Dr.

Faustus

1. Where does Faustus grow up? Rhodes, Germany.

2. What is the status of Faustus's parents? Poor.
3. Where does Faustus go to study? Wittenberg.
4. What does Faustus study? Divinity.
5. What does Faustus's thoughts soon turn away from? Theology.
6. What general topic does Faustus begin to study while neglecting his former studies, according to
the Chorus in the Prologue? Magic.
7. What specific topic does Faustus begin to study, according to the Chorus in the Prologue?
Necromancy.
8. What is necromancy? The magical art of raising the dead.
9. In what German university town is much of the play set? Wittenburg.
10. Why does Wagner use the word “sirrah” when addressing Robin in I. iv?
The word is used with social inferiors to put them in their place.
11. According to Mephostophilis what is “the shortest act for conjuring” up a devil?
Praying to the Prince of Hell (Satan or Lucifer).
12. . For how long will Faustus enjoy supernatural powers? 24 years.
13. For whom does Mephostophilis work before his pact with Faustus? Lucifer.
14. Why does Mephastophilis refuse to answer Faustus’ questions on the Creation of the Universe?
Because he knows the answer will have to be God.
15. In Rome, Faustus and Mephastophilis become invisible, why?
To play tricks on the Pope and the Cardinal of Lorraine.
16. Dr. Faustus dreams at the beginning of the play of obtaining all the following kinds
of power except:
A. public. B. artistic. C. private. D. supernatural.
17. Surprisingly, in a play in which there is not one murder there are fifteen references to that staple
of the Elizabethan stage,
A. fire. B. gold. C. blood. D. weapons.
18. Upon whom/ what does Faustus call to let Mephastophilis appear to him?
1. The gods of Acheron (one of the rivers of the Greek underworld
2. Tthe spirits of the four elements (fire, air, water and earth)
3. Lucifer (Prince of the East)
4. Belzebub (Lord of the Flies)
5. Demogorgon (the master of fate in hell's hierarchy)
6. Jehovah (the most common form of the name of the Christian God)
7. Gehenna (a rubbish dump and place of child sacrifice outside Jerusalem, often used as a synonym
for Hell in English readings of the Bible).
19. Faustus repeatedly considers repenting but each time decides against it. What prevents him?
Sometimes it is the lure of knowledge and riches that prevents him from turning to God, but other
times it seems to be his conviction—encouraged by the bad angel and Mephastophilis—that it is
already too late for him. He believes that God does not love him and that if he were to fly away to God,
as the inscription on his arm seems to advise him to do, God would cast him down to hell.
20. What do Lucifer, Belzebub, and Mephastophilis do to prevent Faustus from repenting and
appealing to Christ for mercy?
When Faustus begins to appeal to Christ for mercy, Lucifer, Belzebub, and Mephastophilis enter, tell
Faustus to stop thinking of God, and then present a show of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each sin—Pride,
Covetousness (Greed), Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, and finally Lechery—appears before Faustus and
 makes a brief speech. The sight of the sins delights Faustus’s soul, and he asks to see hell. Lucifer
promises to take him there that night. For the meantime he gives Faustus a book that teaches him how
to change his shape.
21. Name the thing that Faustus says he will do for his native city once he has magic powers.

A. Make the Rhine circle the town.

B. The schools will be provided with silk for student’s clothing.

C. Expel the Spanish invaders from the Low Counties.

D. Wall all Germany with brass.

22. In what sense is Dr. Faustus a "tragic hero" by Aristotle's definition?

 According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be of a higher status. As a doctor, Faustus already
stands in a higher position than others. Faustus is also a man of a higher status because of the
degree of education that he has received in his life in which it is stated that he has learned the ways
of logic, law, education, and religion. This shows that Faustus is a man of a much higher education
than most people even hope for.
 The second definition that Aristotle points out is the fact that the main character must have a
hamartia or a characteristic flaw. Faustus actually has quite a few flaws that make up his character,
but two that stand out the most is his ambition and greed. From the beginning of the play,
Faustus’s ambition was to gain knowledge through a noble art. He decides that magic is the one
area that he wants to know more about, and to gain such knowledge he sells his soul to Lucifer.
His choice to sell his soul to Lucifer in order to feed this ambition and greed is what directly leads
to Faustus’s eventual downfall. Accordingly, Faustus fits Aristotle’s second characteristic of a
tragic hero. 
 Faustus does learn a vital lesson of life by the end of the show. Once the twenty four years of
service come to an end, Faustus begins to realize the seriousness of the sins he has committed. It is
only when he reaches the final few moments and facing the gates of Hell that he comes to terms of
the consequences of his actions. At first, he is quick to blame everyone but himself. He begs God
for mercy or to have his sentence lessened somehow. He curses his parents for giving birth to him.
Yet, he comes to the conclusion that there is nobody to blame but himself for what is about to
happen. Dr. Faustus now fits the final criteria according to Aristotle because he finally learns a
lesson in humility. He now knows that selling your soul for forbidden knowledge is a sin and that
he must take responsibility for that decision. 
 Dr. Faustus is a tragic hero because he fits all of the criteria according to Aristotle’s definition. As
stated, a tragic hero must be of a higher status, he must have a character flaw, this flaw is what
eventually leads to their own downfall, and this downfall leads to some kind of knowledge gained by the
hero. Faustus is a man of higher status because of his degree in medicine and his education. His
character flaw is that of ambition and greed. This hamartia causes Faustus to sell his soul to Lucifer
and eventually go to Hell. However, he learns that it is a grave sin to sell your soul in order to learn
knowledge that is so expressly forbidden.