I think that the primary reasons that Faustus is unwilling to repent for his sins and renounce Lucifer are his own inflated sense of self-worth and sense of drama. Even from his very first monologue, it is evident he believes that he always is the most, the best, the greatest at everything he does. He thinks that he was the most influential man in his community, the best doctor, the greatest scholar of his era. Now that he has signed his soul away to Lucifer, he has to be the best damned soul of them all, which does not include repenting to God and being forgiven.
At the end, when the scholars are urging him to repent and be forgiven, he just waves them off, saying “Faustus’ offense can ne’er be pardoned! The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus (Lines 15-16).” That he says this in third-person makes it seem like part of a story than an actual reference to an event that is taking place in his life. I think this is extremely telling of Faustus’ state of mind. He’s already build up the tale of his life in his head. The best doctor and most intelligent man fall’s into Satan’s trap and is damned to hell. He’s the most unforgivable being in existence, so sinful that even God, with all of his mercy and love, wouldn’t accept his repentance and accept him into heaven. His version of the story (still third-person) continues in the same speech: “Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world…and must remain in hell forever (Lines 21-24).” If he repents and is saved, Faustus will have to change his story. He won’t be this tragic figure who signed away his soul and will burn forever. He’ll just be a man who made a mistake and was saved, just like everyone else.
Doctor Faustus does not repent to God because he finds that nothing is out of reach. Since his damnation of his soul to Lucifer, he is able to learn anything and everything. All the knowledge in the world is at his finger tips, which creates an invincible attitude. He believes that nothing will happen to him, even when it is his time to go to Hell. He feels that he will repent when he wants to, but in the mean time he has all the power that he can get. Mephastophilis shows him in his 24 years how much fun you can have being sinful by playing pranks on the Pope, and conjuring up Helena, and Alexander the Great. I agree with Zarathustra, in saying that he thinks he is the greatest doctor and the most influential in his community. Everyone is coming to him to conjure up spirits, because they are all curious. They want to see the dark magic at work. When it is time for Doctor Faustus to be called back to hell he does not take it as seriously as the scholars does until the final seconds of his time on earth. The scholars are told that he has sold his soul and they decide to “pray thou, and we will pray, that God may have mercy upon thee”(Pg. 1054). Lucifer comes, and he realizes the magnitude of the deal and prays that God will only damn him for a certain number of time instead of eternity. As he is taken away by Lucifer he screams out “Ugly hell gape not! Come not, Lucifer!” (Pg. 1055). He wishes that he did not sell his soul but knows that he deserves what he is getting. He never repents because he does not see the enormity of the deal until he last seconds of his life.
I would have to agree with Emily Locker when she says that Dr. Faustus doesn't want to repent because he doesn't find anything out of his reach. He doesn't feel as though he is missing anything. Faustus is all too eager to swear allegiance to Lucifer. He denies judgment after death, and he asks Mephostophilis a series of questions. The devil informs Faustus that Lucifer was once an angel, beloved of God, who by aspiring pride and insolence earned banishment from heaven. The devils with Lucifer in hell are those who conspired with him against God. When Faustus hears that they are banished to hell, he becomes curious: how can Mephostophilis be before him now, outside of hell? The devil informs him that he is always in hell, for true hell is separation from God. He begs Faustus to leave him alone with these questions, which "strike a terror to my [Mephostophilis's] fainting soul". Faustus seems to be having second thoughts, unable to decide whether he should sell or keep. The Good Angel and Evil Angel appear again, the Good Angel telling him to think of heaven, and the Evil Angel telling him to think of wealth. The thought of wealth makes up Faustus' mind. Mephostophilis returns, exhorting Faustus to sign away his soul in a contract written in his own blood. Faustus asks Mephostophilis why the devils want his soul, and the heart of Mephostophilis' answer is this: "Solamen miseris, socios habuisse doloris". It seems like Dr. Faustus thinks he will have everything he chooses to not repent. His lust for power gets the best of him.
I agree with Emily Locker in that Dr. Faustus does not repent because he does not find anything out of reach. As a secular Renaissance man he struggles with the relationship between the natural and spiritual. His longing for material possession, power, magic and influence, has plagued his ability to rationalize choice and by-product consequences. I believe his initial lack of reason comes from Mephastophilis's quoting the range of Hell itself in line 120, "Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed in one self-place; for where we are is hell, and where hell is, there must we ever be. . . . all places shall be hell that is not heaven." For Faustus, this is a different perspective on the conventions of Hell. Most thought it was only a place, but Mephastopholis goes as far to say Hell is wherever you are. Defined as the separation from God, you are the embodiment of Hell. As a result, Faustus sees this as a softer transaction than thought. A continuation of life on earth, just separated from the God he already does not believe in. The association between power now, and soft pain forever is a risk Faustus is ready to operate in. In action he uses his time allotted to travel, disrupting the pope with tricks like going invisible and taking food. He travels to the German emperor and he conjures Alexander the Great to grant the king's wish. He calls Helen of Troy from the dead and mocks knights. Wealth and prestige has confounded his ability to reason, eating time away as his deal gets closer.
