Reading Journal, Act 5, 'Dr Faustus'

Scene 1:

• Wagner reveals that Faustus is nearing the end of his 24 years. He is sharing a last supper – parallels with the Bible, but yet this is the complete opposite. Faustus is going down to hell, rather than up to heaven.
• ‘Belly-cheer’ – associated with the lower class, Faustus is going ‘back to his roots’. Also the theme of greed again – ‘glutted’ etc.
• ‘Belike the feast is ended.’ – metaphorical for Faustus’s life.
• Faustus is asked to conjure up Helen of Troy.
• An Old Man enters. He could be the morality figure of the play as he is focussed on God and decency and resists the devil.
• ‘Where art thou Faustus?’ – Faustus is having an epiphany? Yet he could also be sarcastic due to the punctuation used.
• Mephistopheles hands him a dagger – this could be an act of kindness. He is allowing Faustus to take control of his death – he can choose when he dies, rather than waiting on Lucifer.
• ‘I go sweet Faustus’… ‘Sweet Mephistopheles’ – the characters are closer than ever. Comparable qualities or personalities they share?
• Helen of Troy is conjured again.
• Faustus makes the most beautiful speech within the play; full of beauty and emotion – we have never seen this aspect of Faustus’s personality before. Is this his desperation to be ‘human’?
• However, this part of the scene is upsetting as Faustus can only raise a vision, not the actual person. His pleasure is unfulfilled.

Scene 2:

• The scholars ask what ails Faustus.
• ‘Faustus’ offence can ne’er be pardoned’ – Faustus knows what will come of him and has lost all of hope of ever trying to regain his humanity.
• ‘The serpent that tempted Eve’ – Biblical reference, fall of humanity – just as Faustus has done. He was tempted by the idea of knowledge and power.
• The scholars promise to pray for Faustus – could also be morality figures of the play. Show forgiveness and hope.
• Page 109 – Faustus’s speech links with his first speech through the quoting of Latin, yet they are both drawn apart from the hugely different situation.
• ‘Thunder and lightening’ – typical Gothic convention of the weather. Pathetic fallacy.
• ‘My God, my God’ – Faustus’s vision which show him he is moving further and further away from heavenly bliss into eternal torment.
• ‘Adders and serpents’ – the devils in monstrous form that have come to take him.
• ‘Ugly hell’ – the entrance to hell itself.
• ‘Ah Mephistopheles!’ – Faustus’s last cry before he is dragged down to hell. Is this him calling out to his companion to save him?

Epilogue:

• The Chorus tell us of Faustus’s wasted potential.
• The Chorus treat Faustus’s fate as a warning to the audience – the Chorus could now also be the morality figure of the play?