Sweet friend’ or ‘accursed spirit

8/3/2019 Sweet friend or accursed spirit

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SWEET

FRIEND OR

ACCURSEDSPIRIT


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The moment of his appearance is a tense , evenhorrific, scene.

The character is derived from the Tempter inmorality plays.

Far more complex than his ancestors Emerges as a truthful friend to Faustus

Sets the limits of Faustus power over him fromthe outset. Warns him that he cannot perform any

magic without Lucifer's permission Warns Faustus that if he follows Lucifer he will

not be free either


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Warns Faustus to leave these frivolous demands andreveals his own terror in trying to warn Faustus awayfrom his own damnation

Upon his return from Lucifer Mephistopheles is truthful

about Lucifer's motivation to expand his territory andwarns that F will get more than he bargains for

Even ad F signs the contract Mephistopheles is truthfulabout the nature of Hell , about his fate as one of the

damned, warning F that he will learn that what he saysis true.

He tells F that Lucifer was beautiful before the fall andoffers himself as evidence that Hell does exist

Admits that he can not fetch him a wife as it hasreligious connotations


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After signing the contract

No longer his truthful friend

Lies about Heaven

Seeks reinforcements when Faustus is goingthrough the cycle of doubt and consideringrepentance

Seems to distract Faustus from his initial lofty

intentions during the 24 years Rome: instead of indulging Fs desire to visit

the tourist highlights lures him intomischievous fun


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Seems to try to protect F from the horsecourser and appears sympathetic that F hasnot slept these eight nights

Final act, truthful, admitting that he cannottouch the soul of the faithful Old man, only hurthis body.

Even at this late hour , this should havewarned Faustus that, if he turned to God andhad faith in Gods mercy, the forces of Hell

would not be able to do more than afflict his

body


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Tempter

Doesn't act as a tempter until he returns fromarranging the terms of the contract with Lucifer in Act2

He knows that Gods mercy is infinite and Faustuss

contract with Lucifer is powerless, so he makesFaustus write the deed in blood knowing that he willfeel bound to his promise resolute.

He tempts him with the promise that he will be asgreat as Lucifer, but this is a power that he has

already explained that he will not have. Like Mephistopheles, Faustus will just be a servant to

Lucifer

When he brings the unearthly fire to liquify Faustusblood he says, O what will not I do to obtain his soul


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When Faustus receives the divine messageHomo fuge, Mephistopheles begins his cycleof distraction by showing him the powers he

could have Reassures Faustus that Heaven is not such a

glorious thing as he imagines, which directly

contradicts what he has already said (1.3.79-81) so he lies to retain his soul, he also fetchesLucifer and Beelzebub when Faustus resolve

begins to falter


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Mephistopheles subtly corrupts Faustus

aspirations

Trivial behaviour in Rome demonstrates to

Faustus that the Church has no power overhim, because he is already damned

It also makes him think that he has gone too

far for God to forgive him Mephistopheles instigates the puerile trick with

the horse courser, further debasing Faustus

lofty ambitions


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When Faustus despairs in the final act, he gives him a dagger,hoping that Faustus will kill himself and put himself beyondhope of salvation, despair will prove he doesn't believe inredemption

When the Old Man urges F to repent, he does what he can todissuade him, yet all he can do is accuse him of disobedienceand treachery and threaten to tear his flesh to pieces

Faustus knows that he is destined for eternal suffering so thisappears a very weak threat

More powerful is the accusation of treachery because Faustushas proven to be an honourable man and will not break hispromise

Hell calls for right and Faustus code of conduct dictates headheres to his contract

When F asks for Helen, Mephistopheles brings in the devil in

the twinkling of an eye, before he can change his mind,knowin that demonalit rules out for iveness


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He is a truthful friend, until Faustus sends him back toLucifer.

He tries hard to dissuade Faustus until it becomesobvious that he is intent on pursuing his course.

Upon his return his truthfulness has a sarcastic edgeI will be thy slave and wait on thee,/And give theemore than thou hast wit to ask and he begins to fulfilhis roe as the tempter.

He must be a figure of contradiction because Faustus

will only put himself at risk if the tempter is goodcompany, someone he would choose as a sweetfriend.

While seeming to warn Faustus Mephistophelesseduces him into the belief that Hell is not that bad.


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Tragic Figure

Someone of consequence who has been ledinto catastrophe by a fatal flaw or error of

judgement

The tragic effect usually depends on anawareness of admirable qualities that arewasted, and the loss being greater than themisjudgement seems to merit

There is plenty of evidence to suggest thatMarlowe had intended Mephistopheles to be atragic figure in his own right


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An angel, living in Heaven in the sight of God, helost everything because of his alliance withLucifer.

Eternal suffering seems a disproportionatepunishment for this error

His melancholy epistrophe (1.3. 71-73) whichechoes Faustuss previous line, he admits to hisunhappiness, acknowledges his crimes againstour God, and laments that his suffering will lastfor ever.

Laden with anguish, he understands what he haslost, and unselfishly tries to prevent another from

making the same mistake


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Warns Faustus not to think of Hell as a place, Hell is beingdeprived of Heaven and the sight of God

Even a devil feels terror at the thought of what he has doneand his soul is fainting

Feels compassion and admits his own misery and suffering inan attempt to save Faustus

Even admits that he is wretched and he wants others to sharethis misery (2.1.42)

His awareness of his own collusion in his own fate as well ashis frustration that Faustus is too arrogant to heed his

warnings that make him seem more human than demon. In 2.1.121-27, he laments his fate once again. He and the

other fallen angels will be tortured for eternity, wherever theygo they will be in Hell.

He no longer attempts to dissuade Faustus, rather he accepts

that Faustus will only learn through experience

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Sweet friend’ or ‘accursed spirit