Dr Faustus Reading Journal ^ Act Three

Prologue

• Use of the word 'not' in the beginning lines suggests the play is not about grand schemes like war and love, but of a scholar with humble backgrounds. This brings a sense that the story of Faustus can happen to anyone, especially the ordinary portion of Marlowe's audience.
• Learn of Faustus' wrongdoing; after becoming disenchanted with his scholarly interests, of which he excelled in, he begins studying black magic. Marlowe expresses a new issue of his time, man's faith in his own intellect over the rule of Christian foundations.
• Imagery and reference to the myth of Icarus, conveys Faustus' fall from over-pursuing his interests. Similar to Frankenstein's demise from pushing science, but where Victor goes against nature, Faustus goes against religion. Therefore, each novel expresses the author's concern over issues relative to their time; boundaries of science/enlightenment/romanticism/nature - religion/discovery/renaissance.

Act One, Scene 1

• Summary: Faustus considers his extensive knowledge in logic, physics, philosophy, theology and finds no satisfaction in them. He picks up and takes much interest in a book of magic. He sends his servant Wagner for experts in the field to help him. Visited by Good/Evil Angels over his pursuit of magic. Faustus ponders on the possibilities of wielding magic and is tempted by the ideas of Valdes and Cornelius; deciding to proceed.
• "A sound magician is a mighty god." - Faustus is attempting to play God through learning magic like Victor tried the same by extending science.
• "And make swift Rhine circle fair Wittenberg." - Gothic theme of foreign settings, much of Marlowe's audience had only just begun to be able to travel within the country, let alone another country. Faustus' manipulation of the land is similar to Victor's tampering with Nature.
• "This night I'll conjure, though I die therefore." - Last line of the scene foreshadows events, however it brings into question the extent of Faustus' understanding of what he is doing e.g. does he know the consequences?
• "And reign sole King of all our provinces;" - Desire for power much like Macbeth's
• Gothic theme of the supernatural reflected in Faustus' playing with black magic and Macbeth's communications with the Three Witches.

Act One, Scene 2

• Summary: Faustus' fellow scholars wonder about his recent absence, upon being told by Wagner that Faustus is mingling with Valdes and Cornelius, they concern over his safety.
• "God in heaven knows." - Wagner plays on the idea God is watching/judging Faustus' actions.
• "he corpus naturale? And is not that mobile? Then," - Wagner references Aristotle's Metaphysics, mimicking Faustus' vast knowledge, but the fact Wagner is a mere servant talking to two scholars perhaps suggests Marlowe used this for comical effect.
• "O, but I fear me nothing can reclaim him." - Recurring idea; 'can or cannot Faustus be saved?'
• Wagner's role in this scene is similar to the Porter's scene in which a subordinate of the protagonist plays 'the fool' who is in reality, clever and even dangerous.

Act One, Scene 3

• Summary: Faustus begins his incantations and summons a devil named Mephistopheles who goes on to explain he fell with and serves the fallen angel Lucifer. Even after Mephistopheles' warnings, Faustus is enthusiastic to doom his soul for twenty-four years of power.
• "Did not my conjuring speeches raise thee? Speak." - Faustus mistakes his own efforts for being able to summon a devil, instead Mephistopheles came for his soul, suggesting that Faustus in fact has no power compared to that of religion and the supernatural. Like Macbeth being tricked by the Witches and Victor destroyed by the Creation, Faustus is naive to think he can handle such otherworldly power.
• "For which God threw him from the face of heaven." - God is more powerful than Lucifer, Marlowe amplifies the power of Christianity, more so and again in the lines "And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,/In being deprived of everlasting bliss?”
• "Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude" - Marlowe portrays Faustus as exuberant, overconfident and ignorant in that Faustus has the 'guts' to tell a devil that has experienced limitless misery. The use of the word 'manly' shows both the ignorance of mankind and the 'human-ness' that Faustus enjoys right now, of which he is about to throw away.
• Faustus shuns the reality of things; he is in denial of Mephistopheles' suffering, further symbolised by his request that Mephistopheles reappear as a Franciscan Friar. "Thou art too ugly to attend on me." - Faustus refuses to accept the reality and hideousness of Hell, simultaneously Marlowe uses irony, poking fun at the Christianity.
• "I'll live in speculation of this art" - The scene ends with Faustus still pondering on the idea of selling his soul and going to hell in return for power, reiterating how Faustus is constantly torn within himself.

Act One, Scene 4

• Summary: Wagner threatens Robin with torment by devils less he agrees to serve him for seven years, Wagner manages to summon two devils to follow up on his threats and Robin thus agrees to servitude. This scene mirrors and resembles the scene prior very much so, most likely mocking the foolishness of Faustus agreement.
• "How? My soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton," - Robin's reply to giving his soul for some pork parodies and highlights the stupidity of Faustus' bargain.
• "bind yourself/presently unto me for seven years," - Wagner asks for seven years servitude like Faustus asks for twenty-four years; both random and fruitless quantities in the grand scheme of things.
• Simultaneously, the small-minded antics and desires of Wagner and Robin help show the grandeur of Faustus' ideas.

