The emergence of man’s folly begins from the moment God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. Their consumption of knowledge from the forbidden fruit carried their original sin onto all of their descendants. Just as insatiable curiosity drove Adam to accept the Devil’s temptation, Doctor Faustus’ lust for knowledge led to his pact with Lucifer and his actions imprisoned him in Hell for all eternity. Faustus’ fall from the eyes of God exemplifies the classic Renaissance tragedy, and it incorporates elements of medieval morality plays to impart a warning to those who stray from the path. Christopher Marlowe’s protagonist arouses fear of the unknown and the consequences of humanity’s sin. Faustus is a man trapped by his pride, and in …show more content…
His inherent hubris stemmed from his fervent passion for learning and began his steady decline from the eyes of God. Faustus was a brilliant scholar, but his success in theology cost his humility. His work in theology proved that he knew of God’s existence, yet his arrogance led him astray. Prior to his summoning of the demon Mephistopheles, Faustus claims “I, that have with concise syllogisms/ Graveled the pastors of the German church/ And made the flow’ring pride of Wittenberg swarm to my problems.” (Marlowe Doctor Faustus 1.1.115-117) After he calls upon the evil spirits of Hell, Faustus brags that he has great prowess for a demon of such high ranking to answer his summons. There is no doubt that the famed scholar acted on his own will, though he had discussed his actions with Valdes and Cornelius earlier. The evil that influenced Faustus resided in his soul, and it was through his own volition that he bartered spirit for twenty-four paltry years of debauchery. The punishment reaped upon Faustus at the denouement of the play is the result of the fate he forged for himself. However, his punishment in some ways exceeded his trespass. Faustus had many opportunities to repent, from the Good Angel who urged him to seek mercy, and the Old Man who attempted to persuade him from the path he took. The dormancy of his fatal pride that emerged with his predominance as a scholar eliminated …show more content…
Frustratingly, Faustus continually remains blind to the destruction his actions cause to himself. He condemns Mephistopheles for his sins, but Faustus called him forth through dark magic. At certain points during the play, Faustus doubts his damnation to the shadowy hell that awaits him once his promised twenty-four years of debauchery have ended. In conversing with Mephistopheles, Faustus claims “Come, I think hell’s a fable” and then, “Why, think’st thou then that Faustus shall be damned?” (Marlowe, Doctor Faustus 2.1.128 & 130) When his sins finally ensnare him so that he cannot deny his fate, Faustus nearly attempts to atone for his foolish ephemeral pursuit of power. His inner conflict pertains to the choices of the past rather than the Evil Angel and Good Angel that had tried to persuade him of the path he should take before. Just as before, he cannot find it within himself to quell his pride and beg for forgiveness. The innate weakness within the moral fiber of his character breaks before the threat of violence that Mephistopheles threatens to unleash on him should he try to call on God to pardon him. At the last moment, Faustus in his last moments on Earth to
This excerpt reveals that Faustus, although he has had much success and is widely recognized for it, yearns for further discovery, a limitless experience, a power that physically is beyond him. Later in the same scene, he clearly states his solution to this quandary, “A Sound magician is a mighty god. Here Faustus, try thy brains to gain a deity” (63 – 64). In order to achieve this for even a limited time however, he must exceed natural human boundaries. In his search for a means to do so, he forms a new boundary, namely the loss of control over his soul, in scene 5 through a contract with Lucifer.
...deed, proverb has it that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Had Faustus not become so preoccupied with the indulgent of his physical pleasures (which he did to so great an extent that his reasoning and judgement began to atrophy and cloud), that he was blinded to the infinite mercy of God, he could have been saved, even at the last moment. Faustus is damned because he was too concerned with the mortal material world, and this concern blinded him to the immortal and immaterial world. He chose to forgo the infinite happiness of Heaven, so that he could indulge in transient happiness here on earth. This concern for material beauty (Helen) damned him eternally.
Faustus, too, is a superior being. He consciously removes the yoke of academia, and exerts his free will. After freely entering into his contract with Lucifer, he repeatedly considers repenting. When he calls on Christ to help "save distressed Faustus' soul," the evil trinity of Lucifer, Belzebub, and Mephostophilis appear, possibly to tear him to pieces. Under duress, he vows, "never to name God or pray to him." However, with only one-half hour left on earth, he calls on God. Faustus, forever the horse trader, tries to strike a deal with God. He asks God, for Christ's sake and blood, to limit his time in hell from a thousand to a hundred thousand years.
