Pride Of Faustas Essay, Research Paper

email: [email protected]: The Pride of FaustasDr. Faustus. Scene 1In this theoretic play, Christopher Marlowe presents a man that is well educated, but is in search of more than what education can give to him. Dr. Faustus is a man possessed by himself, blown up in pride, and blinded by his own intellect. This blind, self- centered man challenges the ideals of death and the Devil. The first scene opens with Dr. Faustus in his study, he is seated, and then he begins to speak in depth of what he wants to do. He talks of his graduation from the different levels of education. More boasting about his accomplishments, and his works, that makes him feel as though he is as good as the God’s. With his words there is an air of hubris, he wants all to notice him, and what he has accomplished. He says “Sweet Analytics”, throwing out the title of two treatises on logic by Aristotle. He more or less is name dropping here, but it can sound so intelligent to his audience. He claims that logic has overcame him, more of a pun or a sarcastic reach on his audience. He goes on to say, should logic be disputed or is it the main thought in the end. And without logic then what is there? So he finally contends that he has read it all and that he knows all the logic that he needs to know. A greater subject is needed now to fill the needs of Dr. Faustus. He wants something which will challenge his knowledge. So he looks to the medical field to fill his desires. But he has seen where the philosopher leaves off and the physician begins. Faustus in his vain wit says, I become a physician, to make lots of money, and to be known for creating some wondrous cure. But this does not fit for Faustus either. He states in the end there is medicine and it is only sustains our body to health. And then he asks himself, have not I obtained such knowledge, and isn’t the common knowledge that he already has all that he needs? Once again he asks himself, I have cured whole cities and his work hangs on the wall in the form of a writing to show all of what he has done to ease their sickness, yet he is still only Faustus, just a man. But if could make men live forever and even raise those who are already dead back to life again then this would be a great thing. So he says good-bye to medicine and asks where he can find the authority on law. Again the pride of Faustus is shown in his words with his exhortation that he has read the book that was translated by S. Jerome, and he finds this version to suit him the best. But Faustus reads the words “The reward of sin is death”? And he thinks this is too hard. But he looks further into the word, and what it says, and he ascertains what it means. So if we say we have no sin then we only deceive ourselves, and then there is no real truth in us. So, we must admit that we have sin, and the outcome of that is that we must die. He thinks to himself, we must die an everlasting death, and then he asks what kind of doctrine is this called. Then answering himself, he says what will be, shall be, or in other words the occult book. But this is too simple for Faustus and he thinks that the basic principles are from magicians, and the book of death intrigues him. He takes in all the aspects of the occult, and these things he desires, all because of the power that they represent. He delights in the power that is given to the Devil and this becomes his desire. Now he sees that the magician is a mighty god, in other words the ruler over darkness is what he wants to become. Now there is a struggle within himself from the good and the evil. The good conscience tells him to not look at the book. This good side explains that it is not good for his soul to look upon this book. By looking at this book it will bring the wrath

of God upon him. The good conscience pleads with him, and tells him that it will bring damnation upon him if he continues to read the book. But then the evil conscience puts his two cents in and works on Faustus pride. He tells him to go on and read it, because it contains everything that he is wanting, and that he is in control of his own life, just as God is in control of everything that is in heaven. Faustus in his own mind breaks in and wanders how this thoughts can be entering into his own mind. Shall he bring forth the spirits so that they can help him clear up all uncertainties, and perform what ever he should ask of them. His mind starts to race with all the things that he could do if he had them at his bidding. He might have them search out for gold from far off places, take the pearls out of the sea, find all the tasty fruits. Everything that he would ask for would be at his finger tips, even the secrets of all the foreign kings, and then he would rule over all the countries, and have a army adorned with riches so that they would fallow his command. Dr. Faustus then calls in the two magician friends to help him. Faustus builds them up by saying that he has listened to their teaching and that he is ready to practice the art of black magic. But then his pride shows through once again when he declares that it is also because of his fantasy that he has made this decision. Faustus proclaims that the physical reality means nothing to him, but that he has gone over in his mind about the skills of death, the obscure thoughts of philosophy, and the pettiness of law and physics. Of these three the spiritual realm is what he looks for. Faustus points out that magic is not pretty, that it is evil, and down right nasty. But it has over taken him to the point that he must have it in his power. So he asks his friends to help him in this quest. Faustus has been cut short with his deductive reasoning, confounded by the teaching of the German church. Faustus mulls over the problem with logical reasoning, and the brings in the mythical singer to rationalize his thoughts, and deducts that he can do the same by calling up the spirits as Agrippa had done. Then Valdes starts to back up the thoughts of Faustus by saying that this will make him great in the eyes of all those around him. Just like the American Indians when they first saw the Spanish, they held them in reverence. So, too will the spirits be of service to them, and guard them from any harm that might befall them. After several example by Valdes, Faustus cuts in and says that he is confident of this, but asks that no conditions be made for him to do this. Cornelius, one of the magician’s, tells him that for him to be involved with this would mean that he would give up all other quest of study, and look only to the study of astrology. Able to speak in many languages, and an expert of the various minerals, is what is required to be a magician. He tells Faustus that he can not have any doubt, that he will be an expert in the craft, and all the oracle of Apollo will be his. What more could you want, than to have the power to dry the sea, and bring you every treasure from the wrecks that lay at the bottom of the sea. Faustus agrees and is now more convinced that he wants to conjure up the spirits so that he can have all that they have spoken. In the final part of scene one they conspire to find a place to perform the ritual and get all the things that they need to call up the spirits. But first Faustus wants to dine with them and before he will rest again he will bring forth the spirits that will give him all the power that he desires. Thus, we see now that Faustus pride has taken over completely and that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants at any cost.