Could any one tell me the meaning of this small paragraph from Christopher Morlowe's Dr. Fraustus ?

Question

the Paragraph goes like this...

" This soul should fly from me, and I be chang'd

Unto some brutish beast! all beasts are happy,

For, when they die,

Their souls are soon dissolv'd in elements;

But mine must live still to be plagu'd in h**l."

i asked my friend who is a english hons. graduate but he wouldnt tell me -.-;if you guys can tell me please do!!

Answer 1

(this soul shld fly frm me, and i be changed): the quote person doesnt like his soul and wish it would be gone but he is helpless about it.  <usage of the word 'should'>

(unto some brutish beast): He akins his soul to some brutish beast, meaning that he is somewhat inhumane . <could be something he has done>

(all beasts are happy, For, when they die, Their souls are soon dissolv'd in elements) its trying to say that when beasts dies it is over. their souls are lay to rest. no responsibilties, no guilt to carry <he envied them>

(But mine must live still to be plagu'd in h**l.) his soul must suffer even in afterlife, unlike the beasts <indicatement of the gravity of his sin: heavy)

hope this helps!

Answer 2

Earlier, he has made a deal with the devil.  There will be success in this life but when he dies his soul will live on in hellish torment.

He is thinking, if only he could be changed into some brutish beast, then when he died so would his soul.

But he knows that isn't going to happen.  When he dies the devil will have his soul to torment for all eternity.