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Article: Faustus and the Censor.
- Article from:
- The New Leader
- Article date:
- April 18, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1988 American Labor Conference on International Affairs. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FAUSTUS AND THE CRITIC BY PHOEBE PETTINGELL
THE LEGEND OF Doctor Faustus, who sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power, has intrigued readers since the late Renaissance. The historical Faust, a contemporary of Martin Luther, was Germany's most notorious Magus. Alchemy, astrology and similar blends of necromancy and fledgling science practiced by the Magi had begun to enjoy a revival just prior to Faust's career when the Catholic Church informally relaxed its medieval ban on scientific and occult inquiry. Magi considered themselves seekers after Divine Truth -- the Christian equivalent of the Kabbalists. By the end of the Faust's life, ...