What is the audience supposed to think of Faustus...now?

**UPDATE** (on my previous blog of the same title)

We started going over Act 1 Scene 1 today in class and we were told to blog on how we now think the audience are supposed to think about Faustus. Before we went to the beginning of Act 1 Scene 1 I blogged about how I thought the chorus suggested for the audience to reserve their judgement of Faustus. However, I also suggested that they might feel sympathetic of the character Faustus because it was implied or suggested that their could be a downfall for him and that maybe we can't control what happens to us e.g. him.

Anyway, I now feel the audiences perception of Faustus will have completely changed. There were, now I look back on it (Prologue), hints of what I'm about to suggests.This is going to be in either note or chatty form because I'm too tired to do a complete essay style blog.

I now feel the audience is supposed to view Faustus as an arrogant, self-important and almost selfish character, as Scene 1 suggests that he turns down respected professions, such as law and medicine, because he cannot gain from them. Faustus views Law as "paltry legacies" which is "too servile and illiberal" for him and doesn't want to become a doctor (medically) because he has completed it, "hast thou not attained that end". I believe this would make Faustus appear arrogant and selfish to the audience because it suggests that if there is nothing to gain, power wise, from the profession then why would he do it? He wants to become a "deity" and not be controlled.

However, this could also make the audience sympathise/ feel sympathy for Faustus as it appears the audience, especially when it comes to religion and divinity, appear to have a better understanding of each subject compared to an intelligent man. This is shown through Faustus response to having a profession in divinity, as he suggests there is a Catch-22 element to it, "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, why then belike we must sin and so consequently die". I believe this will create sympathy towards Faustus from the audience because it suggests that he has a limited and naive view of religion, as many will believe that Jesus can save them and therefore they are not doomed.

The audience may believe that Faustus is arrogant because he wants to be, and believes he can be greater than "Emperors and Kings" and not restricted like they are by their "several provinces". Faustus want of being greater than "Emperors and Kings" will be significant to the audience because during the Elizabethan times, the time in which Marlowe wrote the play, it was believed that the King, or the Queen, was chosen by God and was therefore of the highest power behind the Pope (depending on religion and form of religion) and God. Therefore, Faustus' belief and want of being greater than a King will make him appear arrogant to the audience because he is suggesting he can change and defy God's choices.

Another factor which I personally feel makes Faustus looks like a arrogant character is because he refers to himself in the third person, "settle thy studies, Faustus". I believe this would make the audience believe Faustus is arrogant because even men of great power, whether social, political or religious, don't refer to themselves in third person.

However, others may not agree with this view as it could be argued that Faustus is only referring to him self in third person, not because he is full or arrogance and self-importance, but because he is a rational man and he is trying to gain a different, almost outside perspective/opinion of his dilemma and therefore reinforces the belief or opinion of Faustus intelligence.

Faustus also appears to at one point mock religion because after picking up a book of divinity he laughs, "Ha" and so I believe this would suggest to the audience that Faustus believes he is above the law and belief of religion and can therefore laugh at it because he doesn't believe in its importance and significance and so furthers the sense of arrogance around Faustus. (Sorry that was badly explained!)

However, this could also be Marlowe's opinion of religion being mirrored or reflected through the character of Faustus as Marlowe was an atheist and believed in people questioning religion and the bible. Additionally, there is a stage direction for when Faustus "[picks up the book of magic]", whereas when he picked up a book on divinity there was no stage direction included and so I believe it reinforces the idea that Marlowe, and therefore the character of Faustus,  is trying to mock religion and show that he believes there are other more important books than the bible or that of "divinity".

I also believe the audience will now feel Faustus has an obsession with power as the qualities he most desires are "Of power, of honour, of omnipotence." Faustus desire of becoming omnipotent will be most significant to the audience as it was believed that God was omnipotent (had unlimited power) and so the audience may believe that the character Faustus is, for lack of a better word, power hungry.

**One thing I realised I hadn't mentioned for some reason about the audiences perception of Faustus from the Prologue is that he is intelligent man - I sort of mentioned it through the mention of his possible downfall, but yeah, mention of "he profits in divinity", "shortly graced with a doctors name" etc, implies Faustus is a man of intelligence and academia. **

So, as you can see it appears my opinion of what the audience are supposed to see Faustus has almost completely changed. I believe they are now meant to see that he is arrogant (therefore presents a possible fatal flaw?) and power hungry. He has remained intelligent and I still believe the audience is supposed to feel sympathy for Faustus, however it is now for different reasons.

Done!