Comparing the Characters of Faustus and Hamlet - 1767 Words

Both Hamlet and Faustus contain a clash of themes and traditions, all catalysed by Religion. This is used to establish a theme of deception, which greatly impacts the protagonist’s procrastination. Procrastination is considered to be Hamlet’s tragic flaw, however Faustus’s flaw is considered to be his hubris. Hamlet is in fact a play adapted by Shakespeare, not by name. But there are several scriptures that can be identified to being similar to the plot. One is called Saga of Hrolf Kraki. Believed to be Scandinavian. The second is the Roman legend of Brutus. In Shakespeare’s version Hamlet is the prince of Denmark heir to the throne, whose life takes a turn for the worst after his father’s death. This version of Hamlet is the most†¦show more content†¦Therefore we can assume that Faustus is a protestant, but it can be argued that Marlowe could have possibly made this protestant connection in his defence to cease all accusations about him being a practicing catholic. Hence, the scene where Faustus appears to be mocking the pope. â€Å"The pay is built upon Hamlet’s hesitation over fulfilling the task of revenge that is assigned to him: but its text offers no reason or motives for these hesitations† (Sigmund Freud) This comment gives us an insight that Hamlet’s tragic flaw is in fact his procrastination to killing Claudius. Although the literal text does not offer a valid reason for his procrastination, the sub-text imposes a compelling argument. â€Å"I am thy father’s spirit, Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night, and for the day confined to fast in fires, till the foul crimes done in my days of nature are burnt and purged away† (1.5.9) The ghost appears before Hamlet and claims to be the spirit of his father; he also mentions that he is in purgatory. While belief in Purgatory remains part of Roman Catholic teaching today, the Protestant Reformers explicitly rejected it in the sixteenth century1. This suggests that the ghost is a catholic, which may not have made a difference to Hamlet’s character, however although the plays story is set in the late middle ages (before the Protestant Reformation),Show MoreRelatedShift from Medieval Scholasticism to Humanism800 Words   |  3 Pagesthe origins of what would later come to be known as the humanities (Kristeller, 1965). It can be viewed as the fulfilment of life through reason and science, as opposed to religion and faith. The protagonists found in Shakespeares Hamlet and Marlowes Dr. Faustus can be seen as literary explorers in the shift from medieval schloasticism to humanism - each embodying the ideals of humanist thought. Prior to the societal shift away from the scholasticism which had become so evident, most productionsRead MoreThe Function Of The Tragic Greek Chorus1295 Words   |  6 PagesIn â€Å"The Function of the Tragic Greek Chorus Theatre,† