Introduction
In his play, The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus, Playwright Christopher Marlowe portrays the narrative of a great scholar named Faustus who makes a pact with the devil in exchange for power and knowledge. For decades, readers have argued about what to make of Faustus, a character whose complex motivations and morality have sparked heated debate. Being betrayed by his ambition and pride, he is a tragic figure since he thinks he is in charge of his fate. He is an image of the destructive capability of unrestrained desire and a practical example of the dangers of hammering out a deal with Satan. This play of Marlowe fills in as advance notice of the risks of impropriety and over-the-top desire. Is Doctor Faustus a tragic hero? The motivation behind this paper is to contend that Specialist Faustus is not a tragic hero since he needs to catch up on the characteristics and shortcomings that make a tragic hero.
A tragic hero is a heroic figure in a sad tale who must ultimately meet with tragedy, and tragedy must meet with the tragic hero. “Tragic hero” refers to a protagonist whose good fortune is undone by some tragic defect or error on their part. These characteristics can be found in Doctor Faustus; he is a magnificent, virtuous figure who also suffers a change in luck. There are several other requirements that he still needs to meet. Example: Specialist Faustus misses the mark on a sad issue that prompts horrible results. It was not a natural defect in his personality that prompted his breakdown; instead, it was his choice to offer his spirit to Satan (Marlowe, page 32). Neither torment nor rout is at any point felt by Specialist Faustus. While he doesn’t have a similar miserable end as a standard shocking legend, he is moved to damnation by Satan at the play’s decision.
The tragic hero traits essential to a tragedy are also lacking in Doctor Faustus. The tragic hero of a story should be someone of high social status and heroic qualities whose collapse results from a fatal fault in their personality. None of these traits can be found in Doctor Faustus; instead, he is timid and indecisive. Rather than being the aftereffect of some natural imperfection in his personality, he brings it upon himself by seeking information and power too anxiously (Marlowe, page 43). Likewise, he doesn’t attempt to offer to set things straight or gain astuteness from his encounters, the two of which are noticeable subjects in heartbreaking stories. Since Doctor Faustus misses the mark on a cliché tragic hero, the book can’t be delegated a misfortune. Doctor Faustus is as yet a fascinating figure because of his message about the hazards of being imprudent with one’s life.
Conclusion
When compared to other examples of tragic heroes, Doctor Faustus falls short. A tragic hero is a protagonist whose downfall is brought on by some intrinsic defect in their personality or grave error. No single terrible defect or error results in Doctor Faustus’s downfall. He also lacks the noble and dignified traits that characterize a tragic hero. Thus, most would agree that Doctor Faustus is undoubtedly not a tragic hero in the conventional sense. A wake-up call about the dangers of unrestrained desire and gluttony, he serves more as a moral story than a hero. His breakdown isn’t because of any characteristic deformity in his temperament yet instead of his own unrestrained choice to hit a settlement with Satan. His life is a practical example of the disastrous consequences of uncontrolled desire.
Reference
Marlowe, Christopher. “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus from the Quarto of 1604.” The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe, 1 Apr. 2023, https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/779/pg779-images.html#id_2H_4_0003.
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