Because it focuses on Faustus' aspiration for divinity, Marlowe's Dr. Faustus illustrates the Elizabethan philosophy of the Great Chain of Being. Faustus sells his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge, making him like a divinity. This, along with the demons' desire to become as powerful as God, portrays the idea of the Great Chain of Being.
One dark, stormy night, Faustus stands in a magical circle marked with various signs and words and chants in Latin, "Sint mihi dii Acherontis propitii! Valeat numen triplex Jehovoe! Ignei, aerii, aquatani spiritus, salvete! (Marlowe) Su…
