Doctor Faustus Themes, Culture and Conventions

The themes within Doctor Faustus were controversial themes which relate even now a days they were, religion, death and tragedy. The theme of religion is continued throughout the play but death and tragedy only take place when certain characters are killed and consequences of this withhold the theme of tragedy.


Classical theatre was portrayed in amphitheatre mostly were minimalistic staging, lighting and sound was used. The actors were supposedly played by men and not woman, and they would wear masks so that the audience sat far aware could still pick up the themes and emotions going on in the play. The audience traditionally sit in a semi-circle around the stage allowing them to be fully involved and this also helps the sound travel, as microphones and electrical sound wouldn't be present.


Another way that the audience would pick up on the actors emotions and themes in the play would be by the context itself. As the play continues the storyline reveals itself making it clear to the audience what is going on but factors that affect this is the sound, lighting and facial expressions given by the actor. How their tone of voice comes across, what sort of actions they portray connotating different emotions dependent on the context.


Now-a-days theatres aren't created in the way that the time period intended it to be. However, there are many ways to capture the classical setting, a common way in this century is the Brecht style, where the stage is straight on to the audience. Brecht did this to alienate the audience so that they don't get too emotionally tied down in the storyline. His set up for the theatre is usually what we expect to see in a modern day theatre. Therefore you need to find a way where you can put on a classical piece in a modern day theatre but still portray all that they used to in the olden styled theatres.

"To help make the play more sinister and threatening to a modern audience, one director chose to use dry ice sounds of howling wind and chanting at the very start of the play. She wanted to create an eerie feel and atmosphere, because she believed that a modern audience are not always as disturbed by Faustus' actions as an Elizabethan audience would have been."

E. H. D Education Resources, Doctor Faustus A Revision Guide (2009) Page no. 14 published by E.H.D Education Resources.


I have learnt that different styles are used and other have modernised the piece by included sound effects like the dry ice and howling, but to keep the sound traditional they made the sound themselves which is a great idea and interesting route to go down when trying to come up with a compromise between modern and classical theatre times. Also modern day audiences aren't as taken back by themes and emotions (they are harder to entertain) so this director came up with great ways to break this forth wall between the actors and the audiences.