by Matt Myster

Created on: June 05, 2010   Last Updated: June 08, 2010

Since the dawn of civilization, it has been debated whether human beings are controlled by destiny or if we have the freedom of choice to choose our own future. These colossal issues clash together in Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus. Catholicism argues that even though God is omniscient, he gave us free will to decide, where as Calvinism defends fate. However, Dr. Faustus is not pre-destined to condemnation in hell after selling his soul to Lucifer, but always has free will to repent to God. Although, at times it may seem like there is fate involved in Faustus’ life, everything that appears as fate, when exposed, is actually a natural consequence of his own choices and decisions.

God gave us free will to choose right or wrong in our lives.“...Choose today whom you will serve...” (King James Bible, Joshua 24:15). This is especially apparent in the Bible regarding the story of Lucifer, God’s left handed angel. Faustus knows Lucifer was once an Angel but Mephastophilis tells him, “ by aspiring pride and insolence, for which God threw him from the face of heaven,” (Marlowe 95) he became the Prince of Evil. Faustus was able to recognize that even God’s Angel Lucifer had free will as he fell from grace. Because Lucifer chose to aspire to be God he ended up in hell as a direct consequence of his actions. Thus, Lucifer had to have possessed free will. Although God gave us freedom of choice, He reminds us that there are still repercussions for those that choose sinfully.

Faustus always has free will to choose between good and evil even in the face of the Devil. As Faustus was about to officially sign his soul over in writing, his blood congeals and he is temporarily unable to sign the bill. “Ay, so I will. But Mephastophilis, my blood congeals, and I can write no more.” (Marlowe 107).  This is a sign from God that Faustus shouldn’t be doing this. He doubts himself saying, “...Is it unwilling I should write this bill?” (Marlowe 107). Even now Faustus still has free will to stop himself. Fate has nothing to do with Faustus signing that bill, as it is shown here he still has the ability to choose. If he was destined to sell his soul, then to what purpose is the intervention from God in the signing of the bill. The presence of free will in Faustus is clear.

Pauline Honderich, author of John Calvin and Doctor Faustus argues that   Faustus, “...makes his fateful decision to

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