English Language · English Literature
The textual history of Christopher Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus' is complex, with scholars debating the merits of the 1604 'A-text' versus the 1616 'B-text.' Which of the following statements accurately identifies a specific, major addition found in the B-text that fundamentally alters the staging and thematic scope of the play?
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- 1The B-text significantly expands the imperial and papal scenes, introducing the rival Pope Bruno, and features the physical torment of the Old Man by devils, which is entirely absent in the A-text.✓
- 2The B-text integrates the farcical elements directly into the main plot by having Faustus participate heavily in the clowning, whereas the A-text confines all comedic elements strictly to Robin and Rafe's isolated subplots.
- 3The B-text incorporates an extended epilogue delivered by Wagner that establishes his legal inheritance of Faustus's magical books, a detail excised from the A-text to emphasize absolute damnation.
- 4The A-text includes the rescue of the rival Pope Bruno, while the B-text replaces this sequence entirely with a strictly theological debate between Faustus and Mephistopheles in Rome.
Correct answer
The B-text significantly expands the imperial and papal scenes, introducing the rival Pope Bruno, and features the physical torment of the Old Man by devils, which is entirely absent in the A-text.
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