A Comparative Study of the Work of the Devil

It is true that the study of the devil or evil in general as a

part of the world has intrigued

man for centuries. This is mostly because it is something people don't have

concrete proof of

and is also considered taboo in our society. Yet, studies and/or story

telling on the devil and his

evil forces seems to have been apart of all societies since the beginning

of

time. Such as,

Christpher Marlowe's play, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustas, written in

the 16th century

and the modern day film, The Devil's Advocate, starring Al Pacino and Keanu

Reeves.

The devil in Marlowe's play doesn't

come to Dr. Faustas as himself ,

instead he sends

one of his disciples named Mephistophilis. When Mephistophilis first comes to

Dr. Faustas he

comes as himself, a demon like creature that is not quite appealing to the

eye and seems to

frighten or sicken Dr.Faustas. Dr. Faustas immediately

asks Mephistophilis to

come back as

something more pleasant, such as a fransiscan friar. The devil immediately

does so. I assume he

does this to please Dr. Faustas and to show him that with the type of power

he possesses he

can appear to be or even change into whom ever he wants. This being

something that the

doctor can also achieve by giving up his soul. He also offers Dr. Faustas

many things such as,

knowledge (something the Doctor can't get enough of) and tells the Doctor

that he can basically

have everything he desires in exchange for his soul.

Something very similar to this instance also occurs in The Devils

Advocate. In the

beginning of the film Keanu Reeves is approached by a man( also a messenger

of the devil's) in

a bar offering him a job opportunity in Manhattan and to persuade him to come

he offers him a

very large sum of money. When Keanu arrives he is surrounded by all the

materialistic things he

could desire in addition to the power and acknowledgment he so strongly

desires. This is all

once again there to tempt him towards evil and persuade him to sell his soul.

Another pertinant similarity between the 16th century play and the modern

day film is

the chance that both characters were given to give it all up, leave the devil

and regain their souls,

yet the outcome is far different.

In Marlowe's play, Dr. Faustas is approached by an old man who tries to

convince

Faustas to leave the devil and regain his soul. Faustas declines this plea

and continues on the

path he already was on, despite the fact that he was beginning to doubt the

actual rewards of his