I think that the primary reasons that Faustus is unwilling to repent for his sins and renounce Lucifer are his own inflated sense of self-worth and sense of drama. Even from his very first monologue, it is evident he believes that he always is the most, the best, the greatest at everything he does. He thinks that he was the most influential man in his community, the best doctor, the greatest scholar of his era. Now that he has signed his soul away to Lucifer, he has to be the best damned soul of them all, which does not include repenting to God and being forgiven.
ReplyDeleteAt the end, when the scholars are urging him to repent and be forgiven, he just waves them off, saying “Faustus’ offense can ne’er be pardoned! The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus (Lines 15-16).” That he says this in third-person makes it seem like part of a story than an actual reference to an event that is taking place in his life. I think this is extremely telling of Faustus’ state of mind. He’s already build up the tale of his life in his head. The best doctor and most intelligent man fall’s into Satan’s trap and is damned to hell. He’s the most unforgivable being in existence, so sinful that even God, with all of his mercy and love, wouldn’t accept his repentance and accept him into heaven. His version of the story (still third-person) continues in the same speech: “Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world…and must remain in hell forever (Lines 21-24).” If he repents and is saved, Faustus will have to change his story. He won’t be this tragic figure who signed away his soul and will burn forever. He’ll just be a man who made a mistake and was saved, just like everyone else.
Doctor Faustus does not repent to God because he finds that nothing is out of reach. Since his damnation of his soul to Lucifer, he is able to learn anything and everything. All the knowledge in the world is at his finger tips, which creates an invincible attitude. He believes that nothing will happen to him, even when it is his time to go to Hell. He feels that he will repent when he wants to, but in the mean time he has all the power that he can get. Mephastophilis shows him in his 24 years how much fun you can have being sinful by playing pranks on the Pope, and conjuring up Helena, and Alexander the Great. I agree with Zarathustra, in saying that he thinks he is the greatest doctor and the most influential in his community. Everyone is coming to him to conjure up spirits, because they are all curious. They want to see the dark magic at work.
ReplyDeleteWhen it is time for Doctor Faustus to be called back to hell he does not take it as seriously as the scholars does until the final seconds of his time on earth. The scholars are told that he has sold his soul and they decide to “pray thou, and we will pray, that God may have mercy upon thee”(Pg. 1054). Lucifer comes, and he realizes the magnitude of the deal and prays that God will only damn him for a certain number of time instead of eternity. As he is taken away by Lucifer he screams out “Ugly hell gape not! Come not, Lucifer!” (Pg. 1055). He wishes that he did not sell his soul but knows that he deserves what he is getting. He never repents because he does not see the enormity of the deal until he last seconds of his life.
I would have to agree with Emily Locker when she says that Dr. Faustus doesn't want to repent because he doesn't find anything out of his reach. He doesn't feel as though he is missing anything. Faustus is all too eager to swear allegiance to Lucifer. He denies judgment after death, and he asks Mephostophilis a series of questions. The devil informs Faustus that Lucifer was once an angel, beloved of God, who by aspiring pride and insolence earned banishment from heaven. The devils with Lucifer in hell are those who conspired with him against God. When Faustus hears that they are banished to hell, he becomes curious: how can Mephostophilis be before him now, outside of hell? The devil informs him that he is always in hell, for true hell is separation from God. He begs Faustus to leave him alone with these questions, which "strike a terror to my [Mephostophilis's] fainting soul". Faustus seems to be having second thoughts, unable to decide whether he should sell or keep. The Good Angel and Evil Angel appear again, the Good Angel telling him to think of heaven, and the Evil Angel telling him to think of wealth. The thought of wealth makes up Faustus' mind. Mephostophilis returns, exhorting Faustus to sign away his soul in a contract written in his own blood. Faustus asks Mephostophilis why the devils want his soul, and the heart of Mephostophilis' answer is this: "Solamen miseris, socios habuisse doloris". It seems like Dr. Faustus thinks he will have everything he chooses to not repent. His lust for power gets the best of him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily Locker in that Dr. Faustus does not repent because he does not find anything out of reach. As a secular Renaissance man he struggles with the relationship between the natural and spiritual. His longing for material possession, power, magic and influence, has plagued his ability to rationalize choice and by-product consequences. I believe his initial lack of reason comes from Mephastophilis's quoting the range of Hell itself in line 120, "Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed in one self-place; for where we are is hell, and where hell is, there must we ever be. . . .
ReplyDeleteall places shall be hell that is not heaven." For Faustus, this is a different perspective on the conventions of Hell. Most thought it was only a place, but Mephastopholis goes as far to say Hell is wherever you are. Defined as the separation from God, you are the embodiment of Hell. As a result, Faustus sees this as a softer transaction than thought. A continuation of life on earth, just separated from the God he already does not believe in. The association between power now, and soft pain forever is a risk Faustus is ready to operate in. In action he uses his time allotted to travel, disrupting the pope with tricks like going invisible and taking food. He travels to the German emperor and he conjures Alexander the Great to grant the king's wish. He calls Helen of Troy from the dead and mocks knights. Wealth and prestige has confounded his ability to reason, eating time away as his deal gets closer.
-Annie08