Mephistopheles character

Mephistopheles Character:

• Act 1, Scene 3- 

• line 25- see how Faustus describes him as first by being 'too ugly'.

• lines 47-52-mephistopheles did not come in answer to Faustus's magic incantations, but simply because he heard some abuse the name of God as he says ' I came now hither of mine own accord.'

• lines 78-84 hell is the absence of God, this makes him a more over powering character we see this through his manipulation.

Act 2, scene 1- 

•  'As before, none of the devil's answers are reassuring... man is tempted only because misery loves company' 

• lines 72 and 83- Mephistopheles asides and creates a new actor - audience relationship, trying Mephistopheles into a cunning plotter.

• He refuses to provide Faustus with a wife, gives him the run down option of a prostitute, would seem more of a wrong doing in religious term. Though this can be M. using his power over Faustus he plays the character of God providing what he wants. 

• Mephistopheles- his motivations are ambiguous: his goal is to catch Faustus’s soul and carry it to hell; on the other hand, he attempts to dissuade Faustus from making a deal with Lucifer by warning him about the horrors of hell. Mephastophilis is ultimately as tragic a figure as Faustus, with his moving, regretful accounts of what the devils have lost in their eternal separation from God and his repeated reflections on the pain that comes with damnation.
• shows hell as being a good place Act 2.3 line 5- 'think'st thou heaven is such a glorious thing? ' Shows Faustus as hell being an easy option to material gains, also how M. questions this too may show his lack of experience of what hell is actually like may get worse.
•  M's. Character acts as the body or 'gut' we could say for why Faustus becomes the way he is. Initially M is the motivation behind most of the acts Faustus decides to do. 
• At first he appears as a weak character as from lines 40-42, Lucifer is the 'God' he is just a servant. 

Act 4

• Faustus's character becomes a celebrity at the beginning of act 4 "as they admired and wondered at his wit. Now is his fame spread forth in every land.'' see his celebrity status grow. This can be question is the celebrity label really credible upon Faustus?
• As in class we were assessing Faustus's character. Faustus's character is viewed as being superior among the rest as coming from a social class of base stock and he has come to the top of his 'game'. Pride has taken over, due to his knowledgeable nature it contradicts his character in previous acts has he becomes ignorant to the idea of going to hell. (becomes a deadly sin himself - too much pride). 
• Power "brass" "silk" as mentioned in the very beginning. Uses his power to advantage. Though it can be argued whether Faustus has become powerful, he hasn't accomplished much in his 24 years whilst selling his soul to the devil.  
• - Faustus becomes power hungry, always strives to be better than what he actually is. 
• Faustus has a character f false ambition. 

Key Quotes from Act 4:

• line 105- "that time doth run with calm client foot, shortening my days and thread of vital life"
• "what art thou, Faustus, but a man condemned to die?"
• act 4 scene 2, line 25-highlights Faustus's knowledge of the world. 

Act 5 

"Feast has ended" metaphor - imagery can't feed of the deadly sins.
- Jesus's last supper
- foreshadows Faustus's death, time (structure) "master means to die shortly"

• Drinking takes place, line 6  "belly cheer" gluttony
• - The language used shows Faustus being from a base stock social class.
• - mother tongue- way down to hell goes back to hell. 
• Faustus brings the most beautiful woman on stage.
• mephistopheles brings the dagger- similar to macbeth.

Significance of Old Man 

-morality/mystery play. 

- line 40"drop blood..." biblical references 

- saviour figure

-assesses the situation, and Faustus agrees with him. 

- form and structure: performs and then has a sobering moment. 

"where art thou Faustus?" forced epiphany

- Faustus "damned" lines 48-50 dramatic. 

- Dagger "and Faustus will come to do thee night" to kill himself? or kill the contract- devil still gets his soul. 

DOCTOR FAUSTUS

Act 1- 

• Introduced to the Character of Faustus, we see a similarity with Frankenstein, both having a passion for knowledge.  Also with Frankenstein "yet art thou still but Faustus, and a man. Wouldst thou make man to live eternally?"This shows Faustus being unsatisfied and a man. As mentioned on lines 23, we can make a connection to Victor's creation of man living eternally being made from other parts as later mentioned "raise to life again?"
• We grasp Faustus being from a base stock form of class, at the lowest of them. This makes me like Faustus more as a character knowing he isn't a character of arrogance. 
• Icarus- References falling from the sky as he flew to close to the sun when for bided by his father. He ended up falling from the sky and drowning. This can depict aspects of Faustus's fall.  
• Some phrases are written in Latin, this shows context as the play would be performed in Churches where Latin was learnt and most spoken. 
• Turns to "black arts".
• Introduced to Mephistopheles and his servant Lucifer, the fallen angel " was not that Lucifer an angel once" . We see how he doesn't force Faustus into temptation of sin, Faustus becomes tempted himself. 
• Hell is appeared to be a state of mind "why this is hell, nor am I out of it"
• Act 1, scene 4- Mainly takes part between Robin and Rafe, this adds a comical aspect to the play. This can be aimed for the audience coming from a class of 'base stock' it makes it relatable for everyone to understand. 
• The comical aspect provides a visual/physical element.
•  The use of miss pronunciation, shows the class division.
• No mention of female characters, this ignored the importance of women; whereas in Frankenstein we see the importance of Elizabeth. Macbeth we see the strong and only female character of Lady Macbeth. 

Act 2 

• Signing the contract with his blood shows a sacrifice. "My blood congeals" Faustus is almost given the chance to stop.
•  He is promised anything and everything. 
• "Homo fuge!"Line 81- 'fly o man' the biblical reference offers Faustus to fly away from sin. 
• The fly of man gives a distraction from the warning. 
• Act 2 scene 1- Faustus demands a wife of Mephistopheles. Does the demand for a wife suggest he wants to repent and do things the right way? or does this show how the wife is directly vowed to him therefore being his object of sexual pleasure. 
• Act 2, scene 2- the comical scene between Robin and Rafe shows a breakdown in structure.
• Sexual innuendo, shows the gender roles of women being seen as objects.  
• Act 2, scene 3 - introduced to the 7 deadly sins:

- Each is introduced as "I am" this gives another voice and view in the play. 

-for example: "I am Wrath...I leaped out of a lion's mouth"-personified 

• The way women are presented as prostitutes, or have sexual references made towards them. As in Act 2, scene 3 "dame' referred to a mother or wife, commonly said that women were worse than the devil, women can be seen as sin of temptation. 

Act 3

• Context Religion and Science.
• Meeting with the pope has the opportunity to redeem himself, initial impressions would be repentance, or a debate upon religion and science. 
• "Olympus' top" highest mountain in Greece. Does this she Faustus trying to reach the heavens but having his fall into temptation each time he rises to the top. 
• Faustus travels to places of great cultural experience- similar to Frankenstein travels a lot. 
• As acting this scene out in class, its a very visual scene. 
• Comical aspect, Faustus using the invisibility robe and plays upon the minds of the pope and friars.