This is my Academic presentation about paper no.: 1 The Renaissance Literature, MA English, MK Bhavnagar university. And Submitted to Pro. Dr. Dilip Barad.
2. The Seven Deadly Sins, when mentioned,
conjure up ancient tales of dark deeds and
dark characters, like Faustus and
Mephistopheles. Doctor Faustus supposedly
sold his soul to the devil, the evil
Mephistopheles and, in so doing, made
himself prey to all types of corruption and
degradation.
3. In his descent into wickedness, the ruined
Faustus committed all of these deadly sins:
pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and
sloth. These sins were considered deadly
because they led Faustus or any man or
woman who would commit them onto a path
from which there was no return.
4. Faustus is proud of his knowledge. Pride,
creates Doctor Faustus’ inability to repent,
therefore ultimately resulting in his death.
“His fall is caused by the same pride and
ambition that caused the fall of angels in
heaven, and of humanity in the Garden of
Eden.” Faustus’ fall is foreshadowed during
his first encounter with a devil, inquiring of
the reason for Lucifer’s exile in hell.
5. Faustus demonstrates this in various scenes,
when he evokes the devils magic, the want of a
wife, and the overall actions of his character
portray his pursuit of knowledge and glory.
Usually this sin is manifested through sex,
power, or image which demises the self control
and can suffocate the soul. It is the self-
destructive drive for pleasure which is out of
control. Faustus ... performs his silly tricks for
self indulgence.
6. Doctor Faustus wanted more in his life and
envied the powers of others. Therefore he
wanted to command the demons to control the
world to his accord... Doctor Faustus was
envious of the accomplishment of others and
wanted to exceed their glory (Act One). In one
of the comic scenes, scene 6, we learn that
Robin and Rafe have stolen one of Faustus’
books and plan to use it to seduce a woman.
They must have been jealous of Faustus’ power
and his magical aptitude.
7. Often this is our first reaction to the faults of
others. Faustus demonstrates his impatience
with the way he treats the people around him,
his servants (demonic and human), as well as
other characters ... Wrath is what Faustus feels
when he conjures up horns to place on the
head of a knight of Emperor Charles V, court.
Since the knight shows skepticism in Faustus’
powers, Faustus must rebuke his insolence by
placing horns on the knight’s head.
8. Gluttony is temperance in accepting the natural limits of
pleasures, and preserves of the natural balance. This does
not pertain only to food, but to entertainment and other
legitimate goods, and even the company of others.
Faustus demonstrates gluttony when he evokes the use of
the dark arts. He is attempting to go beyond his earthly
knowledge while disturbing the natural balance of Gods
laws and expectations. Faustus wants to elevate himself
as an equal to God. In Faustus’s eyes God is no longer the
balance or medium in his life, the devil has become the
greater power to Faustus. ... Faustus starts using the
devils name in place of where one would use Gods name.
9. Sloth in conjunction with the other sins, works to
muffle the spiritual senses so we first become
slow to respond to God and then drift
completely into the slumber of complacency to
the demonic ways. This is the sixth sin in the
death of Faustus ... Faustus has become numb
to his own sub consciousness; he no longer
abides by what he does. Even in the scene
where he signs the contract with the devil, his
blood congeals and he does not understand
why. His own body is fighting the deadly deed
he was attempting to do.
10. Also known as greed is the seventh sin.
Faustus also displays greed in act one when he
states he has not accomplished greatness.
Faustus wants to gain glory; he has
expectations of others to get him his glory.
Faustus uses Mephistopheles to gain glory ...
and he does not acknowledge that the demon is
responsible for all the tasks he performs, but
states it is his gift of the dark arts. And also
when Faustus kissed Helen. And he describe
how smooth her lips was.
11. Solomon Schimmel. 1997. The Seven Deadly Sins:
Jewish, Christian, and Classical Reflections
on Human Psychology. Oxford University Press, USA.
Tydeman, William. 1984. Doctor Faustus : Text and
Performance. Macmillan, Basingstoke,England.
http://www.deadlysins.com/sins/index.htm
http://www.allaboutgod.com/seven-deadly-sins.htm
http://www.enotes.com/faustus/q-and-a/analyze-how-dr-
faustus-guilty-sevencardinal-
sins-86739
http://www.gradesaver.com/dr-faustus/study-
guide/section3/