Moral Dilemma: Christian Morality in The Faerie Queene and Dr. Faustus Anonymous College

The depiction of the Seven Deadly Sins serves a vital role in understanding the contexts through which works of literature explore religiosity and morality. Within both Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, the portrayal of the Seven Deadly Sins is integral to understanding the authors’ ideas on morality, specifically within religion. While both works deal with Christianity as a central theme, the interpretations of sin and morality are near polar opposites between the two. While both depictions of the Seven Deadly Sins establish them as being in opposition to righteousness, their descriptions and the central characters interactions with them establish Dr. Faustus as pessimistic and The Faerie Queene as optimistic towards human morality.

The context of the characters’ personal journeys is requisite for comprehending the way they experience the Seven Deadly Sins. Motivations of both protagonists affect the lens through which the Sins are viewed. While Spenser’s protagonist, Redcrosse, sets out with positive intentions to slay Una’s dragon, Marlowe’s protagonist, Dr. Faustus, sets out to make a deal with the devil. Redcrosse is established as someone with inherently moral intentions whose human flaws and naivety...