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Year 12 English Studies
Polished Writing Essay
How do the authors of ‘The Devil and Miss Prym’ (Paulo Coelho) and ‘Doctor Faustus’
(Christopher Marlowe) portray the themes of religion and morality?
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Year 12 English Studies
Polished Writing Essay
How do the authors of The Devil and Miss Prym (Paulo Coelho) and Doctor Faustus
(Christopher Marlowe) portray the themes of religion and morality?
The authors of The Devil and Miss Prym and Doctor Faustus, Paulo and Christopher
Marlowe respectively, have portrayed themes of religion and morality. Each text has
harnessed different techniques to present the underlying dichotomies within their central
themes. Although the similarities between portrayals are prominent, there is a
pronounced difference between ideas regarding heaven, hell, the devil, sin, choice and the
endless battle between good and evil.
The Devil and Miss Prym and Doctor Faustus offer a prominent recurring idea of religion
through their depiction of devil and angel opposition. Coelho’s novel portrays the devil as
an unseen influence on characters, representing their sinful stream of consciousness, ‘the
man opened the window of his room, hoping that the cold would silence the voice of his
devil.’ The dichotomy of these spirits is a metaphorical representation of the moral
conflict between heaven and hell. Similarly, Marlowe contrasts opposing entities of the
‘Good Angel’ and the ‘Bad Angel’ to illustrate the eternal battle between metaphysical
forces. Appearing as spirits, these characters portray the internal conflict within Doctor
Faustus, demonstrating his temptation from Lucifer and a chance to repent from God,
“Good Angel: Sweet Faustus, think of heaven and heavenly things.
Bad Angel : No Faustus, think of honor and wealth.”
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Word Count;
208
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Each side attempts to conquer Faustus’ soul. While Marlowe has contrasted these angels
throughout the play, Coelho has only depicted the light of an angel commencing its
growth. Throughout The Devil and Miss Prym a growing conflict develops within
individual characters; as Chantal’s angelic ‘light’ appears, her devil worries,
‘”Do something,” said Chantal’s devil to his colleague. “Even though she’s saying no, her
soul understands and is saying yes.”‘
The Stranger initially listens explicitly to his ‘devil’, but as the text develops, he is forced
to recognize the angel, ‘I don’t like this at all, thought the stranger’s devil, beginning to
see a bright light shining beside him.’ A spiritual struggle develops within Chantal which
Coelho uses to compare and emphasise the devil of The Stranger’s own nemesis.
Coelho’s text shows the angel and devil opposition as a development within individual
characters, whilst Marlowe shows it as already cultivated; Faustus is merely another soul
to conquer.
Although the devil and angel opposition portrays heaven and hell’s eternal battle, the
devil has been represented in both texts as a physical character. Mephistopheles is
initially regarded by Doctor Faustus as his servant, ‘I shall wait on Faustus whilst he
lives’ contrarily though, Faustus becomes nothing more than an instrument for Lucifer’s
mischief against God,
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Word Count;
420
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“Devise what best contents thy mind
By cunning in thine art to cross the Pope
Or dash the pride of his solemnity”
Faustus proceeds to wreak havoc and disarray among Cardinals and Bishops,
disregarding his initial grand ideas of reshaping continents, ‘I’ll join the hills that bind the
Afric shore/And make that country continent to Spain,’ and ruling them, ‘I’ll be a great
Emperor of the world.’ These speculations are destroyed as Faustus completes jovial acts
against religious figures. Faustus ridicules the Pope, becoming invisible and snatching his
wine, eventually striking him, ‘Take that!’ Marlowe generates pathos for his degeneration
and apparent servitude to the devil as his end draws near, ‘’Twas thy temptation Hath
robbed me of eternal happiness.’ This idea of a physical devil represented in contrast to
religious characters echoes the theme of religion in Doctor Faustus.
Though the literal presence of a devil is portrayed through Mephistopheles in Marlowe’s
Doctor Faustus, Paulo Coelho utilizes a symbolic character. Depersonalising The
Stranger through his aloof name, Coelho creates a carrier for the convictions of the devil.
