Doctor Faustus: Scene 5 Summary & Analysis

Faustus considers the path of redemption, but continues to give into his own temptations and desires. Here he is literally saying that his own desire—that he himself—will be his god.

The angels again make their cases to Faustus. Faustus values material wealth over the spiritual wealth of heaven. In continuing to follow the Evil Angel, he is essentially exchanging one for the other.

All of this deliberation seems to imply that Faustus is making decisions based on his own free will. Lucifer insists on a formal, legalistic document for their bargain, with Faustus' blood symbolizing his total commitment to the agreement.

Faustus realizes that his congealing blood does not bode well. It seems to signify that his body, and to the extent that his blood represents his very essence, his soul, are trying to stop him from damning himself. He has another opportunity to freely repent and seek redemption.

The critical moment has passed, and the agreement is signed. Note how Faustus' reasons for not repenting now change: before signing the agreement he followed the bad angel because of the temptation of wealth and power. Now that he has signed the agreement, now that he is a damned sinner, he finds it hard to believe that God would actually take him back. This is a classic torment of the sinner, who (with the same sort of aggrandizement of himself that led him to sin in the first place) believes that his sin is so uniquely awful that repentance is impossible. Put another way, he loses faith in God's infinite love.

Faustus' anxieties are assuaged by his desire for riches and power, for the ability to order Mephastophilis around. The contract is read out in full, emphasizing its status as a binding, legal document to which Faustus willingly assented.

Faustus immediately sets about acquiring knowledge. Once again, he does not heed the example of Mephastophilis and other devils, who demonstrate the painful consequences of unrepentant sinning.

The spell-book is almost like a text-book for magic. The realm of magic thus seems just like the other things Faustus has studied over the course of his life. The book contains a wealth of knowledge for the eager Faustus.

Faustus continues to have opportunities to repent, but he continues to listen to the Evil Angel, who claims that it is too late. There are two alternate but related paradoxes at work here. First: it is only too late for Faustus to repent because he thinks it's too late. At the same time, if Faustus was predestined to go to hell, then he thinks it's too late and can't repent because he's fated not to be able to repent.

Faustus continues to seek more knowledge from Mephastophilis. Mephastophilis can tell him all about the universe, but will not mention God. Again, Faustus' seems unable to take a hint from Mephastophilis' suffering and repent.

This is one of the moments where Faustus is the closest to actually repenting his sins and voluntarily seeking redemption through God.

However, Faustus' about-face is quickly reversed, as Lucifer convinces him to continue sinning. Is Lucifer right that Christ cannot save him now that he has given away his soul, or is he merely lying to keep Faustus in tow? He is, after all, the devil. Note how Lucifer resorts to a kind of legalese here, reminding Faustus of his agreement, of the bargain. The thing about repentance, in contrast, is that it isn't the same sort of bargain. Instead it is total, complete—you give yourself freely to God, and God gives you grace (i.e. everything) in return. There is no exploitation in the "deal" with God.

Faustus is entertained by seeing these sins right in front of him, but still does not think of his own sins. It seems not to register that he is committing the same sins.

Faustus' insatiable desire to know includes even a desire to see hell. Lucifer keeps playing into Faustus' desires by encouraging him to learn more and more spells.