ABSTRACT
Books play an ambivalent role in Dr Faustus. On the one hand, they can be seen as repositories of accumulated wisdom. On the other hand, they have the potential to charm and ensnare readers in search of power and various forms of self-gratification. Within a short space of time, the learned Faustus of Marlowe’s play turns his back on one use of reading and opts for another – one that will deliver almost godlike power into his grasping hands.
