Doctor Faustus, a brilliant scholar in Wittenberg, Germany, feels intellectually stifled by traditional fields of study. Believing he has exhausted the limits of conventional knowledge, Faustus yearns for power and forbidden wisdom. This desire leads him down a dark path as he resolves to explore magic. He instructs his servant Wagner to summon Valdes and Cornelius, experts in the occult, to teach him the art of magical incantations.
Faustus’s ambition immediately becomes a battleground for his soul. Two angels manifest – a benevolent Good Angel and a sinister Evil Angel. The Good Angel cautions Faustus against the perils of unholy magic, urging him to remain within divine grace. Conversely, the Evil Angel tempts him with promises of boundless power and earthly delights through sorcery. Influenced by the allure of forbidden knowledge, Faustus dismisses the Good Angel’s warnings and eagerly embraces the dark arts. Valdes and Cornelius provide him with spell-books, and Faustus, consumed by ambition, enthusiastically begins his journey into conjuration and spirit summoning.
Meanwhile, Faustus’s growing interest in magic does not go unnoticed in academic circles. Two scholars, aware of Faustus’s esteemed reputation, become curious about his recent pursuits. They encounter Wagner and inquire about Faustus’s activities. Wagner reveals that Faustus is currently in the company of Valdes and Cornelius. Alarmed and saddened, the scholars lament Faustus’s deviation from righteous scholarship into the dangerous realm of magic.
Driven by his insatiable thirst for power, Faustus commences his magical experiments. He successfully conjures Mephastophilis, a devil. Faustus, in his arrogance, commands Mephastophilis to obey him, but Mephastophilis clarifies that he is bound only to Lucifer’s will. Intrigued, Faustus questions Mephastophilis about hell and the demonic hierarchy. He then instructs Mephastophilis to propose a pact to Lucifer: Faustus will surrender his soul in exchange for 24 years of limitless power and knowledge, with Mephastophilis as his obedient servant. Mephastophilis departs to deliver Faustus’s proposition to Lucifer, and Faustus, blinded by ambition, believes he has struck a favorable bargain.
In a parallel comedic subplot, Wagner, seeking to emulate his master, encounters a clown and persuades him to become his servant. Wagner promises to impart magical skills to the clown, highlighting the pervasive allure of magic, even among the lower classes.
Back in his study, Faustus experiences a moment of internal conflict. He begins to waver, contemplating the gravity of his proposed pact with Lucifer. As he wrestles with his conscience, considering repentance and a return to God, the Good and Evil Angels reappear, reinforcing their opposing influences. Despite this internal struggle and the renewed warnings of the Good Angel, Faustus ultimately reaffirms his resolve to proceed with the pact, solidifying his tragic trajectory.
Mephastophilis returns, confirming Lucifer’s acceptance of Faustus’s terms. Before formalizing the agreement, Faustus probes Mephastophilis further about the nature of hell, seeking to understand the realm he is about to align himself with. Satisfied (or perhaps resigned), Faustus agrees to Lucifer’s conditions. Mephastophilis demands Faustus to formalize the pact with a deed of gift, written and signed in his own blood. As Faustus attempts to sign, a supernatural event occurs: his blood congeals, seemingly resisting the unholy contract. Mephastophilis retrieves hot coals to liquefy the blood, overcoming this ominous sign. Faustus signs the agreement, irrevocably sealing his fate. Immediately after signing, Faustus is overcome with regret and a sense of dread. However, Mephastophilis swiftly distracts him by conjuring a spectacle of devils who present Faustus with lavish riches and worldly treasures, momentarily diverting his attention from the profound consequences of his decision. Faustus, still curious, resumes questioning Mephastophilis about hell. He then requests a wife, but Mephastophilis, bound by the unholy nature of their pact, cannot provide a wife, as marriage is a sacred union. Instead, he summons a devil-woman, a grotesque parody of human companionship, underscoring the corrupted nature of Faustus’s desires.
To further satiate Faustus’s thirst for knowledge, Mephastophilis presents him with books containing vast knowledge of astronomy, celestial bodies, plants, and trees. Despite gaining access to this immense knowledge, Faustus is once again plagued by remorse for surrendering his soul. He again contemplates repentance, and the Good and Evil Angels reappear to sway his decision. In a recurring pattern, Faustus briefly considers redemption but ultimately rejects it, reaffirming his commitment to his pact. Mephastophilis then instructs him on the movements of planets and the structure of the universe, indulging Faustus’s intellectual curiosity. However, when Faustus inquires about the creation of the world and the identity of the creator, Mephastophilis refuses to answer, unwilling to utter the name of God. This refusal sparks another wave of repentance in Faustus, momentarily turning him back towards divine consideration. The angels reappear, and Faustus voices his desire to repent. At this critical juncture, Lucifer himself, accompanied by other devils, materializes. Lucifer sternly forbids Faustus from invoking God or Christ, asserting his dominion over Faustus’s soul. Intimidated and fearful of Lucifer’s wrath, Faustus recants his desire to repent and reaffirms his allegiance to Lucifer. To entertain Faustus and solidify his commitment to sin, Lucifer stages a pageant of the Seven Deadly Sins, a grotesque and allegorical representation of human vices, which Faustus observes with morbid fascination. Before departing, Lucifer gifts Faustus another book of forbidden knowledge, further binding him to the pursuit of darkness.