Doctor Faustus is a doctor of theology that wants no limits on what he can know or see or do so he sells his soul to the devil to gain these desires. While reading or observing Marlowe's fascinating play the reader or observer should apply the "New Historicism Approach," and take in to consideration Marlowe's and the 1590s society's beliefs, habits of thought, and biases about various concepts of obtaining the "forbidden knowledge". Like the people of the 1590s, Doctor Faustus searches for the "forbidden knowledge", begins to deny God during his quest for greater knowledge, and gains nothing from his vain activities throughout his lifetime. After these listed characteristics have been established one can begin to visualize the relationship between Marlowe's, Doctor Faustus and the beliefs and thoughts of the people of the 1590s.
Having attained all that he desires from the knowledge of man, Marlowe’s character Faustus turns to the only remaining school of thought that he feels he must master which is the art of necromancy. In his pursuits, he manages to summon the devil Mephistopheles, arch demon of hell, and strikes a deal to trade his immortal soul with Lucifer in exchange for being granted an infinite amount of power and knowledge that extends even beyond the limits of human understanding. However in the process of negotiating the terms of his pact, it becomes clear that Faust is in a constant state of uncertainty in terms of whether he should repent and forsake the arrangement or simply go through with it. This underlying theme of internal struggle is introduced very early and reappears in later acts with the appearance of established binaries that suggest a theme of division not only among the character of John Faustus, but within the written text as a whole. This suggests that Faustus is meant to serve as a symbol for the divided nature of man and the consequences of failing to negotiate the struggles that are a result of the divided self.
He allows Faust to find more meaning to life which he at the start of the play described as unsatisfying. It is Faust, who is on the verge of taking his life he finds to be pointless yet in the final scene he has formed a meaningful opinion on life. This can be seen while he is attempting to save Gretchen and wants her to follow her "into freedom" (line 4537). He no longer sees just a "paper world". The devil has led him to live satisfying moments with Gretchen. He experiences emotion and love because of him for the first time. Furthermore, Mephistopheles ironically serves as passage to heaven for Faust. When Mephistopheles visits heaven the Lord tell him "you may feel free to come and call. You are a type I never learned to hate" (line 336). This demonstrates that although he is the devil, Mephistopheles is not a typical force of evil. Rather, he symbolizes that Faust too can enter heaven even though he has made a wager with the devil.
The first appearance of Faust in the story finds him having doubts about himself and the worth of his time spent in education. Undeterred by this depression, we see his pride has not diminished as he declares he is “cleverer than these stuffed shirts, these Doctors, M.A.s, Scribes and Priests, I’m not bothered by a doubt or a scruple, I’m not afraid of Hell or the Devil” (Goethe 633). Turning to magic to fill the void in his life, Faust conjures a spirit, but shrinks back from it in fear. In the ensuing argument between them, Faust asserts that he is the spirits “equal” (Goethe 637). Mephisto’s second visit at Faust’s residence leads them to having a drawn out discussion over the proposal of Mephisto serving Faust in exchange for his soul. Common sense might ask why a person would willingly discuss a deal with the devil knowing that it probably won’t end well. This instance would have to be answered that the imperious pride of Faust made him “so rash that he would give no heed to the salvation of his soul He thought the devil could not be so black as he is painted nor hell so hot as is generally supposed” (Fischer 107). In spite of his vast education, Faust’s pride pulls him into wagering his soul with Mephisto and causing the deaths of others and his
The relationship between Faustus and Mephastophilis creates a dynamic that is rejected by society at this time. Although Faustus is well educated, he still lacks the one thing he truly desires: someone to control him, especially in a sexual manner. When Faustus decides to give Mephastophilis his soul for servitude, Faustus proclaims: “Lo, Mephastophilis, for love of thee, / I cut my arm, and with my proper blood, / Assure my soul to be great Lucifer’s,” (I.V.53-54). The declaration of love for Mephastophilis suggests that Faustus realized that, by giving Mephastophilis his soul, he will be able to gain his desire for control through Mephastophilis acting as his servant and granting him his wishes. Faustus does not realize until the last line of the play, however, that Mephastophilis is the one who is
A play based upon power and wealth, sin and redemption, it portrays a religious understanding of the consequences an individual receives when contacting the Devil and defying God. Faustus is a brilliant, yet egoistic German scholar with the desire to gain world knowledge, wealth, and power by practicing magic. Faustus was introduced to black magic as summons up the devil, Mephistopheles, for his service, but he has to agree to the offer from his master, Lucifer: twenty-four years of Mephistopheles’s service in exchange for his soul. With Mephistopheles at his service now, Faustus gains everything he could ever wished for: luxury gifts, book of spells, and enchanting powers; however, those gifts, soon, overcomes him and negatively alters his character. Faustus quoted, “Had I as man soul as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistopheles. By him I’ll be great emperor of the world” (Scene 3, Lines 102-104). He uses his ability to travel around the world to perform magic and trickery on others rather than using them for higher goals. As his time limit has reached the end of Faustus’s deal, he starts to feel terror and regret as he begs to keep his soul though it is too late, quoting: “O I’ll leap up to my God! Who pulls me down? See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament! One drop would save my
III. Faustus is portrayed as a very individual character. He changes and is shaped by the events that happen all around him. Everything he does affects his future outcome. For example his decision to give up his studies of medicine were very un-stereotypical of a character that is studying to be a doctor to do. Even more so is his decision to take upon the necromantics of the devil. He says, “Then read no more; thou hast attain'd that end: A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit.” (1.11) He believes that he has learned enough information about all the great things of the world and there is nothing left to study that will intrigue him as much as magic will. His curious personality affects the play because his decisions determine the plot. For example the Seven Deadly Sins entice him so he becomes convinced not to repent his sin. This characterizes him as gullible, curious and adventurous. He becomes obsessed with his magic and he absolutely loves having the powers to do anything he pleases. An example of this is when he conjures up Helen. He knows he can do whatever he wants without reservation so he chooses to conjure the woman who launched a thousand ships. This shows that not only is he gullible, curious and obsessed but also Faustus only wishes for the best in whatever he does; the best that will please him.
