Dr Faustus
By Christopher Marlowe
A Dummies Guide
By Amanda Pinsoneault, Sam Hall, and Samantha Tilley
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Table of Content:
Biography .......................3
Basics..............................4
Characters.......................5
Setting.............................10
Plot..................................10
Themes......................11
Symbols.....................13
Motifs........................14
Defined Terms and Translations.......14
Scene Summaries..................17
“Faustian Bargain”...................20
Essays
Amanda P…….22
Samantha T………..27
Sam H……………32
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Biography
Name: Christopher Marlowe
Born: Was baptised on February 26th 1564 in Canterbury England. It is unknown as to whether
that was also his date of birth.
Died: May 30th 1593 in Deptford England
Occupation: playwright, poet, dramatist, and translator of the Elizabethan era.
Education: He attended ‘The King’s School’ and ‘Corpus Christi College. ( He studied and
received his BA in 1587. The university hesitated to give him is MA because of rumors that he
had converted to Roman Catholicism and was going to study priesthood. However, the Privy
Council intervened commanding him for is ‘good service’ to the queen. It is unknown what that
theory is. However, it was speculated that he was working as a secret agent.
DID YOU KNOW (Fun Facts)

Marlowe influenced Shakespeare.

Marlowe’s plays are known for their blank verses and their protagonists.

A warrant was issued for Marlowe’s arrest, (on May 18 1593) although no real reason
was given. (It was said to be connected to “allegations of blasphemy.” He was
brought to court 5 days later for questioning. There was no record of them meeting
either. However, 10 days later, he was stabbed to death. It is unknown if the stabbing
has to do with the arrest or not.

Marlowe was only two months older than Shakespeare.
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
Marlowe has been described as a spy, a brawler, a homosexual, a heretic as well as a
"duellist,” "tobacco-user,” "counterfeiter,” “magician,” as well as a rakehell (someone
up to mischief, more than not a frequent and heatless womanizer)

J.B Steane commented once that: “it seems absurd to dismiss all of these Elizabethan
rumours and accusations as 'the Marlowe myth”

There is a theory that Marlowe faked his own death, and then began to write under
the name of W. Shakespeare.
THE MARLOWE MYTH

A government spy

An atheist (a dangerous thing to be during those times/ enemy of god.)

A Homosexual (However, in that era, the term was more commonly used in
connection to a sexual act than an orientation. The homosexuality becomes more
profound in his works, and that is where the speculation comes from.)
Basics of Faustus
Full Title: The Tragicall History of D. Faustus
Author: Christopher Marlowe
Genre: Tragedy
Time and Place Written: 1590’s, England
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First Published: 1604
Narration: Occasionally from Chorus
Point of View: D. Faustus
Tone: Extravagant, tragic, occasionally comedic
Tense: Usually present, occasionally past
Structure: Pros, blank verse
Characters
Faustus:

Protagonist

Intelligent 16th century scholar from Wittenberg, Germany

demonstrates he is a tragic hero (greed)

Wants to gain knowledge at any cost (particularly his soul)

Uses religious vocabulary throughout play like he believes what he does is worthy of heaven

Does see the error in his ways

Constantly considers repenting but does not

Tries to at end, but it's too late
Mephistopheles :

A devil minion of lucifer
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
Faustus summons him with magic

Meph.'s intentions are not clear:
o
Admits to wanting to capture fautus's soul
o
Warns him against making deal with lucifer by warning him of the horrors of hell

Also a tragic character

Meph. Is an image of of what Faustus will become: meph. Has fallen from heaven and mourns the
loss of god. Faustus has "risen up" so high the only way is down
Chorus:

Stands outside story

Narrates/ comments occasionally

Connects Dr Faustus with Greek tragedy where a chorus is customary
Old Man:

Mysterious

Only appears in final scene

Urges Faustus to repent and insists God will have mercy on him

Seems to replace angels (though they do reappear, but the good angel fails to suggest advice for a
good path to Faustus) as a figure of conscience

Can possibly be the personification of God
Good Angel:
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
Tries to stop Faustus from making pact with Lucifer

Urges Faustus to repent after he does make pact

Represents good half of conscience ("angel on my shoulder")

Fails Faustus at end of his life
Evil Angel:

Persuades Faustus into making pact with Lucifer

Constantly at odds with good angel

Stops Faustus from repenting

Represents bad half of conscience ("devil on my shoulder")
Lucifer:

Direct translation from latin: "light-bearer"
o
Name given to "Morning Star" aka Venus when seen at dawn

Ruler of hell, prince of devils

Master of Mephistopheles
Wagner:

Faustus's servant

Uses Faustus's books to summon the dead
Clown:

