DR FAUSTUS SUMMARY

Doctor Faustus is a German scholar who is familiar with all branches of knowledge,
from logic, to religion to law and even medicine. Yet his thirst for acquiring information
cannot be satisfied by traditional disciplines, reason for which he resorts to black magic ,
ending up summoning a demon, Mephastophilis. Even after he is warned by the devil himself
of the horrors that await in hell, Faustus decides to sign a contract stating that for 24 years ,
the demon should lend him his powers in exchange for his soul at the end of the specified
timespan. The contract is signed in the man’s blood, the deed being sealed with the
appearance of the words “Homo fuge” (“O man, fly”) on his arm.
Faustus starts being unsure of the choice that he made, especially when the demon
won’t answer his most burning question, that being “who made the universe”. When
considering repentance, he is reminded that he sealed his fate when he signed the contract.
Faustus receives many gifts from Mephastophilis, either in the form of knowledge or books
filled with spells. Yet what was initially a quest for mastering as much information as
possible would turn into Faustus playing magic pranks and playing tricks in the courts of
Europe.
As his time draws to an end, the protagonist grows more and more afraid of the price he
would have to pay. In his last moments, he tries bargaining with Lucifer rather than praying
to God. His soul is inevitably dragged to Hell, but he is given a proper burial by the scholars
who knew of his doings and of his contract.
“Doctor Faustus” is a play that encompasses many themes, such as redemption and
damnation, the wish for absolute power through the gain of knowledge and the ambivalent
nature of human beings.