Dr. Faustus: theist or atheist?

Abstract

Dr. Faustus is the greatest but the most controversial of Marlowe’s plays. Among the causes of controversy, whether Dr. Faustus is an atheist or theist deserves utmost attention. This paper is intended to deal with the issue. Though at various stages of the development of the action, Dr. Faustus abjures Trinity, resorts to necromancy, becomes guilty of demoniality, for which he is called an atheist, the intensity of his later wish for having redemption and the destruction of his self makes him emerge as a theist. Without these qualities, Dr. Faustus is said to the embodiment of the character of Christopher Marlowe himself, who was an atheist or a member of an atheist group. Therefore, it is also an object of discussion to correlate Dr. Faustus with Marlowe.