Becomes Wagner's servant

Comic relief contrasts with play
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Robin and Rafe:

Inkeepers

Comic relief (idiotic)

they do basic conjuring, proving that intellect is not important in performing magic
Valdes and Cornelius:

Friends of Faustus

Teach him black magic

Encourage his choice in the magical field
Horse-courser:

Buys a horse from Faustus

Faustus warns him not to ride into water

When he rides into water with horse, it vanishes

He seeks revenge
Scholars:

Colleagues at Unviersity of Wittenberg

Loyal to Faustus

Appear at beginning and end of play
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
See Faustus's change in study and hear his confession about dealing with Lucifer
The Pope:

Head of Roman Catholic Church

Powerful political figure in Europe in 16th century

Is toyed with by Faustus, showing the rejection of Faustus's religious beliefs
Emperor Charles V:

Holy Roman Emperor

Most powerful monarch in Europe

Faustus visits his court
Knight:

German nobleman in emperor's court

Skeptical of Fautus's power

Faustus makes antlers sprout from his head

Seeks revenge, plans to murder Faustus
Duke of Vanholt:

German nobleman whom Faustus visits
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Setting
Time: 1580's
Place: Europe, Mostly Germany and Italy.
Plot
The plot does not take a classic “triangle” form.
Exposition: Starts out relatively high when Faustus is introduces as a necromancer.
Rises slightly when Faustus strikes bargain with Mephistophilis
Falls throughout rest of play until...
The hour before Faustus’s death, rises steeply
Climax: Faustus’s death
No falling action
Resolution: Chorus ends the story without falling from climax.
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Themes
Sin, Redemption, and Damnation
Acting contrary to God
Faustus disobeys God by making a pact with Lucifer
Redeeming oneself after sinning
Faustus has several opportunities to ask God for forgiveness
Sinning without repenting = damnation
Faustus does not repent in time, damning him to Hell
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Medieval Values vs. Renaissance Values
Medieval: God and religion at core of values
Renaissance: the individual, learning, scientific inquire at core of values
Faustus rejects the religious values in his life to pursue education without limitation
Faustus pays medieval price for Renaissance lifestyle
Knowledge of Knowledge Sake
There is only so much you can do with infinite knowledge
Before making the pact, Faustus’s soliloquy suggests great potential with the power he would
obtain
When he obtains the knowledge, Faustus does little of value with it
Man’s Divided Nature
Unable to be of one frame of mind
Faustus internally struggles between repenting and returning to God and keeping his pact with
Lucifer
The Good Angel and Evil Angel personify his divided nature
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Symbols
Blood
Signs contract to Lucifer in blood, symbolises binding supernatural pact
Sees “Christ’s blood” in the sky on his final night, symbolising the blood shed by Christ in his
sacrifice for the sins of others to allow humankind to repent
Rejection of Ancient Authorities by Faustus
Faustus rejects Aristotle when considering logic
Rejects Galen when considering medicine
Rejects Justinian when considering law
Rejects Jerome’s Bible when considering theology
Good Angel and Evil Angel
Symbolise Faustus’s divided will between God and Lucifer
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Motifs
Magic and Supernatural
Angels, devils, conjuring
Magic does not actually serve a purpose beyond pleasure
Practical Jokes
Uses magic for this purpose
Torments the pope, knight, horse-courser etc.
Used to show Faustus’s decline in ambition
Defined Terms and Translations
Wertenberg - A former state of Germany before it's partition in World War II.
Corpus natural - the consecrated host on the altar.
