Introduction
This essay explores the common ground between Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus (first performed c. 1588-1593) and Stephen Gosson’s The School of Abuse (1579), two seminal works of the Elizabethan era that engage with moral, cultural, and intellectual debates of their time. While Marlowe’s play dramatizes the tragic fall of a scholar who barters his soul for forbidden knowledge, Gosson’s polemical tract criticizes the perceived moral corruption of theatre and poetry. Despite their apparent differences in form and intent, both texts share a deep concern with the ethical implications of human ambition, the seductive power of forbidden pleasures, and the cultural anxieties surrounding art and knowledge in Renaissance England. This analysis will examine these overlapping themes through a comparative lens, focusing on their mutual engagement with morality and the dangers of excess, before concluding with broader implications for understanding Elizabethan cultural discourse.
Moral Warnings Against Overreaching Ambition
A fundamental commonality between Doctor Faustus and The School of Abuse lies in their shared caution against the perils of unchecked ambition and desire. In Marlowe’s play, Faustus epitomizes the Renaissance ideal of intellectual aspiration, yet his pact with Mephistopheles reflects a dangerous overreaching that leads to spiritual damnation (Greenblatt, 2005). His hunger for knowledge beyond human limits—evident in his rejection of traditional disciplines for necromancy—mirrors the moral boundary-crossing that Gosson warns against in his critique of theatrical excess. Gosson argues that plays and poetry seduce individuals away from virtue, inflaming passions and leading to moral decay (Gosson, 1579). Both texts, therefore, position ambition—whether for knowledge or sensory pleasure—as a pathway to ruin. While Marlowe dramatizes this through Faustus’ tragic arc, Gosson adopts a didactic tone, yet their underlying message converges on the need for restraint and adherence to moral limits.
The Seduction of Forbidden Pleasures
Another shared theme is the seductive allure of forbidden pleasures and their capacity to corrupt. In Doctor Faustus, the protagonist is enticed by the promises of magic and worldly power, symbolized by his interactions with infernal spirits and spectacles of grandeur. This mirrors Gosson’s portrayal of theatre as a dangerous temptation that lures audiences into vice through captivating but morally harmful content (Kinney, 1986). Indeed, Gosson explicitly warns that plays “effeminate” the mind, much as Faustus’ pursuit of magic enfeebles his moral resolve. Both works thus reflect Elizabethan anxieties about the power of external influences to undermine personal and societal virtue, highlighting a cultural tension between fascination with new experiences and fear of their consequences.
Cultural Anxieties Surrounding Art and Knowledge
Finally, both texts engage with broader cultural debates about the role of art and knowledge in society. Marlowe’s depiction of Faustus’ scholarly hubris critiques the Renaissance valorization of humanism when taken to extremes, reflecting unease about the potential misuse of learning (Levin, 1964). Similarly, Gosson’s attack on theatre articulates a Puritan-influenced distrust of artistic expression as a destabilizing force in a godly society. Both works, therefore, grapple with the question of whether intellectual and creative pursuits elevate or endanger the soul—an issue central to Elizabethan thought. Arguably, their shared concern reveals a deeper cultural ambivalence about the rapid changes in education, performance, and morality during the period.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Doctor Faustus and The School of Abuse find common ground in their exploration of moral boundaries, the seductive dangers of forbidden desires, and the cultural anxieties surrounding art and knowledge in Elizabethan England. While Marlowe uses tragedy to illustrate the consequences of overreaching ambition, Gosson employs polemic to decry the corrupting influence of theatre, yet both ultimately warn against excess and advocate for ethical restraint. These shared themes highlight the pervasive moral and intellectual tensions of their era, offering valuable insight into how Renaissance society navigated the competing pulls of innovation and tradition. Furthermore, this comparison underscores the relevance of both texts in understanding the complex interplay between individual aspiration and societal values, a dynamic that remains pertinent in critical approaches to English literature.
References
- Gosson, S. (1579) The School of Abuse. London: Thomas Woodcocke.
- Greenblatt, S. (2005) Renaissance Self-Fashioning: From More to Shakespeare. University of Chicago Press.
- Kinney, A. F. (1986) Markets of Bawdrie: The Dramatic Criticism of Stephen Gosson. Salzburg University Press.
- Levin, H. (1964) The Overreacher: A Study of Christopher Marlowe. Harvard University Press.
