Doctor Faustus: As a Tragic Hero

Before we see Doctor Faustus as a Tragic Hero, let’s get some information about
“Tragedy” and “Tragic Hero.”

Tragedy is a kind of drama which represents of serious and important

actions which turn out disastrous for the chief character.

Aristotle defined “Tragedy” as “Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an

action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude: in the language
embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in
separate parts of the play: in the form of action, not of narrative: through pity and
fear effecting the proper purgation-catharsis of these and similar emotions.”

In this definition, the word “catharsis” and “purgation” or

“purification”-both are accepted. But there is a different interpretation of this word.
Here, it is, “one recent critic, however interprets Aristotle’s “catharsis” as applying
not to an effect on the audience, but to an element within the play itself: it
signifies, he claims, the purgation of the guilt attached to the hero’s tragic act
through the demonstration by the course of the drama that the hero performed this
act without knowledge of its nature.
- M. H. ABRAMS - LITERARY TERMS

In tragedy, because of the act of guilt, the hero has to suffer a lot.
Specially, we can say, his “error of judgment” is responsible for his suffering. This
“error of judgment” is called “Hamartia”. There is a kind of flaw what we can say
“Tragic Flaw” is responsible for “error of judgment”. Tragic hero suffers from this
“Tragic Flaw” in tragedy. And because of this “error of judgment” or “Tragic
Flaw” or “Hamartia”, tragic hero makes a mistake in his life and he has to pay a
great cost for this mistake. In other words, we can also say that this mistake leads
him to this tragic end. With all concepts like, “error of judgment”, “Tragic Flaw”
and “Hamartia”, there is a concept like, “hubris” (one common Greek form of
“Hamartia”) or “overweening pride” also connected with tragic hero.

In tragedy, the chief character i.e. tragic hero fails to follow the
morality. On the base of the morality ground, the character fails to follow the path
of morality of humanity. He fails to understand the value of morality. Then he
chooses evil path and it invites disaster.
 We feel pity and fear for tragic hero. Because of his “error of
judgment” or “Tragic Flaw”, he fails to understand “What is good or bad?”
According to Aristotle, the tragic hero ought to be neither overwhelmingly good
nor overwhelming bad, rather intermediate much like us. We should try to show
the better qualities in the hero. We have to understand that the hero suffers because
of his deeds. We have to suffer if we fail to follow morality.

In Literature, if we see some examples like, King Oedipus fails to

follow the path of morality. He had to suffer because of his “hasty judgment or
temper” this “hasty judgment or temper” became “error of judgments” for him.
And this “error of judgment” led him to devastation. In case of Macbeth, we can
say for his declination only one thing is responsible and that is his ‘Vaulting
Ambition.’ Because of his ‘Vaulting Ambition’, he chose a wrong way to fulfill it
and this thing led him to his tragic end. In case of Othello, his proud and jealous
are responsible for his destruction. In case of Doctor Faustus, his lust for
knowledge is responsible for his ruin. He chose a path of evil for fulfilling his
desires. He has sold his soul for attaining his desires or getting all kinds of
knowledge. Thus, in such case, only one thing is responsible and that is “error of
judgment” or “Hamartia” or “tragic flaw” for their declination.

Doctor Faustus : -
 About Author :-
Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury in 1564. He was an
actor, poet and playwright during the reign of Elizabeth – I. He was the pioneer of
the Blankverse. His famous works like,

 Tamburlaine
 The Jew of Malta
 Doctor Faustus

He wrote one historical play, Edward – II, it is the first

historical play of the Elizabethan age. He became involved in a tavern brawl and
 he was killed by one of his friends in 1593. Treason, Atheism is accused on him
after his death.

 Doctor Faustus :-
“Doctor Faustus” is one of the famous plays
of Christopher Marlowe. By describing Doctor Faustus’s
character, he has showed that how a man like, Doctor Faustus can go beyond the
reality, that means, for getting his goal, he can go to the extent by selling his soul.
And this thing, indeed, shows Doctor Faustus’s excessive desire for knowledge.

Doctor Faustus is a scholar from university of Wittenberg. He

is not satisfied with his knowledge. He rejects the traditional form of “Logic,
Medicine, Law and Religion.” He prefers the path of evil and practices magic. For
gaining his goal, Doctor Faustus has paid in terms of own soul that he has sold to
Lucifer, the ruler of the Hell. In Doctor Faustus’s nature there is an element of
hubris (one common Greek form of “Hamartia”) which remains thoroughly his
life. Marlowe also has showed the conflict between Medieval and Renaissance
values in this play.

HIS LUST FOR KNOWLEDGE : -

Marlowe has showed excessive desire of Doctor Faustus for

knowledge. Doctor Faustus wants to achieve all kinds of knowledge. In a sense, he
wants to accumulate wealth from the four corners of the globe; also he wants to
reshape the map of Europe along with gaining access to every piece of knowledge
of the universe. These are all his desires which he wants to make true.

