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)

The Canterbury Tales - The Wife of Bath: Tale

The Wife of Bath’s tale is quite surprising when really reflected upon. When discussing the chivalric code, it went as follows:
1. God
2. King
3. Fair Lady
The fact that the Wife of Bath’s tale consists of a knight being placed on trial for rape (which, considering, would have probably been closer to the truth of thing), it is quite a shock to the system. One was always taught that a good knight was courteous, chaste, brave, strong, etc. This particular knight lays to shame all that others would have stood for. Though it presents an interesting facet that there may not be one true thing that a woman desires, and each contain their own idea. Yet the fact that the knight learns what it is that women truly want, and is able to put it into action, proves that though his youth may have caused him to do some brash things, that he may learn from the old hag what it meant to be a man, and a knight.

And whan the knight sawgh verraily al this,
That she so fair was and so yong therto,
For joye he hente hire in his armes two;
His herte bathed in a bath of blisse;
A thousand time arewe he gan hire kisse,
And she obeyed him in every thing
That mighte do him pleasance of liking. (283)

The Canterbury Tales - The Wife of Bath: Prologue

When discussing the Wife of Bath, it’s interesting to think that she may very well have been one of the first “feminists” of her time. She would have been what the church considered a “wicked” woman, and this is something that she was quite proud of. She flaunts the fact that she has had several husbands, as well as the fact that she would use sex as a means to get money from them. Not to mention that this was done in a time that one was to be married to – and meet in the afterlife – only one man.

I shal saye sooth: tho housbondes that I hadde,
As three of hem were goode, and two were bade.
The three men were goode, and riche, and olde;
Unnethe mighte they the statut holde
In which they were bounden unto me –
Yet woot wel what I mene of this, pardee.
As help me God, I laughe whan I thinke
How pitously anight I made hem swinke (261)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part IV

The last part of the tale contains two aspects in which Gawain’s chivalry is under scrutiny. The first is during the scene in which the knight’s guide gives him the opportunity to flee, claiming that he would not utter a word if Gawain should take the chance. A lot of said of Gawain’s bravery when he refuses this opening, choosing instead to face the feared Green Knight (and, ultimately, his death), rather than ever be thought of as cowardly:

And conceal this day’s deed I doubt not you would,
But though you never told the tale, if I turned back now,
Forsook this place for fear, and fled, as you say,
I were a caitiff coward; I could not be excused. (205)

The other indication of Gawain upholding the code is when his dishonesty is finally brought to light. Gawain becomes angry at this mentioning, coming perhaps more from guilt than anything else, yet instead of hiding this, he makes another choice. In its place, he decides to keep the girdle and wear it –and the fresh cut on his neck – as a testament to his shame and weakness, the actions of a true knight of the chivalric code.

But your girdle, God love you! I gladly shall take
And be pleased to possess, not for the pure gold,
Nor the bright belt itself, nor the beauteous pendants,
Nor for wealth, nor worldly state, nor workmanship fine,
But a sign of excess it shall seem oftentimes
When I ride in renown, and remember with shame
The faults and the frailty of the flesh perverse,
How its tenderness entices the foul taint of sin (211)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part III

Part Three of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contain one of the most interesting symbols of Sir Gawain and his chivalry. One way this is displayed is through the bedroom scenes that occur between the host’s wife and our knight. These scenes test both Gawain’s courtesy and his chastity, things that were often revered in knights of the Middle Ages. Each time Gawain refused the lady’s advances, she accused him of being discourteous toward her; however, when he would then try to act more courteously, she would again begin try to push him to be unchaste. This would have been a dangerous – and probably very conflicting – tug-of-war with two aspects of the code that Gawain holds so dear.
Another sense of chivalry comes through the three animals that the host hunts. The deer would represent the cautious and shy characteristics, while the boar would symbolize Gawain’s brave and ferocious qualities, and the fox would portray the knight’s cunning.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part II

In this part of our tale, the chivalry of Sir Gawain is shown through that of a symbol: the pentangle shield he bears. Though this particular shield stood for many things, it also represented the characteristics help by the knight:

The fifth of the five fives followed by this knight
Were beneficence boundless and brotherly love
And pure mind and manners, that none might impeach,
And compassion most precious – these peerless five
Were forged and made fast in him, foremost of men. (176)

Another way that Gawain was able to show his knightly worth was from the fact that, though he rode to face what was possibly his death, he remained brave and steadfast in his quest – this is not to mention that, on his journey, he also had to face many hardships along the way.

Now with serpents he wars, now with savage wolves,
Now with wild men of the woods, that watched from the rocks,
Both with bulls and with bears, and with boars besides,
And giants that came gibbering from the jagged steps.Had he not borne himself bravely, and been on God’s side,
He had met with many mishaps and mortal harms. (177)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part I

During much of the Arthurian tales, the code of chivalry comes through at one point or another. This is probably because such a code was held at the highest esteem during the periods in which these stories were written. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contain this as well, but the vessel used for showing this is that of Sir Gawain. Whether it is from actions, symbols, or words, all four Parts of our story allow for some facet of the chivalric code to shine through.
Starting with Part One, Gawain embodies the chivalric code in both actions and words. Shortly after the Green Knight humiliates the court by declaring that they did not have the bravery to face him – and after Arthur rises to defend his court – Gawain steps in. It is rather surprising to note that a knight such as he, sharing the blood of King Arthur, declares that he should be the one to face the Green Knight because he is the weakest, and that it would spare Arthur from harm. It is difficult to determine whether this was done from the idea of Gawain’s own self-worth, or if it was an act of humility to hide what otherwise could have become boasting. It could also be said that Gawain takes this course of action because that is what the chivalric code deems necessary.

“I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;
And the loss of my life would be least of any;
That I have you for an uncle is my only praise;
My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;
And for that this folly befits not a king,And ‘tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine” (169)