Dr. Faustus reading journal Act one

Act one
scene one

• the scene begins with Faustus pondering over what he should persue in his studies
• He uses a process of elimination to decide which subject would be the best, by putting others down, 'a greater subject fitteth faustus' wit' (already we begin to see his arrogance) 'the end of physic isour body's health' (we can see how faustus is looking for something more important or higher than the body - i.e. the spirit)
• he comes to the conclusion that he will study magic
• 'necromantic books are heavenly' - 'necromantic' meaning black magic and 'heavenly' being an irony
• he commands on his servant (Wagner) to bring to him his friends Valdes and Cornelius, who can teach him about black magic
• at this point, before Valdes and Cornelius enter we see the first appearance of the good angel and the evil angel.
• The good angel tell Faustus to not be tempted by the black magic 'gaze not on it' 'read the scriptures' as a warning - giving the audience a sign that Faustus can turn back now unharmed, but he will not
• The evil angel persuades him to carry on his path, working on his arrogance 'lord and comander of these elements' - if the evil angel was not present perhaps Faustus would have turned back now? Is the evil angel the main reason for his downfall?
• After hearing the angels, faustus is full of greed and desire, due to what the evil angel says and stays on his path. 'How I am glutted with conceit of this!' - (gluttony-one of the 7 deadly sins)
• When Valdes and Cornelius enter, faustus explains how he has been caught up with black magic and wishes to persue it further, Valdes says 'Faustus, these books, thy wit, and our experience shall make all nations to canonise us', meaning that they will become saints or treated like celebrities

scene two

• Scene consists of Wagner teasing two scholars who are wondering were Faustus is
• We can see the first signs of Wagner as a bully here
• Wagner explains how Faustus has a 'corpus naturale' - a body capable of movement and could be anywhere, taking the scholars question too literally
• the first scholar then says to the other 'I fear he has fallen into that damned art' - talking about the black magic
• the second scholar says that even if he didn't know faustus he would 'grieve him' and explains how they should try and get him back
• the other says 'I fear me nothing can reclaim him' - the reader questions whether Faustus is damned or if there is a chance he could turn back. Tension

Scene three

• Faustus enters, holding a black magic book, and spends the beginning of the scene conjuring a spirit (Mephestophiles)
• As soon as Mephastophiles appears, Faustus orders him to change his shape, as 'thou art too ugly to attend on me' - he is unsuited to hell? arroagant? spoilt?
• Faustus then tells himself he's the best spirit conjurer (arrogant)
• Mephistopheles explains to Faustus 'I came now hither of my own accord' and how he came to be in hell
• here we can see Faustus' ideas are being challenged, Faustus doesn't understand how M can be both on earth and in hell at the same time, but M explains how it is more of a hell of the mind, and warns Faustus 'leave these frivolous demands'- so he has been warned, Faustus' many warnings give the audience little sympathy for him
• Faustus is a man who is unable to see anyone elses feelings but his own, which is why he is so determined to live out his own wants, not regarding the consequences.
• He is occupied which 'voluptuousness' - satisfying the senses, and things of human worth, gold, celebrity status etc. but underestimates the nature of hell and eternity-not as clever as he thinks.
• Faustus ignores M warnings and tells him to propose the giving of his soul to lucifer, to which M replies 'I will, Faustus'-not trying to stop him any further
• Once M exits Faustus says 'Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephistopheles'- showing little concern for the offer he has just sent, he's very certain of his actions-self assured person

Scene four

• Wagner and Robin the clown enter as a comical interlude which mirrors the more serious plot
• Gothic feature- a break in the anxiety, allows for the anxiety to rise again
• Wagner bullies Robin for being poor, 'how poverty jesteth in his nakedness!'- classic bully, Wagner is poor, surely, as he works for someone else, and possibly wants to cover his insecurities by bullying someone poorer than him. 
• In the scene Wagner aims to get Robin to serve him
• There is a back and forth comedy in the structure when Wagner hand over the guilders
• Wagner further bullies Robin by conjuring two spirit which he says will 'fetch thee away', Robin is in disbelief, but 'runs up and down crying' when they appear- vunerable, easy target for W
• Wagner succeeds in making Robin serve him, and the scene (and act) ends with robin saying 'I serve him, that's flat' which could be interprated in different ways, 'serve him' means to be his servant, but also could mean to give him what's coming to him, both in this scene and the wider context of the plot meaning he'll get the consequences, as will Faustus.