Phlegmatic - Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
Lechery - Excessive or offensive sexual desire; lustfulness.
Countenance - A person's face or facial expression.
Precisian - a person who adheres punctiliously to the observance of rules or forms, especially in matters
of religion.
Rector - ruler
Orion - constellation also known as "the Hunter".
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Welkin – sky, upper air.
Hest – to command.
Anagrammatized – so form an anagram/ to transpose
Adjunct - A thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part.
Sint mihi dei Acherontis propitii! Valeat numen triplex Jehovoe!
Ignei, aerii, aquatani spiritus, salvete! Orientis princeps
Belzebub, inferni ardentis monarcha, et Demogorgon, propitiamus
vos, ut appareat et surgat Mephistophilis, quod tumeraris:[52]
per Jehovam, Gehennam, et consecratam aquam quam nunc spargo,
signumque crucis quod nunc facio, et per vota nostra, ipse nunc
surgat nobis dicatus[53] Mephistophilis!
Let there be, will be gracious to me of God of Acheron! Farewell, a threefold deity
Jehovoe! The fire, air, the spirit of aquatani, welcome!
Beelzebub the prince of the East, monarch of burning hell,
and Demogorgon, be merciful to you, that he may appear and there should arise a
Mephistophilis. Why do you delay? by "Jehovah", Gehenna,
and this holy water which I now sprinkle, and the signal
of the cross which I now make, and through our prayers, himself now
there should arise a Mephistophilis dedicated to us! "
Laureat - in association with literary or military glory.
Quin regis Mephistophilis fratris imagine.
- But the king's brother, a Mephistopheles.
Per accidens – by accident
Belzebub - Demonic figure meaning "Lord of the Flies"
Elysium - conception of the afterlife that evolved over time.
Jove – king/god of thunder.
Potentate - informal term for a person with potent, usually supreme, power.
Qui mihi discipulus - I was a student
Staves
one of the thin, narrow, shaped pieces of wood thatform the sides of a cask, tub, or similar vessel.
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Knaves-acre
Guilders - golden
Gridirons - A frame of parallel bars or beams, typically in two sets arranged at right angles, in particular.
Baliol - spirit
Belcher - spirit
quasi vestigiis nostris insistere - in the footsteps of our stop.
Contrition - sincere and complete remorse
Lunancy - condition suffered by a lunatic
Signiory - the position and authority of a feudal lord
Embden near the mouth of the river Ems, was an important commercial town in Elizabethan times.
Veni - come
Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris – Misery loves company
Consummatum est - Conflicting desires between serving God or loving a woman.
situ et tempore? - the location and time?
dominion or intelligentia? - lord or intelligence?
Per inoequalem motum respectu totius. - Inoequalem the motion to the whole.
Styx - river passage to the underworld in Greek mythology
Acheron - river located in the Epirus region of northwest Greece
Fiery lake of ever-burning Phlegethon
summum bonum - the greatest or supreme good
maledicat Dominus! - curse the Lord!
Et omnes Sancti! - And all the Saints!
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Ostler - A person employed at an inn, hostelry, or stable
ecce, signum - Here, the signal
Vintner - wine merchant
O, nomine Domini - Oh, the name of the Lord
Peccatum peccatorum! - The sin of sins!
Misericordia pro nobis! - Mercy for us!
Paramour - lover, esp. the illicit partner of a married person.
Fustian - variety of heavy woven cloth
Flagitious - Criminal; villainous
Ilium - uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis
Menelaus - legendary king of Mycenaean
O lente, lente currite, noctis equi! - Oh slowly, slowly run, steeds of night!
Ireful - wrathful
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus. - Terminates the day the term of work.
Scene Summaries






