The infamous deal with the devil has been used by many writers to represent the fall of a character. Whether it be through a contract, or even a simple kiss, there’s no doubt that writers have fantasized about this scene, sometimes for the emotion, other times for the drama. After all, in and of itself, the entire scenario is intriguing; characters are willing to forsake everything just for that illustrious hope that might bring them happiness. Antagonists will go out of their way to delude themselves into thinking the deal was worth it, and protagonists often find themselves sharing their fate. The deal even has ties with history, what with works such as the Malleus Maleficarum and The Lesser Key of Solomon. However, this dark, horrific deal had started from Christopher Marlowe’s work, Doctor Faustus.

Doctor Faustus tells the tale of a doctor who had mastered everything, from medicine to theology, and was, for all purposes, intellectually bored. He wanted to learn more, so he made a contract with Lucifer, pledging his soul to the eternal depths of hell in exchange for supernatural power. Despite the angel on his shoulder pleading for him not to give in, he still gives in to his greed, and signs the contract. For a while, things are wonderful, but as his deadline draws near, he slowly begins to realize the extent of his foolishness. By the time his deadline expires, he’s reduced to tears, desperately begging not to be dragged to hell. Unsurprisingly, this doesn’t work. From its historical and religious significance, to the everlasting question of what true happiness really is, Doctor Faustus was a timeless work that, even now, is appreciated. Even so, the deal with the devil is one of the most iconic scenes of all time, more so because of the consequences of that deal, alongside the psychological representation of the characters.

The demon, Mephistopheles, was one of the first demons that Faustus encounters. Many people have said that the demon represents the sorrow of being separated from the world you once knew, whether that be from God, from your family and friends, or even a bittersweet past. Characters like Mephistopheles are used to evoke sympathy from the reader, and to force them into situations where we somehow hope that there will be a happy ending, only to find that hope dashed time and time again. It’s this situation that has led to the dramatic conclusions in books like The Devil in Love by Jacques Cazotte and The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson.

However, another demon sinisterly lurks in the shadows, that of Lucifer, who manages to claw out Faustus’s soul in the end. In a way, the reader thinks of him as the mastermind of the entire situation. He knows how to play people, knows how to dangle the bait. It’s masterminds like this that have manipulated the events from behind the scenes, and provide the foundational basis for all the screw-ups in literature, the majority of characters often in the form of some sleazy businessman.

The deal with the devil provides the dark foundation needed for writers to build upon their tragedies. From the sorrowful conclusion, to the tragedy of realizing what you wished for wasn’t worth it, Doctor Faustus nourishes the depraved reflection of humanity’s own shallowness. It’s this atmosphere that has devastated the naiveté of many, whether it be human or demon alike.