Important References and Context of “Dr.Faustus”

Important References and Context of “Dr.Faustus”. We teach students to explain the text in simple and comprehensive words. These paragraphs help the readers to understand the Christopher Marlowe play’s text with its critical approach. As it write below…

Reference No: 1

Had I as many souls as there be stars,

I’d give them all for Mephestophilis.

Explanation with reference to the Context:

These lines have been extracted from the First Act, scene III of the famous drama ‘’Doctor Faustus’’ by ‘Christopher Marlowe’. The lines under discussion are spoken by Faustus to himself. As Mephistopheles disappears after taking the command of Faustus to tell Lucifer the wishes of Faustus and meet him at midnight, Faustus talks to himself. As Faustus has determined to surrender his soul to Lucifer on the condition of having every kind of worldly pleasure, delight and comfort for twenty four years, he utters to himself that if he has numberless souls as there are stars in the sky, he will give them to the Lucifer (Satan) in order to have all kinds of worldly pleasures and comforts. Here Faustus shows his utter desire and love to worldly pleasures, materialistic things and baseless beauties and powers of the world. He is deeply and wholeheartedly determined to have all such kind of worldly luxuries at any cost.

Reference No:2

The God thou serv’st is thine own appetite.

Wherein, is fixed the love of Belzebub.

To him, I,ll build an altar and a church

And offer him lukewarm blood of newborn babes. 

Explanation with Reference to the Context:

These selective lines have been extracted from the act Il Scene I of the famous tragic play, “Doctor Faustus”, written by ‘Christopher Marlowe’. The selective lines under discussion are spoken by Faustus himself to his conscience. After having determined to practice of black art (magic), Faustus’ conscience starts shaking between right and wrong deeds. On the one hand, his inner impulse of conscience compels him to leave the practice of magic (black art) and return to God for repentance so that he may get salvation from his misdeeds from the god. On the other hand, his impulse of gaining material things and worldly pleasures through surrendering his soul to Lucifer excites him not to go back upon his decision of practicing magic for getting worldly pleasures, powers and comports of all kinds. It further compels him to un shaky and determined faith in Beelzebub. He thinks that why should he resort to God who has no love and mercy for him now. He becomes of firm belief that his own impulse or passion is his own god whom he must worship and in these desires, wishes and passions is hidden the love for Beelzebub. For his worship, he will build an altar and a church or a temple and there he will serve warm blood of newly born kids (children)to please Beelzebub.

Reference No:3

Ah, Faustus

Now has thou but one bare hour to live,

And then thou must be damn’d perpetually

Stand still you ever moving spheres of heaven.

That time may cease, and midnight never come

Fair Nature’s eye, rise again, and make

Perpetual day; or let this hour be but

A year, a month, a week, a natural day.

That Faustus may repent and save his soul. 

Reference to the Context:

The selective lines under discussion have been selected from act V, scene III of the renowned play, “Dr.Faustus” written by ‘Christopher Marlowe’. As the time of Faustus’ agreement with Lucifer comes to an end, and the clock strikes eleven. Faustus friends retire to another room. Now Faustus remains alone and starts thinking about his eternal damnation which is about to befall on his after one hour. As the final hour advances, his poignant soliloquy takes its start in an anguished soul. 

Explanation:

He deeply and remorsefully repents to make a last minute effort to save his soul from the impending doom and punishment. He greatly requests to the ever moving planets to become stand still so that time may not advance further and the last hour of midnight never arrives at all. He severely appeals to the sun to rise and come up again and make the day perpetual so that this hour may not come to an end. After finding himself failed in his baseless and unimaginable attempt, he makes a merciful request to God. He utterly longs or wishes that this final hour may be longer to a year, to a weak or even to a day so that he may get a further moment to repent and pray to God for his salvation. 

Reference No: 4

O soul, be changed into little water drops,

And fall into the ocean, ne’er be found!

My God, my God look not so firerce on me while! 

Ugly hell, gape not! Come not Lucifer! 

Reference to the Context:

The lines under reference are occurred at the very closing (ending) scene of the tragic play, “Doctor Faustus” authored by Christopher Marlowe. These lines are spoken by Faustus at the time of thundering and lightening, from the God as a doom or punishment for sinful Faustus. As the time of agreement with Lucifer for having material things and worldly pleasures of all kinds for twenty four years comes to an end and the clock strikes twelve; Faustus remorsefully and repentant prays to God for his salvation. 

Explanation:

In these selective lines under discussion, Faustus wants his soul to be converted in the little drops of water and fallen into the waters of the oceans for mingling into it. So that, his sinful soul may not be found by the devil. He further appeals to god in a severe repenting mood that he must not look at him so fiercely and angrily at him. He wants God to have a little moment of life more in order to repent and cause his misdeed. For this, he further requests weepingly and shouted that he must not free adders and serpents on him. He uselessly and vain fully commands ugly hell not to open its wide mouth to eat or swallow him. Lucifer, don’t come near to me to take me away. Here very soon, we see that all his requests, appeals and prays prove to be vain and useless as the devils depart with him in Hell.

Reference No:5

Ay, Faustus, now thou hast no hope of heaven,

Therefore, despair, think only upon hell,

For that must be thy mansion, there to dwell.

Explanation with Reference to the Context:

These lines have been taken from Christopher Marlowe’s famous tragedy ‘Doctor Faustus’. Faustus is a student of science and its other branches of knowledge but in the course of action of the play, we see that he shuns off these branches of knowledge and resorts to get the knowledge of black art (magic). For this, he makes an agreement with Lucifer with his own blood. In order to get material things and worldly pleasures and powers of all kinds, he surrenders his soul to Lucifer for ever. He makes an agreement of twenty four years with Satan.

After writing the bond of having sexual, sensual, worldly and material pleasures and rejoices from Lucifer for 24-years sometimes, his inner impulses of conscience prick or strike him and he starts waving between the thoughts of good and bad deeds. These thoughts of good and bad deeds appear or occur to him in the form of good and bad angels. Good angel forbids him to follow or practise of black magic and resort to God for praying for salvation. While a bad angel excites or goads him to advance in the art of black magic fearlessly and enjoy the worldly powers, blesses and pleasure of all kinds.But he is told by the pupil of Lucifer that now Faustus must never think of the bliss and comforts of heaven as he has no connection with it now. Despair and disappointment are his companions now. He should always think of hell and its inhabitants. Now hell is the only place for him, in which he will have to live forever.