Faustus Critics Flashcards
W W. Greg on the reality of the ‘friendship’ of Valdes and Cornelius
their intention to use Faustus as a cat’s paw rather than run into danger themselves … and except for the passing mention by the students, we hear no more of them.
T McAlindon on the diction of the play.
Characteristically embodies the duality of meaning
David Bevington and Eric Ramussen on the ‘The miracles that magic will perform’
the word ‘perform’ ambivalently suggests both active accomplishment and illusory fabrication of dramatic spectacles.
JP Brockbank on the nature of Mephistopheles
Meph. promptly displaces Faustus as intellectual centre of the play. His eloquence sticks to the facts … Yet, unlike Valdes and Cornelius, he is not a tempter.
Roma Gill on Faustus and all the facts
this scenes significance lies in its demonstration that Faustus is in full possession of all the facts … He can now make no appeal on the grounds of ignorance.
L C Knight on Faustus’ poor and selfish behaviour
the perverse and infantile desire desire for enormous power and immediate gratification
Johnathan Dollimore on Faustus’ incarceration
Even before he abjures God, Faustus expresses a sense of being isolated and trapped.
JP Brockbank on Faustus’ guardian angels
The Good offers the moral view of the prologue, and the Bad the heroic and hubristic one of the soliloquy.
JP Brockbank on the Devil’s ‘reassuarances’
As before, none of the devil’s answers are reassuring. Faustus’ soul will merely “enlarge the kingdom” of Lucifer, and man is tempted only because misery loves company.
John Dollimore on Faustus’ bloodletting in the eyes of Lucifer.
Faustus is not liberating himself, he is ending himself: “It is finished”.
JP Brockbank on ‘Homo, fuge!’
The admonitory words … fade and return like a hallucination of conscience.
Roger Sales on the incrementation of the ‘Great Chain of Being’
Wagner tries to imitate Faustus and the pattern repeats itself when Robin tries to imitate Wagnar.
JP Brockbank on Faustus’ pschomachic soul struggle.
Faustus is beginning to lose his confidence in the heroic consolations of evil and his moral distress is becoming genuine.
JP Brockbank on ‘O, this feeds my soul!’
He asks to visit hell and return safely, but hell has already visited him and left him contaminated.
Lois Potter on Faustus’ pope pranks
Faustus was using farce to distract himself from his own approaching fate … his laughter became hysterical
Steve Simkin on the portrayal of Catholics
The depiction of the pope and his bishops indulging themselves with rich foods and drink is fairly blatant, and predictable, anti-catholic propaganda.
Roger Sales on catholicism
Faustus and Mephistopheles are therefore … allowed to speak for England when they ridicule the Pope’s curses.
Roger Sales on the clown
The clown who created the part of Robin seems to have been an experienced juggler. Perhaps that is all Faustus becomes as a result of his contract with Lucifer.
JP Brockbank on the clown and the magician
The scenes remind us that great magicians … are at best reputable court entertainers and not masters of empire’
Stevie Simkin on the comic dismemberment of Faustus
Rooted in mediaeval dramatic tradition, the comical dismemberment serves to prefigure Faustus’ eventual fate.
Roger Sales on the Duke and Duchess
They are on-stage spectators who are able to enjoy the Theatre of Hell without being made to suffer for it.
William Tydeman on Faustus’ ‘mean streak’
All the incidents demonstrate a streak of spitefulness, an urge to humiliate and score off others, very much keeping with the cruelty displayed by the demonic fraternity towards him.
JP Brockbank on the unrepentant Faustus
Is it that Faustus cannot repent because he is without grace, and cannot have grace because he will not repent?
William Tydeman on Faustus’ sexual deviancy
Sexual desire and sycophancy combine to shut out the truth Faustus cannot face.
Stevie Simkin on Helen of Troy
Even at the brink of damnation, Faustus looks to mortal love, or satisfaction of his lusts, for salvation.
Roger Sales on the voice of the play.
One of the problems for spectators … is that Faustus has the most memorable lines.
Stevie Simkin on ‘Ah, Mephistopheles’
perhaps a curse, perhaps a sudden and final vain hope his devilish companion may save him.
William Tydeman on Helen of Troy
winning her love represents both Faustus’ finest hour and his most disastrous act.
David Riggs on St Mary and young Jesus
Jesus Christ was a bastard, St Mary a whore…
David Riggs on Marlowe and degeneracy
Marlowe’s life reeked of depravity its exemplary conclusion proved ireesistable.
Richard Baines on the nature of Marlowe
atheist, a counterfeiter and a consumer of boys and tobacco.
