Scene 3 - Analysis

• When Mephistophilis reappears, he is in the shape of a Franciscan Friar which is an attack on Catholicism, as Franciscans are a Catholic Christian religious order founded by St. Francis of Assisi & they advocate a life of preaching, penance, and poverty (Marlowe is stating that Franciscans are best shaped for devils)
• In Scene 3, Faustus is talking to Mephistophilis and says "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis"
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the idea of stars, astrology and celestial movements influences human affairs and natural phenomena in the Renaissance
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", Stars were seen as celestial entities had symbolic significance and people believed they govern certain aspects of life in the Renaissance
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", Stars in the Renaissance were misunderstood, but Astronomers such as Galileo Galilei, Nicolaus Copernicus & Johannes Kepler developed Heliocentric Models, so maybe metaphorically Faustus is misunderstanding the ramifications of his situation and needs to seek for religion
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Stars" suggests Faustus needs some navigation as in the Renaissance, Stars were used to navigate sailors to the correct destination (Faustus needs religion to navigate himself)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice "Stars" symbolise the idea of eternity, destiny and transcendence (Faustus can change his destiny if he uses religion)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the use of hyperbole emphasises how much Faustus values Mephistophilis over anything else (He'll sacrifice everything for him)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the use of hyperbole exaggerates the enormity of Faustus' desires
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the use of metaphor comparing stars and souls creates vivid imagery to highlight their perceived value and abundance
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the quote encapsulates Faustus's tragic flaw: his unquenchable thirst for knowledge and power, which ultimately leads to his downfall
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice "Souls" is relevant to Christian Theology as the Soul represents eternal salvation or damnation, highlighting the powerful symbol of human existence and spiritual worth
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Stars", Stars are numerous and often symbolize grandeur, magnificence, and eternity (but even this isn't enough for Faustus highlighting his desire)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", this highlights the Faustian Bargain and reflect the Renaissance's deep interest in astrology and discovering new knowledge
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice "Souls" carries symbolic weight as it highlights Faustus' inner conflict with morality & spirituality
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": from Plato's Philosophy of the Theory of Forms and how the physical World perceived by our sense is a realm of eternal & immutable Forms and these represent the true objects of knowledge e.g. Forms of Beauty
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Plato's concept of the Immortal Soul has implications in the Afterlife, he suggests that after death the soul is freed from the body but the fate of the soul in the afterlife depends on the state of its moral and intellectual development
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Plato believes those souls that have pursued wisdom and virtue in life may ascend to higher realms of existence, while those that have been consumed by worldly desires may be subject to reincarnation or punishment (this reflect the Humanistic side of Faustus)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Plato's concept of the immortal soul reflects his dualistic metaphysics and his belief in the primacy of reason and the pursuit of wisdom as the means to transcend the limitations of the material world and achieve spiritual enlightenment (reflecting Humanism in the Renaissance)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Rene Descartes believes the soul possesses the capacity for conscious thought, perception, understanding, and volition through his famous quote "Cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am)
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Rene Descartes believes the soul is immortal as He reasons that since the essence of the soul is thought, and thought cannot be destroyed, the soul is eternal
• In Scene 3, "Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis", the lexical choice of "Souls": Rene Descartes believes the immortality of the soul ensures that the self endures beyond the transient existence of the physical body (Links to Faustus as he could implicate himself in the afterlife)