I feel bad for Faustus at the end of the play. I understand that he signed his soul over to the devil, but he was just so helpless at the end. Despite his flaws, I pity him. Or maybe I pity him because of his flaws.
He just had this hope that when he signed his soul over, he would live this awesome life, but I don't think that happened. He plays pranks on the Pope, gives a guy some horns and let's someone take his leg. That just doesn't seem like the grand life Faustus had in mind.
In the last act, it seems like Faustus is still doing the basic magic tricks he was in the beginning of the play. The scholars want to see Helen of Greece, so Faustus makes her appear. I just feel like Faustus didn't really live a life worth giving up his soul for. If he knows he's going to Hell, why didn't he live it up?
We were asked where we think Faustus can no longer receive mercy, and I think that point comes after Faustus sends away the old man and the three scholars who visit him. After the old man leaves, Faustus plans to pledge himself to the devil once again. Faustus says, "Torment, sweet friend, that base and aged man/that durst dissuade me from thy Lucifer" (81, 82-83). The old man is trying to help Faustus be worthy of heaven again, but he just brushes it aside.
After this, Faustus talks about how Mephostophilis robbed him of the joys of heaven, but he doesn't really do anything about. The fact that he waits an hour before he is to be taken to Hell to beg God for forgiveness doesn't really help his situation. If he wanted to be saved, he should have done it sooner.
I feel bad for him because Hell is described in a very terrifying way, but he should have tried to redeem himself a lot sooner if he didn't want to spend eternity there.
He is a total fool. A proud fool! I honestly think he could have been forgiven by God at anytime if he would have accepted his flaws. I pity him too because it's so obvious and so clear.
ReplyDelete