Would the Residents of Bacon’s Bensalem Approve of Faustus’s Reasons to Study Magic? In Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis, and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus there is a clear disagreement between the morals and values of Faustus and the people of New Atlantis. Both books display what knowledge means to the specific characters. While the residents of Bensalem value knowledge very highly and believe in improving it, Faustus seems more interested in what he can get out of it, and how to he can fill his desire for power and praise. The comparison between beliefs is shown through Faustus’s specific reasons to study magic. These decisions are based off his dissatisfaction, desire to learn something that he has not already mastered, and his need
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In his mind they are useless. This is present in the lines “is to dispute well logic’s chiefest end? Affords this art no greater miracle? A greater subject fitteth Faustus’ wit.” (Marlowe 7) In this conversation Faustus has with himself, it is clear that he decides the study of logic has no purpose other than to become good at debating, which brings nothing that Faustus wants. He needs something that will bring him much more excitement and glory. Faustus quickly becomes fascinated with the topic of magic, and it becomes his sole focus. Bensalem’s residents would be unimpressed with this reasoning because of how highly they value of knowledge. This loyalty to knowledge is seen within the statues that they build representing inventors of important discoveries: “For upon every invention of value we erect a statue to the inventor, and give him a liberal and honourable reward.” (Bacon 275) Bensalem believes in the value of knowledge and the creators so much so that they would never agree that the other studies were not worth Faustus’s time. In the mind of the people of New Atlantis Knowledge is something that should be celebrated. These acts of dedication portray the importance and deep value of knowledge to New Atlantis. Ultimately, they would not easily dismiss the more common place studies as boring and …show more content…
Faustus’s desire for knowledge quickly turns into a quest for power, “How am I glutted with conceit of this! Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please, Resolve me of all ambiguities...I'll have them read me strange philosophy And tell the secrets of all foreign kings.” (Marlowe 10) Here it is shown how desire of knowledge transforms into need of power. Faustus quickly turns into someone who innocently wants to know more about the world to someone who wants to control the world. It becomes obvious at this point that he has lost sight of reason and ethics. He will do whatever it takes to gain the power that only magic can bring him, even if it means taking drastic measures such as bargaining with Lucifer. Bensalem would not like this because they do not think knowledge should be only for personal gain, but should also help the community and people around them. The inventions they collect, nor the ones they invent are singularly just for their personal use and desire. There lack of greed is presented in “But thus you see we maintain a trade, not for gold, silver, or jewels, nor for silks, nor for spices, nor any other commodity of matter; but only for God’s first creature, which was light: to have light, I say, of the growth of all parts of the world.” (Bacon 256) In this passage they discuss how valuable goods are not what they are after, it is light
In his mind they are useless. This is present in the lines “is to dispute well logic’s chiefest end? Affords this art no greater miracle? A greater subject fitteth Faustus’ wit.” (Marlowe 7) In this conversation Faustus has with himself, it is clear that he decides the study of logic has no purpose other than to become good at debating, which brings nothing that Faustus wants. He needs something that will bring him much more excitement and glory. Faustus quickly becomes fascinated with the topic of magic, and it becomes his sole focus. Bensalem’s residents would be unimpressed with this reasoning because of how highly they value of knowledge. This loyalty to knowledge is seen within the statues that they build representing inventors of important discoveries: “For upon every invention of value we erect a statue to the inventor, and give him a liberal and honourable reward.” (Bacon 275) Bensalem believes in the value of knowledge and the creators so much so that they would never agree that the other studies were not worth Faustus’s time. In the mind of the people of New Atlantis Knowledge is something that should be celebrated. These acts of dedication portray the importance and deep value of knowledge to New Atlantis. Ultimately, they would not easily dismiss the more common place studies as boring and …show more content…
Faustus’s desire for knowledge quickly turns into a quest for power, “How am I glutted with conceit of this! Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please, Resolve me of all ambiguities...I'll have them read me strange philosophy And tell the secrets of all foreign kings.” (Marlowe 10) Here it is shown how desire of knowledge transforms into need of power. Faustus quickly turns into someone who innocently wants to know more about the world to someone who wants to control the world. It becomes obvious at this point that he has lost sight of reason and ethics. He will do whatever it takes to gain the power that only magic can bring him, even if it means taking drastic measures such as bargaining with Lucifer. Bensalem would not like this because they do not think knowledge should be only for personal gain, but should also help the community and people around them. The inventions they collect, nor the ones they invent are singularly just for their personal use and desire. There lack of greed is presented in “But thus you see we maintain a trade, not for gold, silver, or jewels, nor for silks, nor for spices, nor any other commodity of matter; but only for God’s first creature, which was light: to have light, I say, of the growth of all parts of the world.” (Bacon 256) In this passage they discuss how valuable goods are not what they are after, it is light