The Worth of the Soul

What would you sell your soul for? Money, power, intelligence,  immortality? For Dr. Faustus, it was lust for omniscience that tipped the scale. In a novel of the same name, Dr. Faustus’ desire for infinite knowledge leads him to sell his own soul to the devil in what is now archetypically referred to as a “Faustian Bargain.” For the remainder of his time on earth, Faust is more or less content with his decision, embracing worldly pleasures and enjoying his newfound intellect. It is not until his last days that Faust truly comprehends the gravity of the situation and the implications of what he has done. With the myopia of a worldly paradigm, Faust erroneously decided that what would end up being a fleeting moment of euphoria in newfound knowledge outweighed an eternity of torture. His story serves as a painful example of the punishment for straying from the hands of God. 

Everyone has desires. I believe that there is a point when such strong yearning transforms a desire into a personal vice. It doesn’t take a discerning eye to observe these vices manifesting themselves across the globe. Alcoholism, substance abuse, sexual lust, the list goes on and on. Though perhaps people in such situations are not explicitly selling their soul to the devil, I think acting upon dishonorable desires like the ones mentioned above degrades oneself and tarnishes the soul. It is a great irony that living a life of virtue should theoretically be so simple and yet is nigh impossible to accomplish. No one is above the influence of temptation, but there exist degrees in which we succumb to it. Humans are a fallen race, and sinning is our nature. It is how we react to the sin that shows the contents of the soul. Unlike Faustus, who fully embraced his sinful desires, repentance and genuine regret for sinning reveal character and indicate self-worth. Everyone has succumbed and “sold their soul” to some desire, but it is how we move forward that counts.