In the opening soliloquy, Faustus quotes scripture saying, “The reward of sin is death. That's hard...If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us. Why then belike we must sin, and so consequently die...What doctrine call you this? Che sera, sera, what will, shall be? Divinity, adieu!” (Marlowe 348). Oddly enough, the reason Faustus rejects religion becomes the reason he refuses to rectify his ways. He believes that eternal damnation is his fate. Even before the Doctor formally agrees to trade his soul he concludes that God will not save him saying, “The god thou servest is thine own appetite, wherein is fixed the love of Beelzebub. To him I’ll build an altar and a church, and offer lukewarm blood of new-born babes” (Marlowe 360), when simple logic, which he earlier rejected as lowly and simplistic, suggests that all he must do to escape this fate is not make a pact with the devil. Directly after this statement the personifications of Faustus' duel nature, the Good and Evil Angels, arrive on the scene. The fact that Faustus still has a conscience se...
Dr Faustus is a short play written by Christopher Marlowe. The play is a masterful insight into the paradoxical soul of mankind and its ironically self inflicted corruption. The play could be classified as a theological allegory. It can be assumed that the play specifically speaks to the religious motivations of the time, but can be adapted to the present as well. Marlowe portrays Faustus’ ambition as dangerous; it was the cause of his demise. Perhaps Marlowe used the theme of over-ambition as a warning to the audience, who would be likely to be wary of ambition - it was looked down on as a negative personality trait in Christian England (Calvinism) (Munteanu, Class notes). An on going theme within the story is the corruption of a soul which is played out through the use of religious beliefs. Specifically, the use of the seven deadly sins is a precursor to man kinds self inflicted death. Marlowe uses sin, redemption and damnation to get his point across to the audience. The sins that Marlowe specifically uses are those of: pride, covetousness, wrath, envy, gluttony, sloth and lechery. Theses sins are colourfully displayed through the character traits of Dr Faustus. In the process we view them and can adapt them to our own lives and how they are all parts to the corruption of our souls.
A conclusion that one may draw from analyzing these texts is that pride is where all evil begins because it creates the illusion that anyone can do anything at any point in time. This is seen in both Lucifer and Faustus as they go on throughout the story making wrong choices and thinking that there will be no greater consequence and this feeling of elevation is mainly attributed to arrogance. One of the biggest impacts that these works make is to illustrate the ‘falling’ part of temptation. When both Lucifer and Faustus decided to take the wrong way and go against God for their own interests, both of them fell from a very high place without any chance of returning. Lucifer who was one considered the angel of light fell into a pit of fire full of pain and agony. Similarly, Faustus who had once been a man of great knowledge in the matters of God brought damnation upon himself by choosing to side with evil instead of
Unaware that he is guilty of committing these sins, pride first leads Faustus into being extremely greedy, and this greediness acts in opposition to the will of God. While ambition is admirable, it appears to be a negative trait when it is not used for good. It appears that Faustus wanted to gain this knowledge for himself and not for the well-being of all people. Being so adamant about gaining this power
Doctor Faustus, also referred to as The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe. This play is based on a German story where a man sells his soul to the devil in quest for knowledge and power (Sales 340. The protagonist in this play is Doctor Faustus. Doctor Faustus was hungry of power and knowledge and in search for them; he sold his soul to the devil. At first, he was very happy with the praise he received from the people as they considered him a hero. Later on, Faustus learns that he committed a grave mistake of selling his soul to the devil for twenty-four years. Even though he felt remorseful for his mistakes, it was already late for him. He is later found by his fellow scholars dead and torn from limb to limb. Faustus was a heroic fool who only thought of power and never thought of eternal damnation.