Prologue:
Chorus introduces dr faustus and his pursuit of dark magic
an ordinary man's story is just as worthy of being told as that of a king
Scene 1:
Faustus debates in soliloquy which form of scholarship he should perfect.
Says logic is only good for disputes, and faustus already has good debating skills
Medicine is the most fruitful pursuit, but he has already gone far in the field of medicine and it has
brought him little satisfaction
Law only is concerned with petty problems, not large ones
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

St Jerome's bible stating all men sin, and "the reward of sin is death" is an unacceptable
punishment, so Religion and theology is
Says:
o "the reward of sin is death"
o [i]f we say we that we have no sin, / We deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us” (1. 40 43)

Doesn't say:
o "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness" (John 1:9)

Decides magic will make him "a mighty god" (1. 62)


Faustus sends Wagner to get Valdes and Cornelius to help him learn magic
Before they arrive, a good and evil angel try to convince him out of and into practicing dark magic
respectively
Faustus proves he listened to the evil angel when they disappear by fantasizing about the wealth
and power he can obtain with the aid of spirits






Faustus greats valdes and cornelius and informs them of his pursuit of magic
They agree to teach him what they know and describes the powers he will have
Cornelius tell him magic will command his full attention is study
Valdes informs him of books faustus should read
Faustus invites them to dinner
Scene 2-4
Scene Five
In scene five, Faustus begins to question whether or not he should sell his soul. The good angel
attempts to continue to change Faustus’ mind, but he fails to do so. The main factor to Faustus
insisting that he will sell his soul is that he believes that God does not love him. Once the evil angel
appears alongside the good angel, he succeeds in persuading him to sell his soul by claiming that the
gain is larger than the cost. Upon agreeing to the twenty four year bargain, Faustus must sign a deed
in his own blood. When he attempts to do this, however, his blood begins to congeal and prevents him
from signing it. He gets fire in order to loosen his blood by heating it, but takes this as a hint that even
his body thinks selling his soul is a bad idea. He disregards this thought and signs the deed, and then
realizes that he cannot repent and he will never be able to go back to god, even after trying to appeal
to Christ for mercy.
Scene Six
Scene six demonstrates what Robin, a stablehand, is doing while Faustus is signing this deed. He is
trying to learn some of the spells in one of Faustus’ conjuring books. He then leaves to the bar with
Rafe the innkeeper, and Robin uses these spells to create wine for Rafe.
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Chorus 2
In Chorus 2, Wagner explains how Faustus had travelled through the heavens. He says that he went
there on a chariot pulled by dragons, and learned the secrets of astronomy on his journey. Wagner
says that Faustus’ next stop will be Rome in order to measure the coasts and kingdoms of the world.
Scene 7
Scene seven begins with Faustus telling Mephastophilis about his journey through Europe. Faustus
discovers that monuments that he would like to discover are in the pope’s privy chamber. Faustus and
Mephastophilis appear at the Pope’s celebration disguised as two cardinals. The pope send them to
the dungeon, but the two then become invisible and escape to watch the pope’s dinner. They play
pranks on the pope, and cause the churchmen to believe that there are ghosts amongst them. As the
pope leaves the table, Faustus boxes his ear, causing everyone to run away.
Scene 8
Robin and Rafe return on stage with a cup which they stole from the bar. When a wine making
pressures them to return the cup, they deny having it. Robin then summons Mephastophilis to make
the vinter leave. Mephastophilis is furious with the
two men for doing this. He threatens to turn them into an ape and a dog, and the two do not take his
threat seriously. Mephastophilis remains angry and joins Faustus in his travels to Turkey.
Chorus 3
The Chorus enters, and tells the audience of Faustus’ return home. Faustus is now in Germany, and is
famous from sharing his knowledge which he acquired from his travels across Europe. Charles V,
Germany’s emperor, invites Faustus to his palace. Here, he would like to hear about Faustus’ travels
after hearing about him.
Scene 9:
While waiting in the court of the emperor, two gentlemen discuss the arrival of Faustus. Martino,
one of the gentlemen waiting, commented that Faustus had previously agreed to conjure up
Alexander the Great. When Faustus stands before the emperor, he declares that any wish he might
have, Faustus would grant. The emperor declared that he wished to see Alexander the Great and his
lover, but Faustus said he could not produce bodies, but could create their spirits, and so he did.
Scene 10:
Faustus sells his horse to a horse-courser, and warns him not to ride his horse into water. Later, the
horse-courser returns, soaking wet, complaining that he horse turned into straw when he attempted
to ride it into water. The horse-courser wishes to have his money back, but Faustus would not wake.
In an attempt to awaken him, he pulls on Faustus’ leg, which promptly fell off. After the horsecourser ran away, Faustus laughed at his own wit.
Scene 11:
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Faustus is back at the court of the Duke, conjuring up illusions that will win the Duke’s favor.
However, Faustus notices that the Duchess is not impressed, and asks what she would like, to which
she replies, a dish of ripe grapes. Afterwards, the Duke and Duchess are greatly impressed and
Faustus is promised great rewards.
Chorus 4:
Wagner announces that Faustus must be about to die, but is unsure of himself because Faustus
looks not like a man who is being plagued with death.
Scene 12:
