Mephistopheles Character

Personally I have always imagined Mephistopheles to be dark and mysteriously miserable. His character should be acted out as if he is in constant pain and miserable because he is in hell – he states “this is not hell, nor am I out of it”. Mephistopheles shows the audience that hell is a state of mind once you have tasted the joys of heaven. This is why I think he should always look melancholy because he cannot escape his hell and is in a cycle of despair.

He could also be portrayed as a menacing force that, despite being miserable, is always in control and has an advanced understanding of the supernatural and biblical theories to that of Faustus. For example when Faustus demands that Mephistopheles “go and return to mighty Lucifer”, he simply replies “I will Faustus”. At first is appears that Faustus is in full possession of the facts, because he has been cautioned by Mephistopheles about the consequences, this means that Faustus cannot make an appeal on the grounds of ignorance and is fully aware of his actions. Does this mean that Mephistopheles is subconsciously encouraging Faustus to make the pact, because he understands that Faustus cannot turn back?

However when Faustus asks for a wife, Mephistopheles refuses to on the grounds that Marriage is a tradition that is ordained by God. This is beginning to show that Mephistopheles has all the power because he can refuse the wishes of Faustus. This makes Faustus look naive because he now doesn’t know the facts and details of the pact. Mephistopheles can simply say no on the basis that it is in favour of God. I think that Mephistopheles should be shown as a superior and more knowledgeable individual who is holding secrets from Faustus, perhaps on stage he could try to interrupt Faustus in the middle of one of his speeches to say something important, but refrain from doing so as it would reveal too much of Faustus’ fate. Marlow doesn’t put many stage directions in the play, which means that it can be interpreted in a variety of ways, thus it makes it easier for actors to portray a character because they are not restrained by the script.

As the play progresses I think that M is progressively becoming more angry and annoyed at being Faustus’s skivvy. For example, when M enters Act 3 Scene 2 with Rafe and Robin, he shows he is tired of being pushed around by saying “How am I vexed with these Villains’ charms!” the exclamation mark at the end of the sentence exaggerates how angry M is, because it implies that he is shouting at Robin and Rafe. At the end of the scene, he eventually turns the dynamic duo into an ape and a dog. Robin and Rafe are surprisingly pleased with their transformations into an ape and dog, which helps us to appreciate just how deluded Faustus is to be satisfied with being turned into a spirit because it is so crude.

Overall M should be portrayed as a constant dark character in the background of the events, because he is waiting to see Faustus getting his comeuppance for being so naive. He is obviously miserable because he has tasted the sweetness of heaven, and is now in eternal hell.

A picture of Helen of Troy - she appears to have a dusty glow over the picture. This is how I imagined her to look like. Not like the picture below...

Dr Faustus Act V

Act V:

Scene I:

·         Wagner = reminder of the time scale

·         His life has ended – metaphorical imagery – he cannot feast on the 7 deadly sins.

·         Last supper?

·         Back to his roots of base stock

·         Can’t handle the wealth?

·         Old Man – Jesus? Focused on God /morality? Is he the morality character?

·         He grounds Faustus – reality check and sobering.

·         Blood is thicker than water.

·         Forced epiphany – lost of exclamation “What hast thou done?” and “Despair and Die” – sarcasm?

·         Mephistopheles gives him a dagger cruel to be kind – gives F a choice – power to choose – no hesitation.

·         Faustus prepares to stab himself – Macbeth.

·         Does Faustus break his contract? Sends him to hell anyway.

·         “Sweet Faustus” – “Sweet Mephistopheles”

·         “Hopeless Soul” – The old Man cannot save Faustus.

·         “Thou Traitor” – Broken contract – scares him.

·         Helen – doesn’t exist – facsimile.

·         Women have little significance – it’s the first time that a woman has come onto the stage – Faustus is compromised by the idea of romance.

·         Lust – reconfirms his naivety - immortal kiss – does he want to break his contract.

·         Seeing her will make him not listen to the old man.

