Role of Supporting Characters in Doctor Faustus

Role of Supporting Characters in Doctor Faustus

The two main characters in Doctor Faustus, the title character and Mephistophilis, have important and clearly defined roles in the story. The supporting characters seem to all play the same role, to emphasize the role that Doctor Faustus has taken on after making a bargain with the devil. Each  of these subordinate characters are dedicated to the one main purpose of expressing the psychological condition of Faustus from various points of view.

• The character of the Emperor, the Duke and Duchess and the Pope in the story are all there to show the power that Faustus has gained and is using, albeit foolishly, to play tricks and show up those who hold higher office then him.
• There are also fools such as the man who buys the horse made out of straw and those who are trying to steal his books and learn the magic that he has worked; he plays simple tricks on these characters as well although he does so with less effort and amusement.
• The placement of both fools and kings as the subject of Faustus tricks as well as his respect shows that he holds both physical and mental power over…