"Couldst thou make men live eternally .
Or, being dead raise them to life again, .
Then this profession were to be esteemed." .
This is made more obvious when Faustus lastly says, (line 62) .
"A sound magician is a mighty god." .
Marlowe portrays Faustus as being over-ambitious by his turning to magic, which is a much more sinister and much less conventional pursuit than others that he had been discussing previously. Faustus hopes that magic will make him omnipotent and god-like. .
There is little evidence to suggest that Marlowe himself wanted power over others, but his rise in society from a shoemaker's son to a scholar at Cambridge University and later, a spy, was extremely rare at the time. Marlowe did not lead a normal Elizabethan life; in fact, one could say that it was similar to fiction. The over-ambitious part of Marlowe's personality is reflected in Faustus because it seems Marlowe must have wanted success in his life, and to over-reach his set path in life. .
It becomes clearer as the play continues that Faustus is a dangerously ambitious person when in scene 3 he discusses the deal with a devil, Mephastophilis, concerning the selling of his soul to the Devil in return for earthly power. When Faustus makes the contract, it seems as if he is not thinking ahead as his attitude is carefree. He possibly does not believe in Hell, or that he has a soul, or about the reality of the bargain. His attitude at this point can be summed up by the following phrase (Scene 4, lines 103-4), .
"If I had as many souls as there be stars, .
I"d give them all for Mephastophilis." .
Faustus" ambition for power and lack of foresight are what doom him later on in play. Arguably, ambition can be said to have caused the downfall of Marlowe himself. His violent murder in a London tavern in 1593 was mysterious and historians often question possible motives for killing Marlowe; his drive to succeed may have made other people envious and resentful.
Christopher Marlow's "Dr. Faustus- tells of Faustus's rise and fall through Lucifer. The play opens with a monologue from the main character, telling the audience why he feels what he studied through his life is insignificant. Faustus is a nave character, whom craves power and wealth, and sacrifice...
Christopher Marlowe's play, Dr. ... Dr. ... Then Faustus does repent, but the devil comes and is very angry with him, and he begins to frighten Faustus for repenting to God. ... This exchange between Mephistopheles and Faustus is a match of wits and an attempt to test the degree at which Faustus will follow Satan. ... Faustus has pride and sees nothing interesting in Pride. ...
The final scenes of Dr Faustus are incredibly dramatic. ... Faustus realises that his time is nearly up. ... Faustus yells, "Rend not my heart for naming of my Christ," "Yet I will call on him.." the pause indicates Faustus" instability of mind. ... It is pride which stops Faustus from repenting. ... Greed and ambition are revealed as Faustus" demise. ...
In many ways, Macbeth and Dr. Faustus follow the same progression as their character's poor choices cause them to spiral downward. The universal truth of the "Faust Theme" is evident in Macbeth. It can be seen through his decisions throughout the play. These decisions are what cause his progression ...
The character of Dr Faustus is one of many contradictions. ... Scene 1 sees Faustus contemplating his future studies. ... However, much of Faustus" reasoning is backed by fatalist views. During the same argument in scene 1, Faustus contemplates philosophy. ... Faustus describes himself as "damned art thou". ...
This essay will identify, explore and outline the purpose of Faustus soliloquy. ... This provides the audience with the sense that Dr Faustus is uncertain. ... From this, the reader can suggest another of Faustus characteristics. ... This portrays Faustus to match the stereotypical image of a mad scientist. ... Thus from the very start, Marlowe has successfully given the readers an accurate impression to what Faustus is like regarding his attitude and character. ...
Faustus died a death that few could bear to imagine, much less experience. ... Satan agrees to this, telling Faustus to sign the bargain in blood. ... Faustus still doesn't listen. ... "The lust for power that led to the excess of the Renaissance "the slaughter of Montezuma and countless American Indians, the launching of the Armada, the very creation of the English Church out of Henry's spleen "is epitomized in Dr. Faustus- (Shipley 404). ...
