Marlowe was from the cathedral town of Canterbury, south of London, and he was the son of a shoemaker. He was educated at Cambridge University, on a scholarship that was intended to prepare him for the ministry. He ended up in a far different profession--probably as a spy for Elizabeth I in Europe--before coming to London to write plays. His brief life was characterized by violence and controversy (his friend and fellow-playwright Thomas Kyd testified that Marlowe was guilty of atheism and treason). Marlowe's turbulent private life may in various ways be reflected in his work--especially in the dangerously ambitious characters such as Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus. This sort of hero has been called "the overreacher"--someone destroyed by an extreme desire for ultimate knowledge or wealth or power.  

The Renaissance was an era of discovery and innovation in many fields, characterized by a rebirth of learning based in part on recovery and study of classical authors.  One of the prime intellectual movements of the era is Renaissance Humanism. As your book says,  humanism "displaced the otherworldly and communal values of the Middle Ages, emphasizing instead the dignity and potential of the individual and the worth of life in this world."  

As you read Doctor Faustus, you should consider whether Marlowe's characterization of the hero celebrates or criticizes Renaissance humanism.  How much sympathy do you feel for Faustus?  Is his fate truly tragic, or do you tend to feel satisfied that he got what was coming to him?  How are we supposed to react to the character of Mephistophilis--and why does Mephistophilis tell Faustus NOT to sell his soul to the devil?  At what point is it simply too late for Faustus to be saved? Can you figure out what religious doctrines are implied in the story, especially attitudes toward predestination and free will?