The Life and Death of Doctor Faustus Made into a Farce

The Life and Death of Doctor Faustus Made into a Farce by William Mountfort is a funny play that makes fun of Christopher Marlowe's original tragic story, using silly characters like Harlequin and Scaramouche from Italian comedy. The play uses slapstick humor to turn the serious story of Doctor Faustus, who makes a deal with the devil, into a bunch of crazy and funny events, like dealing with a funny horse-dealer and clumsy servants. Instead of being sad about Faustus's bad choices, the play makes everything into a big joke, giving the audience a light and funny look at the famous story. This play uses humor to talk about wanting too much, knowing too much, and what happens when things go wrong.