7, 2019]
Dramatic significance means the importance of a scene, action, or dialogue in a play. The last scene (Act 5, Scene 2) of Christopher Marlowe’s (1564-1593) “Doctor Faustus” (1604) is the most important part of the play. It shows the tragic end of Faustus and teaches a strong moral lesson. It also brings out the main themes of the play. This scene is full of Faustus’s despair, fair, and deep meaning. The dramatic significance of this scene is presented below.
Climax of the Tragedy: This scene is the climax of the whole play. Faustus is at the end of his twenty-four years' deal with Lucifer. He is full of fear, pain, and regret. He knows that the devils will come to take his soul to hell. He cries, begs, and wants to escape his punishment, but he cannot. Faustus’s proud choices and desire for power led him to this tragic end. He thinks it is too late for him to be pardoned. He says:
“The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus.”
This line from the final scene captures Faustus’s despair. As his final moment arrives, he becomes terrified. He begs time to stop, so that midnight never comes. He says,
“Mountains and hills, come, come, and fall on me
And hide me from the heavy wrath of God!”
This line shows Faustus’s fear. Hence, the last scene of the play captures Faustus’s fear, pain, and regret, and gives the play an intense climax.
Moral Lesson: The last scene also gives a strong moral message. Earlier in the play, Faustus had many chances to repent. The Good Angel and the old man repeatedly warn Faustus. However, he did not take them seriously. In fear, he begs for God’s mercy. He says,
“O I'll leap up to my God! Who pulls me down?”
This means hell is already pulling down Faustus. Faustus cannot repent, because true repentance does not come from fear of punishment. In fear, Faustus begs for a few more years, but the devils grab him. This teaches the audience a moral lesson: delaying repentance and ignoring God’s mercy can lead to destruction.
Audience Reaction: The last scene creates deep emotions in the hearts of the audience. They feel fear when the clock strikes midnight and the devils come. They also feel pity for Faustus. The mix of fear and pity is an important part of a tragic drama. The audience can understand the pain of Faustus and feel sad for him. They also learn from his downfall. This emotional effect of the last scene makes “Doctor Faustus” a fine tragedy.
Symbolism: Marlowe uses many symbols in this scene to show deep meaning. The clock is a strong symbol. As it ticks, we feel time is running out for Faustus. It shows that time, once lost, cannot be gained again. Another symbol is the burning of books. Faustus says he will burn his books in the end. He says:
“I'll burn my books—ah, Mephastophilis!”
This means he now understands that all his knowledge and magic were useless. They could not save his soul. These symbols show the waste of a great scholar and the sadness of wrong choices.
In conclusion, dramatic significance helps us understand why a scene exists in a play. This scene shows the results of temptation and sin. Faustus was tempted by the power of magic and knowledge. He made a deal with the devil and lost his soul. Faustus had a choice to repent, but did not. The emotional impact of the last scene also makes “Doctor Faustus” an evergreen tragedy.
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