He characterizes himself absolutely and won 't move from that characterization. In spite of his fears, the German experiences no physical damage. His torment is mental, the fear of the repeating danger of evisceration by evil spirits. "Faustus ' academic imagination is not simply the obnoxious occupational disease of a second-rate scholar; it is, more profoundly, the decorous manifestation of a psyche which…is bound by its own egoism" (Altman 376). In reality Faustus is so limited by his sense of self that in his first experience with Lucifer 's henchman, he thanks that he has really conjured Mephistopheles and starts to order him as his minion, rapidly proving his want of dominance. Yet Mephostophilis soon shows him of the presence of powers which lie past even Faustus ' …show more content…
The parallel scenes in which Wagner and Robin make their own attempts at conjuration viciously deride the serious internal battle of Faustus. Their parlor games "remind the audience that the knowledge for which Faustus sold his soul offers little beyond trickery and is available to whoever possesses the book" (Rozett). The degree of Faustus ' otherworldly powers, from going all over the universe to making horns become on Benvolio 's head and making grapes show up before the Duchess, are only sharp controls of exotic observations. Hoping for celestial knowledge, Faustus offers his spirit for the deception of substance. Driven by the fear that all his work is futile, Faustus discovers this illusion offers just a temporary appeasement for his harried wishes in light of the fact that "ultimate fulfillment or satiety can be the most fearful prospect of all for a self that suspects itself in the 'concerted ' space between desire and possession . . ." (Snow). Faustus ' name means nothing to Benvolio, which harms his pride. He must strike out against Benvolio and his partners so as to deny their absence of confidence in his