論浮士德博士的性格缺陷與相對應的五宗罪

呂家鈺

【摘要】本文對克里斯托弗·馬洛(Christopher Marlowe)的戲劇《浮士德博士的悲劇》中“七宗罪”的五宗罪進行闡釋，利用具體文本內容指出每種罪所體現出的浮士德博士的性格缺陷及此性格下對后續故事發展所造成的影響，并探討劇中“七宗罪”出現的原因和在浮士德博士性格中所體現的五宗罪與七宗罪的關系。

【關鍵詞】浮士德博士的性格缺陷與五宗罪的對應；劇中“七宗罪”出現的原因；“七宗罪”與五宗罪的關系

1. Introduction

In recent years, particularly since W.W. Greg observed that the famous address to Helen of Troy is not as it seems, a simple hymn in praise of a classical heroine and of classical beauty, critical attention has been increasingly directed towards Marlowes deliberately ironic detachment from the hero of Dr. Faustus and towards his complete acceptance of an orthodox religious interpretation of the magicians behavior. The validity of this approach maybe demonstrated still further by an examination of the function of classical mythology in the tragedy. The irony implicate in the Helen-passage is the culmination of an irony which underlies all the mythological elements in the play (T. McAlindon 1966).We are distressed by remarks like the following about Doctor Faustus prayer to Helen, without knowing exactly how to escape them: “ If sheer ecstasy was ever expressed in poetry, it is here, in lines the most beautiful that Marlowe ever wrote. Here we have the essence of his genius”(Arthur Mizener 1943). Many critics of Marlowes Doctor Faustus spend too much energy seeing the play solely against its immediate historical background and too little seeing it as a visionary work speaking significantly to the modern condition(Kenneth L. Golden 1985). Seven deadly sins are grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings. Behaviors or habits classified under this category if they directly give birth to other immoralities. According to the standard list, they are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth, which are also contrary to the seven virtues. The Catholic Church used the doctrine of the deadly sins in order to help people stop their inclination towards evil before dire consequences and misdeeds occur(Wikipedia). In my mind, seven deadly sins are also a critical symbol of Faustus character and a caution for people as a morality play.

2. Five deadly sins in Faustus

The first sin coming in is pride, it represents the pride of Doctor Faustus. In first lines of Faustus, he always calls himself his name “Faustus” not “I” in an arrogant way like he is an emperor. “Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin to sound the depth of that thou wilt profess……A great subject fitteth Faustus wit” (Act I, scene I). In Faustus mind, he can get almighty power if he learns magic and even despises kings and emperors. “All things that move between the quiet poles shall be at my command: emperors and kings are but obeyd in their several provinces, nor can they raise the wind, or rend the clouds; But his dominion that exceeds in this, stretcheth as far as doth the mind of man” (Act I, scene I). Wagner is a servant of Faustus, but he is also very arrogant before two scholars. He pretended to be very knowledgeable to mock scholars innocence. “You are deceived, for I will tell you; yet, if you were not dunces, you would never ask me such a question; for is he not corpus naturale？And is not that mobile？Then wherefore should you ask me such a question？”(Act I, scene II). From his attitude, we can image how arrogance his master is. “Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude, and scorn those joys thou never shalt possess”(Act I, scene III). He even thinks Mephistophilis should learn from him. “By him Ill be great Emperor of the world, and make a bridge through the moving air…and both contributory to my crown: the emperor shall not live but by my leave, nor any potentate of Germany.”(Act I, scene III) He thinks he will control the whole world if he learns the magic.

The second sin coming in is avarice, it represents the greed of Faustus. “Be a physician, Faustus; heap up gold, and be eternisd for some wondrous cure!”(Act I, scene I) For Faustus, his desire to be a doctor is not for curing the patients but earning money and immoral fame. From this line, we can see his avarice to wealth. “Ill have them fly to India for gold, ransack the ocean for orient pearl, and search all corners of the new-found world for pleasant fruits and princely delicates”(Act I, scene I). In his mind, if he gets the power of magic, the first thing occurred to him will be gold and pearl even delicates. “Wealth! Why, the signiory of Embden shall be mine.” (Act II, scene I) When he thinks Mephistophilis shall stand by him, what he really wants is wealth. He is rich enough, but he still wants to get extra ten dollars to sell that horse to a poor horse courser.

“I have no great need to sell him, but if thou likest him for ten dollars more take him, because I see thou hast a good mind to him”(Act IV, scene V). He sells a magic horse which could turn into grasses in the water. When the horse-courser finds him and sues him for compensations, he cheated horse-courser that his legs was broken by horse-courser. In this way, he got extra 40 dollars.“Stop him, stop him, stop him! ——ha, ha, ha, Faustus hath his leg again, and the horse-courser a bundle of hay for his forty dollars”(Act IV, scene V).

The third sin coming in is wrath, it represents the anger of Faustus. He is so irritable that he strikes the pope because pope commands their priest to sing a lament and crosses himself.

“How now？Must every bit be spiced with a cross？Nay then, take that. (Strikes the Pope)”(Act III, scene II). “Mephistophilis and Faustus beat the Friars, fling fireworks among them; and exeunt” (Act III, scene II). He beats the friars and even throws the fireworks among them to revenge. Faustus thinks Benv is a troublemaker before Emperor, so he intimidates Benv and turns Benv into deer. “Ill play Diana, and send you the horns presently”( Act VI, scene II).

The forth sin coming in is gluttony, it represents the gluttony of Faustus. Faustus is gluttonous to dishes “I thank you, sir (snatches the dish)”(Act III, scene II).and he mocked pope in this way “How now？Whos that which snatchd the meat from me？”(Act III, scene II).

The fifth sin coming in is lechery which represents the libido of Faustus.“But, leaving off this, let me have a wife, the fairest maid in Germany, for I am wanton and lascivious and cannot live without a wife.” Finding a wife is the first thing he required Mephistophilis to do for him.“But, leaving off this, let me have a wife, the fairest maid in Germany, for I am wanton and lascivious and cannot live without a wife” (Act II, scene I). He asked Meph to take Helen as his lover when he had ideas to break his vow. He used womans beauty to control himself. “I may have unto my paramour that heavenly Helen which I saw of late, whose sweet embraces may extinguish clean those thoughts that do dissuade me from my vow, and keep my oath I made to Lucifer”( Act V, scene I).

3. Conclusion

Even though there are 7 deadly sins showing in the play, but Faustus has 5 of them. That proves he is not so bad as a demon. However, from the tragic result of his life, his sins caution the common people that dont betray God, or else no matter how happy and wealthy they are, they will go to hell and be tortured finally.

References：

[1]Arthur Mizener.“The Tragedy of Marlowes Doctor Faustus.” College English,1943:70-75.

[2]T.McAlindon.“Classical Mythology and Christian Tradition in Marlowes Doctor Faustus.” Modern Language Association, 1966:214.

[3]Kenneth L.Golden.“Myth,Psychology,and Marlowes ‘Doctor Faustus.” College literature,1985:202.

[4]Christopher Marlowe.“Doctor Faustus”北京:中國對外翻譯出版公司,1994.