Just about worked out how to say that name. To be honest, I struggle with saying 'Faustus' properly.
Anyway, doing a little catch-up of the blogs. What do I think of old Meph? Well. On first introduction, I was unsure what to think of him. Yes, he made a good effort in trying to convince Faustus that being damned to hell is, well pretty crap. He tells us of the suffering; 'Think'st thou that I who saw the face of God/And tasted the joys of heaven [...] O Faustus! Leave these frivolous demands!' So he does try to persuade Faustus against the 'sell your soul' idea. BUT. Is this just an attempt at reverse psychology? I refuse to believe that Meph really means what he is saying, as if he really didn't want Faustus's soul, he wouldn't of taken it. And later on he says 'aside' to the audience (who, by the way cannot be lied to or tricked) how he is so very desperate for Dr F's soul. He doesn't sell hell very well, but I do think it is some kind of mischievous trickery.
That's my opinion out of the way with. I was doing a bit of surfin' on the net, and found some interesting ideas about what Mephistopheles is. Wiki reckoned that he is part of the old German folklore, and that he is not actually a devil, just a man who's purpose in life is to serve.
It's interesting that Shakespeare makes a reference to 'Mephisophullis' in his text 'Merry Wives Of Windsor' (Remember the theory that Shakespeare and Marlowe was the same person/wrote bits for each other).
AND another thing i found which was interesting but is probably more relevant in the rest of the play, are ideas that the relationship between Mephisopheles and Faustus is a homosexual one? And that Faustus is unsatisfied with his wife/many women because of his feelings for his little devil? Interesting stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment