Symbols in Marlowe’s “Faustus” and Milton’s “Paradise Lost”

Introduction

It is hard to disagree that, to understand most literary works, it is vital to pay attention to different levels of interpretation. Generally, a literary piece’s main ideas are expressed directly, and additional efforts are not required from the audience to perceive the writer’s message. However, when the author wants to convey a more delicate or sacral meaning or refer to other literary works, religious, or historical concepts, they can use various literary devices. In this case, the message is only received by the most attentive readers. In The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and Book IX of Paradise Lost by John Milton, there are numerous symbols that take these writings to another level. The purpose of the paper is to compare the use of symbolic roles of blood in the former and the wreath as the symbol of love and admiration in the latter.

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus: Symbolic Roles of Blood

As mentioned earlier, the play is filled with different literary devices, including many symbols that play a great role in interpreting the writing. One such important element is the blood, which is mentioned throughout the play. Overall, one may say the blood is a symbol of the presence of supernatural and religious forces in the play, as well as sin, redemption, omen, and even revolt. All these symbolic roles are explored in detail in the following paragraphs.

The first scene to analyze is when Faustus wants to sign the contract and sell his soul to the devil. Having to sign with his blood, Faustus is surprised to see it congealed: his body revolts against such a sin (Ornstein 1380). Although he understands that this is most likely an omen of his actions being wrong, Faustus proceeds:

What might the staying of my blood portend?
Is it unwilling I should write this bill?
Why streams it not, that I may write afresh?
FAUSTUS GIVES TO THEE HIS SOUL: ah, there it stay’d!
Why shouldst thou not? (Marlowe)

The symbolic role of blood here is to prevent the scholar from selling his soul and give him an opportunity to avoid this sin. Another scene to explore is the last night of Faustus when he sees the blood of Christ flowing through the air and being the symbol of repentance and redemption because, according to the religion, “Christ redeemed mankind by spilling his own blood on the mountain of Golgotha” (Tomić 22). Therefore, whenever blood appears in the play, it signifies a chance for Faustus to reconsider his actions and repent.

Book IX of Paradise Lost: Wreath as the Symbol of Love and Faith

Further, the epic poem by John Milton also includes numerous elements that have symbolic roles. For example, in Book IX, a wreath of flowers that Adam is willing to give Eve symbolizes his innocent, pure, and sincere feelings (Milton, lines 838-842). Adam realizes that he loves Eve, values her, and believes in her, which is why this wreath symbolizes the true concept of marriage and relationships:

Adam the while
Waiting desirous her return, had wove
Of choicest Flours a Garland to adorne
Her Tresses, and her rural labours crown,
As Reapers oft are wont thir Harvest Queen. (Milton, lines 838-842)

Nevertheless, the wreath also becomes a symbol of broken dreams, fading feelings, and disappointment. When Adam learns about Eve’s sin, the wreath falls from his arms, symbolizing the disappearing concept of relationships, love, marriage, and faith.

Comparing the Use of Symbolism

Further, it is possible to compare and contrast how these two different symbols are used by the authors. First, one may notice that the meaning of the blood in Marlowe’s play and the wreath in Milton’s epic poem are colossal. Without them, the writers would not be able to convey such a deep meaning and indicate the changing atmosphere of the story or the negativity of the events. Both blood (redemption and sin) and wreath (faith) have religious meanings (Lewalski). Another similar trait of these symbols is that these common and almost ordinary elements are given these symbolic roles. Blood and flower wreaths are familiar to all readers, and they are unlikely to think about the religious or deep meanings of these elements.

As for contrasting Marlowe’s and Milton’s approaches to symbolism, it is crucial to notice the nature of the message they convey. Blood is always seen by Faustus, and the character even manages to understand the omen and realize that this is indeed a sign for him. At the same time, the wreath, and especially its falling, is intended for the interpretation of the audience rather than for Adam and Eve (Carnes 523). Surely, Adam places his own meaning in the flower wreath, but it is for the readers to learn about the feeling of this character. Finally, while blood is mentioned often in the writing, the wreath appears only two times, but these symbols are equal in their power and significance.

Conclusion

To draw a conclusion, one may say that the analyzed symbols indeed play a great role in the two literary works. Marlowe uses blood to inform both Faustus and the readers about the nature of his actions and the opportunity for redemption. Milton gives Adam a wreath to show the audience his feelings for Eve, as well as the following ‘death’ of his love and faith. These symbols have several noticeable differences and similarities but both indicate that this literary device is a powerful tool that makes a writing’s message deeper.

Works Cited

Carnes, Valerie. “Time and Language in Milton’s Paradise Lost.” ELH, vol. 37, no. 4, 1970, pp. 517-539.

