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"Stipendium peccati mors est"

The wages of sin, is death.

Paradise lost – satan and here I am, thinking of Dr.Faustus. This doctor was someone who went too close to the sun and burned himself (figuratively speaking of course. He did no flying towards the Yellow Star. In the legends it is Icarus. Well Icarus makes me think of Ludlum’s 'Icarus agenda'. that gives me a topic for another blabbering). He knew too much and he wanted too much.

In the first scene of the play Faustus tells us why he considers medicine, philosophy, theology and other studies as worthless. He says the only worthy thing is necromancy – black magic. He sets out to learn that and how ! before long he has Mephistophilis, Satan’s messenger standing infront of him. Mephistophilis tells him that if he is ready to give his soul to Lucifer , he will give him all the knowledge and power. Faustus agrees. Says he will give his soul after 24 years.

Faustus becomes great within days. His fame spreads far and wide. He meets Pope and becomes invisible , he meets great kings , he speaks to the spirit of Alexander the great ..well, well he also gets to see Helen – Helen of Troy ! The verses there about Helen are brilliant. As faustus says “Make me immortal with a kiss.. Heaven is in those lips …All is dross that is not Helena” .

All this while the time keeps ticking and as the day gets closer , Faustus panicks. He is gripped with a fear that he is going to be banished in Hell for eternity. He repents. He pleads . He curses . The play closes with him being carried away by a group of devils.

Just 27 years and Marlowe had immortalized himself. He was the greatest dramatist before Shakespeare. More on him later..

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