Scene 13 - "I go, sweet Faustus; but with heavy cheer..."

• In Scene 13, Faustus is discussing with the Old Man his future and the Old Man states "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul"
• The Old Man is an enigmatic character who is difficult to understand but many many argued it is the Personification of God
• The Old Man functions to remind the audience that faith in God is more valuable than worldly knowledge by withstanding the torments that Faustus succumbs to
• The Old Man is a 'memento mori' – a traditional medieval Christian reminder of the inevitability of death, and so of the need for repentance (this is what the Old Man is trying to urge Faustus to do, but he succumbs to damnation)
• The Medieval Morality Plays traditionally concluded when the main character was offered a last chance to repent, which he would take. In Doctor Faustus, Marlowe radically reinvents the form by having Faustus fail to hear what the Old Man is offering him
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", The Old Man addresses Faustus specifically as he is trying to formulate a bond with Faustus
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", The Old Man addresses Faustus specifically to try and connect with him, trying to prevent him from succumbing to damnation
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the lexical choice "sweet" shows his fondness towards Faustus, to try and help him to choose Religion
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the lexical choice "sweet" in the Renaissance, often meant decadence and wealth, suggesting Faustus is wealthy in knowledge but not connections with religion
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", this emphasises the gravity of Faustus' situation, highlighting the fact that he will be damned forever if he does not change his ways
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the term "heavy cheer" suggests a tumultuous inner conflict, as he wants Faustus to repent but still ambiguous whether he will
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", this creates an anxious & apprehensive tone due to the potential outcome
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", this quote encapsulates Faustus' moral dilemma, oscillating between enlightenment & damnation
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", this quote encapsulates Faustus' hubristic ramifications, and the inevitable consequences
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", this quote creates a lot of tribulation as Faustus' decision determines his trajectory
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the use of foreshadowing, creating a sense of foreboding, amplifying a sense of anticipation & suspense for the audience
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the juxtaposition of "sweet" and "heavy cheer" highlights the contrast between the outward appearance of cheerfulness and the underlying sense of foreboding
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the lexical choice of "heavy" suggests there is a weight on Faustus' shoulders, this alludes to the ultimatum he is faced with from the Old Man and Mephastophilis
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", the Old Man's expression of concern evokes pathos for the audience, to intensify the thematic exploration of morality and consequence
• In Scene 13, "I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul", The Old Man boldly speaks paradoxically to Faustus by referring to him as "sweet" to try and persuade him to repent, knowing he will most likely be damned to hell