Completely engulfed by his tragedy and haunted by his grief, The Stranger is offered
solitude by, ‘the prince of this world,’ a world of eternal suffering and terror- hell –
leading him determined to justify his suffering, desperately driven to, ‘conclude that we
are all evil.’ Coelho emphasises the idea of eternal conflict by converting an obstinately
pessimistic character to consider a new avenue of choice. Varying from Marlowe’s
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Word Count;
666
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tragical play in which Faustus is inevitably doomed, The Stranger allows a place for
antagonism between heaven and hell,
‘If … the village resists temptation…I will conclude that there are good and bad people,
which would mean that there’s a spiritual struggle going on.’
The Stranger eventually vies for the latter of his conclusions as Viscos refuses
temptation. The idea of choice concerning heaven and hell is reflected in the morality of
each text.
Choice of morality is a central tenet to Coelho’s and Marlowe’s texts, expressed with
vastly different outcomes. Doctor Faustus is offered repeated opportunities to repent,
‘Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee!’ and, ‘’Yet Faustus, look up to heaven and
remember mercy is infinite.’ Faustus believes he cannot repent, contradictory with The
Stranger in The Devil and Miss Prym. The outcome in Coelho’s novel differs; The
Stranger is redeemed, recognising that ‘It was all a matter of control. And choice.’ Doctor
Faustus fails to distinguish his ‘control’, believing he cannot be redeemed due to the
extent of his betrayal. A biblical allusion to the ‘Garden of Eden’ demonstrates his belief,
‘Faustus’ offense [sic] ne’er be pardoned. The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved but
not Faustus!’ This reference demonstrates the depths with which Faustus believes he has
acted immorally, predominantly in surrendering his soul to the devil, ‘Despair doth drive
distrust into my thoughts,’ alliteration highlighting the tragedy. In giving his, ‘body and
soul to Lucifer,’ Faustus betrays God, ‘God forbade it indeed, but Faustus hath done it.’
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Word Count;
919
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Coelho’s text portrays morality differently with The Stranger’s recognition of the power
of control and choice, unlike Faustus’ obstinate belief in damnation.
Doctor Faustus was repeatedly told by the Bad Angel, ‘Ay but Faustus never shall
repent,’ foreshadowed in the opening chorus, ‘Heavens conspired his overthrow! For
falling to a devilish exercise…he surfeits upon cursed necromancy.’ Faustus invariably
had the alternative to repent, yet the influence of a spirit prevents him from exploring this
idea. Coelho portrays the decision between ‘Good and Evil’ through Chantal and the
village of Viscos. The Stranger’s proposition to Chantal offers a bar of gold. Considering
the temptation, ‘A gold bar awaited her and it could take her anywhere in the world,’
despite this strong desire, ‘Good and Evil were waging a pitiless battle,’ inside her. Her
moral side triumphs and influences Viscos’ and The Stranger’s own social conscience. In
halting the villager’s sin of murder, Chantal allows the people a choice and in her short
period of time, a chance to, ‘become more aware of the situation, their fear was growing,
the sense of guilt was spreading,’ her moral actions in turn sway the villagers. Even the
seemingly impenetrable immorality of The Stranger is moved by her morality, ‘In a dark
corner of his soul, the forgotten light was once again shining brightly,’ demonstrating the
evident variation between Coelho’s positive ending and Marlowe’s tragic play finale. The
morality of Chantal expresses an optimistic presentation in The Devil and Miss Prym
while the influence of hell prevents Doctor Faustus from repenting, portraying a
pessimistic position.
Word Count;
1,179
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Coelho and Marlowe are parallel in their pessimistic ideas of sin, utilized as an extension
of the themes of morality and religion. Offered temptation, the villagers of Viscos in The
Devil and Miss Prym are engulfed with greed, envisioning prosperous times, ‘Imagine if
they earned enough money for the rest of their lives.’ Coelho describes the greed of ‘The
Priest’, ‘The Landowner’ and ‘The Blacksmith’ the depersonalizing titles illustrates
Viscos as a metaphor for the whole world, its fall to sin being a victory for evil, ‘If Evil
triumphed, even if it was in some small forgotten place … it could nevertheless go on to
contaminate the valley … the country … the whole world.’ This symbolic metaphor
extends to reasoning for The Stranger’s original proposal, ‘…the story of one man is the
story of all men,’ and is exhibited by Chantal’s individual choice to reject sin, choosing
not to break the commandment, ‘Thou shalt not steal,’ just as Viscos is influenced, ‘Thou
shalt not kill.’ This defiance to delve into sin reflects the positive interpretation of human
morality as portrayed by Coelho, an interpretation with which Marlowe explores a
contrary result.
