The Devil To PayIn this play, Dorothy L. Sayers reworked the legend of Faustus as a serious 'comedy,' presenting Faustus as one who chooses wicked means as an end to an admirable goal: the relief of suffering (while becoming entirely focused on his own supposed satisfactions). In the last scene, in the Court of Heaven, Azrael, angel of the souls of the dead, claims Faustus' soul, opposing Mephistopheles' claim. With the knowledge of good and evil returned to him, Faustus finally accepts that his evil must be cleansed, with Mephistopheles serving as the agent of that purgation. Faustus accepts his need for cleansing, trusting that the divine Judge/Court President, will indeed in mercy meet him at the very gates of hell, finally redeemed. |
Contents
Section 1 | 5 |
Section 2 | 9 |
Section 3 | 21 |
Section 4 | 33 |
Section 5 | 35 |
Section 6 | 37 |
Section 7 | 87 |
Section 8 | 131 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
angels arms AZRAEL bond born bring broadcast Canterbury Cathedral CARDINAL CHANCELLOR Christ Christopher Church circle conjure Constantine CROWD damned dark dear death detective fiction Devil to Pay devil's gift Doctor Dorothy Dorothy L drama earth EMPEROR EMPRESS Enter eternal evil Exit eyes FAUSTUS MEPHISTOPHELES FAUSTUS Take fire fool four-and-twenty give God's gold Gollancz hand happiness HARCOURT WILLIAMS hast hath hear heart Helen of Troy hell Hell-mouth Holy human John Faustus JUDGE lamps Lichfield Lichfield Cathedral light LISA Oh look Lord Lucifer magical Mansion master mirror Music never play poor Pope PRIEST primal innocence Re-enter redemption Rome Sayers Society scene sin God sorrow soul speak spirit stage stand stockfish suffering sword thee thine things TOPHELES tricks truth valley of decision Vengeance voice WAGNER What's William William of Sens Wittenberg writing YOUNG FAUSTUS