Doctor Faustus - Act 1, Scene 3

Question 1

“Gloomy shadow” / “drizzling look” / “Antarctic world”

Answer 1

-Motif of darkness and cold
- Symbolic of Faustus’ transgression being unnatural and blasphemous

Question 2

“Begin thine incantations”

Answer 2

• Imperative : being consumed by evil
• Contemporaneous at the time due to fear of witchcraft and necromancy

Question 3

“Magic can perform”

Answer 3

• Metaphor : presents magic as performative and entertainment
• Highlights the superficial nature and lack of meaning

Question 4

“I charge thee”

Answer 4

• Imperative : dismissive of Mephistopheles
• Emphasises the foolishness of Faustus
• Inability to perceive his own status
• Anaphoric repetition highlights his ignorance

Question 5

“Thou art too ugly to attend on me”

Answer 5

• Highlights Faustus’ superficiality
• Mocking of physical appearance which undermines his studies
• Facetious nature and comedic

Question 6

“Old Franciscan Friar”

Answer 6

• Uses trope to mock the church
• Highlights the anti-catholic sentiment : corruption
• Imperatives used beforehand to command Mephistopheles, misunderstanding of power dynamic

Question 7

“There’s virtue in my heavenly words”

Answer 7

• Ironic metaphor : presents the foolishness of Faustus.
• Despite having transgressed still sees himself as omnipotent and holy

Question 8

“[exit devil]”

Answer 8

• The staging immediately emphasises his corrupt nature

Question 9

“How pliant is this Mephistopheles”

Answer 9

• Irony : failure to recognise the corrupt force of Mephistopheles
• Highlights Faustus’ foolishness and the hubristic nature of undermining him
• “pliant” : flexible and obedient to Faustus’ will

Question 10

[“Enter MEPHISTOPHELES disguised as a friar]”

Answer 10

• Staging indicates the facetiousness of Mephistopheles
• Proleptic Irony : bends to Faustus’ will

Question 11

“I am servant to great Lucifer”

Answer 11

• Power dynamic emphasises humility : status of Mephistopheles is undermined
• Subservient to Faustus : still very powerful
• Contrasts Faustus who has servants of his own

Question 12

“I came now hither of mine own accord”

Answer 12

• Juxtaposition : creates uncertainty surrounding the power of Mephistopheles
• Highlights Faustus’ ignorance for undermining him despite his power

Question 13

“Speak”

Answer 13

• Imperative : highlights arrogance of Faustus trying to act powerful
• Comedic / bathos
• Overlooks the power of Mephistopheles at face value (hubristic)

Question 14

“For when we hear one rack the name of God” / “We fly in hope to get his glorious soul”

Answer 14

• Acts as a warning, presents Mephistopheles as honest
• Provides reasoning for his arrival as Faustus asked : outlines Faustus’ fate (Proleptic irony)

Question 15

“Pray devoutly to the prince of hell”

Answer 15

• Imperative : rejection of Christ to swap deity to Lucifer
• “Prince” undermines the power of hell potentially highlighting the mistake he will make. Not king. emphasises a lack of superiority.
• Highlights the foolish nature of Faustus

Question 16

“This word ‘damnation’ terrifies not him”

Answer 16

• Provides Calvinist reading (pre-destination)
• Dissociates Lucifers actions emphasising his foolishness, only sees half truth
• Blinded by promise

Question 17

“O, by aspiring pride and insolence”

Answer 17

• Apostrophe : mirrors Faustus’ harmartia
• Faustus failure to acknowledge this highlights hubris and foolishness

Question 18

“Lucifer”

Answer 18

• Epistrophe : emphasises Lucifer’s eternal state
• Further emphasises the eternal nature of those that sin, lack of agency

Question 19

“tasted the eternal joys of heaven” / “tormented with ten thousand hells” / “deprived of everlasting bliss?”

Answer 19

• Hyperbolic language : reinforces the morality play. Acts as a warning against Faustus condemning himself
• Warns Faustus and the audience
• Extent of the language emphasises the irreversibility of the act of transgression
• Undermining the motif of eternity emphasises the disadvantages

Question 20

“O Faustus, leave these frivolous demands”

Answer 20

• Imperative : trying to warn against transgression
• Undermines Faustus’ intelligence as he fails to see what is right in front of him

Question 21

“Four-and-twenty years” / “live in all voluptuousness”

Answer 21

• Irony : previously criticised the finite nature of knowledge coming to an “end” but now exchanged his soul for temporary gain.
• Submitted to desire and temptation (base desires)
• Highlights his foolishness

Question 22

“Go and return to mighty Lucifer”

Answer 22

• Imperative language : fails to understand the evil nature
• Highlights Lucifer as superior and idolises him

Question 23

“Had I as many souls as there be stars I’d give them all for Mephistopheles”

Answer 23

• Hyperbolic simile : melodramatic emphasising the foolish nature of necromancy
• Foolish as he studied divinity : infinite number of stars
• Enthralled / entranced
• Conflicted awareness of his overreaching

Question 24

“Make a bridge” / “Pass the ocean” / “Join the hills”

Answer 24

• Motif of extravagance and size : focus’ on the physical of the world rather than metaphysical
• Emphasises foolishness and desire