Category: Doctor Faustus

The Faustian Bargain has not changed since the Early Modern period. The Faust character has not either. As time goes on and humans progress in society. We have adapted and accommodated ourselves, for an “easier life”. We have gained a deeper understanding of information that Doctor Faustus in the text would be intrigued in, but even so, with the knowledge and technology, we have gained since the Early Modern Period humans are curious, greedy, and hungry for power. With the text Doctor Faustus, The Machine Stops, and Never Let Me Go, which are texts that are across the timeline from the Early Modern Period Era to today can show that The Faustian Bargain and the Faust character has not changed.

Doctor Faustus is an example of human nature and where we get The Faustian Bargain from. Faustus is a smart man he studies multiple professions in different areas, but they do not satisfy him. In his opening monologue, he goes to logic first. Logic doesn’t satisfy him because it only goes as far as what knowledge humans know. He then goes into the study of medicine. Interested in curing diseases and becoming more famous, but it does not satisfy him because he is already a world-renowned doctor. He considers going into law but thinks it is too trivial. He moves on to the study of religion and theology. He dismisses it because the bible talks about sin, in which humans have no hope of heaven anyways because of man’s sins. Last, he goes into magic, which he believes will make him ‘a mighty god’ (EFB 359). He goes to magic because he wants to learn their craft, summoning spirits. This journey shows his character that he is greedy and will go to whatever lengths to satisfy that greed.

As the story progresses Faustus strikes a bargain with the devil, believing that he will gain powers that are beyond humans. To have that power he has to give his soul to the devil. Faustus is fighting with himself to give his soul to the devil. When he tries to give his soul the first time he was not able to, his soul was rejecting his wishes. Faustus could have been saved, In chapter 48, “the old man comes to Faustus and urges him to repent and ask God’s forgiveness” (EFB 210). Faustus thinks about it in chapter 48 of the English book of Doctor Faustus, “He laid him very pensive on his bed, bethinking himself of the words of the good old man, and in a manner he began to repent that he had given his soul to the devil, intending to deny all that he had promised unto Lucifer” (EFB 210). He started to repent but was terrified when Mephistopheles appears, and the demon forces him to sign the contract. At this point, Faustus was in complete despair and thought there was no way he could repent at that point. His soul had given up as well, in the beginning, he was willing to sell his soul but his own was not. This is when Doctor Faustus lost his humanity too. To be human is having free will and in the text, Faustus lost that along the way. We see a smart and successful man that had free will to do what he wants. For example, he learned different professions not because someone told him to do it but because he wanted too. But Faustus, thirst for knowledge, his curiosity, and hunger for power led him down a road that he had become a frightened man that was no longer in control of what he does.

The Machine Stops is not apart of The Faustian Bargain. They have succumbed to machines. The humans in this story have no free will. They thought of it as a religion basically, “ This was the Book of the

Machine. In it were instructions against every possible contingency” (Foster 55). The means to be human is to decide your actions, to have the free will to do what you want. In the machine stops, Vashti seeks the book for guidance, “If she was hot or cold or dyspeptic or at a loss for a word, she went to the book, and it told her which button to press” (Foster 55). It was like they had no mind of their own and that they were the ones that became human. Today we see humans following somewhat of that with technology. Especially with our smartphones. We take it with us anywhere and websites we ask it for answers to tell us what we should eat, or how to get rid of a cold. The humans worship the machines like they were Gods even though man created machines, “You talk as if a god had made the Machine,’ cried the other. ‘I believe that you pray to it when you are unhappy. Men made it do not forget that. Great men, but men. The Machine is much, but not everything” (Foster 52). The technology in the story changed what it means to be human by taking away their freedom of thought, where the humans themselves can be seen as machines. Doing the same routine every day. Today we see with technology we are sucked into our phones because there is a variety of apps to keep us interested. For example, we struggle with human interaction because we have apps like social media to keep us connected. Humans are not like humans in the story, but there are similarities that we do-follow. This story shows what humanity could be like if humans as a whole succumbed to selling their souls. Not to the devil, but in this case machines.

The Faustian bargain in Never Let Me Go has to deal with the world they live in within this story. Society sacrificed the clones to “better humanity”. By creating clones and selling their organs as donors. This brings up the question are the clones even considered humans? The main characters Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy are clones. Living in a facility most of their adolescence live where they do not even get to experience the world. They are biologically humans, but they do not get the same rights as the rest of humanity. When they do set out into the world they do not fit into social norms. They hear that love, art, or both can get clones a deferral. Tommy and Ruth was determined to find them. Miss Emily says, “We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all” (Ishiguro 217). Going back to the Faustian Bargain the clones in this story are the sacrifice and for them to get a deferral, they have to be a good artist or to find love. It is not human to have to be good at something to live. The story is heartbreaking because, in the end, Kathy loses her lover and friend to society and they become complete. It’s no way a human should live. Unlike in Doctor Faustus how Faustus sacrificed himself to the devil, society in Never Let Me Go, sacrificed other beings for their selfishness and greed. Is this something that can happen today and in real life? There are conspiracy theories that clones are being made, not humans, but animals. In today’s time, humans are still greedy, power-hungry, and selfish, where this story can come to life.

