Damnation of Dr.

Faustus
In the beginning of the play, the chorus tells us that Faustus pride and inordinate ambition brought
about his damnation in the end.
Till swollen with cunning , of a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And, melting, heaven conspired his overthrown.

In the very first scene of Dr.Faustus, we find him sitting in the study and arguing within himself
which branch of study he should take up to gain limitless knowledge and power. One after another, he
dismisses all the traditional subjects because by mastering them, he is still but Faustus, a man. He can
neither make men live eternally, nor raise them to life again. So , he discards all the traditional subjects and
finally turns to magic. His pride leads him to presume,
O, what a worlf of profit and delight,
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence,
Is promised to the studious artizen,
All things that move between the quite pole,
Shall be at my command
A sound magician is a might god,
Here Faustus, tire thy brain to gain a deity

At the end of the first scene, his friend Valdes and Cornelius serve as devils agents by painting a very
glowing picture of the immense possibilities for the one who will master the art of magic.
Be thou on earth as Jove in the sky,
Lord and Commander of all elements
So when, Valdes urges him to remain firm in his ambition, his reply is firm and resolute.
Valdes, as resolute as I in this,
As thou to live:therefore object it not
He disregards the voice of conscience, symbolic for the good angel who urges him to lay aside that
damned book and read the sculptures. The evil angel, his symbolic voice for his passion and curiosity
assures him that by mastering the art of black magic, Faustus will become as powerful on earth as Jove in is
heaven.
In another scene, we find Faustus very much elated when he succeeds in raising Mephistophilis who
at his very first appearance makes it clear to him that the easiest way to call up the spirits of hell is to

renounce firmly ones faith in Trinity and to pray devotedly to the Devil, the prince of Hell. Faustus replies
that he has already done so and he is fully prepared to surrender his soul to the Devil.
This word damnation terrifies not him,
For he compounds hell in Elysium
When Faustus surrenders his soul to Lucifer to ensure the services of Mephisotphilis, nothing can
stop the gradual deterioration of his soul. The worst thing is that he is fully aware that he is paving his way
for damnation by discarding God and turning to Devil. When Mephistopihilis frankly tells Faustus that he is
going to be condemned to Hell, his response is very imprudent.
That after this life, there is any pain,
Tush, these are trifles and mere old wives tales
At this stage, dreams of limitless power and of sensual pleasures have completely obscured his
vision and hence he cannot see the bitter consequences of his insolent actions.
After the surrender of his soul to Devil, Faustus, a man who dreamt of becoming great emporer of
the world, of making bridge in the air, ultimately turns out to be a jester and just a magician. When Faustus
is disgusted with Mephistophilis for his refusal to tell him about the Creator of the universe, he broods over
to listen to the voice of his conscience. Lucifer intervenes and by dire threats compels him to write the bond
for the second time. Faustus; moral degradation reaches its final stage when he ardently kisses the spirit of
Helen, and thus, he gives up his last chance of redemption to become ultimately an abject prey to his own
despair. Even the old man leaves him with a heavy heart, commenting,
Accursed Faustus, miserable man,
That from thy soul excludst the grace of heaven,
And flyst the throne of his tribunal seat.