Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV
Okay. I got to write/outline three essays for my upcoming Brit Lit exam this Thursday. What better way to write these essays clearly then to post them on my Life Line? If I imagine an audience, then I will write more lucidly and coherently. All right, that's that.
Essay #1
Explain the dramatic structures of Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV using the concepts of Aristotelian tragedy to explain Faustus, and in I Henry IV, explain how Shakespeare gives shape to and creates dramatic tension in the historical events he presents.
Both Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV are dramatic plays with distinct dramatic structures that rely on Renaissance humanist themes to develop each respective play. Dr. Faustus by Marlowe relies on Aristotelian views of what constitutes an effective tragedy and develops his main character, Faustus, according to the Aristotelian concept of hamartia and follows Faustus' decline according to Aristotle's concept of catastrophe. Shakespeare dramatizes historical happenings in I Henry IV by concocting passionate familial feuds that pull readers into the play and give rise to tensions that resolve at the end of the play. We can find examples in each play for how these dramatic structures develop.
In Dr. Faustus, we see Faustus initiate a serious action, which will have dire consequences he does not suspect. A vastly educated man, Dr. Faustus has become dissatisfied with the knowledge he has hereto attained and desires knowledge of the universe that will allow him to have more understanding of and power over it. He decides to seek out the art of black magic and asks the devil’s servant, Mephastophilis, to give him this knowledge in exchange for the devil to take his soul after 24 years. Faustus’ character is not totally good nor totally evil; in fact, his character could be one of admiration for the reader as he gives a sense to the reader that the knowledge he seeks is dignified. He wishes to help others with the knowledge he seeks as well as advance his own priorities.
However, Faustus’ tragic flaw or hamartia is his hubris or excessive pride. After he signs the bargain of his soul in his own blood to the devil, he has many chances to repent to God, but does not. The sin of pride wins him over and Faustus places his bets on his belief that hell is not the Christian one of fire, but the Greek one of classical antiquity called Elysium Fields. In one of the most dramatic scenes, scene 12, Faustus , at the end of his 24 year reign of life, becomes tormented at his prospects of an existence in hell, yet still does not repent. The character of the old man pleads Faustus to repent and save his soul, but instead, Faustus rejects the old man's pleas and gives into the succubus, disguised as Helen of Troy, thereby cementing his fate to fall to hell. This constitutes the catastrophe of the play, in which Faustus chooses his fate to fall to hell by his error in judgement, his tragic flaw, excessive pride.
In Shakespeare's I Henry IV, we see historical happenings dramatized in the passionate familial feuds that arises after King Henry IV upsurption of the throne from Richard II. There are two main feuds going on in this play, the feud between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists and also, the feud between King Henry and his son, Hal. The Yorkist family, who helped King Henry usurp the throne, now questions his claim to the throne. Hotspur, his father, and Worcester, part of the Yorkist family, now plot civil war to overthrow Henry from the throne. To further complicate matters, Prince Hal, son of Henry IV, acts like a delinquent in the beginning of the play, and King Henry would like to wash his hands of him. He wishes that Hotspur and Hal were switched a birth --Hotspur being the most "prince-like" of the two in the beginning of the play.
Another, more implicit feud, exists between Hotspur and Hal. Shakespeare creates both characters as the same age when in actuality, Hotspur was much older than Hal. The feud between Hotspur and Hal is imagined in the reader's mind, as Hotspur's character declines in development where Hal faces challenges and wins back respect in his father's eyes through telling his father he will defeat Hotspur in battle. These dramatic feuds resolve themselves at the end of the play when the Lancasterians defeat the Yorkist in battle, Hal kills Hotspur, (though, lets Falstaff take credit for it) and Hal redeems himself in the eyes of his father by becoming responsible and relinquishing his old behavior.
Though Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV differ distinctly in subject matter, both share commonalities in their overall theme --Renaissance humanism. Through their distinct dramatic structures, we see ideas of self-fashioning and taking responsiblity for one's fate. Faustus tries to fashion himself into a godhead by selling his soul to the devil for the ultimate knowledge, and his excessive pride causes his catastrophe when he cannot repent. Hal uses self-fashioning and finally takes responsibility for his fate by redeeming himself in his father's eyes and killing Hotspur. As Pico states, "man is indeterminate." Both Shakespeare and Marlowe create characters that attempt to determine their own fate and for this, many readers turn to them time and time again.
