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Dr. Faustus Trivia Quiz

I hope you enjoy this quiz on a play that I find extremely fascinating! Please note that there are two main versions of this play: a concise A text and a more detailed B text. Some of the events referred to in this quiz may not be in the A text.

A multiple-choice quiz by Lucay. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Lucay

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
225,770

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1266

Last 3 plays: Guest 49 (6/10), Guest 37 (9/10), Guest 216 (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Fausus sells his soul in exchange for a period of service from the devil. What is this period of time? Hint

Twenty four years

Until his fortieth birthday

Until his twenty fourth birthday

Forty years

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Faustus signs this contract with the devil in blood. What problem does he encounter? Hint

He doesn't have enough blood

He passes out

The blood smears on the page

His blood congeals

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. After Faustus finishes signing the contract, two Latin words appear inscribed on his arm: Homo fuge. What is the translation of these words? Hint

Fly, man

Property of devil

Thou art damned

Empty soul

4. The first thing that Faustus does with his powers is question a devil, Mephostophilis, about the nature of the world. What is the one question that Mephostophilis refuses to answer?

Please note that there are several alternate spellings of Mephostophilis throughout different editions of 'Dr. Faustus'. Hint

Why are you damned to hell?

Who is your master?

Who made the world?

Was Lucifer once an angel?

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. What reason does Mephostophilis give for not answering the question about the nature of the world? Hint

He does not feel like it

Answering questions was not part of the contract

He will be punished if he answers

It is against their kingdom

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. In Faustus's final speech, just minutes before his contract term is up, which of these does he ask for? Hint

For his time in hell to be limited to a hundred thousand years

To turn time back to before he signed the contract

For his soul to be misplaced and sent to heaven

All of these choices

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. What does Faustus do to Carter, the Horse-Courser, Dick, Robin and the Hostess? Hint

Strikes them dumb

Scares them

Takes them to the Pope's dinner

Conjures horns upon their heads

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. At the very end of the play, who is last to beg Faustus to repent? Hint

The Good Angel

The Old Man

Wagner

Helen of Troy

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The seven deadly sins make an appearance in this play and Faustus is delighted by the sight of them.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. When Mephostophilis first enters, Faustus says that he is too ugly and demands him to return as something else. What does he tell Mephostophilis to return as? Hint

A Franciscan friar

The Pope

A clown

A normal man

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 13 2024 : Guest 49: 6/10
Dec 08 2024 : Guest 37: 9/10
Dec 06 2024 : Guest 216: 9/10
Dec 03 2024 : Guest 199: 9/10
Dec 02 2024 : Guest 152: 8/10
Nov 28 2024 : Guest 112: 6/10
Nov 19 2024 : Guest 103: 2/10
Nov 09 2024 : Guest 142: 3/10
Nov 03 2024 : Guest 49: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Fausus sells his soul in exchange for a period of service from the devil. What is this period of time?

Answer: Twenty four years

"So he will spare him four and twenty years" (Act I, scene 3, line 88).

Faustus is likely already in his mid to late twenties and lives a full twenty four years from the time he sells his soul. This is actually a reasonable age for a man to die in the Medieval period, which is when this play was written. Faustus is not punished by a premature death, he is punished by an eternity in hell.

2. Faustus signs this contract with the devil in blood. What problem does he encounter?

Answer: His blood congeals

"My blood congeals and I can write no more" (Act II, scene 1, line 63).

Mephostophilis fetches him a chafer of fire to loosen the blood and Faustus continues on to finish the contract.

3. After Faustus finishes signing the contract, two Latin words appear inscribed on his arm: Homo fuge. What is the translation of these words?

Answer: Fly, man

"Homo fuge! Yet shall not Faustus fly!" (Act II, scene 1, line 78).

4. The first thing that Faustus does with his powers is question a devil, Mephostophilis, about the nature of the world. What is the one question that Mephostophilis refuses to answer? Please note that there are several alternate spellings of Mephostophilis throughout different editions of 'Dr. Faustus'.

Answer: Who made the world?

"Now tell me, who made the world?" (Act 11, scene 2, line 67).

Faustus begs and commands Mephostophilis to answer this question but Mephostophilis will not concede.

5. What reason does Mephostophilis give for not answering the question about the nature of the world?

Answer: It is against their kingdom

Faustus: "Villain, have not I bound thee to tell me anything?"
Mephostophilis: "Ay, that is not against our kingdom. This is."
(Act II, scene 2, lines 73-74)

6. In Faustus's final speech, just minutes before his contract term is up, which of these does he ask for?

Answer: For his time in hell to be limited to a hundred thousand years

"Let Faustus live in hell a thousand years,/ A hundred thousand, and at last be saved" (Act V, scene 3, lines 168-169).

Faustus wishes for more time, or for time to stand still, so that he can repent but he does not wish to take back his actions.

7. What does Faustus do to Carter, the Horse-Courser, Dick, Robin and the Hostess?

Answer: Strikes them dumb

This can be found in Act IV, scene 7. As each of them begin to harp on Faustus, he charms them such that they cannot speak.

Faustus only conjures horns on the head of Benvolio.

8. At the very end of the play, who is last to beg Faustus to repent?

Answer: The Old Man

The Old Man says his speech in Act V, scene 1. Faustus considers repenting but Mephostophilis conjures the image of Helen of Troy for Faustus. He essentially seals his soul to the devil by kissing Helen.

9. The seven deadly sins make an appearance in this play and Faustus is delighted by the sight of them.

Answer: True

"O, how this sight doth delight my soul!" (Act II, scene 2, line 63).

10. When Mephostophilis first enters, Faustus says that he is too ugly and demands him to return as something else. What does he tell Mephostophilis to return as?

Answer: A Franciscan friar

"Go, and return an old Franciscan Friar:/ That holy shape becomes a devil best" (Act I, scene 3, lines 23-24).

This is actually making fun of Catholicism, suggesting that a member of the Catholic Church is the devil. This play was originally performed in Medieval England, right after King Henry VIII's reformation of the Church of England. Since the audience was now Protestant, anti-Catholic satire pleased the audience.

Source: Author Lucay

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