Seven Deadly Sins in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus
This essay examines Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus through the framework of the seven deadly sins, arguing that Faustus's damnation is the inevitable result of his indulgence in pride, envy, avarice, gluttony, and sloth. Beginning with a summary of Faustus's bargain with Lucifer and his ultimate fate, the paper analyzes each sin in turn, drawing on biblical references and theological definitions to show how Faustus mirrors Lucifer's own rebellion against God. The essay demonstrates that Faustus's pursuit of unlimited knowledge and power is not merely an intellectual failing but a spiritual one, rooted in the same deadly vices that caused the fall of the brightest angel.
- Overview of the Faustian Bargain: Plot summary and Faustus's ultimate damnation
- Pride as the Root of Faustus's Fall: Pride defined as Faustus's primary sin
- Envy and the Desire to Rival God: Faustus mirrors Lucifer's envy of God
- Avarice and the Pursuit of Power: Greed drives Faustus's bargain with Lucifer
- Gluttony, Sloth, and Final Damnation: Sensual excess and idleness seal Faustus's fate
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- It organizes a character analysis around a clear theological framework — the seven deadly sins — giving each section a focused lens and preventing the argument from sprawling.
- It draws on both literary evidence from the play and biblical citations, which reinforces its claims from two complementary directions.
- The parallel drawn between Faustus and Lucifer is sustained throughout the essay, providing thematic coherence from the opening summary to the conclusion.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a taxonomic analytical structure: it introduces an overarching interpretive framework (the seven deadly sins) and then systematically applies each category to the text. This technique — sometimes called "framework application" — is effective for literary analysis because it imposes disciplined structure while still allowing close reading of the source material. Students writing similar analyses can observe how each sin is first defined (using theological and dictionary sources), then illustrated with specific scenes or choices from the play.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a plot summary that establishes the moral stakes of the Faustian bargain, followed by a theological introduction to the seven deadly sins. It then devotes focused paragraphs to pride, envy, avarice, gluttony, and sloth in sequence, each anchored by definition, biblical support, and textual evidence. The conclusion returns to Faustus's final moments — his impenitence and damnation — to close the thematic loop.
Overview of the Faustian Bargain
Doctor Faustus, as Christopher Marlowe's protagonist, is a German scholar who wants to exceed the limits of traditional logic, medicine, law, and religion by practicing black magic. Through this pursuit, he calls upon Mephistopheles, a demon, who arranges a deal between Faustus and Lucifer: 24 years of power and glory in exchange for his soul. Despite Mephistopheles' warnings about the horrors of hell and his own doubts about what the deal truly means, Faustus persists in his decision to enter into the bargain, which he signs in his own blood. Rich gifts and displays of pleasure from Mephistopheles and Lucifer distract his doubts and lull his senses and reason, as does Mephistopheles' impressive account of the nature of the universe. The parade of the seven deadly sins particularly wins Faustus' mind and will. In fulfillment of their end of the bargain, Mephistopheles takes Faustus to Rome, the court of Charles V, and the court of the Duke of Vanholt (Sparknotes 2004).
Dread and remorse fill him as the agreed 24 years come to an end. He is urged to repent, but he refuses and instead conjures the spirit of Helen of Troy to dazzle him out of that dread. Towards the end, he pleads for mercy, but time has run out. At midnight, demons carry off his soul (Marlowe, etext #811, 1997).
The seven deadly sins — pride, wrath or anger, envy, avarice or greed, gluttony, sloth, and impurity — are revealed by the Word of God, though not in a single enumerated list (Finnan 1998). These sins are called deadly because they evoke God's justice and punishment more severely than other sins. Of these, pride offends God the most. The Proverbs and the Psalms declare that the "proud of heart" will not go unpunished; destruction follows pride as a fall follows a haughty spirit.
References
Dyce, Alexander, editor. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. The Quarto of 1616. Blackmask Online, 2001.
Finnan, Dennis L. "Seven Deadly Sins." The World, the Word and You! Broadcast, 1998.
Goldfarb, Russell and Clarke. "The Seven Deadly Sins in Doctor Faustus."
Marlowe, Christopher. The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus. Etext #811, February 1997.
Marlowe, Christopher. The Tragicall History of Doctor Faustus.
Sparknotes. Doctor Faustus, a summary. Sparknotes.com, 2004.
White Stone Journal. "The Seven Deadly Sins," 2000.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.