Student Question

What trick does Faustus play on the Pope in Doctor Faustus?

Quick answer:

Faustus plays a trick on the pope by, being made invisible, entering his chambers and snatching plates of food and a goblet from him. He even slaps the pope on the ear.

Expert Answers

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Mephistophilis makes Faustus invisible when they go to Rome so that he can visit the pope unseen. Faustus addresses the pope, who is confused about who is speaking to him. He then grabs a "dainty" dish of food the pope is about to hand to a friar. He takes away another dish of food, this one from the Cardinal of Florence, and "snatches" a cup as the pope is offering to drink to someone.

The Cardinal of Lorraine suggests a ghost may have gotten into the room. The pope agrees, asks for a "dirge," and crosses himself three times. Faustus then slaps him on the ear. He hears the friars singing a dirge cursing him for his misdeeds against the pope. At this point, Faustus and Mephistophilis beat the friars, explode fireworks around them, and leave.

As we can see, Faustus uses the demonic powers granted to him to pull a childish and ultimately pointless stunt, in part because the powers the devil has given him are so limited. Faustus had dreamed of glory and the ability to remake the politics of Europe when he made his pact with the devil, but he is delivered only the opportunity to create a little bit of mischief at the pope's expense.

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