Back to: Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe Summary
Scene 1
In this act, Faustus is alone and busy in his studies. He has an acute mental uncertainty. He realises that he is now damned and it is useless to think of God and Heaven.
However, he desires to return to God and also build a Church. Soon Good and evil angels appear. The former urge him to think of heaven and the latter promises him wealth and honour.
Mephistopheles appears and tells Faustus that Lucifer has agreed to buy his soul. Further, he asks Faustus to sign a bond with his blood. Faustus stabs his arm and begins to write. His blood congeals and he writes no more. He sees an inscription on his arm which is “Man run away”.
Faustus asks Mephistopheles about Hell and the latter tells says that it is a place where one is tortured. Hearing this Faustus dismisses the idea of Hell and asks for wife to Mephistopheles who offers him devil disguised woman. Dr Faustus rejects her and says “A plague on her”.
Mephistopheles gives Faustus a book of magic using which Faustus would be able to control not only humans but other elements as well. The book contains all the knowledge that Faustus desires to acquire.
Scene 2
Faustus is once again shown us experiencing a mental conflict. When he thinks of heaven, he repents his contract. Soon a quarrel begins between Faustus and Mephistopheles which ends with a reconciliation between the two.
In the beginning, Faustus is in the mood of repentance because of good angels of God. However being curious he asks Mephistopheles about the nature of universe and also asks him who created the world.
Being enemy of God, Mephistopheles does not like to admit the truth and warns Faustus from asking such questions as they are against the kingdom of Hell.
However the good angels of God whisper in his ears that God made the universe. They again urge Faustus to repent however the evil angels warn him. That devil will tear him apart if he breaks the contract.
Being in distress, Faustus calls upon Christ to save his soul. Immediately he finds himself confronted with Lucifer, Beelzebub and Mephistopheles who tell him that by appealing to Christ he is acting on contrary to his promise.
Faustus begs the devils to pardon him and vows never think of heaven again or think of God and praying him.
Lucifer summons the Seven Deadly Sins to entertain Faustus. The sins are Pride, Covetousness (greed), Wrath (anger), Envy, Gluttony (over-intelligence), Sloth (laziness) and Lechery (lust).
Faustus is given a book using which he would be able to turn himself into any shape he likes. A parade of Seven Deadly Sins start (a survival of Old Morality Plays). Deadly Sins provide entertainment not only to Faustus but to the audience as well.