·         Faustus speech shows a different side to him.

·         Possible comic element – irony – the actor would be a man dressed as a woman – context.

·         “Monarch of the sky” – more lovely than God.  

Scene II:

·         “The Serpent” – Macbeth and Lamia.

·         Ironic – back to academia

·         He cheated death

·         His last words are “Ah, Mephistopheles!” – A betrayal or relief? Or anger?

·         Is the ending happy or sad?

·         What do we as an audience feel towards Faustus?

Dr Faustus Act IV

Act IV:

Scene I:

·         Faustus is now seen as the common celebrity

·         The knight questions Faustus’s intentions – is this what the audience should be doing?

·         Faustus is drunk on power?

·         The idea of resurrecting Alexander the Great is seen as important to showing off his power.

·         Now, the deal itself has more value than anything achieved afterwards – Faustus has become the generic magician at parties.

·         Is Faustus lonely?

·         He wants to push social and scientific boundaries – Macbeth and Frankenstein.

·         Wasting time.

·         PARAMOUR = mistress.

·         Selfish.

·         Faustus could do anything in the world and ye he is playing cheap tricks. No Game – thus unlikable.

·         Visible imagery of horns – Aceton Society – cuckled – extreme public humiliation

·         “reward” – stage show?

·         Time is running out

·         Faustus is never satisfied.

·         Pull him by the leg, and pull it away – his leg falls off – tricked him – “pulling your leg” – common slang.

Scene II:

·         Does Faustus really need human interaction?

·         Is Faustus sad when he is saying his lines?

·         Pathetic use of his (or Mephistopheles’) powers.

·         Lecherous – M. has all the power, not Faustus.

·         F – drunk on invincibility: a mere celebrity – Katie Price.

·         Petty

·         Intelligence – “aren’t I amazing?”

·         What is his reward? Money? Social favours? Imbued with irony?

·         Flirtatious, arrogant, smarmy…

·         He needs normal people to entertain.

·         Get your reward – comeuppance?

Dr Faustus Act III:

Act III:

Scene I (and Chorus):

·         Faustus climbed to the heights of Gods to look at the stars

·         Intellectual investigation

·         AT the time faith refused to be challenged by science – Galileo was arrested under house arrest.

·         The stars are doing good deeds.

·         Contrasting Icarus links from the beginning

·         Faustus is being celebrated.

·         Faustus travels showing cultural importance.

·         M. is a physical presence and is a constant reminder of the pact – a connection between him and Faustus.

·         ‘Sport’ – Faustus now wants to have fun after becoming one of the most intelligent men in the world.

·         Sense of time = a day, eternally youthful?

·         Comical scene between Faustus and the Pope.

·         Shows his fall from grace more dramatically.

·         Mocking tradition

·         Signifies his fall completely

·         Fall from grace and fall from the deal.

·         Ridicule and blasphemy.

·         The friars singing are like the witches in Macbeth.

Scene II:

·         Slapstick mirroring – comic interludes.

·         “Enter to them Mephistopheles” – crossing over, gives them both more meaning – Dr Faustus dissent = less moral.

·         Robin and Rafe – acting like animals

·         Audiences are in an ambiguous – they are asked to condemn Faustus for his pact with Lucifer at the same time they are encouraged ti applaud him for playing practical jokes on a national enemy.

Dr Faustus Act II:

Act II:

Scene I:

·         1^st Sign of conscience

·         “Lukewarm blood of new-born babes” – Lady Macbeth.

·         “My Blood congeals” – signs from God to stop – chance to escape – Hell, Blood and Fire.

·         “Whither should I fly?” – Message from God? Fly from Sin?

·         He sells his soul in this scene  - it’s a good deal at the time – the Plague was rife and many people did not live past the age of 40.

·         Faustus – after selling his soul and signing the contract in blood – asks for a wife – not whore.

·         Life companion? Relationship and commitment.

·         Is he selling his soul for ambitious purposes?

·         ‘Nay, sweet Mephistopheles’  - ironic? A test for M.?