Faustus enters with scholars and produces Helen of Troy, to which everyone was delighted. Once
the scholars leave, an old man appears and attempts to persuade Faustus to repent. Faustus
declines and once the man leaves, he reconfirms his vow to Lucifer. Faustus then conjures Helen
again, tells her of her beauty, and then kisses her.
Scene 13:
This is the final night of Faustus’ life, and he tells the scholars of his deal with Lucifer. Each are
horrified and ask if there is anything they can do to stop it. As the clock strikes closer to midnight,
Faustus begins to understand the repercussions of his actions, and begins to plead for mercy. At
midnight, the gate of hell opens up, and Lucifer takes Faustus.
Epilogue: The chorus enters and warns those not to trade their souls for prohibited information.
Faustian Bargain
Also known as "making a deal with the devil"
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Recurring theme in literature over the years
Price is usually high
Most common deal is the exchange between one's soul for knowledge, power, or talent
Exchange of soul is used because it is meant to represent what is good in us, and when it is given up, you
have truly pushed yourself away from God or goodness
The deal isn't always made with the "devil" himself, but can be made with a demon of lower rank
After the deal is made, the devil usually finds loopholes to make what you've gained a curse or take it
away from you all together
This results in the devil gaining your soul for what seems like a high price to the soul-giver at first, but
ends up being low in value. A bargain.
In connection to Dr Faustus
Faustus's greatest desire is to be the most powerful man in Europe
He believes he can achieve this through all knowledge in one field (magic)
He summons Mephastophilis and sends him to Lucifer to propose a deal: Mephistophilis would be his
slave for twenty four years in exchange for his soul
With Mephistophilis as his slave, Faustus accomplishes next to nothing
None of his wishes are fulfilled
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Can't even speak of God without Mephistophilis's anger
Turns into a cheap version of David Copperfield, conjuring little apparitions for the amusement of the
great leaders of Europe instead of using the magic to become one
He is not the master, but the servant
Twenty four years after the deal is struck, and Lucifer sends devils to drag Faustus to hell.
Faust = latin for "auspicious" or "lucky"
Not always associated with literally selling one's soul
Can mean a deal that appears to be good, but there's a very bad catch to it
The "devil" can mean anyone with low morals, therefore, selling out to someone with no morals
Essays
Amanda Pinsoneault
Mr. P Murray
ETS 4U
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April 10, 2012
Mephistophilis: Manifestation of Faustus’s Future Fate
The protagonist in Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of D. Faustus is
faced with many warnings against the pact he makes with Lucifer, but one of the most
insistence warnings comes from the demon Mephistophilis; not vocally, but as an
example of what will come of him. Instead of painting Mephistophilis as ruthless demon
with no pity, Marlowe turns him into a romantic character, a tragic hero of sorts, just as
Dr Faustus is. By revealing Mephistophilis’s past and his emotions toward it and his
current state of being, similarities are easily seen between him and Dr. Faustus.
Mephistophilis’s quest for power and fall from grace make him into an example of why
not to choose the path he does – if he does, he will become like him; damned and
miserable in Hell. It’s when Faustus makes the decision to sell his soul that he seals his
fate as being the same Mephistophilis’s.
Both tragic characters began in a position of high respect. Mephistophilis was
once an angel in heaven before there was ever a Hell. Though not of high ranking like
Lucifer, he was still respected as divine and worthy to look on God’s face. Like
Mephistophilis, Faustus was well respected by fellow scholars at his University. He was
considered to be a brilliant doctor, but like Mephistophilis, that wasn’t enough for him.
The reason Faustus and Mephistophilis suffer the same fate begins with their choice to
pursue power. There mutual decisions set their fate in motion, inevitably turning out the
same. According to Christian beliefs, Mephistophilis joined Lucifer’s army to overthrow
God and take a place of hierarchy for himself (Uknown). He made the choice to join
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Lucifer instead of remain in the grace of God. When Faustus asks “What are you that
live with Lucifer?” Mephistophilis answers “Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer,/
Conspir’d against our God with Lucifer,/ And are for ever damn’d with Lucifer” (Marlowe
1. 3. 68-70). Mephistophilis admits that he wanted to aid Lucifer in his battle for greater
power.
Power is also what Faustus was seeking when he rejects his medical studies and
Christian beliefs to pursue magic. “O what a world of profit and delight,/ of power, of
honour, of omnipotence/ Is promised to the studious artisan!”(1.1.50– 52). Faustus
believes that the more knowledge he acquires, the more powerful he will be, but the
knowledge he wants is of magic, which is considered to be “blasphemy”. He makes a
deal with Lucifer that if for the next twenty four years Mephistophilis acted as his slave,
Faustus would give his soul to Lucifer. In doing this, Faustus is now in allegiance with
Lucifer just as Mephistophilis was when he joined his army against God.
As mentioned above, Mephistophilis did fall with Lucifer when his army was
vanquished by God’s angels. God cast them out of His kingdom to be damned forever
in Hell. When Faustus turns his back on God, he falls out of favour with Him and is cast
from Heaven before ever reaching it. When he dies, his soul goes to hell and all the
knowledge he possessed becomes trivial. Faustus has fallen from his high status of
scholar to being a mediocre magician who is damned in Hell for blasphemy.
