Blog Challenge...ACCEPTED

     As evident to my blog comments, I have been reading a lot of the recent posts. Although it may be a little late to write about Faustus, I have a few of my own thoughts to share on the reading before I move on to Shakespeare.
     So, I think that Faustus completely deserved what happened to him. His purposeful ignorance towards the good angel's advice was something that I immediately noticed and well, judged him for. I know that we all have moments of weakness, but I'm not quite sure if 24 years and multiple reminders of your horrible decision counts as a "moment" anymore. I think the good angel was more than generous with her thoughts and advice of his repentance, but I'm not sold that God would actually be that forgiving towards him. I believe Lucifer's description of God being "just," was a great observation. I think God would have looked at Faustus in the same way the readers did. I imagine he would look at Faustus and say something along the lines of, "No." Anyway, I think Faustus and Angelo may have been related because they both seem to make horrible decisions so easily!
Dr Faustus:  "Are you suuuuure I didn't make the right decision?" 

    On to Isabelle and Angelo! I have been struggling over my opinion on Isabelle's decision not to have sex with Angelo. I am fully aware that me saying I think she was being a little selfish is politically incorrect, but alas, that is just how I feel. As someone who has a lot of siblings and is very close with each one of them, I couldn't imagine not making a sacrifice to save their lives. I think this is why I am having such a hard time believing that she could so easily and immediately throw the option out of the window.

     I don't agree with Angelo's utter forcefulness, but I am also not surprised by it. His decision to kill Claudio in jail already gives you an idea of what type of person he is. The foreshadowing of his declaration to be treated just as he is treating Claudio for such a crime, was a key tool in my decision. I think his determination for sex is not the main reason he is asking for it. I believe it is the chase Isabelle is giving him and the complete denial of his offer that makes him want her more. As the person soon to be killed, I do not blame Claudio's plea for Isabelle to have sex with Angelo. Although she is a soon-to-be nun and it is important to have respect for someone who makes a major commitment like that, it is probably hard to believe that she will so willingly watch you be killed for something unreasonable. 

    I think it was a mutual agreement of the class that the Duke is clearly a coward. However, it is hard for me to hate him. There are a lot of people in life that will care so much about something or someone that they can't bring themselves to tell them something that they don't want to hear. They will literally go out of their way just to avoid looking like the bad guy while simultaneously looking and acting like the bad guy! I see why he makes the choice to leave and I respect him for his determination to fix the problem (even though he does it under cover). I guess I am saying that some people just don't have it in them to be strict or to potentially hurt feelings, but that doesn't mean they don't care. He clearly loves his people and although he doesn't show it in the way a Duke typically should, I think he is a good person.