Faustus' first scene

This scene offers a vital initial understanding of Faustus' character, and the ambitions he persues which shape the rest of the play. His soliloquy allowes the audience to witness Faustus wrestle with the problem of which subject to focus his studies on.

Initially, he presents to the audience his intellect by addressing himself in the thrid person; "Settle thy studies, Faustus" By viewing himself from an objective point of view he trying to give the impression of being logical and rational. With his first four words, we already have a sense of a major element to his character.

His intellect is reinforced in the preceeding lines, as Faustus analyses four respectable and prestigous subjects, and dismisses each, thinking himself almost beyond each subject. Primarily, he rejects Aristotle's works by asking "Is to dispute well logic's cheifest end?" He believes he can argue well, and "hast attained the end" of logic, and so dismisses it. He almost taunts the subject; "Affords this art no greater miricale?" by so demonstrating his arrogance by mocking a subject considered of great importance.

He then follows to dismiss the subjects of medicine, law, and divinity, all highly respectable subjects, because he thinks he has studied all he can. He has already helped "whole cities" escape the plague, which demonstrates his sucess in his work already, reinforcing the idea of his supreme intellect. His arrogance and self conceit lead him to call law "trash" and "mercenary drudge", and finally dismissing law because he finds it "too servile and illiberal for me"> his suggests he craves extensive knowledge, not messing around with "pretty" law.

By finally rejecting the study of God, alarm bells would have rung to an audience who at the time, were highly reigious. This clarifies that Fautus is a "baddy", and sinister, as previously suggested by the chorus; "falling to a devilish excerise".

His choice of study is ironic, as by purposly highlighting his logical thought, and by rationally and systematically analysing each subject and giving his reasons for rejeciton, his logic leads him to a very unlogical area. His ambition is underlined at the fact earthly knowledge is not enough. He wants "all things" to be at his "command". He wants to be more powerful than Kings, and his desire is shown fully when he cites "a sound magician is a might god". He wants to be as good as a God. He craves power, wanting "omnipotence"; another major element of his character.

The good angel forshadows his fall by claiming the "dammed" book of magic will "heap God's heavy wrath upon thy head!", Suggesting his greed may be his hubris, therefore clarifing again that Faustus is a "bad" character.