In the thirds scene of the play, Mephistophilis vocalises his regrets to Faustus in
hopes that he will decide not to deal with Lucifer.
“Why this is hell, nor am I out of it.
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Think’st thou that I who saw the face of God,
and tasted the eternal joys of Heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells,
In being depriv’d of everlasting bliss?
O Faustus! leave these frivolous demands,
Which strike a terror to my fainting soul” (1.3. 74-80).
His regrets come too late for Mephistophilis to ever be redeemed, but they are a
warning to Faustus who has not sold his soul yet in this scene. Mephistophilis glorifies
Heaven and even warns Faustus against making the same mistake he made. Faustus
of course did not comply just then, but tried to repent in his last moments of living. It
was then too late; God would not accept his repentance. This is evident to Faustus
when he continually begs for mercy from God but receives none. He then shifts his
pleads in hopes that what he asks for is more reasonable, “Let Faustus live in hell a
thousand years – / A hundred thousand, and – at last – be sav’d!” (1.13. 63-64).
Receiving no sign from any divine spirits, Faustus regrets his choices all the way to his
grave – or until he’s dragged offstage by devils.
The final step these two tragic hero’s have in common before being eternally
damned the last trace of God they see. This image remains with them after they can
no longer see it. When Mephistophilis speaks of the Heaven he once was a part of and
the “face of God” that he looked upon, it is clear that these memories are still strong
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within him. They are which makes everything that is not Heaven Hell to him. After his
damnation, God still resonates in Mephistophilis’s memory as something beautiful.
In Faustus’s last scene, he remarks in his final soliloquy that he see’s Christ’s
blood in the sky. “See where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!/ One drop would
save my soul – half a drop: ah, my Christ!” (1.13. 40-41). He then states that he sees
God himself, “See where God/ Stretcheth out his arm, and bends his ireful brows!” (1.
13.45).
Throughout the rest of his soliloquy, Faustus speaks of God, Heaven and Christ
and begs for forgiveness so he can live an eternal life peacefully amongst them. It took
the image of Christ’s blood and God’s arms for Faustus to remember them. If
Faustus’s fate continues to follow that of Mephistophilis’s, he would probably be in
Hell, lamenting about what he saw in his final hour and how he regrets his choices.
Despite the brilliance Dr. Faustus is supposed to emanate, he fails to see the
personified warning of his fate before him in the beginning scenes. Mephistophilis was
a representation top Faustus of his future self if he were to continue on his path.
Although when Faustus embarks on his journey of knowledge, he had only one thing
in common with Mephistophilis who had already gone through the rise and fall of a
tragic hero, it was inevitable that his story would match that of Mephistophilis.
Works Cited
Marlowe, Christopher. The Tragical History of D Faustus. 1604
Uknown. The Fallen Host and the War in Heaven. n.d.
<http://www.steliart.com/angelology_fallen_heavens_war.html>.
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Dr. Faustus’ Obliviousness to Consequences
By: Samantha Tilley
March 7th, 2012
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In the story of Dr. Faustus, Faustus does not fully consider the consequences of surrendering his
soul until he must face them. This is foreshadowed in the prologue when the Chorus describes the
eventual regret that will arise from Faustus’ ignorance. Faustus also deems all fields of study irksome
until he comes across magic, which he later finds out has a much more antagonistic outcome than the
vaguer fields which he initially rejected. Faustus refuses to obey to the warnings from Mephatophilis,
even though it is axiomatic that they are not merely the product of a fable. Mephastophilis continues to
admonish Faustus throughout scene five by discussing his own experience with hell, but Faustus does
not take his opinion into account. In the final scene, however, Faustus’ speech gives affirmation that he
has finally realized the severe consequences of his choices, but it’s too late because he’s in the midst of
facing them when this occurs.
In the prologue, the Chorus explains Faustus’ play in a way which omens the tragic fate
that temporary fortune will eventually bring him. Referring to Faustus, the chorus states that “His
waxen wings did mount above his reach, and, melting, heavens conspir'd his overthrow”. This
quote refers to Faustus’ good fortune extending so far that it had to reach an ending point. His
“waxen wings” represent the magic that he acquired through selling his soul to the devil, who is
referred to as Lucifer in the story. When the chorus says that Faustus’ wings will melt and mount
above his reach, he is referring to this magic eventually fading once it outgrows him. This quote
is a flawless example of how happiness is always subject to consequences. After Faustus enjoys
his happiness, it then fades away and he is then overthrown.
In scene one, Dr. Faustus opts towards magic as his field of study because of the greatness he
thinks he will achieve from it. Being nescient towards the consequences of black art, he refuses to
achieve a doctorate of any other field. When Faustus is faced with the choice of what he would like to
study, he responds to the option of religion and theology with “What doctrine call you this? Che sarà,
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sarà: What will be, shall be! Divinity, adieu!” In this line, he is eluding from studying religion and
theology because St. Jerome’s Bible states that all men sin and the result of sin is death. Faustus does
not only refuse one field of study, though. He chooses against studying logic because his debating skills
are already at a high level; therefore it is not scholarly enough for him. He also rejects studying medicine
