What can one make of Faustus's exploits as a magician in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus?

Doctor Faustus begins as a magician of normal consequence
in terms of the setting of Marlowe's play. Through Mephistophilis, Faustus strikes a
deal with the Devil to become a great magician, one with otherwise unheard of powers. To
determine what one "can make of Faustus's exploits as a magician," one must know the
conditions upon which he agreed to the deal and the outcome of what is really granted to
him.

Faustus desired ultimate knowledge and, with it, ultimate power,
both to be delivered to him through the ultimate degree in
magic:

I'll
be great emperor of the world,
And make a bridge thorough the moving
air,
To pass the ocean with a band of men;
[...]
The
Emperor shall not live but by my leave,
[...]
I'll live in
speculation of this art [of magic],
Till Mephistophilis return
again.

Faustus is expecting
to have demons at his command who will "fly to India for gold" and "read him] strange
philosophy" of the arts of magic. What is it he actually receives from Mephistophilis
during the twenty-four year span of his life on Earth under the terms of his Devil's
deal?

What Faustus really receives from Mephistophilis in this
devilish deal falls into the category of trivia and pranks. For instance, in Act III,
Scene ii, Mephistophilis--Faustus's constant companion--renders Faustus invisible so he
can shadow the Pope and take food and drink right from the Pope's very
hands.

Faustus does not attain what he expected from the Devil. He was
hampered by the frivolous nature of Mephistophilis’s limited powers and overriding
instructions from the devilish Prince of Darkness. Therefore what I make of Faustus's
exploits as a magician is that he wasted twenty-four years of aspiration to reach beyond
the bounds of human knowledge to the wisdom of the cosmos upon the frivolities of the
dark humor of a sorely limited life and freedom--a limited life disguised as
opportunity.