At a glance, Mephistopheles appears to be a typical demon overflowing with evil intentions. We are well aware he will do almost anything to increase Lucifer’s dominion even if it means granting Faustus incredible power. “Oh, what will not I do to obtain his soul? (2.1.71)” Mephistopheles constantly reminds Faustus of his bond and hinders his repentance to ensure his voyage to hell. However, there is a moment in the play where Mephistopheles seems to display grief for being devil and reluctance in taking Faustus‘s soul.
“Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it.
Think‘st thou that I, who saw the face of God
And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells
In being deprived of everlasting bliss?
O Faustus, leave these frivolous demands,
Which strike a terror to my fainting soul! (1.3.78-84)”
The last two lines are the most interesting. Here Mephistopheles is telling Faustus to take back his request. This request may be his inquisition concerning hell, which serves as a reminder of everything Mephistopheles lost when he was banished from heaven. Clearly, he is an unhappy servant of hell. This ties into the Mephistopheles’s explanation that Lucifer wants souls because “misery loves company.” On the other hand, the request may in fact be Faustus’s demand to form a pact with Lucifer. If this is so, Meph is trying to stop Faustus from making a grave mistake. Perhaps he does not want Faustus to suffer the same miserable fate of eternal damnation.
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Insightful post and many thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteMy own thoughts on 'devils' in general culture and on mephistopheles (despite the remarkable screwtape letters & the master and marghuerita) is that they are an autonomous canvas upon which we metaphorically project our fears.
Sharing something with the tibetan view of the bardo thodol, they may be expressions of energy to which we (in good quantum physical methodology) ascribe a moral perspective.
That some such forces of energy are 'chosen'(by us?!) to 'represent/embody' various perspectives may be due to their own orientation in relation to our perceptions...a vegan may consider all who eat meat to be villanous, yet he falls himself under the assesmeent of a jain who refuses to tread on an insect in passing and wears a mask to protect against breathing in microbes...for their sakes...
which demonstrates that there is some case for subjectivity in these perspectives.
Be that as it may, stereotypes are valuable tools in defining our morals and shared communal standards.
I have made a little machinima film to discuss in a playful way, the laws of copyright, and I included in the background a dancing mephistopheles which I think you may enjoy....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAyQf8uykEw
with best wishes **