Doctor Faustus (Double Blog)

To anyone reading Doctor Faustus, it becomes quite apparent that the play is dripping in religion. Using this as a vessel, Faustus is able to continually validate his actions and constantly turns away from opportunities of forgiveness. For example, at the beginning of the play Faustus insinuates that many disciplines are below him and that he deserves something “higher;” his immediate choice is that of religion – and, in turn, the dark arts. He is able to justify his choices by twisting Christian scripture to appear in a negative light: “The reward of sin is death?” and later, “If we say we have no sin/We deceive ourselves, and there’s no truth in us/Why then belike we must sin/And so consequently die” (1026). Through this, Faustus is able to convince himself that death is all there is of religion, rather than forgiveness, so he is able to easily reject it. Yet, ironically, he then uses language dealing with religion to describe his dark arts: “These metaphysics of magicians/And necromantic books are heavenly” (1026).
Throughout the story, the good and evil angel constantly play tug-of-war with Faustus, whispering in his ear in attempts to either offer him salvation, or to continue him on his path of damnation:

Good Angel Faustus, repent, yet God will pity thee.
Evil Angel Thou art a spirit, God cannot pity thee.
Faustus Who buzzeth in mine ears I am a spirit?
Be I a devil, yet God may pity me.
Ay, God will pity me if I repent. (1037)

Yet even at these moments of hesitation, Faustus always turns back, convinced that he is beyond help. Even Lucifer seems determined to allow Faustus to believe he is beyond the ability to repent: “Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is just/There’s none but I have interesting in the same” (1039). Also, each time that Faustus should mention the name of Christ, or speak of repenting, Lucifer chides him for it, claiming that he should of think of the devil:

Lucifer We come to tell thee thou dost injure us.
Thou talk’st of Christ, contrary to thy promise.
Thou should’st not think of God; think of the devil,
And his dam too. (1039)

Even in Faustus’s final hour, he is not able to fully repent for his sins, and jumps between calling on Christ and reaffirming his vow to Lucifer. As the gates of hell literally open before the Doctor, he is only able to ask for a shortening of his sentence.

O I’ll leap up to my God! Who pulls me down?
See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!
One drop would save my soul, half a drop: ah my Christ –
Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ;
Yet will I call on him – O spare me Lucifer! (1054)