The plot in six lines
At Wittenberg, Doctor Faustus rejects ordinary learning as too limited and turns towards magic, imagining that it can give him power beyond human limits.
With guidance from Valdes and Cornelius, Faustus summons Mephistophilis, ignores the Good Angel's warning, and chooses the wealth and honour promised by the Bad Angel.
Faustus signs away his soul in blood for twenty four years of service from Mephistophilis, while Lucifer uses fear and spectacle to distract him from repentance.
Travelling with Mephistophilis, Faustus disrupts the Pope's feast in Rome, conjures spirits for the Emperor Charles V, and spends his powers on tricks rather than discoveries.
The Old Man urges Faustus to repent, but Faustus continues to excuse his choices, and his desire for Helen of Troy offers another attraction.
On his last night, Faustus begs for time and tries to pray, but at midnight devils carry him to hell, and the Chorus warns against forbidden knowledge.
Themes
Ambition: Faustus seeks limitless power, but the contrast between his grand desires and his trivial achievements exposes the failure of his ambition.
Choice and repentance: Repeated calls to repent challenge Faustus's belief that his contract leaves him without a way back.
Knowledge and power: Faustus dismisses established learning, yet his pursuit of magic raises doubts about whether he wants understanding or control.
Self deception: Faustus selects the bleakest meanings from religious teaching and repeatedly treats his own excuses as reasons he cannot change.
Beauty and desire: Faustus's response to Helen of Troy suggests that his longing reaches beyond power towards beauty, love and wonder.
Characters
- Doctor FaustusA learned scholar at Wittenberg, bored by ordinary knowledge and hungry for limitless power, who turns to magic.
- MephistophilisA devil who serves Faustus under the pact, speaks plainly of hell's pain, and watches his master's choices closely.
- LuciferThe prince of devils, who holds the contract and uses spectacle and fear to keep Faustus loyal.
- Good AngelA spirit who urges Faustus to turn from magic, think of heaven and remember that mercy is still possible.
- Bad AngelA spirit who urges Faustus on toward wealth, honour and the pleasures of magic.
- WagnerFaustus's servant, who copies his master's dealings with spirits in a smaller and comic way.
For the A level English Literature exams, summer 2027
- The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027.
- Pearson Edexcel: Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Drama (other drama before 1900), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning, 2 hours 15 minutes.
- WJEC Eduqas: Component 2, Section B (drama in a pair), Thursday 20 May 2027, morning, 2 hours.
A two-week plan
- Day oneRead the 15-minute summary of Doctor Faustus from start to finish, then tell the story back to yourself in five sentences.
- Days two to threeA brilliant scholar outgrows every subject: Notice how Faustus's selective reading makes his rejection of ordinary learning seem convincing to himself.
- Day fourMagic offers what books never could: Watch how Mephistophilis challenges Faustus's confidence that he commands the spirits he summons.
- Day fiveA bargain signed in blood: Notice how warnings and entertainments compete for Faustus's attention as he commits himself to the bargain.
- Day sixWonders, pranks and the waste of power: Compare Faustus's ambitions with his practical jokes, and notice how the comic servants echo his behaviour.
- Day sevenWhat the play is really about: Follow the tension between repeated opportunities to repent and Faustus's insistence that he cannot turn back.
- Day eightHow the play is built and spoken: Listen for contrasts between verse and prose, and watch how the Chorus makes passing time increasingly urgent.
- Day nineThe cast: Doctor Faustus, Mephistophilis, Lucifer, Good Angel and Bad Angel. Write one line on what each of them wants.
- Day tenThemes: Ambition; Choice and repentance; Knowledge and power; Self deception; Beauty and desire. Pick one moment in the story for each.
- Day elevenForm: study how the play is built: its scenes, its speeches and its turning points.
- Day twelvePractice: plan and write an essay on one theme, then read your argument back and test it against the story.
- Day thirteenPractice: try a second question with a different focus, such as a character or the form.
- Day fourteenRecap: reread your notes and the summary, say the plot out loud once, then rest.
From the boards' published specifications and final summer 2027 timetables, read on 23 October 2026. Ask your school which board and papers you sit.
Вопросы
What is Doctor Faustus about?
Doctor Faustus is about a scholar whose desire for power leads him to exchange his soul for service from a devil. His choices raise questions about ambition, responsibility and whether he can still repent.
Who are the main characters in Doctor Faustus?
The main characters are Doctor Faustus, the devil Mephistophilis, and Lucifer, who holds the contract for Faustus's soul. The Good Angel and Bad Angel voice opposing choices, while Wagner echoes his master's behaviour and the Old Man urges repentance.
What are the main themes of Doctor Faustus?
The main themes are ambition, knowledge, power, self deception and the possibility of repentance. Faustus's grand desires contrast with his small achievements, while repeated warnings leave readers judging how far he chooses his own destruction.
Is Doctor Faustus a set text for A level English Literature?
Yes. Pearson Edexcel lists it in Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Drama (other drama before 1900). WJEC Eduqas lists it in Component 2, Section B (drama in a pair).
When are the A level English Literature exams in 2027?
The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027. Pearson Edexcel: Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning. WJEC Eduqas: Component 2, Thursday 20 May 2027, morning.