It is human nature for us as humans to be curious and wanting to know more information. We can also are selfish and greedy, it’s not always a bad thing to have those traits, but if getting what you want ends up hurting someone or even yourself it is not worth it. But as time goes on humanity still shows that The Faustian Bargain has not changed and the Faustian character has not either. People will still “sacrifice” themselves and others to get what they desire.

Abstract

Oedipus Rex and Faustus are two very different characters with tragic yet, similar fates that they reach to, in different ways and actions. Oedipus’s character goes through numerous trials of fate and tries his best to overcome the fate written for him. Faustus, on the other hand, pulls the story’s plot towards him and he is a scholar, who gets desperate to learn magic. Faustus’s personal needs and wants are what make him meet his fate of doom, full of regret. While the character of Faustus is perceived as complicated and contradictory, Oedipus’s character is a successful and bold leader. Despite both the characters having the same conclusion, their experiences throughout the entirety of the drama shape them into different personalities, evoking varying reactions from their audience.

Introduction

Oedipus Rex is a tragedy by Sophocles that was put together during the Golden Age of Greece. Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe was first published in 1604 during the Renaissance Era. Dr. Faustus, who is the hero of the play, has a desire to practice magic and goes to extreme lengths to acquire the influence and power that he is passionate about. Oedipus Rex is proud yet, a determined and steadfast leader, adamant to always do the right thing, make his people proud, and go to any lengths to save his kingdom.

Thesis Statement:

The primary objective of this research paper is to analyze and compare the similarities and differences in the characters of Oedipus Rex and Dr. Faustus. Oedipus Rex is a Greek Tragedy and Dr. Faustus is a Renaissance Tragedy, this paper compares how this difference affects Oedipus and Faustus being tragic heroes. Despite both the characters being called “tragic heroes”, there are several similarities and differences between Faustus and Oedipus, and how both these characters face their doom in the climax.

Heroes in Greek Tragedies and Renaissance Tragedies

Greek tragic heroes have the characteristics of the Aristotelian model. One of the most significant contrasts between the Greek and the Renaissance heroes is that the heroes in Greek tragedies face their doom as a form of death or exile, whereas Renaissance heroes meet their end in the form of death.

The influence of Gods and fate in Greek dramas is what pushes the plot forward. The hero’s fate is predetermined, thus, the hero is not fully held responsible in the end and the audience is left with more pity than hate. They have the perception that the consequences are brought upon the hero by the Gods or because of the fate that was written for them. Renaissance dramas, on the other hand, hold the heroes accountable for their actions. Death is a factor that was known to be a crucial part of tragedies in the Renaissance Era. The Christian God and other influential ideologies made death in dramas a common factor, as the audience believed that death was the single, most appropriate consequence for the hero in the climax.

Moreover, the concept of “hamartia” is also different in Greek and Renaissance dramas. Greek tragedies have the fate for the hero written before the hero attempts to rescue his people and in that rush and determinism, the hero is fated to be doomed. Unlike what takes place in the Greek tragedies, hamartia is defined by a moral flaw in Renaissance dramas, where pride and greed become the hero’s greatest enemy, ultimately leading to death.

Similarities between Oedipus Rex and Faustus

Oedipus and Faustus both are referred to as “tragic heroes and to a certain extent, bring their doom upon themselves. The character of Faustus is similar to that of Oedipus in the sense that both characters have their fate sealed since the beginning. The audience can anticipate that Faustus’s greed for more knowledge and power will not end well for him, as he will have to give up his soul. Similarly, the audience in Oedipus Rex is aware of his fate and knows how Oedipus will face his downfall.

A major resemblance that is prominent between the characters of Oedipus and Faustus is that they both are excessively proud. Faustus thinks of himself as superior, thinking he has more knowledge than any other scholar. It is his pride that makes him choose evil over his own free will, desperate for more knowledge. Not unlike Faustus, Oedipus has a sense of superiority as well, since he believes to be stronger and more influential than the Greek Gods. He gets blinded by his pride when he is dead set on the belief that he can create or change his destiny.

In addition to this, a similar personality trait that can be found in both Faustus and Oedipus is their ignorance. Oedipus dismisses his prophecy and turns against Tiresias and Creon, accusing them of conspiring against him when Tiresias tells him the truth. Oedipus chooses to keep going and it is the irony that a blind prophet is more aware than Oedipus is. Faustus’s ignorance shows when he has a chance to turn away from choosing to sign a deal with Mephistopheles. Faustus is confronted with the good and the evil angel several times when he is alone. However, each time he shows his ignorance by picking the evil angel and not turning back.

Even though the cause of Faustus’s doom varies from Oedipus’s, the audience still feels a sense of sympathy for both the characters. Faustus chooses not to regret the sins that he has committed because he thinks that being apologetic about his wrong-doings won’t save him from what he agreed to. In addition to this, both Faustus and Oedipus can be seen as the type of characters who are short-sighted, not planning or being cautious about what would happen in the future, or contemplating the consequences of their actions. Neither Oedipus nor Faustus wonder about any long-term results. While Oedipus stays over-determined to punish Laius’s murderer, oblivious to the fact that it is him and that he is gradually digging his own grave, Faustus is aware of the consequences when he makes the deal with Mephistopheles but does not repent or ask for forgiveness from God till the end, after which he has no choice but to accept his fate.