Marlowe’s depiction of Faustus’ flirtation with sin results in the tragic damnation of the
protagonist, in which even in death he continues to dally with, ‘Cursed by the parents that
engendered me!’ Whilst Marlowe follows a similar conviction to Coelho’s portrayal of
metaphysical sin, he offers literal and explicit detail into the seven deadly sins as
summoned by Lucifer, ‘I am Pride, I disdain to have any parents…I’ll not speak a words
more for a king’s ransom unless the ground be perfumed.’ Faustus, shown these sights
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Word Count;
1,457
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falls deeper into the clutches of hell, ‘O, how this sight doth delight my soul,’ to which
Lucifer further exacerbates his passion, ‘But Faustus, in hell is all manner of delight.’
The Chorus foretells of Faustus’ downfall,
“Till swoll’n with cunning of a self-conceit
His waxen wings did mount above his reach”
The reference of ‘waxen wings’ is an allusion to the fall of Icarus who, like Doctor
Faustus, fell ‘melting’ due to his damning pride. In Faustus’ tragic downfall, aspired to
by sin, Marlowe has portrayed the combination of immorality and religion to subjugate
the individual to the wickedness of hell.
The people of Viscos and Lucifer in Doctor Faustus represent a similar portrayal of sin. A
‘moral debate’ between the significant figures of Viscos indicates the pride they have in
tradition, causing them to accept The Stranger’s proposition, ‘How shaming for our
generation; we let our children leave, we failed to keep them here.’ In surrendering to
temptation, the villagers indicate their pride to lead to their decision, ‘Soon we’ll all be
leaving the village, either for an old people’s home or to beg our children to taken in their
strange, ailing parents.’ Their pride in independence leads them to be blind to the
immorality of their decision. A similar idea of sin is shown in Doctor Faustus, however it
is a reversal of the villager’s predicament. Lucifer is cast out from heaven for, ‘aspiring
pride and insolence.’ In acting sinfully Lucifer strayed from the moral values of heaven
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Word Count:
1,708
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and was damned to hell. These ideas of sin portray the impacting effect religious choices
can have on morality.
Hell as an idea is portrayed most prevalently in Doctor Faustus. Mephistopheles once
experienced, ‘everlasting bliss’ in heaven and now in comparison, ‘in being deprived’ of
paradise he finds all around him to be hell,
“Doctor Faustus: How comes it then that thou art out of hell?
Mephistopheles: Why this is hell, nor am I out of it.”
Coelho’s character The Stranger expresses a similar idea, his narrative voice illustrating
an expansion on Mephistopheles dialogue, ‘(I’m) a man who found paradise when he
thought he was a prisoner of hell …and who found hell when could at last enjoy
paradise,’ his statement expressing to know the depths of hell, one must know heaven.
These ideas of heaven and hell run almost parallel, but Coelho extends Marlowe’s idea
and suggest hell is one we become trapped by, not realizing it could be heaven. Heaven
and hell has been used to portray religion, Coelho using the narrative voice and Marlowe
using dialogue and free verse.
The eternal dichotomies of heaven, hell, good and evil have been utilized by Coelho and
Marlowe to portray their ideas of religion and morality. Biblical allusions and sin have
been harnessed by both authors, yet it was the narrative voice of The Devil and Miss
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Word Count;
1,935
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Prym and the poetic nature and pathos of Doctor Faustus which communicated their ideas
succinctly. Though the ideas of each ran nearly parallel, it was the tragic way Marlowe
presented a pessimistic portrayal of human weakness that created contrast with Coelho’s
optimistic outlook of human choice.
Word Count;
1, 981
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