Marlowe has showed Doctor Faustus as the man of the Renaissance

time against the Medieval time. Marlowe has also showed that in the Renaissance
time, “Human being” is at the center but in the Medieval time “God” is at the
center and this trend is altered in the Renaissance time. Doctor Faustus is presented
as an example that shows the Renaissance concept. But here, we knew the desires
of Doctor Faustus which are so grand. He can do anything for satisfying his
desires. But Doctor Faustus chose evil path for getting his goal and it propelled
him towards his doom.

He dismisses the traditional form of “Logic, Medicine, Law and

Religion.” All these major works are rejected. Then he found “The Bible” and read
the assertion of The Bible that “the reward of sin is death.” All he could observe
into The Bible was consequently sin and death. That’s why Doctor Faustus rejects
the theory of The Bible regarding sin because he chose evil path and it is full of
sin. His excessive desire for knowledge invites disaster for him because the way he
wants to entertain his ambitions are totally obnoxious. His all wisdom and wit
failed to save him from the catastrophe. His too much lust for knowledge has
become curse for him.
We wonder that how such a matchless scholar can have a grievous
mistake in the matter of knowledge. How can he choose the evil path for fulfilling
his desires? But we can understand that it is his gluttony for knowledge which is
responsible for his black deeds.

When a man loses his control on his mind or we can say on his
desires, he definitely becomes slave. This phenomenon has been observed in
Doctor Faustus. By choosing the evil path, he becomes a slave of Lucifer and here
one thing is responsible for his slavery and that is his lust for knowledge. He has
become blind behind his desires.

HIS WRONG WAY OF FULFILLING HIS DESIRES :-

We know that Doctor Faustus rejects the theory of The Bible

because “the reward of sin is death.” Then he concentrates on magic. He learns
magic from Valdes and Cornelius. With the help of magic, he chooses a wrong
path and follows it for getting his goal. When he tries to follow the evil path, the
good angle persuades him to follow right path and serve to God. At the same time,
the evil angle appears and tempts him to follow the evil path for fulfilling his
desires.

Then, Doctor Faustus takes decision to follow the evil path. When he
signs on contract, his whole body revolt against him. His blood congeals while
signing the pact. But he has signed the pact and Lucifer gives him twenty-four
years to live him and achieve his goals.

While he was signing the pact, he was fully conscious of the gravity.
Though Mephastophilis told about the horror of the hell, he chose the evil path. On
the basis of this thing, we can say that a man like, doctor Faustus can cross the
limit of human being behind his desires. He never thought about what he did and
what he has to pay for attaining his desires. He thinks that his pact with Lucifer us
only the solution or the way for accomplishing his ambitions.

After getting the power from Lucifer, Doctor Faustus, first, asks
Mephastophilis that who made this world? Here, we can clearly see his too much
thirst for knowledge. However, Mephastophilis refuses to answer of this question.
He, then, also asks Mephastophilis about Hell that where is the Hell. These two
questions aware us about the curiosity of Doctor Faustus. He never remembers
about the pact but he feels the happiness of his powers. He thinks that he can get
his goal by his powers but he doesn’t so.

HIS REDEMPTION OR REPENTANCE FOR HIS SIN :-

In case of Doctor Faustus, we can say that how a scholar was

tempted. His excessive desires for knowledge invites calamity for him. Doctor
Faustus is after all a human being and like a human being, he repents on his sin
which destroys his whole life. His knowledge has made him blind. He signs the
pact, at that time, it was way to achieve his goal or only the pact, but later on he
realizes that what he did. His all powers become curse for him.

Whenever he tries to repent, he was prevented from repenting by

Lucifer and Mephastophilis. After signing the pact, he is dilemma that he has to
fulfil his desires or to repent and seek mercy of god for his guilt.

In scene – 13, he has awaked with the reality that what will happen
with him in coming future? We feel pity and fear for Doctor Faustus. We
sympathize on seeing his worst condition. Doctor Faustus cries out and repents on
his crime. He feels that he is passing his last night on the earth alone. He is full of
frightened and regretful. He blames on his parents. He remorse that why was I born
ever with soul? He said that his tragic end is pre-destined because his ego doesn’t
want to leave him.

He saw the blood of Christ flowing in the sky. On seeing this, He said,

“One drop of blood

Would save my soul,
Half a drop: ah
My Christ –”
When he saw Christ’s blood, he repents that one drop of his blood can
save me; even half of one drop can also. Here, Doctor Faustus totally repents for
his sin; he doesn’t want to die that’s why he begs for mercy of God. Doctor
Faustus thinks a lot of ways for escaping from punishment but all are in vain.

Marlowe has created the tragic element in Faustus’s character

wonderfully. Doctor Faustus wants the last hour of his life to be prolonged so that
his damnation may be postponed. His thirst for knowledge is limitless and this
thing has led him to his TRAGIC END.
 In the Christianity concept, even the worst deed can be forgiven but
to make a tragedy, Marlowe has taken a step beyond the Christianity concept and
Doctor Faustus has damned in spite repenting.

CONCLUSION :-

Doctor Faustus, indeed, is a tragic hero. His Black deeds lead him to
disaster. Despite repentance, he is punished. His all escaping ways fail to save him
from declination. We can say that Marlowe, by this play, wants to say that if we go
against God, we will have to pay a great cost or we will be punished.