Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus tells the story of a curious and ambitious man who is tired of focusing on all the traditional fields of study and wishes to learn something less known to others. . Faustus is intrigued by magic and, after convincing his friends to teach him black magic, he manages to summon a devil, known as Mephastophilis. In exchange for 24 years of servitude at the hands of this devil, Faustus learns that he must sell his soul to Lucifer and face death as soon as the years have been served. Throughout the play, Faustus struggles to be overcome by his irresistible desire to gain knowledge of black magic and to hold power he did not previously have, while also feeling remorse and the need to repent as the Good Angel and the Bad Angel both guide him. different directions, even if the evil in him ends up winning out. As humans, we are constantly torn between what is right and wrong, and defeated by both good and evil, which makes Faustus a more human and relatable character who struggles to choose the right one. path that can eventually dictate one's future once turning back is too important. late. Although both the Good Angel and the Bad Angel are physical characters in the play, they both serve to further represent the divided nature that exists not only in Faustus, but in all people, because the choices we make in the Life are guided by both our desires and our morals, while we face the consequences accordingly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In Marlowe's play, the Good Angel often tries to prevent Faustus from being attracted to anything that might threaten his relationship with God and his abilities. seek salvation. When Faustus encourages his friends to teach him magic and the dark arts, the Good Angel tells him to “put the damn book aside and put the heavy wrath of God on your head” (1.70-72). Faustus' moral conscience warns him not to venture to the dark side, as he clearly has reservations deep down about achieving his goal. Understanding the power of what he has unleashed, Faustus momentarily decides to abandon his misdeeds, as the Good Angel encourages him to “repent, but God will have mercy on you” (5.188). Regardless of his thirst for arcane knowledge and power beyond others, Faustus still has good within him that conflicts with his immoral tendencies. When Faustus wonders if it is too late to return to God and ask for forgiveness, the Good Angel assures him that it is “never too late, if he wants to repent” (5.253). Although his inclinations towards evil have attracted him, Faustus seems to wonder if this is the right path. Faustus' dark side may have a greater hold on him, but his morality still questions his decisions throughout the play. At several points in the play, Faustus is intrigued by his ability to summon evil and dark abilities, as he attempts to calm his mind. the good in him that tells him to turn around. When Faustus decides between selling his soul to Lucifer or reclaiming his faith in God, the Evil Angel reminds him to “think of honor and wealth” (5.21). Faustus doesn't know which path to take, but his desire for power and recognition seems to outweigh his need for salvation, even as he stops to ask himself if his dark deeds are worth it. Once Faustus appears resolute in his decision to seek God's forgiveness, the Evil Angel demands that he "never repent" (5.193). Faustus is torn between which path to follow,and his desires and his conscience pull him in different directions. Part of him wants to turn to God, while another, stronger part wants to continue what he started. Filled with possible regret and fear of losing God's favor, Faustus wishes to take it all back, but the Evil Angel tells him it is "too late." If you repent, the demons will tear you into pieces” (5.252,254). The evil voice in Faustus' head speaks louder than the moral voice, because he ignores the doubt he feels. Unsure of which path to take, Faustus remains on his dark path, which seems easier than righting his wrongs that he may subconsciously think is too late to right them as he finds himself falling deeper and deeper into caught in dark endeavors. Faustus feels inwardly that he has gone too far and that his soul has passed the point of repentance. The Good Angel and the Bad Angel in the play help resemble the divided nature of Faustus' mind, while also demonstrating the divided nature that is within each of us, as we struggle to decide which voice within us to listen to. As he deeply contemplates selling his soul to Lucifer in exchange for servitude to Mephastophilis and access to his dark desires, Faustus struggles with his own thoughts as he tells himself, “'be resolute; why are you hesitating? Oh, something rings in my ears; “Abjure this magic, return to God” (5, 5-7). Faustus is a relatable character in this scene because his indecision and doubts prevent him from knowing which path to choose. His desires and morals are contradictory, because we often find in life that what we want is not always what is good for us. The Good Angel and the Bad Angel enter the scene after Faustus expresses his reservations, and both attempt to persuade him in different directions, resembling the divided way his mind guides his actions and tries to make decisions. While reading books on the dark arts, Faustus declares to his devil: "When I look at the heavens, then I repent and curse you, wicked Mephastophilis, because you have deprived me of these joys" (5. 176- 178). Faustus is deeply intrigued by dark magic and the ability to seek other forms of knowledge inaccessible to others, but he also has a sense of goodness in his heart and a sense of remorse as his morality takes hold. The Good Angel and the Evil Angel enter the picture again to discuss whether or not Faustus should repent, as Faustus has dark desires that he wants to fulfill, but is also afraid of turning his back on God ( 5. 188-189). We all make decisions in life where we have conflicting voices in the back of our minds telling us what to do, and there will be days when we listen to the darker one and pay the consequences, and days when the right one will prevail. .Despite the Good Angel of his spirit telling him to turn to God and repent, Faustus gets his consequence of eternal damnation after the 24 years of servitude are completed by Mephastophilis. Although Faustus has had many opportunities to right his wrongs and turn to God for forgiveness, it is hard not to feel bad for him when he finally realizes the permanence of the choice he has made. His will is divided between both good and evil, which is a realistic and human portrayal of a character trying to find the way forward, as we all have opposing forces in our heads that aren't always right. 'agreement. No matter how much the evil forces in Faustus' head push him to want to submit to Lucifer, the good side of him constantly questions his decision. People are rarely all bad, nor all good, and Faustus is a..