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joestacy's review
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nenich19's review against another edition
3.0
Although a highly regarded classic, I found Doctor Faustus tedious and tiring to read. It took me several reads to fully comprehend each scene, trying to fully concentrate on what they were saying. Although I can see how it ties in to my course "The Tragedy of Knowledge", Doctor Faustus has to do too much with religion for my liking - in a sense, as if it is vilifying true knowledge, or rather knowledge against the doctrines of the Church. I would like to think he's just taking the piss on the whole "you will be punished blah blah blah knowledge is the Devil's temptation and it is forbidden because it will condemn your immortal soul blah blah blah". Not to say that religion and faith is something bad, but the authority of the Church, or any power that, in a sense, controls religion is oftentimes corrupt. Just to think of how many books were "banned", how much knowledge has been denied to people because the Church decided it was a threat to their power makes me shudder.
annataeko's review against another edition
3.0
** NOT SPOILERS FREE**
In literary terms, the only thing I disliked was the appearance/mention of the woman (Helen of Troy). Now what amused me the most about this story was the intertextuality between Doctor Faustus and Doctor Strange (when it comes to the main character's relation and ambition to the world of black magic and arts and his achieving that greatness) and Sherlock (just when it comes to 'The Woman', in that the thought of her makes the character sort of get confused and mentally collapsed and lost).
Overall, the internal battle and the psychology of Faustus's character are truly brilliant (I really loved Wagner though! I wish he had appeared more in the end- or that he was one of the characters who in the end would turn out to be really helpful for Faustus' increasing devastation! Whatever happened to Wagner...).
In literary terms, the only thing I disliked was the appearance/mention of the woman (Helen of Troy). Now what amused me the most about this story was the intertextuality between Doctor Faustus and Doctor Strange (when it comes to the main character's relation and ambition to the world of black magic and arts and his achieving that greatness) and Sherlock (just when it comes to 'The Woman', in that the thought of her makes the character sort of get confused and mentally collapsed and lost).
Overall, the internal battle and the psychology of Faustus's character are truly brilliant (I really loved Wagner though! I wish he had appeared more in the end- or that he was one of the characters who in the end would turn out to be really helpful for Faustus' increasing devastation! Whatever happened to Wagner...).
sparksinthevoid's review
read doctor faustus which i really enjoyed.
started and dnfed tamburlaine the great because it was so boring it was painful.
book [insert number i have no idea haha] for my drama and transgression: from prometheus to faust module
started and dnfed tamburlaine the great because it was so boring it was painful.
book [insert number i have no idea haha] for my drama and transgression: from prometheus to faust module
linorosa's review
2.0
Just wanted to read Doctor Faustus, so I didn't touch the other plays.
I haven't read anything from the 1500s that I enjoyed. And this was no different. They're all very similar in that there's lot's of lamentation that don't really translate to much emotion.
I haven't read anything from the 1500s that I enjoyed. And this was no different. They're all very similar in that there's lot's of lamentation that don't really translate to much emotion.
lovefromhannah's review
4.0
no one:
absolutely no one at all:
doctor faustus: *sells soul to get laid (and then doesn't) and trivial party tricks*
note: this rating is only for doctor faustus as that was the only one required for uni reading
absolutely no one at all:
doctor faustus: *sells soul to get laid (and then doesn't) and trivial party tricks*
note: this rating is only for doctor faustus as that was the only one required for uni reading
rain_tea_and_books's review
4.0
Deliciously dark but humorous at the same time! This play really surprised me in how much I enjoyed it, though it was a little difficult to follow at first.