Faustus | The Good & Evil Angels

Question 1

The good & evil angels

Answer 1

• stock characters from morality play
• represent Faustus’ conscience
• appear at moment he is wavering
• good angel; dramatic representation of god’s truth, idea of free will & possibility of forgiveness (Lutheran)
• evil angel; tempts Faustus with knowledge, power, fame (Calvinism)

Question 2

Act 1, Scene 1 (Good Angel)

Answer 2

‘God’s heavy wrath’ - metaphor to show God’s anger depicted as real + weighty force of judgement

‘Read, read the scriptures’ - repeated imperative pushes Faustus away from reinsurance inquisitiveness and to turn back to medieval doctrine

‘damned book that is blasphemy.’ - unambiguous and unavoidable truth

Question 3

Act 1, Scene 1 (Evil Angel)

Answer 3

Imitates the hubris of Faustus’ first soliloquy

Evil angel promises Faustus celebrity (‘famous art’) , wealth (‘treasury’) , + power (‘Jove is in the sky’)

Question 4

Act 2, Scene 1 (Good Angel)

Answer 4

‘Sweet’ conveys how Faustus is defined by an innate sense of purity and goodness

Question 5

Act 2, Scene 1 (Evil Angel)

Answer 5

‘Honour and wealth’ - manipulating Faustus with promise of superficial temptations (as before)

Faustus’ repetition of evil angel’s words (‘wealth’) convey his unwillingness to repent

Question 6

Act 2, Scene 3

Answer 6

Marlowe signals which angel has more significance with Faustus’ conflicted state of mind by having this angel speak last

‘Seek to save distressed Faustus’ soul’ - sibilance to convey title character’s breathless state of panic and desperation

‘Too late’ - moment of peripeteia ; lucifer appears