1.1 55-63). .
Depicted in the previous quote is the obvious desire of Faustus for power over everything, going as far as to compare a magician to a god thus proving that it is power, not knowledge, that he seeks. .
This point brings me back to my opening paragraph when I mentioned that it was knowledge shared with power and pride that would lead to ones downfall. These two previously quoted examples illustrate the point I am attempting to make. The fact that involved with our tragic lead character is the deadly triangle combination of power, pride, and knowledge. It is through a person's pride that they seek a greater knowledge and through discovering a greater knowledge they become more powerful and it is power that corrupts the human spirit and leads to our ruin. .
Ever proud to the very end it is not until he faces the last hour of his life does Faustus finally humble himself and ask for forgiveness from God. "My god, my god, look not so fierce on me! Adders and serpents, let me breathe a while! Ugly hell, gape not! Come not, Lucifer! I"ll burn my books! Ah, Mephistophillis!" (Fau.5.2. 196-199). All his knowledge could not save him when the time had come for his death. .
This play brings forth the thought about why mankind was given limitations by God. Maybe to protect us from ourselves. Maybe it was because God knew how mankind would abuse a total knowledge. Whatever the case maybe the Chorus articulates this thought the best. " Regard his hellish fall, Whose fiendful fortune may exhort the wise Only to wonder at unlawful things, Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits To practice more than heavenly power permits." (Fau.Epilouge.4-8).
Men should not seek for fear of what he may find. The tragic fate experienced by Oedipus is often seen as a proper outcome of his pride, but is hard to describe how the play accurately portrays this thought. Throughout the play Oedipus is shown to be desperately seeking the murderer of Thebes's previous king.