What is the quote the face that launched a thousand ships?
The face that launched a thousand ships refers to Helen of Troy, describing the fact that a massive war was mounted on her behalf. Helen of Troy might also be called Helen of Sparta, as she was the wife of King Menelaus of Mycenaean Sparta.
What does the phrase Marlowe’s mighty line refer to?
Marlowe’s contemporary and fellow playwright and poet Ben Jonson, in his poem “To the Memory of My Beloved Master William Shakespeare,” coined the phrase “Marlowe’s mighty line” to refer to Marlowe’s use of blank verseunrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, often considered the meter most closely resembling normal English …
What is blank verse in Christopher Marlowe?
Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus uses both blank verse and free verse to set the rhythm for the tale. Blank verse simply means that the lines do not rhyme; although it does follow iambic pentameter, making the lines melodious to read.
What is Faustus’s driving obsession?
Finally, Faustus is obsessed with classical literature. When he lays it on thick at the end he compares Helen to Semele and Arethusa, both of them characters from ancient Greek and Latin poetry. He also fantasises about re-enacting Homer’s Iliad.
Who launched a thousand ships?
Helen of Troy
The character of Helen of Troy is often remembered only in terms of her beauty. The general public associates the name Helen of Troy with a kind of unworldly attraction and physical perfection of a woman who could drive men to war, “the face that launched a thousand ships”.
Who coined the expression the face that launched a thousand ships?
Christopher Marlowe
A line from the sixteenth-century play Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe. Faustus says this when the devil Mephistopheles (Marlowe spells the name “Mephistophilis”) shows him Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in history.
How does Shakespeare’s use of the rhythm differ from Marlowe’s?
Marlowe alternated the regular stresses and created a more varied, sincere, and beautiful verse. Shakespeare was later to follow Marlowe’s example and use the natural rhythm of blank verse. Ofttimes, instead of using a rhyme, Marlowe uses other poetic techniques to give unity to a passage.
Who employed the mighty line in his plays?
The mighty line Marlowe is best known for his brilliant Doctor Faustus, the story of a university man (like Hamlet) who sold his soul to the devil. In both Doctor Faustus and the earlier, two-part play, Tamburlaine, Marlowe created what Ben Jonson called his “mighty line.”
Who said Marlowe’s mighty line?
Ben Jonson
In both Doctor Faustus and the earlier, two-part play, Tamburlaine, Marlowe created what Ben Jonson called his “mighty line.” Come Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Who employed the blank verse first?
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
The first known use of blank verse in the English language was by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey in his translation of the Æneid (composed c. 1540; published posthumously, 1554–1557).
What is Faustus greatest sin?
Doctor Faustus portrays pride as the sin at the root of Faustus’s fall. If he hadn’t been so full of himself, he never would have sold his soul to the devil. A whole boatload of sins, among them pride, covetousness, and despair, all work together to bring about Faustus’s fall.
Is Faustus sympathetic?
Faustus at first appears arrogant and short sighted. However, as the play goes on he becomes a more sympathetic character. He refuses to repent for his sins either because he is too prideful or because he believes that his actions cannot save him.
How did Arethusa fall in love with Artemis?
He fell in love during their encounter, but she fled after discovering his presence and intentions, as she wished to remain a chaste attendant of Artemis. After a long chase, she prayed to her goddess to ask for protection.
How is Arethusa related to the story of Doctor Faustus?
The reference to Arethusa, who was embraced by Jupiter, also has a more specific relationship to Faustus’ desire to embrace Helen of Troy. But basically, the name does carry heavy alliterative and resonant qualities. Throughout the drama, the student should be aware of the highly ornamental language that Marlowe uses.
How did Arethusa get to the island of Ortygia?
Artemis then broke the ground allowing Arethusa another attempt to flee. Her stream traveled under the sea to the island of Ortygia, but Alpheus flowed through the sea to reach her and mingle with her waters.
Where did the song The Aretusa come from?
The song of ‘The Aretusa’ originally appeared in a small opera or musical entertainment called ‘The Lock and Key’, which was acted in 1796. The Princess Royal was composed for the eldest daughter in Carolan’s time of The MacDermott Roe of Coolavin.