Although Dr. Faustus embodies as versatile, a master of a multitude of arts, his thirst for knowledge soon overcomes his better judgment, portraying him as an overreacher, and landing him into an irreversibly tangled mess. Dr. Faustus possesses the qualities of a Renaissance man, a man who desires to gain power through knowledge. Denouncing the religion of God, Faustus declares, “’Tis magic, magic, that hath ravished me!” (Marlowe 8), exemplifying how his need for power makes him over step the boundaries of mankind.
Dr. Faustus resembles a Promethean rebel, because he denounces God and Heaven. Dr. Faustus makes a deal with the devil, turning his back on God. Similarly Prometheus disobeys Zeus, by following Athena’s orders. Athena, like the devil, gives Prometheus, in a sense, powers by “breath[ing] life into” the clay figures he makes which represent men, just like the devil gives Faustus powers to tamper with people. Zeus gave Prometheus a chance, “demand[ing] a sacrifice from Man to the Gods to show that they were obedient and worshipful”, but Prometheus ruined his chance by abusing what Athena gave him. This falls similarly into what Faustus did, by abusing the powers the devil gave him to do bad, never looking back at God, even with all the chances God gives him to redeem himself, declaring “my heart is hardened, I cannot repent. Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven” (Marlowe 25). Faustus’ soul receives no mercy as it’s carried to hell, while Prometheus suffers an eternal torture, chained to rocks. Both suffer punishment from God in the end when trying to escape God.
Dr. Faustus and Dr. Frankenstein share similarities, both characteristically over reachers trying to cross God. Dr. Faustus literally crosses God, making a deal with the devil, deliberately turning his back on God and Heaven for a life of sin. Dr. Frankenstein attempts to attain the level of God by creating life, which only God possesses the ability to do. He mimics creation and life that goes against God’s universe. This disobedience leads them to losing everything in the end. Dr. Faustus loses his soul, which “must live still to be plagu'd in hell” (132). Dr. Frankenstein loses his sanity, his love, and finally his life. Ironically, he faces death in the hands of his own creation. Both stories teach that trying to cross God can only end with failure and destruction.
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