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| Character | Doctor Faustus | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Adult (36-50), Senior (>50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Crying, Flips out, Dying, Insecure, Afraid, Apologetic | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Year | 1590 | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Fantasy, Tragedy, Drama | |
| Description | Doctor Faustus begs for mercy | |
| Location | ACT V, Scene 2 | |
Summary
Doctor Faustus is a well respected German scientist who decides to give up traditional fields of study to learn magic. He conjures a devil, Mephastophilis, who is a servant of Lucifer, and through him he seals a pact with the devil: in exchange of 24 years of service from Mephastophilis and magic powers he will give up his soul. Faustus uses his magical powers to perform various feats and impress kings, emperors and dukes. Eventually, when the 24 years are up, he tries to repent and begs for mercy to no avail. His soul is taken away by a group of devils.
This monologue is at the end of the play. Doctor Faustus recognizes he is doomed and finally begs for mercy.
This monologue is at the end of the play. Doctor Faustus recognizes he is doomed and finally begs for mercy.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| FAUSTUS: Ah, Faustus. Now hast thou but one bare hour to live, And then thou must be damn'd perpetually! Stand still, you ever-moving spheres of heaven, That time may cease, and midnight never come; Fair Nature's eye, rise, rise again, and make Perpetual day; or let this hour be but A year, a month, a week, a natural day, That Faustus may repent and save his soul! O lente, lente currite, noctis equi! The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, The devil will come, and Faustus must be damn'd. O, I'll leap up to my God!--Who pulls me down?-- See, see, where Christ's blood streams in the firmament! One drop would save my soul, half a drop: ah, my Christ!-- Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ! Yet will I call on him: O, spare me, Lucifer!-- Where is it now? tis gone: and see, where God Stretcheth out his arm, and bends his ireful brows! Mountains and hills, come, come, and fall on me, And hide me from the heavy wrath of God! No, no! Then will I headlong run into the earth: Earth, gape! O, no, it will not harbour me! You stars that reign'd at my nativity, Whose influence hath alotted death and hell, Now draw up Faustus, like a foggy mist, Into the entrails of yon labouring clouds, That, when you vomit forth into the air, My limbs may issue from your smoky mouths, So that my soul may but ascend to heaven! [The clock strikes the half-hour.] Ah, half the hour is past! 'twill all be past anon. O God, If thou wilt not have mercy on my soul, Yet for Christ's sake, whose blood hath ransom'd me, Impose some end to my incessant pain; Let Faustus live in hell a thousand years, A hundred thousand, and at last be sav'd! O, no end is limited to damned souls! Why wert thou not a creature wanting soul? Or why is this immortal that thou hast? Ah, Pythagoras' metempsychosis, were that true, This soul should fly from me, and I be chang'd Unto some brutish beast! all beasts are happy, For, when they die, Their souls are soon dissolv'd in elements; But mine must live still to be plagu'd in hell. Curs'd be the parents that engender'd me! No, Faustus, curse thyself, curse Lucifer That hath depriv'd thee of the joys of heaven. [The clock strikes twelve.] O, it strikes, it strikes! Now, body, turn to air, Or Lucifer will bear thee quick to hell! [Thunder and lightning.] O soul, be chang'd into little water-drops, And fall into the ocean, ne'er be found! [Enter Devils.] My God, my God, look not so fierce on me! Adders and serpents, let me breathe a while! Ugly hell, gape not! come not, Lucifer! I'll burn my books! |
