Had I as many ....... all for Mephistopheles. | Doctor Faustus By Christopher Marlowe | Eureka Study Aids

Had I as many souls as there be stars,
I'd give them all for Mephistopheles.

Had I as many.......... all for Mephistopheles.

REFERENCE

(i) Drama: Doctor Faustus

(ii) Dramatist: Christopher Marlowe

CONTEXT

(i) Occurrence: Act 1, Scene III (Lines 100-101)

(ii) Content: After mastering medicine, law, logic and theology, Faustus decides to pursue black magic in order to gain universal power. The Good Angel and the Bad Angel vie for Faustus' conscience, but Faustus ignores the Good Angel's pleas. He summons Mephistopheles and bargains to surrender his soul in exchange for twenty-four years of easy living. He performs marvelous deeds with the Devil's help. The twenty-four years of his deal with Lucifer comes to an end. He dies and is taken away by devils to his eternal damnation.

EXPLANATION

     These lines show Faustus' love for Mephistopheles and his desire to become the great Emperor of the world. Mephistopheles, a demon, is a source of never-ending delight for Faustus. It is no wonder Faustus is so willing to sign over his soul to Lucifer in exchange for twenty-four years of having Mephistopheles as his servant. Mephistopheles agrees to take this offer to his master and departs. Left alone, Faustus remarks that if he has "as many souls as there be stars" he would offer all to hell in return for the kind of power that Mephistopheles offers him. "As there be stars" is proverbial for an infinite amount. Faustus' combination of romantic imagery of stars linked with the souls is ironic, as there is only one soul in one body and countless stars in the single sky. This makes Faustus seem idiotic. These lines also suggest a slight homoerotic relationship between Faustus and Mephistopheles.