Act Two, Scene 1

• Summary: Faustus wavers between God and Lucifer vouched to by the Good and Evil Angels, deciding upon Lucifer Faustus signs the deed in his blood but not before it congeals and has to be liquefied again. Markings appear on the frightened Faustus arm, but Mephistopheles distracts him from it by conjuring devils to give him a taste of entertainment. Faustus finalises the oath and then questions Mephistopheles on the nature and possibility of Hell, undaunted, Faustus asks for a paramour and also receives necromantic books.
• Faustus' indecision towards selling his soul is similar to the indecision experienced by Macbeth over murdering Duncan, common Gothic theme of character anxieties.
• "My blood congeals, and I can write no more." - Suggests the unnaturalness of what Faustus is doing, that his body refuses to cooperate. May also symbolise a split between Faustus' mind and his physical body, after all he does gain the power to become a spirit.
• "I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight." - Idea of burning Faustus' body foreshadows his damnation in Hell.
• "Why shouldst thou not? Is not thy soul thine own?" - Marlowe suggests a person's soul does not belong to them, does it belong to Christianity/God/Devil? Question's the reign of religion over the person's growing faith in their own knowledge.
• "Tell me, where is this place that men call hell?/Come, I think hell's a fable." - Faustus signs the deed condemning his soul before he even knows what it is; is Marlowe questioning its existence? Does this portray Faustus' naivety?
• "Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed/All places shall be hell that is not heaven" - Reinforms the reader of Mephistopheles' earlier sentiments that anywhere not Heaven is Hell and possibly that Earth itself is Hell.

Act Two, Scene 2

• Summary: Having stolen one of Faustus' magical books, Robin tells Rafe, another stable stableman, what he hopes he will be able to do. Largely a comic scene that mirrors a lowly representation of Faustus' acts and desires
• "Now will I make all the maidens in our parish dance at my pleasure stark naked before me" - Robin's acquisition of magic after Wagner who followed Faustus shows a decline in moral standards as magic is used by constantly lowering classes.
• "things rubbed and made clean; he keeps such a chafing with my mistress about it," - Extremely crude humour and innuendo may be used to represent language of lower orders and bring entertainment to audience.
• "I can make thee drunk with hippocras at any tavern in Europe" - Shows the pitiful interests of lower classes.
• "Nan Spit, our kitchen maid, then turn her and wind her to thy own use" - Robin's lustful desires reflect Faustus' indulgence sexual pleasures.

Act Two, Scene 3

• Summary: Faustus curses Mephistopheles of having deprived him of the possibilities of heaven and falters towards repenting, again with the input of the Good/Evil Angels. Faustus is unable to repent with Mephistopheles reminding him of his joys possible now but will not answer Faustus question on who made the world. Faustus calls for Christ and Lucifer appears instead, offering to appease him with a show by the Seven Deadly Sins which reaffirms Faustus' allegiance.
• "It was made for man; therefore is man more excellent." - Mephistopheles suggests that Heaven was made for man, not man for heaven, thus making mankind greater than heaven. Perhaps Marlowe is criticising man's reliance on a blissful afterlife when reality of bliss is in life instead.
• "Ay, but Faustus never shall repent." - The Evil Angel foreshadows Faustus fate and predicts, almost with certainty that Faustus will not repent despite all his doubts to come.
• "'Faustus thou art dammed!'...envenomed steel...Are laid before me" - Faustus is losing his mind as he hears voices and imagines weapons in front of them meant for his destruction; like Macbeth's imagining of the dagger before him.
• After all of Faustus knowledge, it invariably leads him to God, the one thing he has forever denied himself of. Mephistopheles' refusal to tell Faustus who created the world may have been Marlowe's way of saying his view that God did not make the world and that Christianity does not know neither.
• "Ah Christ, my Saviour," - Lucifer's entrance after Faustus calls for Christ may signal and confirm Faustus' damnation. Marlowe himself may have been attacking religion by choosing the Devil to appear in place of The Saviour and this furthers the complete absence of a God in the play.
• Faustus fails to see the show of the Seven Deadly Sins as a warning and instead thinks of it as good entertainment; he fails to recognise the severity of his crimes "O, this feeds my soul!"
• "O, I might see hell and return again, how happy were I then!" - Marlowe hints again that Faustus continuously doesn’t understand the concept and reality of hell, possibly contributing to his naivety and lack of care for his future.

Act Three, Scene 1

• Summary: Wagner gives an account of Faustus' travels and that his studies will take him to Rome to take part in St Peter's Day. Faustus discusses the sights he has witnessed with Mephistopheles and together they ruin the Pope's feast.
• "He now is gone to prove cosmography," - Having finished with astronomy and "heavenly" affairs, Faustus points his attention to more "earthly/human/less grand" matters in cosmography beginning in a depreciation of his ambition.
• By disrupting the feast and having Faustus box the Pope in the ear, Marlowe makes a laughing stock out of the Catholic Church in front of his Protestant audience.
• "What, are you crossing yourself? Well, use that trick no more," - The use of the word 'trick' here suggests that Marlowe is making out religious faith to be a lie.
• "We shall be cursed with bell, book, and candle." - Depending on the way Mephistopheles speaks this line and the way Faustus responds, this line may be mocking the Church by ridiculing how simple, insignificant objects like a 'bell', 'book' and 'candle' can curse Mephistopheles and Faustus. On the other hand, M and Faustus may be genuinely afraid of the power of God and the Church.
• The chanting of the Pope and Friars is very similar to the magical incantations of the Witches from Macbeth, with the parallel of good (Pope and friars) vs. evil (witches).

Act Three, Scene 2

• Summary: Robin and Rafe, having stole a cup from a tavern are pursued by the vinter, claiming they do not have it, Robin conjures up Mephistopheles who's presence scares the vinter away but also angrily turns Robin and Rafe into an ape and a dog; they treat the ordeal as a joke.
• This scene, involving the clownish antics of Robin and Rafe mimics the acts of Faustus and Mephistopheles with the Pope. This brings a resemblance between Faustus and the petty dumb-foolery of lower orders, showing Faustus' degradation from his mighty claims as the play progresses.
• Mephistopheles' anger at appearing before Robin and Rafe suggests a little that he does not come at command but at his own choice - "am I hither come/Only for pleasure of these damned slaves."