Good and Evil Angel

approximate and lousiness backerThe play begins with the Chorus informing the audience active the main image, Faustus, a scholar, like Icarus, whose waxen wings did mount preceding(prenominal) his reach (Prologue, 21). In the very first scene of the play, Faustus talks about(predicate) philosophy, medicine, law, and theology and is hesitant about all in all. Lastly he chooses to study whoremaster. He rejects theology. He is glutted more with conceit (Scene I, 18) and he prefers black magic to what he preferred before he asserts . . . Divinity, adieu (Scene I, 48), that is, he rejects to be in heaven and reunite with God.The right(a) and the Evil Angel that turn out in s incessantlyal p contrivances of the play are both documentary and symbolic they represent Faustus inner conflict. They appear in the most melodramatic scenes w present Faustus is in conflict. They appear offering advice as Faustus is preparing to sign in rake a beget so as to give his soul to match. T hey in addition appear at the time Faustus is talking to Mephistopheles about rueing. Here, while Good Angel urges Faustus to repent and wish Gods mercy, Evil Angel tells him not to repent. ultimately he agrees with Evil Angel.GOOD ANGEL. O Faustus, lay that damned prevail aside,And gaze not on it, lest it tempt thy soul,And heap Gods heavy ira upon thy headRead, read the Scriptures that is blasphemy.EVIL ANGEL. Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art,Wherein all personalitys treasury is containedBe yard on earth as Jove is in the sky,Lord and commander of these elements.Exeunt (Scene I, 70-77)GOOD ANGEL. Sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art.FAUSTUS. Contrition, prayer, remorse what of them?GOOD ANGEL. O they are means to bring thee unto heaven.EVIL ANGEL. or else illusions, fruits of lunacy,That makes men foolish that do trust them most.(Scene V, 15-19)The angels do appear at the same time in the play and they leave together as well. Interestingly enough, it is always t he Good Angel that appears first and it is Evil Angel that speaks the last words. If we think of the angels symbolically, the Good Angels appearing first probably refers to Faustus sense of right and wrong and Evil Angels last words may symbolize Faustus self-temptation.Valdes and Cornelius magicians will initiate Faustus black arts. As Faustus is about to sign in blood a contract so as to give his soul to Lucifer, the Good and Evil Angels enter again. As Faustus signs the contract he asks about hell, however persuade himself that hells a fable (Scene V, 126) despite Mephistopheles honest responseFAUSTUS. Was not that Lucifer an angel once?MEPHIST. Yes Faustus, and most dearly loved of God.FAUSTUS. How comes it then that he is prince of d condemnables?MEPHIST. O, by aspiring pride and insolence,For which God threw him from the face of heaven.FAUSTUS. And what are you that continue with Lucifer?MEPHIST. Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer,Conspired against our God with Lucif er,And are for ever damned with Lucifer.FAUSTUS. Where are you damned?MEPHIST. In hell.FAUSTUS. How comes it then that thou art out of hell?MEPHIST. Why this is hell, nor am I out of it.Thinkst thou that I, who saw the face of God,And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,Am not tormented with decennium thousand hellsIn being deprived of everlasting blissO Faustus, leave these frivolous demands,Which strike a terror to my fainting soul.(Scene IV, 64-82)There is the doubtfulness of choice in the play. Faustus has chosen to sign the contract. He is completely withdraw in his choice since Mephistopheles is quite honest in his attitude. Faustus fault here is to ignore repentance as an alternative. He also misunderstands the concept of hell, opinion that it is just physical torment. Faustus is unaware about the fact that hell is a kind of psychological torment which is in fact a go of his tragedy.In the fifth scene, Faustus asks Mephistopheles who made the world (Scene V, 237). Mephisto pheles avoids answering Faustus question and introduces seven-spot deadly sins Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, and Lechery (Scene V, 276).In changing the spectacle to the Seven pestiferous Sins, Marlowe has not only(prenominal) opened the way for some moral satire, exclusively he has on purpose and ironically presented the pageant as the visible gratification of Faustus. Faustus himself responds with the greatest delight, blasphemously comparing his joy in the procession with Adams joy at the commode of Paradise on the day of his creation. Delight in the Seven Deadly Sins is a far cry from the answer to who made the world, and it is not without foreland that, after this episode, Faustus makes no more speculative inquiries of any kind. (Cole 1962, 214)As Fermor asserts, the character of Faustus is not that of one man, but of man himself, of Everyman (Fermor 84). In Everyman the tragic injury pride, wilfulness causes blindness to the nature and destiny of man . . . hubris destroys the understanding of the nature and limitations of knowledge (Cole 1962, 234). Faustus actions are completely humane. As Cole has suggested, Faustus never causes anyones remainder (Cole 1995, 124) he causes his induce damnation.Dr. Faustus suggests that because human beings are creatures in whom good and evil are tragically intermingled, the process of purification which the magicians described is impossible. The human intention to attain a godlike status and to exert benevolent instruction over history is almost inevitably corrupted by self-centered desires for wealth, sensual indulgence, and political force. The refusal to admit this is Faustus fatal error, as is perfectly agnize when he reads from Jeromes Bible If we say that we haue no sinne, / We deceiue our selues (69-70). (Mebane 135)The theme of appearance versus world is an important one throughout the play. Faustus confuses appearance and reality and wants to go beyond what he sees.By Ari stotelean definition, a tragedy is about a hero whose fatal flaw ends himself. Doctor Faustus is a typical Aristotelian tragedy where a man of high importance a scholar out of pride, sells his soul to Devil. The tragic downfall of the hero is when he signs the contract with the devil. There is also catharsis in the Aristotelian sense the audiences spirit pity and fear pity for Faustus suffering his tragedy, then fear of themselves putting themselves in Faustus place. Faustus can repent before the end of the play but he prefers not to he misleads himselfFAUSTUS My hearts so hardned I cannot repentScarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven,But dreadful echoes thunders in mine ears,Faustus, thou are damned (Scene V, 192-95)And long ere this I should have slain my self,Had not sweet pleasure conquered deep desperation. crap not I made blind Homer sing to meOf black lovage love, and Oenons death? (Scene V, 195-98).Why should I die then, or basely despair?I am resolved Faustus sh all neer repent. (Scene V, 205- 206)Doctor Faustus represents the attitudes of Renaissance England, it symbolizes the Renaissance psyche who wants to go beyond his perception. Marlowe reflects the Renaissance perception of reason that gives human beings the power to discern, as well as the power to choose and finally forms the root for moral responsibility (Cole 1995, 127). Thus Faustus himself is responsible for his own actions it is Faustus who causes his own fall. He suffers from personal responsibility of free human choice and the inevitable consequences of his own choice.Primary Source(s)Marlowe, Christopher. Doctor Faustus Norton Anthology of English Literature sixth edition vol. 1. Ed. Abrams, M.H. newly York M.H. Norton Company 1993.Secondary SourcesCole, Douglas. Christopher Marlowe and the Renaissance of Tragedy. Westport, CT. 1995._. Suffering and Evil in the Plays of Christopher Marlowe. Princeton, NJ. Princeton University foment 1962.Fermor, U.M. Ellis. Christopher Marlowe. London, Methuen 1927.Mebane, John S. Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age The mystic Tradition and Marlowe, Jonson, and Shakespeare. Lincoln, NE., University of Nebraska Press 1989.