because his fame as a doctor has already failed to bring him adequate satisfaction. He does not choose
to study law because it’s too petty and he would rather deal with large issues rather than attempt to
solve smaller ones. Faustus ends his refusals by choosing to study magic because it is something which
will make him mightier than he already is if he is able to pursue it properly. As a human, Faustus’ mind is
set on reaching higher goals than those which he has already attained. He follows through with his wish
to achieve great things, but remains unaware of the pain that will intertwine itself with his pleasure.
In scene three, Faustus continues to ignore the consequences of selling his soul even when
Mephastophilis distinguishes his own regret. In an attempt to warn Faustus, he inquires “Think’st thou
that I, who saw the face of God, and tasted the eternal joys of heaven, am not tormented with ten
thousand hells in being deprived of everlasting bliss?” This quote is meant to depict the torturous
struggles which come along with the loss of God’s presence. Mephastophilis is putting his experience
into perspective and trying to make Faustus realize the result of his actions by comparing the
consequences that he has faced to the ones that Faustus will eventually face aswell. Even as a devil,
Mephastophilis finds hell awful and claims to be damned forever because of his sin. Rather than
listening, Faustus ignores him and offers his soul to Lucifer for twenty four years. This is an example of
how Faustus did not consider the outcome of his actions. Mephastophilis made the same mistakes and
did not realize the regret that he would face, and is trying to make Faustus realize that his future will be
no different.
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Mephastophilis continues to warn Faustus about the trials that he will face when sent to hell in
the fifth scene. Remaining in denial, Faustus responds to him by saying “Think’st thou that Faustus is so
fond to imagine that after this life there is any pain? Tush, these are trifles and mere old wives’ tales.”
Faustus is so preoccupied by the good which will come along with selling his soul that the bad affects are
transparent to him. He is saying that he cannot imagine there being any pain at the end of his life, and
believes that the trials that he is said to undergo are untrue. Faustus’ background shows that he is a man
of the Renaissance, meaning he does not take traditional religion seriously. This causes him to regard
hell as somewhat of a fable, even though he is being instructed otherwise by a devil. This is another
example of how Faustus is ignorant towards consequences unless he is exposed to them himself. If he
were able to realize the regret that he will face due to the outcome of his decisions, he would have
listened to Mephastophilis. Instead, he trusted his own beliefs and assumptions over another’s real life
experience.
Another example of Faustus’ failure to accept consequences until they have occurred is found
once again in scene five. Faustus’ final decision to make the bargain to sell his soul must be closed off by
him stabbing his arm and signing the devil’s deed in blood. After cutting his arm, however, his blood
begins to congeal in a way that does not allow him to sign the paper. Rather than taking his body’s
reaction to signing the deed as a sign that it’s a bad idea, he ignores the sign and continues. He even
goes to the extent of heating his blood in order for it to flow onto the paper. Although his body’s
defiance towards his actions does cause him to reconsider, he decides to choose the path which will
immediately benefit him. This does not mean that this path is the correct one, or better one, but it’s the
one that seems to present fewer consequences. However, if Faustus had considered the choice with
fewer future consequences, he would not find himself facing regret once the horrors of signing this deed
present themselves.
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Faustus’ dramatic final speech proves that once he met his consequences, he was suddenly
faced with immense regret. Moments before the devils drag Faustus down to hell, he exclaims “No,
Faustus, curse thy self, curse Lucifer, / That hath deprived thee of the joys of heaven.” This is an example
of his ultimate despair, which influences him to curse himself and the devil for causing the final torture
which comes along with abandoning Christ. As previously mentioned, Faustus was never a man of faith
due to his character being a man of the Renaissance. Throughout his final speech he is begging to be
saved, and his regret is so deep that he evens begs to a God that he had never put much belief into
before. This quote, along with the rest of Faustus’ final speech, initiates wonder regarding why Faustus
did not realize this would be his fate when he first made the deal with the devil. He did not consider that
this would be his fate because he failed to consider the consequences of his actions until he experienced
the terror of facing them.
Dr. Faustus fails to consider the severity of the consequences which his actions will bring to him
until he must face them. His tragic fate is predicted in the prologue, when the Chorus foreshadows that
Faustus’ joy will eventually fade away. In the first scene of the play, Faustus decides to study black magic
because of the immediate joy it will bring to him, and he fails to realize the eventual downfalls which will
come along with it. Although Mephastophilis, a devil, warns Faustus about the horrors which come
along with selling your soul, he disregards Mephastophilis’ opinion and carries on with his decision. The
warnings continue into scene five, but Faustus ignores them once again because he has not yet
experienced hell in the way that Mephastophilis has. However, all of these consequences are no longer
ignored when Faustus must face them in the final scene as the devils are about to drag him to hell.
The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Dr. Faustus
