The transition between several stages of individual growth and various boundaries is a prominent topic in The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. As the story develops, Faustus undergoes distinct changes that prompt him to cross the thresholds that he initially established, contributing to the crossing between liminal states. As such, a moment that depicts Faustus’ transition into an individual corrupted by power occurs when the protagonist decides to trick the Pope for his amusement. During this scene, Faustus transitions from a scholar that dreamed about uncovering universal laws to a person controlled by his egoistic desires, which further impacts his behavior, prompting him to indulge in meaningless trickery.
The liminality aspects of a work’s character are highly essential for understanding the origins of the events surrounding them and the ultimate consequences of specific actions. Defined as the transition between one’s major life stages, liminality implies that an individual undergoes a process of change resulting in the transition across particular boundaries (Candido, 2016). Doctor Faustus is a perfect example of a person that resides in various liminal states, as he crosses numerous individual and developmental thresholds throughout the story. For instance, the moment that originates Faustus’ transition into an individual led by personal satisfaction rather than universal knowledge occurs in Scene VII, “To see the Pope and manner of his court,” when Faustus performs tricks on the Pope and his friars (Marlowe, 2016). This event is one of the first instances where Faustus begins to use the power gained from Lucifer in a different manner from his initial plans, indulging in different tricks and acts that serve to amuse him.
Prior to entering into the contract with Lucifer and obtaining the desired power, Faustus was primarily focused on the nature of the world and the knowledge essential for understanding the universe. One of the major purposes behind his agreement that would condemn his soul to eternal suffering was uncovering the secrets unknown to humanity, the information that is especially valuable for scientific advancements (Marlowe, 2016). This aim is highly noble and demonstrates the protagonist’s interests in academics, the essence of the universe, and the objects that comprise it. Nevertheless, as Faustus actually obtains the power to discover this knowledge, he begins to sway from his initial plans and becomes involved in trickery and self-satisfaction. Although wealth and fame were always a part of Faustus’ ideas, he still attempted to question Mephistopheles on the scholarly concepts after the contract was signed (Marlowe, 2016). However, in Scene VII, his intentions for utilizing the gained power become more clear, indicating that he transitioned from a man of science and inquiry to an individual guided by amusement and pleasure.
In the long term, the change from knowledge-seeking to trickery significantly impacts Faustus’ behavior and future actions, prompting him to sway from his noble intentions. The events following the sequence with the Pope disclose how Faustus almost completely shifts to indulging himself by performing practical jokes on different populations, leading to his ultimate corruption. Affected by Mephistopheles’ actions that distracted him from scientific pursuits and forced him towards conducting meaningless tricks, the protagonist plummets into the world of small ambitions and physical delight (Candido, 2016). The subsequent instances with Robin, emperor Carolus, and the Horse-Courser further illustrate how Faustus’ transition towards self-indulgence influenced his behavior and diminished his interest in obtaining scholarly knowledge.
References
Bushnell, R. (2016). The ends of time in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. In J. Candido (Ed.) The Text, the play, and the globe: Essays on literary influence in Shakespeare’s world and his work in honor of Charles R. Forker (pp. 23–41). Rowman & Littlefield.
Marlowe, C. (2016). The tragical history of Doctor Faustus. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.