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Borrowing from the tradition of ancient Greek plays, Doctor Faustus employs the use of a Chorus meant to provide background information and additional details related to the play’s events and characters. The Chorus does this from a distance, allowing them to comment on the action and convey meaning to the audience. The incorporation of a Chorus is particularly helpful for such a morally driven play, as they essentially serve as a mouthpiece of the play’s author.
In Doctor Faustus, the Chorus is played by a single actor, and their opening exposition eases the audience into the world of the play, emphasizing the connection to Greek mythology by likening Faustus to Icarus. When they explain that this is to be the story of a common-born scholar, it distinguishes Doctor Faustus from other plays, rendering it a character study and a departure from tradition, as most other plays are concerned with grand themes like love and war. In doing so, Marlowe uses the Chorus to explain the universality of the story he’s telling—that is, if it can happen to Faustus, it can happen to anyone.