Differences between Oedipus Rex and Faustus

When solely noting the type of characters that Oedipus and Faustus are, there can be several differences found at first sight. Even though both the characters had their fate sealed, it was Faustus who had a greater choice of free will than Oedipus. Unlike Oedipus, Faustus’s character is selfish, greedy, and hungry for the knowledge and power he wishes to possess. This greed for more power is something that Faustus wants for himself, to feel superior to others and this greed is what cannot be seen in Oedipus’s character. Despite Oedipus being a proud character, he proves to be a fearless leader, wanting to make his people proud and keep the city of Thebes safe. The intention behind all the actions that Oedipus takes is clean as he does nothing out of greed or selfishness. He refuses to give up, not wanting his people to be disappointed in him, and keeps going.

A significant contrast can be seen during the time close to when both the characters come face to face with their downfall. Oedipus is oblivious to the truth, but when he finds out that he is Laius’s killer and Jocasta is his mother, he is filled with shame and regret. Oedipus then takes responsibility for the sins that he has committed and blinds himself, after which he asks to be exiled from Thebes as his pride is too big to see the pitiful looks in his people’s eyes. Faustus on the other hand, dreads his death in his last few hours when he is aware of what the consequences will be. Faustus’s character can be seen as mentally weak and naive as he fails to utilize his power and knowledge for anything useful or productive and spends all that time showing off mediocre tricks with his power. Unlike Oedipus, who felt guilty about his deeds, Faustus turns his back away from God and calls hell a “fable”, dismissing how torturing the suffering of hell can be.

Oedipus’s character can prove to be different from Faustus in the way that the audience would be inclined to sympathize more with Oedipus as he had the least choice regarding his future. From the beginning, Oedipus was fated to kill his father and marry his mother since the beginning. Thus, whichever path he took, it would have been likely for him to eventually fall into his fate. Faustus chooses his own to learn magic and give up his soul in exchange for the power he would get. When he signed the deal. He was aware that his soul would be taken away. Driven by greed, the audience too would think that the majority of the consequences that Faustus had to face, were the result of his evil deeds.

Conclusion

In both cases, it is Oedipus’s and Faustus’s hamartia that leads to their eventual decline. While Oedipus brought his doom due to his excessive pride, Faustus had this hunger and ambition to be the greatest, which takes him too far away from reality. While Oedipus and Faustus are the heroes of their respective dramas that are set in different eras, where people have contrasting sets of beliefs and ideologies, a valuable lesson that both these characters can teach is to never underestimate the power of God and what the Gas decided for every individual.

Dr. Faust portrays the spirit of the Renaissance in various ways. First, the author of Dr. Faustus Christopher Marlowe was himself a hallmark of the Renaissance period. He was inundated with the essence of the Renaissance through his immense thirst for vast knowledge, his desire for sensual enjoyment of natural life, his extreme determination and his ultimate desire for supremacy or power and wealth, and finally with his soul . rebel. against the elders: old-fashioned living, your conventional faith, and conservative moral principles and values. We can wholeheartedly call Marlowe the main advocate of the Renaissance, as he leaned far more towards the Italian Renaissance than anyone else.

Therefore, it was only fitting that his extraordinary works exhibit the central characteristics of the Renaissance. And then, unlike Shakespeare, Marlowe couldn’t help but predict his temper in the large and massive figures in his plays, especially in his four masterpieces: Tamerlan, Doctor Faust, The Maltese Jew and Edward II. . Thus, we find out that not only Doctor Faust, but all the giant heroes of Marlowe’s masterpieces reveal the most important characteristics of the Renaissance and the Machiavellian code of wide autonomy to come to an end by all average, fair or dirty. With their essence of individualism, each is governed by an overwhelming desire to achieve an ideal or to achieve the realization of an uncontrolled motivation.

They all seem motivated by the Machiavellian principles of human behavior and human desires, and now mutual ethical agreements and recognized spiritual agreements can in no way prevent them from striving to achieve their goal. Seu Tamerlan, the cruelest tyrant, with his obsession for unlimited authority, rebels against all established orders both on earth and in heaven. In his Maltese Jew, the cruel Barabbas ruled by an irrational desire for gold throws out all collective ethical regulations and does not shy away from forcing the coldest misconduct to reach its monstrous end. And his Edward II and Mortimer pay the most terrible price, the first for their thirst for his vile sycophants and the second for their extreme desire to rule.

Doctor Faustus: Soul of Revolt Of all the heroes of Marlowe, Doctor Faustus seems to be the absolute embodiment of the brilliance and essence of the Renaissance, as his charisma reveals a great desire for unlimited consciousness, for domination and wealth, a passion for the physical pleasure of life, a rebellious soul of skepticism and also the essence of insurrection contrary to the so-called holy doctrines of conservatives and Christian mysticism.