What does Marlowe's presentation of Mephastophilis tell an audience about sixteen century ideas of hell and damnation?
What does Marlowe's presentation of Mephastophilis tell an audience about sixteen century ideas of hell and damnation?
Literary works in sixteenth- century England were rarely if ever created in isolation from other currents in the social and cultural world and Marlowe's Dr Faustus is no exception. It is significant that Marlowe's great play was written at a time in which the possibility of sorcery was not merely a theatrical fantasy but a widely shared fear. Dr Faustus was also performed at time in which many artists such as Bosch and Jacques Callot were depicting horrific images of hell in their paintings making the play all the more disturbing to the medieval audience. Marlowe's tragedy emerges not only from a culture in which bargains with the devil are imaginable as real events but also from a world in which many of the most fundamental assumptions about spiritual life were being called into question by the movement known as the reformation.
The character of Mephastophilis plays a pivotal role in Dr Faustus as it is through him that Marlowe expresses his views on sin, redemption and damnation. Mephastophilis presents a particularly intriguing portrayal of hell and encapsulates the audience from his very first appearance on stage. The audience first encounter Mephastophilis when he is summoned by Faustus' chants. This is significant as one of the central questions in the play is weather Faustus damns himself or if he is somehow entrapped. Mephastophilis insists that he came to Faustus of his own accord when he heard Faustus curse God and forswear heaven, hoping that Faustus soul was available for the taking. This suggests that while demons may be active agents eagerly seeking to seize Faustus soul, it is Faustus himself that makes the first move Mephastophilis does not force him to do anything against his will. This therefore indicates that devils only have the ability to entrap those who want to be entrapped and who renounce God and swear allegiance to the devil. This was a view that was widely accepted at the time.
When Mephastophilis first appears Faustus commands him to depart and return dressed as a Franciscan friar since 'that holy shape becomes a devil best'. The fact that Faustus feels the need to disguise the devils true hideousness is a bold statement about the horrific reality of hell. Mephastophilis is presumably too hideous for Faustus to even look upon therefore he demands that he leave and return as something more pleasant and appealing in a feeble attempt to mitigate the horrors of hell. When Mephastophilis reappears dressed as a monk Faustus quizzes him about hell. We learn that Lucifer and all his devils were once angels who rebelled against God and have been damned to hell forever. He willingly tells Faustus that his master, Lucifer, is less powerful than God, having been thrown 'by aspiring pride and insolence,/...From the face of heaven'. Furthermore, Mephastophilis offers a powerful portrait of hell that seems to warn against any pact with Lucifer. When Faustus asks him how it is that he is allowed to leave hell in order to come to earth he replies 'Why this is hell nor am I out of it'. Mephastophilis exposes the horrors of his own experience as if offering sage guidance to Faustus. His honesty in mentioning the 'ten thousand hells' that torment him shines a negative light on the action of committing ones soul to Lucifer. Indeed Mephastophilis even tells Faustus to abandon his 'frivolous demands'. This dialogue shows Mephastophilis in a peculiar light. We know that he is committed to Faustus damnation he has appeared to Faustus because of his hope that Faustus will renounce God and swear allegiance to Lucifer. Yet here Mephastophilis seems to be urging Faustus against selling his soul. There is a parallel between the experiences of Mephastophilis and that of Faustus. Just as Faustus now is, Mephastophilis was once prideful and rebelled against God; like Faustus he is damned forever for his sin. Perhaps because of this connection Mephastophilis cannot accept Faustus' cheerful dismissal of hell in the name of 'manly fortitude'. He knows all to well the terrible reality, and this reality drives him, in spite of himself, to warn Faustus away from his terrible course. The fact that even Mephastophilis cannot help but warn Faustus not to enter into this pact with Lucifer is poignant illustration of the just how horrific hell was perceived to be in the 16th century. The medieval audience would have thoroughly believed that those who renounced God would go to hell and be forced to endure the horrific torment as described by Mephastophilis in this scene.
Literary works in sixteenth- century England were rarely if ever created in isolation from other currents in the social and cultural world and Marlowe's Dr Faustus is no exception. It is significant that Marlowe's great play was written at a time in which the possibility of sorcery was not merely a theatrical fantasy but a widely shared fear. Dr Faustus was also performed at time in which many artists such as Bosch and Jacques Callot were depicting horrific images of hell in their paintings making the play all the more disturbing to the medieval audience. Marlowe's tragedy emerges not only from a culture in which bargains with the devil are imaginable as real events but also from a world in which many of the most fundamental assumptions about spiritual life were being called into question by the movement known as the reformation.
The character of Mephastophilis plays a pivotal role in Dr Faustus as it is through him that Marlowe expresses his views on sin, redemption and damnation. Mephastophilis presents a particularly intriguing portrayal of hell and encapsulates the audience from his very first appearance on stage. The audience first encounter Mephastophilis when he is summoned by Faustus' chants. This is significant as one of the central questions in the play is weather Faustus damns himself or if he is somehow entrapped. Mephastophilis insists that he came to Faustus of his own accord when he heard Faustus curse God and forswear heaven, hoping that Faustus soul was available for the taking. This suggests that while demons may be active agents eagerly seeking to seize Faustus soul, it is Faustus himself that makes the first move Mephastophilis does not force him to do anything against his will. This therefore indicates that devils only have the ability to entrap those who want to be entrapped and who renounce God and swear allegiance to the devil. This was a view that was widely accepted at the time.
When Mephastophilis first appears Faustus commands him to depart and return dressed as a Franciscan friar since 'that holy shape becomes a devil best'. The fact that Faustus feels the need to disguise the devils true hideousness is a bold statement about the horrific reality of hell. Mephastophilis is presumably too hideous for Faustus to even look upon therefore he demands that he leave and return as something more pleasant and appealing in a feeble attempt to mitigate the horrors of hell. When Mephastophilis reappears dressed as a monk Faustus quizzes him about hell. We learn that Lucifer and all his devils were once angels who rebelled against God and have been damned to hell forever. He willingly tells Faustus that his master, Lucifer, is less powerful than God, having been thrown 'by aspiring pride and insolence,/...From the face of heaven'. Furthermore, Mephastophilis offers a powerful portrait of hell that seems to warn against any pact with Lucifer. When Faustus asks him how it is that he is allowed to leave hell in order to come to earth he replies 'Why this is hell nor am I out of it'. Mephastophilis exposes the horrors of his own experience as if offering sage guidance to Faustus. His honesty in mentioning the 'ten thousand hells' that torment him shines a negative light on the action of committing ones soul to Lucifer. Indeed Mephastophilis even tells Faustus to abandon his 'frivolous demands'. This dialogue shows Mephastophilis in a peculiar light. We know that he is committed to Faustus damnation he has appeared to Faustus because of his hope that Faustus will renounce God and swear allegiance to Lucifer. Yet here Mephastophilis seems to be urging Faustus against selling his soul. There is a parallel between the experiences of Mephastophilis and that of Faustus. Just as Faustus now is, Mephastophilis was once prideful and rebelled against God; like Faustus he is damned forever for his sin. Perhaps because of this connection Mephastophilis cannot accept Faustus' cheerful dismissal of hell in the name of 'manly fortitude'. He knows all to well the terrible reality, and this reality drives him, in spite of himself, to warn Faustus away from his terrible course. The fact that even Mephastophilis cannot help but warn Faustus not to enter into this pact with Lucifer is poignant illustration of the just how horrific hell was perceived to be in the 16th century. The medieval audience would have thoroughly believed that those who renounced God would go to hell and be forced to endure the horrific torment as described by Mephastophilis in this scene.
