Autobiographical Elements in Dr.Faustus
Literary creations are broadly categorized into subjective and objective. By subjective writing we mean that the writing is primarily concerned with conveying his personal experiences and feelings, while objective writing suggests that the writer is outside of and detached from what he is writing. As a general rule any writer of any merit is simultaneously subjective and objective. However a very few exceptions like Shakespeare, by sheer magic of their genius, are able to expel themselves from what they create. And this self-effacement called negative capability by Keats
When we read Marlowe’s dramatic creations, we can’t help meeting Marlowe himself through his creations. His heroes like Faustus Tamburlaine, Barbas and Edward seem to be the second self of his. Each of these four literary wonders projects one or the other aspect of Marlowe’s person, nature, temperament, mind, career, life and death.
More than any other drama of Marlowe, the play Dr. Faustus seems to be a concealed autobiography by and of Marlowe. A deep study of the character of Dr. Faustus indicates abundant and flagrant affinities between Marlowe and Faustus. In order to highlight the autobiographical elements in Dr.Faustus we can enumerate the following similarities between the origin, education, career, religious and mental outlook, aspirations, ambitions, life and death of Marlowe and those of Faustus.
Firstly both Christopher Marlowe and Dr.Faustus came of “base stock”. Marlowe was a son of shoe maker while Faustus a son of a poor farmer. Even the places where they were born were busy Meccas of their times, Marlowe’s for devout pilgrims (Canterbury) and Faustus for erudition pilgrims (Wittenberg).
Secondly both of them were fortunate enough to be patronized for higher education by their Kinsmen. Both of them went up to university level and both got doctorate in Divinity. And quite ironically both shunned abjured the knowledge they got.
Thirdly both Marlowe and Faustus changed their line of profession. Both were educated and trained for church but one forsook it stage and the other for necromancy
Fourthly both rebelled against Christian dogmas and both were doomed to damnation. Their premature and pathetic ends were similar in more than one way.
“Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight”.
Fifthly Marlowe and Faustus seem to be replica of each other in their nature, temperaments and minds. Both Marlowe and Faustus were rebels on thought and imagination. Both were dreamy and ambitious. Both were genuine incarnations of Renaissance spirit. Both were swept away by the tempest of their unattainable aims. As true apostle of Renaissance spirit, both craved for infinite power and pelf, knowledge and awareness, adventure and sensuous joys.
“O, what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honor, of omnipotence
Is promised to the studious artizan ”
Sixthly Marlowe and Faustus match each other in their tragic conflicts. If we penetrate the lives of the two, we find that both of them were stuck between two contrary forces. On one side they were fascinated by the emancipating spirit of Renaissance which preached freedom from old order, the assertion of one’s individuality and free play of mind. On the other hand they were awed by the peril into which the rebellious conduct could lead i.e. “hellish fall.” In simple words they were caught up between two contrary forces of Renaissance and medievalism.
Seventhly both Marlowe and Faustus are similar in their bohemian, profligate and boisterous lives. Both of them gave up Divinity just in order to gratify their lascivious nature. They adored their own gods, the gods which could provide them with opportunities for the gratification of sensual desires. In words of Faustus,
“The god thou serv’st is thine own appetite”
Finally Faustus reflects Marlowe’s poetic genius through his speech addressed to Helen.
“And all is dross that is not Helena”
In short without pressing the analogies too far, we find the character of Dr.Faustus and expression of Marlowe’s own personality. The entire play seems to be the spiritual history of Marlowe. The storm of doubt and despair of suffering and sin, that sweeps through the serious scenes of the play, does not seem to be the work of a mere imaginative artist who conjures it forth from the confines of his own mind, but of one who must stop up to the chin in such experience. Marlowe, like Faustus, seems to have realized that all he had learn and known, all he had attempted and achieved with the help his intellectual equipment, helped not to strengthen his soul but to lose it, by being cut off from the rich natural resources of inspiration and faith.