Essay #1
Explain the dramatic structures of Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV using the concepts of Aristotelian tragedy to explain Faustus, and in I Henry IV, explain how Shakespeare gives shape to and creates dramatic tension in the historical events he presents.
Both Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV are dramatic plays with distinct dramatic structures that rely on Renaissance humanist themes to develop each respective play. Dr. Faustus by Marlowe relies on Aristotelian views of what constitutes an effective tragedy and develops his main character, Faustus, according to the Aristotelian concept of hamartia and follows Faustus' decline according to Aristotle's concept of catastrophe. Shakespeare dramatizes historical happenings in I Henry IV by concocting passionate familial feuds that pull readers into the play and give rise to tensions that resolve at the end of the play. We can find examples in each play for how these dramatic structures develop.
In Dr. Faustus, we see Faustus initiate a serious action, which will have dire consequences he does not suspect. A vastly educated man, Dr. Faustus has become dissatisfied with the knowledge he has hereto attained and desires knowledge of the universe that will allow him to have more understanding of and power over it. He decides to seek out the art of black magic and asks the devil’s servant, Mephastophilis, to give him this knowledge in exchange for the devil to take his soul after 24 years. Faustus’ character is not totally good nor totally evil; in fact, his character could be one of admiration for the reader as he gives a sense to the reader that the knowledge he seeks is dignified. He wishes to help others with the knowledge he seeks as well as advance his own priorities.
However, Faustus’ tragic flaw or hamartia is his hubris or excessive pride. After he signs the bargain of his soul in his own blood to the devil, he has many chances to repent to God, but does not. The sin of pride wins him over and Faustus places his bets on his belief that hell is not the Christian one of fire, but the Greek one of classical antiquity called Elysium Fields. In one of the most dramatic scenes, scene 12, Faustus , at the end of his 24 year reign of life, becomes tormented at his prospects of an existence in hell, yet still does not repent. The character of the old man pleads Faustus to repent and save his soul, but instead, Faustus rejects the old man's pleas and gives into the succubus, disguised as Helen of Troy, thereby cementing his fate to fall to hell. This constitutes the catastrophe of the play, in which Faustus chooses his fate to fall to hell by his error in judgement, his tragic flaw, excessive pride.
In Shakespeare's I Henry IV, we see historical happenings dramatized in the passionate familial feuds that arises after King Henry IV upsurption of the throne from Richard II. There are two main feuds going on in this play, the feud between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists and also, the feud between King Henry and his son, Hal. The Yorkist family, who helped King Henry usurp the throne, now questions his claim to the throne. Hotspur, his father, and Worcester, part of the Yorkist family, now plot civil war to overthrow Henry from the throne. To further complicate matters, Prince Hal, son of Henry IV, acts like a delinquent in the beginning of the play, and King Henry would like to wash his hands of him. He wishes that Hotspur and Hal were switched a birth --Hotspur being the most "prince-like" of the two in the beginning of the play.
Another, more implicit feud, exists between Hotspur and Hal. Shakespeare creates both characters as the same age when in actuality, Hotspur was much older than Hal. The feud between Hotspur and Hal is imagined in the reader's mind, as Hotspur's character declines in development where Hal faces challenges and wins back respect in his father's eyes through telling his father he will defeat Hotspur in battle. These dramatic feuds resolve themselves at the end of the play when the Lancasterians defeat the Yorkist in battle, Hal kills Hotspur, (though, lets Falstaff take credit for it) and Hal redeems himself in the eyes of his father by becoming responsible and relinquishing his old behavior.
Though Dr. Faustus and I Henry IV differ distinctly in subject matter, both share commonalities in their overall theme --Renaissance humanism. Through their distinct dramatic structures, we see ideas of self-fashioning and taking responsiblity for one's fate. Faustus tries to fashion himself into a godhead by selling his soul to the devil for the ultimate knowledge, and his excessive pride causes his catastrophe when he cannot repent. Hal uses self-fashioning and finally takes responsibility for his fate by redeeming himself in his father's eyes and killing Hotspur. As Pico states, "man is indeterminate." Both Shakespeare and Marlowe create characters that attempt to determine their own fate and for this, many readers turn to them time and time again.
posted by Kristen @ 2:26 PM
0 comments
