Quotations from Act 1 "Doctor Faustus"

"His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens conspired his overthrow" (Prologue)

Allusion of Icarus. Metaphor for Faustus=falls to hell. Icarus went too close to the sun which caused his wings to melt.

"Necromantic books are heavenly" (Faustus, scene 1, Soliloquy)

Juxtaposition/paradox/oxymoron. These books are not supposed to be heavenly. Necromancy= dark arts. Transgression, sinful

" Read, read the Scriptures. That is blasphemy" (Good Angel)

"Be thou on earth as Jove is in the sky, Lord and commander of these elements" (Evil Angel)

Good angel quote: It is seen as a threat towards Faustus, motivated by fear. Opposition between bad books "Necromancy" and good books "Bible"

Evil angel quote: Classical allusion of Jove=roman king of Gods (not Christian, out of Christian context), Faustus could be motivated by reward, encourages him to go forward.

"Then tell me, Faustus, what shall we three want?" (Cornelius)

Valdes and Cornelius are not seen in the play again= could highlight Faustus's self imposed isolation=hubristic desire to be the greatest "emperor of the world"

"This word 'damnation' terrifies not him, For he confounds hell in Elysium" (Faustus, scene 3)

He doesn't care about damnation=hubristic. He could become a sceptic because he doesn't believe in anything/accepted truth, seen as a dangerous situation of the time, Marlowe could have been this.

"In being deprived of everlasting bliss? O Faustus, leave these frivolous demands, which strike a terror to my fainting soul!" (Mephistopheles, scene 3)

Critics say that the devil is wanting Faustus to turn back to God, Faustus has a chance to repent. The use of the apostrophe "O" suggests emotional element of how the devil is feeling.

"I know he would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood raw" (Wagner, scene 4)

Dramatic irony. Wagner becoming a "Faustus" figure. Foreshadows what Faustus will do in the next scene. Robin parallel to Faustus= gives his soul to Wagner.

"O, I'll tickle the pretty wenches' plackets!" (Robin, scene 4)

Plackets=vagina. Double . Lifting of the skirt. Wanting to have sexual activities with female devil=similar to Faustus wanting a wife.