Which medieval dramatic tradition influenced Doctor Faustus?

Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus was significantly influenced by the medieval morality play tradition.1

Marlowe adopted the dramatic framework of these plays to structure his narrative around themes of temptation, the fall, and damnation. The play incorporates characteristic morality figures, such as the good and bad angels and the seven deadly sins, to externalize the protagonist's internal moral conflict.1

Morality plays, which emerged in the 15th century, were essentially dramatized sermons that used allegory to depict the human struggle between virtue and vice. By utilizing this tradition, Marlowe transformed a story of a necromancer’s pact with the devil into a sophisticated exploration of intellectual ambition, pride, and despair.231