Scene 13 - The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus | Classic Literature
Enter Wagner .69
Wagner
I think my master shortly means to die,
For he hath given to me all his goods:
And yet, methinks, if that death were so near,
He would not banquet, and carousedrink heavily in a lively gathering and swill
Amongst the students, as even now he doth,
Who are at supper with such belly-cheerplentiful food and drink
As Wagner ne’er beheld in all his life.
See where they come! belikeprobably or it seems the feast is ended.
Exit.
Previous Scene 12Next Scene 14
Companion × Reading Studying
Previously Scene 12: At the Duke of Vanholt's court, Faustus offers to satisfy the pregnant Duchess's craving for ripe grapes despite the winter season. Mephistopheles fetches them, and Faustus explains their arrival by a spirit's swift journey from a place where it is summer. The delighted Duke and Duchess promise him a reward.
Who's who so far C Chorus He reports Faustus's return home, his friends' admiration for his learning and his reception at the Emperor's palace. John Faustus He pleases the Duchess with grapes brought by Mephistopheles in winter and accepts the Duke's invitation to receive a reward. Wagner He summons devils to frighten the Clown and promises to teach him magical transformations before the Clown agrees to serve him. Good Angel The angel insists that repentance is still possible and promises that devils cannot hurt Faustus if he repents. Evil Angel The angel denies that Faustus will repent and threatens that devils will tear him apart if he does. V Valdes Faustus's German friend who promises that spirits will serve them and offers to teach him the basics of magic. C Cornelius Faustus's friend who presents magic as a source of fame and treasure and recommends learning its words before its ceremonies. FS First Scholar A scholar who asks Wagner about Faustus and fears that his involvement with Valdes and Cornelius has put him beyond rescue. SS Second Scholar A scholar connected to Faustus who proposes asking the Rector to turn him away from magic despite his companion's doubts. Mephistopheles He helps Faustus sell the horse, then threatens the Horse-Courser with arrest after the apparent loss of Faustus's leg and lets him flee promising another payment. Clown An unemployed man who jokes about Wagner's offer, runs in fear from devils and agrees to serve Wagner after asking to learn magic. B Baliol One of the two devils Wagner summons to frighten the Clown and then orders away. B Belcher One of the two devils who appear at Wagner's call and send the Clown running and crying. DD The dancing devils Devils brought by Mephistopheles who give Faustus crowns and rich clothes, dance and leave. DD The devil dressed as a woman A devil who enters dressed as a woman with fireworks when Mephistopheles promises to fetch Faustus a wife. Lucifer The ruler of hell rebukes Faustus for calling on Christ, presents the Seven Deadly Sins as entertainment and gives him a book promising transformations. B Belzebub Lucifer's companion-prince in hell appears beside him and Mephistopheles when Faustus calls on Christ. P Pride One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Pride rejects having parents and refuses to speak further without perfume and rich furnishings. C Covetousness One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Covetousness wants the house and everyone in it turned into gold to lock in a chest. W Wrath One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Wrath describes roaming with rapiers and wounding himself when nobody else is available to fight. E Envy One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Envy resents others' learning, food and comfort and wishes everyone else would die in a famine. G Gluttony One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Gluttony describes a family made of food and drink and asks Faustus for supper. S Sloth One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Sloth resents being moved from a sunny bank and asks Gluttony and Lechery to carry him back. L Lechery The last of the Seven Deadly Sins to answer Faustus, Lechery introduces herself through a sexual joke about food. Pope The host of the banquet loses food and drink to the invisible Faustus, orders a dirge against a supposed ghost and is struck on the ear. CL Cardinal of Lorrain The Pope's guest suggests that the unseen intruder is a ghost from purgatory seeking a pardon. FF First Friar A friar who reports that nobody can be seen after Faustus speaks and later calls his brethren to their devotional work. F The friars The Pope's attendants sing curses against the banquet's unseen disruptor before Faustus and Mephistopheles beat them and throw fireworks among them. Robin the Ostler He summons Mephistopheles while trying to keep a stolen goblet and welcomes the devil's sentence of transformation into an ape as a chance for fun and food. Ralph He returns the stolen goblet after the devil appears and is told by Mephistopheles that he is to become a dog. V Vintner A wine seller who searches Robin and Ralph for a missing goblet and receives it back after Mephistopheles appears. Emperor The ruler asks to see Alexander and his paramour, accepts their spirit likenesses as real bodies and promises Faustus a reward after asking him to release the Knight. Knight A gentleman who mocks Faustus's claims and is made to wear horns until Faustus orders Mephistopheles to remove them at the Emperor's request. EA The Emperor's attendants Attendants accompany the Emperor, and one leaves to summon the Knight at his command. SA The spirits as Alexander and his paramour Spirits brought by Mephistopheles resemble Alexander and his lover so closely that the Emperor believes he sees their actual bodies. H Horse-Courser A buyer whose horse vanishes in water returns for his money but flees promising another payment after apparently pulling off Faustus's leg. DV Duke of Vanholt Faustus's noble host marvels at the grapes brought in January and invites him to receive a reward for pleasing the Duchess. D Duchess The Duke's pregnant wife asks Faustus for ripe grapes in winter and promises lasting gratitude after tasting them. Words to know
carouse drink heavily in a lively gathering
belly-cheer plentiful food and drink
belike probably or it seems
Scene 13 in brief Wagner appears alone and reports that Faustus has given him all his possessions. He interprets the gift as preparation for a death that is close. His account of Faustus's present behaviour then unsettles that reading: his master is enjoying a feast with students. The verbs describing drinking and eating make bodily appetite dominate this brief report. Wagner's puzzlement sets apparent enjoyment beside the possibility of approaching death without resolving the contradiction. He announces that the company is coming and leaves, linking his solitary speech to the gathering he has described.
Key quotes I think my master shortly means to die, For he hath given to me all his goods: Why it matters Wagner treats a material gift as evidence of Faustus's awareness of death. The opening 'I think' keeps this a servant's inference rather than a direct statement from his master.Power, bargains and service
And yet, methinks, if that death were so near, He would not banquet, and carouse and swill Amongst the students, as even now he doth, Why it matters The list of indulgent actions appears incompatible with preparation for death to Wagner. His uncertainty makes the gap between outward pleasure and mortal danger the centre of the speech.Appearance and deception
Themes in this chapter Power, bargains and service Appearance and deception
Study notes cover this chapter in full, so they include what happens in it.
Explore the study guide (includes spoilers)
Contents ×
Text settings ×
Picked up where you left off Start of chapter