The Inevitable Fall- Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus and the Icarus Myth.docVIP

The Inevitable Fall: Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus and the Icarus Myth 　　[a]　Foreign　Studies　College，　Hunan　Normal　University，　Changsha　410081，　China. *　Corresponding　author. Received　19　September　2012；　accepted　27　November　2012 Abstract With　the　application　of　the　renowned　Canadian　literary　critic　Northrop　Frye’s　theory　of　archetype，　this　thesis　attempts　to　analyze　the　Icarus　myth　in　Doctor　Faustus.　Itagonist　Faustus　to　those　of　the　Greek　mythological　figure　Icarus.　The　Icarian　plots　or　scenes　appear　resoundingly　in　this　drama.　By　analyzing　these　plots　or　scenes，　this　thesis　tries　to　reveal　the　basic　pattern　in　the　play，　o　Christopher　Marlowes　allusion　to　the　human　weakness. Key　words：　Christopher　Marlowe；　Doctor　Faustus；　The　Icarus　myth LI　Li　（2012）.　The　Inevitable　Fall：　Christopher　Marlowes　Doctor　Faustus　and　the　Icarus　Myth.　Studies　in　Literature　and　Language，　5（3），　-0.　Available　from：　http：///index.php/sll/article/view/j.sll.1923156320120503.1112 DOI：　http：///10.3968/j.sll.1923156320120503.1112 INTRODUCTION Christopher　Marlowe，　an　unorthodox　personality，　allegedly　atheistic，　allegedly　homosexual，　is　acknowledged　as　one　of　the　greatest　dramatists　in　the　Renaissance　period　because　of　the　invention　of　English　blank　verse　and　the　creation　of　English　tragedy.　Eliot　termed　him　“the　most　thoughtful，　the　most　blasphemous　（bably　the　most　Christian）　of　his　contemporaries”　（Schuchard，　1999，　p.　140）.　Besides，　Algernon　Charles　Swinburne　（1916）　said　that　among　his　contemporaries，　“Marlowe　stands　high，　and　will　stand　for　ever”　（p.　742）. Born　in　Canterbury　in　1564，　Marlowe　was　an　actor，　poet　and　playwright　during　the　reign　of　Britains　Queen　Elizabeth　I.　Educated　at　Corpus　Christi　College　at　Cambridge　University，　he　received　BA　and　MA　degrees.　Though　Marlowe　achieved　the　excellent　classical　attainments，　o　the　brawls　on　the　street.　After　leaving　Cambridge，　Marlowe　moved　to　London，　where　he　became　a　playwright　and　led　a　turbulent，　scandal-pla