In a comedic interlude, a stable-hand named Robin steals one of Faustus’s spell-books. Robin and his friend Rafe, an innkeeper, naively attempt to practice magic, demonstrating the trivialization and misuse of powerful knowledge in the hands of the unworthy. Wagner, in a brief expository moment, informs the audience that Mephastophilis has been escorting Faustus on a grand tour of the world in a dragon-drawn chariot. This journey is intended to expand Faustus’s astronomical knowledge and expose him to worldly wonders. Their travels are currently directed towards Rome.
Arriving in Rome, Faustus expresses a desire to see the city’s historical monuments and religious sites. However, Mephastophilis, ever the tempter, suggests a more irreverent course of action: to infiltrate the Pope’s private chambers and play a mischievous prank during a papal banquet. Using invisibility granted by Mephastophilis, Faustus disrupts the Pope’s feast, engaging in acts of petty vandalism and sacrilege while the Pope and his cardinals are present. A group of friars attempts to exorcise the perceived malevolent spirits through a dirge, highlighting the clash between religious authority and demonic influence.
Returning to Germany, the comedic subplot resurfaces. A vintner confronts Robin and Rafe about a stolen goblet. The inept duo attempts to use Faustus’s spell-book to summon a demon to frighten the vintner. They succeed in summoning Mephastophilis, who appears, but is deeply annoyed and frustrated at being summoned by such insignificant “slaves” for such a trivial matter. Meanwhile, Faustus, having completed his worldly travels, returns to Germany. His reputation as a powerful conjurer has spread widely. The German Emperor Charles V, intrigued by tales of Faustus’s magical abilities, invites him to his court.
At the Emperor’s court, Faustus seeks to impress Charles V. He conjures the spirit of Alexander the Great, a historical figure revered by Charles. The Emperor is astounded and deeply impressed by this display of necromancy. However, a skeptical knight in the court is openly critical and disrespectful of Faustus’s demonic magic. Faustus retaliates against the knight’s insolence by magically causing horns to sprout from his head, publicly humiliating him and demonstrating the darker, vengeful side of his power.
Following his performance for the Emperor, Faustus is approached by a horse-courser (horse trader) who wishes to purchase his horse. Faustus agrees to the sale but issues a peculiar warning: the horse-courser must not ride the horse into water. The horse-courser, suspecting a trick, intentionally rides the horse into a pond to test Faustus. In the middle of the pond, the horse vanishes, leaving the horse-courser submerged and furious. Seeking revenge, the horse-courser attempts to confront the sleeping Faustus. He yanks on Faustus’s leg to wake him, but in a gruesome and comical scene, the leg detaches completely from Faustus’s body. Terrified, the horse-courser flees, while Faustus’s leg is instantaneously restored by magic, highlighting the supernatural and somewhat farcical nature of his powers. Wagner then informs Faustus that he is requested at the court of the Duke of Vanholt.
At the Duke’s court, Faustus entertains the Duke and Duchess with further magical displays. The Duchess, desiring a seasonal delicacy, requests grapes, despite it being winter. Faustus obliges, magically producing grapes to the Duchess’s delight, showcasing his ability to manipulate natural laws.
Wagner, in another expository interlude, expresses concern for Faustus’s impending doom, noting that Faustus has bequeathed his possessions to him, suggesting Faustus’s own awareness of his approaching end. Despite this premonition, Faustus continues to utilize his magic to impress and entertain. A group of scholars requests him to conjure the spirit of Helen of Troy, legendary for her unparalleled beauty. Faustus complies, and the spirit of Helen appears. However, this encounter is interrupted by the arrival of an Old Man, a figure representing divine grace and repentance. The Old Man earnestly pleads with Faustus to repent and seek salvation before it is too late. Faustus is deeply troubled by the Old Man’s words and expresses a desire to repent once more. Mephastophilis, sensing Faustus’s wavering resolve, appears, accusing him of betrayal and threatening him with agonizing torment for his disobedience. Intimidated and despairing, Faustus apologizes to Mephastophilis and renounces his fleeting desire for repentance. In a final act of desperation and distraction from his impending doom, Faustus implores Mephastophilis to make Helen of Troy his lover, seeking solace and oblivion in her beauty.
As the final hours of his 24-year pact approach, Faustus is consumed by despair. The group of scholars, witnessing his anguish, inquire about the cause of his torment. Faustus, finally confiding in them, reveals the horrifying truth of his pact with Lucifer and his impending damnation. The scholars, horrified and pitying, vow to pray for his soul. Alone on stage, Faustus confronts the terrifying reality of his situation. He realizes he has only one hour left to live. In a desperate plea, he begs time to stand still, desperately wishing to prolong his life and escape his fate. He oscillates wildly between repentance and despair. He cries out to God, acknowledging that even a single drop of Christ’s blood could redeem him, yet he remains unable to fully commit to repentance, his pride and fear holding him captive. He futilely attempts to bargain with God, offering years in hell in exchange for ultimate salvation, revealing the depth of his desperation and his flawed understanding of divine justice. As the clock strikes midnight, signaling the end of his allotted time, Faustus’s fate is sealed. In a final, agonizing cry, he makes a last, desperate promise to burn his magic books, a symbolic rejection of the source of his downfall, as devils descend upon him and drag him down to hell.
The play concludes with a chorus delivering an epilogue. The chorus confirms Faustus’s damnation and emphasizes the moral of the play: it serves as a cautionary tale, warning the audience against the pursuit of forbidden knowledge and “unlawful things” that exceed the boundaries of human understanding and divine law. The audience is urged to learn from Faustus’s tragic example and to remain within the bounds of accepted knowledge and religious piety.