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Sam Hall
ETS4UE – P. Murray
Rockland District High School
April 9th 2012
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Dr. Faustus, a man tired of the traditional forms of knowledge such as law,
medicine, logic and religion searches for a new form of knowledge; black magic. Dr.
Faustus conjures Mephistophilis and choosing to ignore his tales of the horrors in hell,
Faustus tells him to return to his master with a deal; Faustus’ soul for twenty-four years
of service from Mephistophilis. When Mephistophilis returns, he comes with news that
Lucifer has agreed. Dr. Faustus is a man who for power and knowledge sold his soul to
the devil, knowing full well the consequences of his actions. I do not believe that he was
misled by the devils; I believe he was completely aware of the severity of this situation,
but preferred to turn a blind eye. Throughout the play, it is quite evident that Faustus
preferred to remain ignorant, and the very first time this theme appears is in the first
scene when he is looking for higher knowledge, and comes across religion.
In this first scene, Dr. Faustus is reading upon all forms of knowledge, including
medicine, logic, and law. Finally, he comes upon religion. When reading, he comes
across a passage that says, “the reward of sin is death” and “if we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in ourselves.” However, he neglects the
section of the reading that states: If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). By ignoring
this section of the bible, Dr. Faustus is able to convince himself that religion does not
promise forgiveness; only death. Dr. Faustus ignoring this part of the bible exemplifies
his ignorance and his willingness to turn a blind eye to salvation. He exemplifies
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ignorance in the same scene when he is approached by two angels; one portraying
Good, and the other Evil.
When Dr. Faustus is visited by the Good angel and the Evil angel, each gives
their piece of advice, and the Good angel states, ‘lay that damned book aside, and gaze
not on it, lest it tempt thy soul, and heap God's heavy wrath upon thy head!’ The Good
angel is trying to say that if the words within that book tempt him to practice evil, it
will evoke the wrath of God upon him. However, the Evil angel is able to sway Faustus’
decision by stating ‘Be thou on earth as Jove is in the sky, lord and commander of these
elements.’ Faustus is easily more intrigued by the power that he could command if he
were to read the contents of the book, and commit sin. Faustus imagines that he would
be able to send spirits to fetch him jewels, and to teach him knowledge that is unknown
to most others.
In the third scene, even Mephistophilis warns Dr. Faustus against the horrors of
hell, and he too, is ignored. Mephistophilis spoke to Faustus, and stated,
“Why this is hell, nor am I out of it. Think’st thou that I,
who saw the face of God, and tasted the eternal joys of
heaven, am not tormented with ten thousand hells, in
being deprived of everlasting bliss?”
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Mephistophilis draws on his own experiences, and shares his tales of hell, lighting it in
a negative way so to not fool Faustus. Yet Faustus ignores Mephistophilis and his
wishes for him to abandon his “frivolous demands.” Mephistophilis sheds a negative
light on selling your soul to Lucifer and stresses the repercussions of committing such a
sin, but still Faustus is not swayed; instead, he chooses to ignore the words of wisdom,
and continue on his plummet to his demise.
The next case of ignorance to salvation on the part of Dr. Faustus is in the fifth
scene when he ignores the Good Angel’s words, and defends his decision to sell his soul
by calmly stating that God does not love him. He says that he cannot be saved, and
must despair in God; yet put his trust in Belzebub. He continues to say that God loves
him not, therefore he will not put faith in God, but will offer blood of newborn’s to
Belzebub. This is a prime example of Faustus’ ignorance as he refuses to see the good
and the potential in himself, and assumes that he is too late for redemption, so he might
as well continue on his quest for knowledge.
At one point in time however, Dr. Faustus came close to repenting. It is in the
fifth scene, while the angels are speaking to him, and Faustus contemplates the benefits
of repenting. However, when Lucifer walks in the door right after the angels leave, and
present Faustus with the seven deadly sins, and the promise of seeing Hell, Faustus
refused to even think of salvation; his need for knowledge is too potent. In this scene,
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not only does he turn his back on God, he promises Lucifer that he will “burn his
Scriptures, slay his ministers, and make my spirits pull his churches down,” all for the
knowledge that Lucifer could provide him with. Dr. Faustus turned his back on God
once more when he signed his soul away in the name of Lucifer.
Dr. Faustus took the final step against God when he sold his soul and begins to
swear in the name of Lucifer instead of God. When Faustus speaks the words
“Consummation Est,” his rejection of God is evident and intentional as those were the
words that Christ spoke while dying on the cross. At this point in time, Faustus has
completely turned his back against God, and does not repent until the very end, when
he has no choice but to face the consequences.
Dr. Faustus, with the intentions of becoming enlightened with forbidden
knowledge, sold his soul to pursue his path in dark magic. Although he was warned by
multiple people of the dangers of dabbling in this type of magic, he chose to remain
ignorant and ignore all these warnings. This is why it’s my belief that he was not misled
by anyone; he was completely aware of his decisions and the effect they would have on
his future. He is completely at fault for his own death and damnation.
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