Touseef watto
Literary creations are broadly categorized into subjective and objective. By subjective writing we mean that the writing is primarily concerned with conveying his personal experiences and feelings, while objective writing suggests that the writer is outside of and detached from what he is writing. As a general rule any writer of any merit is simultaneously subjective and objective. However a very few exceptions like Shakespeare, by sheer magic of their genius, are able to expel themselves from what they create. And this self-effacement called negative capability by Keats
When we read Marlowe’s dramatic creations, we can’t help meeting Marlowe himself through his creations. His heroes like Faustus Tamburlaine, Barbas and Edward seem to be the second self of his. Each of these four literary wonders projects one or the other aspect of Marlowe’s person, nature, temperament, mind, career, life and death.
More than any other drama of Marlowe, the play Dr. Faustus seems to be a concealed autobiography by and of Marlowe. A deep study of the character of Dr. Faustus indicates abundant and flagrant affinities between Marlowe and Faustus. In order to highlight the autobiographical elements in Dr.Faustus we can enumerate the following similarities between the origin, education, career, religious and mental outlook, aspirations, ambitions, life and death of Marlowe and those of Faustus.
Firstly both Christopher Marlowe and Dr.Faustus came of “base stock”. Marlowe was a son of shoe maker while Faustus a son of a poor farmer. Even the places where they were born were busy Meccas of their times, Marlowe’s for devout pilgrims (Canterbury) and Faustus for erudition pilgrims (Wittenberg).
Secondly both of them were fortunate enough to be patronized for higher education by their Kinsmen. Both of them went up to university level and both got doctorate in Divinity. And quite ironically both shunned abjured the knowledge they got.
Thirdly both Marlowe and Faustus changed their line of profession. Both were educated and trained for church but one forsook it stage and the other for necromancy
Fourthly both rebelled against Christian dogmas and both were doomed to damnation. Their premature and pathetic ends were similar in more than one way.
“Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight”.
Fifthly Marlowe and Faustus seem to be replica of each other in their nature, temperaments and minds. Both Marlowe and Faustus were rebels on thought and imagination. Both were dreamy and ambitious. Both were genuine incarnations of Renaissance spirit. Both were swept away by the tempest of their unattainable aims. As true apostle of Renaissance spirit, both craved for infinite power and pelf, knowledge and awareness, adventure and sensuous joys.
“O, what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honor, of omnipotence
Is promised to the studious artizan ”
Sixthly Marlowe and Faustus match each other in their tragic conflicts. If we penetrate the lives of the two, we find that both of them were stuck between two contrary forces. On one side they were fascinated by the emancipating spirit of Renaissance which preached freedom from old order, the assertion of one’s individuality and free play of mind. On the other hand they were awed by the peril into which the rebellious conduct could lead i.e. “hellish fall.” In simple words they were caught up between two contrary forces of Renaissance and medievalism.
Seventhly both Marlowe and Faustus are similar in their bohemian, profligate and boisterous lives. Both of them gave up Divinity just in order to gratify their lascivious nature. They adored their own gods, the gods which could provide them with opportunities for the gratification of sensual desires. In words of Faustus,
“The god thou serv’st is thine own appetite”
Finally Faustus reflects Marlowe’s poetic genius through his speech addressed to Helen.
“And all is dross that is not Helena”
In short without pressing the analogies too far, we find the character of Dr.Faustus and expression of Marlowe’s own personality. The entire play seems to be the spiritual history of Marlowe. The storm of doubt and despair of suffering and sin, that sweeps through the serious scenes of the play, does not seem to be the work of a mere imaginative artist who conjures it forth from the confines of his own mind, but of one who must stop up to the chin in such experience. Marlowe, like Faustus, seems to have realized that all he had learn and known, all he had attempted and achieved with the help his intellectual equipment, helped not to strengthen his soul but to lose it, by being cut off from the rich natural resources of inspiration and faith.
Touseef watto
It was nice.
ReplyDeleteExcellent work for students of all English language and literature.... Thanks sir Bundles of thanks
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ReplyDeleteJzakAllah Watta sahb
ReplyDeletevery informative and useful
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