Lewalski, Barbara Kiefer. “Structure and the Symbolism of Vision in Michael’s Prophecy, Paradise Lost, Books XI-XII.” Philological Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 1, 1963.

Marlowe, Christopher. . 2009. Gutenberg EBook. Web.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost, edited by Thomas H. Luxon. Trustees of Dartmouth College.Web.

Ornstein, Robert. “Marlowe and God: The Tragic Theology of Dr. Faustus.” Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, vol. 83, no. 5, 1968, pp. 1378–1385.

Tomić, Borna. The Occult Theory in the Elizabethan Age and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. 2022. University of Pula, PhD dissertation.

Comparative Analysis of the Female Characters in “The Ramayana” and “Paradise Lost”

Ramayan and Paradise lost deal with the theme of mythology. The ideas, events, and characters portrayed in these epics have a significant basis in reality. These myths that the authors write about were about tales that served as the basis for two very different cultures.

Dealing with these myths and symbols especially those that go beyond merely personal and that comprise of some connections to the wider ethnicity, it will be relevant to refer to the theory of archetypes which sees myths as originating from symbols stored in the collective unconscious. In this paper, women play a major role in the lives of their male counterparts. In Paradise Lost, Eve is seen as strong and props up Adam while In Ramayana, the women are subservient to their men.

John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost gives women a lot of credit for the male accomplishments. All the female characters in this epic were created by their male counterparts through loyalty, inspiration or submission, and were empowered. It was only through the females that their male’s characters were subsequently empowered to be able to create or make use of the creations they possessed (Empson 65). This is what differs with women in Ramayana.

The distinctive character that Eve portrays is seen as one of the signs acting as an embodiment from unconscious. This shows that the females were like the soul of the male beings which gave them life. With the soul’s plays of cunning illusions, the females lure into life the inert matter which is not keen on living and thus comes up with numerous snares to make man fall. This is seen when Eve in the Garden of Eden does everything possible to convince Adam of the righteousness of the forbidden fruit.

With the archetype of the woman, enters the realm of which everything she associates with becomes dangerous, magical, and taboo. Eve is characterized by the serpent existing in Adam’s safe haven with proper and honest intentions. Here, Eve succeeds in making Adam unconsciously succumb to her whims through her charming effects into the man’s silence that did not need awakening (Lewis 45).

The portrait of Eve in Milton’s Paradise lost is a literary portrait that represents one man’s conscious effort with a knowledgeable and definite personality and system of beliefs. Her decision to eat the fruit is connected with the wish for knowledge.

However, these attributes of isolation and individuation brings her out more than just a cultural sign. Milton expects that the man must be in the high position within the male and female relationship but he also concedes that with the absence of women, men would be without powers needed to execute the actions that are necessary for their development.

On the other hand, the female characters in Ramayana are seen as meek and submissive to their husbands. Even though their husbands were insensitive and acted according to will, the women remained loyal to them (Brockington 58). A case is when Urmila spent fourteen years feeding an oil lamp with oil to keep the flame burning.

She was afraid that if the flame was extinguished, then her husband’s life would end too. Throughout the story, the role of the female characters is that of love and compassion to the males. Both Kausula and Kaikeyi are portrayed as loving mothers to their sons Rama and Bharata.

They go out of their way to see that their sons live happily. They always prayed for their son’s success and safety and praised them when they made bold decisions. In Ramayan, Sita is the central character. However, her role is in sharp contrast to that of Eve. She is a clear archetype of fertility. The nature of the epic can make as easily classify Sita as the ideal type of female character who is fully individualized. In her introduction, Sita is referred by the writer as faithful.

This is a description which is further applied to her regularly in the epic. It foreshadows her resistance and trials to Ravan’s overtures. Her comparison to her husband’s shadow suggests that wives were inextricably linked to their husbands and that the wives were given a secondary role to the masculine substance (Dutt and Trans 101).

In Ramayana, women are portrayed as very vulnerable and unprotected by their husbands and such vulnerability led to Sita being kidnapped by Rama. Just like in Paradise Lost, there is that illusory desire to do good and the evidence that when a woman is separated from her protector, she becomes vulnerable to temptation and incarceration.

Both epics therefore illustrate that a woman’s desire for something else other than the highest good is engendered and results to terrible consequences such as the loss of the Garden of Eden in Paradise Lost and a horrific war in Ramayana. Most importantly, both essays speak of the vital role women play in the lives of men.

Works Cited

Brockington, Jerry. Righteous Rama: The Evolution of an Epic. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1984. Print.

Dutt, Richard., and Clay, Trans. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata. London: Dent, 1910. Print.

Empson, Wilson. Milton’s God. London: Chatto & Windus, 1961. Print.

Lewis, Scott. Preface to Paradise Lost. New York: Oxford University Press, 1942. Print.