him as a hero in the Promethean mould or simply an over ambitious iconoclast. John Cutts explains that the romantic notion of him as a Promethean figure stealing fire from heaven to illuminate and emancipate man otherwise shackled to crippling medievalism, leads on to the Goethean extension of saving Faustus from alien destructive forces7 . To see him in this light, we must investigate his lack of power. In order for him to satisfy his craving for Demigod status he sells his soul to Lucifer with certain provisos, one being that Mephistopheles shall do for him, and bring him whatsoever8 . This condition (like all the conditions) he is demanding, although initially agreed to by Mephistopheles, turns out to be flagrantly ignored. When Faustus inquires Now tell me, who made the world?9 , Mephistopheles simply replies I will not. As to the nature of heaven, Mephistopheles is vague revealing only that they are within the bowels of these elements10 To Faustus, Mephistopheles is merely an extremely efficient travel agent and a Cooperesque music hall magician. Faustus in selling his soul for ultimate power is sold short and thus is rendered impotent. This is clearly illustrated when he attempts a reconciliation with God in order to save himself, but finds that he is not strong enough in body and spirit. It is this tragedy of the spirit that exemplifies the Promethean hero. Of course Prometheus too was rendered impotent - the son of the Titan Iapetus, himself a Titan, held in check by Zeus, a younger deity. This impotence is born from the conflict between that Higher power and the human (Faustus/Prometheus) character.The motif of one man toiling against the odds, whether in fiction or factorial reality, such as the histrionic intrigue that is the political arena; the example of a defiant hero or rebel risking all for the many is very familiar to us. But, The rebellion must be crushed Darth Vader11 coolly expostulated. Prom...
