Doctor Faustus: “Faustus’s desire to be superhuman leads him to be inhuman” To what extent do you agree with this view?
- Created by: Alessia
- Created on: 16-04-13 22:59
View mindmap
- “Faustus’s desire to be superhuman leads him to be
inhuman” To what extent do you agree with this view?
- They both react on impulse creature is violent when someone treats him bad defence mechanism victor reacts on impulse of wanting of create life doesn’t think of consequences
- Faustus’ compares the trickery that it later shown in the play with God. “To practise more than heavenly power permits” Scene 13 Line 119 Chorus It is Faustus’ disruption of social order in his ambition to achieve power that drags him into his descent towards hell “O by aspiring pride and insolence from which God threw him from the face of heaven” Scene 3 Line 67 Mephastophilis Mephastophilis compares Faustus to Lucifer to show that the disruption of order ended in Lucifer becoming the Fallen Angel which foreshadows Faustus’ path
- The devils faustus meets supply him with useless rich apparel and almost put on their own play for faustus as he is intended to be the audience. Our first encounter seems to be with the seven deadly sin each explained to Faustus through the short play.
- Structure: Comical and serious scenes are separated in the beginning but towards the end they merge together. Showing Faustus descent in class reflecting his loss of identity (a view in the Elizabethan era of a descent in status shows the loss in identity)
- He moves away from his human companions, relying more and more on what he believes Mephistophilis will grant him. It is in this dealing with the unnatural that makes him inhuman. Hence, his eventual damnation.
- “A greater subject fitteth Faustus’ wit” Scene 1 Line 11 Faustus Faustus’ wants greater knowledge and a higher purpose (becoming immortal) he is disrupting the natural order with wanting to become ‘god like’ “Art thou still but Faustus and a man” Scene 1 Line 23 Faustus Faustus believes that being a mortal is not good enough for him “A sound magician is a mighty god” Scene 1 Line 62 Faustus
- Faustus obsession with gaining power and becoming super human is his down fall throughout the play.
Similar English Literature resources:
Teacher recommended
Comments
No comments have yet been made