Doctor Faustus - Act 2, Scene 1 Flashcards
1
Q
“[in his study]”
A
- Structural Parallel to Act 1, Scene 1
- Symbolises knowledge : ironic due to Faustus’ foolish decisions (mirroring)
2
Q
“Must thou needs be damned”
A
- Symbolises Calavanist beliefs of predestination
- Emphasises Faustus’ inner conflict
- Appeals to the audience
3
Q
“And canst thou not be saved”
A
- Juxtaposes the Calvinist belief
- Symbolic of Lutheranism
- Presents Faustus’ inner conflict through the antithesis created
4
Q
“To think of god or heaven?” / “Despair in god” / “turn to god again”
A
- Repetition of “god” emphasises Faustus’ uncertainty in faith
- Represents his inner conflict between temptation and virtue
- Rhetorical questioning potentially emphasises guilt or change in decision
5
Q
“Abjure this magic”
A
- Parallel to “abjure the scriptures”
- Element of conflict provoked
- Shows understanding of the performative nature of necromancy
- “Magic” : facade, entertainment not true power, mimicry
6
Q
“And offer lukewarm blood of new-born babes”
A
- Gruesome imagery : defies god (blasphemous)
- Sacrificial emphasising evil
- Signifies Faustus’ resolution
7
Q
“Think of honour and wealth” / “Of wealth?”
A
- Materialistic : presents superficiality and commodification
- Stichomythia dialogue between both characters (within 10 syllables)
- Faustus’ response is monosyllabic and robotic, diminishes his intelligence (regressive)
- Structurally, Evil Angel always speaks last in order to manipulate Faustus which is a trope of the morality play, only answers Evil Angel.
- Symbolic of his own inner conflict
8
Q
“Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris”
A
- Latin emphasises the corruption of the Catholic Church as it is spoken by devils
- Further emphasises Mephistopheles as a tempter character
- Highlights the cunning and manipulative character as intelligent.
9
Q
“And I will be thy slave” / “And give thee more than thou hast wit to ask”
A
- Anaphoric repetition : emphasises the subservience
- Ironic as Mephistopheles is only servant to Lucifer, not Faustus emphasising hypocrisy
- Manipulation / tempter
10
Q
“(Cutting his arm)”
A
- Stage direction : conveys vulnerability and severity, complete commitment to transgression
11
Q
“My blood congeals, and I can write no more”
A
- Symbolic of warning : unnatural act
- Provokes physical aversion highlighting Faustus’ inner conflict
- Intrinsic prevention
12
Q
“I’ll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight”
A
- Hellish imagery
- Element of subservience in order to uphold deal
- Controlling of character : tempter
13
Q
“Consummatum est”
A
- Alludes to Jesus on the cross
- Meaning ‘Fly man’
- Highlights the hypocrisy of Faustus presenting him as arrogant for partaking in act
- Faustus willingly went along presents him as hubristic for relating himself to centre of Christianity (irony)
- Foreshadows that Faustus cannot be saved
- Emphasises the inner conflict, still some association with religion (potential regret)
14
Q
“He’ll throw thee down to hell”
A
- Symbolic of Calvinism : presents Faustus conflict with inner conscience
- Sense of revaluation
- Element of fear, still religiously thinking (regret)
15
Q
“(Aside) O, what will not I do to obtain his soul?” / “(Aside) I’ll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind”
A
- Revelation : reveals true intention to audience
- Duplicitous character
- Tempter
- Parallel to 1.3 he tried to prevent Faustus from transgressing
16
Q
“I think hell’s a fable”
A
- Ironic : see’s hell as a myth despite having made a deal with devil
- Highlights Faustus’ foolishness (delusion)
- Parallel to Act 1
- Faustus has regressed
17
Q
“The fairest maid in Germany”
A
- Superlative : emphasises Faustus’ base desires
- Emphatic of the tragic hero : noble aims, wants a wife.
- Parallels Robin’s base desires of “pretty wenches plackets”
- Necessity for extravagance
18
Q
“[Enter MEPHISTOPHELES with a DEVIL dressed like a woman, with fireworks]”
A
- Stage direction : parallels previously, M no longer subservient entirely.
- Equivocating Faustus : emphasises the inferiority of Faustus highlighting his foolishness