·         Duality?

Scene II:

·         Sexual innuendo – reflecting the stupidity of all mankind and humanity.

·         Comic interlude again.

·         Social and status comment.

·         Less intellectual

·         It makes Faustus look more moral (he asks for a wife not whores)

·         Marlowe’s atheism – he finds religion amusing?

Scene III:

·         “And cured thee, wicked Mephistopheles” – he just called him ‘sweet M.’ what is he thinking?

·         Good and Bad Angels – make him doubt his decision.

·         Epiphany?

·         Questions – Of Alexander’s love and Oenone’s death?”

·         Potentially suicidal before making pact – pleasure conquered deep despair.

·         Marlowe’s mentioning God and religion – but constantly doubting.

·         Faustus meets the 7 deadly sins and is persuaded by them to live a life of evil.

·         Deep down Faustus is and always will be base stock – they tempt him.

·         Dithering and repentance.

·         Faustus mocks his religion.

Dr Faustus Prologue and Act I

 Prologue:

·         Chorus = Macbeth

·         Stagecraft is important

·         Traimene – Italy

·         Wittenburg is where Hamlet went to university and Luther proclaimed Protestantism

·         Faustus earns his doctorate through hard work as he came from the “Stock-base”

·         Intellectual pride v. arrogance

·         Icarus – Greek mythology. Waxen wings.

·         “Cunning self-conceit”

·         “Necromancy” – black magic.

·         Faustus is similar to Frankenstein in the sense that he is pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

·         The prologue tells us about the life of the protagonist before thee events which will unravel before the audience.

·         Charming “base-stock” – shows a willing for hard work.

Act I:

     Scene I:

·         Faustus’ first soliloquy – talks in Latin – the audience don’t need to understand the Latin, just the simple fact that Faustus is intelligently fluent in the language - reflects Marlowe’s own intelligence and education?

·         Faustus explains that he wants more from life; he wants to be god-like and have imperial knowledge compared to everyone else.

·         “Stipendium peccati mors est. Ha!” – the wage of sin is death.

·         He wants to create a world of riches where schools are ‘filled with silk’ – possible Marxist interpretation? Everyone shall have equal riches?

·         Faustus is lost in his mental judgement – it’s clouded.

·         He needs to be entertained and fulfilled in life – has he reached his peak of academia?

·         Faustus tempts Mephistopheles – Lady Macbeth and Macbeth?

·         The good angel v. bad angel adds a conscious element to the play.

·         ‘glutted’ is mentioned twice – 7 deadly sins

·         Valdes and Cornelius – don’t persuade Faustus to do anything – simply outside characters observing. They’re already evil and confirm what he thinks.

Scene II:

·         Between Wagner and the scholars the audience find out that Faustus selling his soul is a bad thing as he’ll be eternally damned to hell.

·         Structure – a break from Faustus – gives the audience and outside opinion.

Scene III:

·         Intentions?

·         Mephistopheles dressed as a Friar – ironic due to religious contexts.

·         Faustus makes the demands - he see’s himself as equal to the devil – he orders Mephistopheles around – again possible Marxist interpretation.

·         Biblical influences – holy water, circle drawing etc.

·         the spell seems pro-God

·         the lasting impression of the Greeks in Medicine and Philospohy

·         moral dilemma

·         M. argues that hell is a state of the mind – once one has been to heaven, everything seems like hell.

·         He can’t escape hell.

·         It’s not the devils doing – Faustus is pushing the topic onto M.

·         Faustus brings it upon himself – he asks for it – thus at the end of the play the audience feel no sympathy for him.

·         Arrogance and naivety.

·         Overpowering.

·         M. always has the power over Faustus.

Scene IV:

·         Comic interlude

·         Wagner/Robin – comedy scene to lighten the mood

·         It appeals to the punters “flea”

·         Sexualisation of women.

·         No female characters introduced at all at the start of the play.

·         The audience agrees that Faustus is self absorbed and feels equal to the devil – egotism.