a man destroys his beloved by attempting to remove a small imperfection from her otherwise flawless body. In "Rapaccini's Daughter," a father's endeavor to create a daughter who is both beautiful and poisonous results in the downfall of all parties involved.
Matthew Lewis's The Monk, one of the earliest gothic novels, features a protagonist who makes a pact with the devil to escape the Inquisition, though he ultimately cannot evade eternal damnation. The novel was scandalous in the eighteenth century, partly due to its explicit content and partly because Lewis, a sitting member of Parliament, included this fact on the title page. The book offers fast-paced and suspenseful reading.
William Shakespeare's Macbeth provides another interesting comparison. In their plot to murder the king, Macbeth and his wife metaphorically "sell their souls" for political power. Both Doctor Faustus and Macbeth delve into the psychology of transgression, guilt, and punishment. Students might also compare Shakespeare's portrayal of witches with Marlowe's depictions of sorcery.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel Frankenstein tells the story of scientist Victor Frankenstein, whose quest to uncover the secret of human life leads to his downfall at the hands of the creature he creates. Victor sacrifices everything of value in his life—friends, family, fiancée—in a figurative deal with the devil that grants him the secrets of life.
In William Butler Yeats's short play The Countess Cathleen, the title character sells her soul to the devil to provide food for the starving Irish. This play raises thought-provoking ethical questions. After all, someone who sacrifices everything for humanity is typically seen as a saint, not a sinner—but what if that sacrifice involves selling one's soul to the devil? In the end, despite Cathleen's bargain, divine intervention saves her from the devil's clutches.
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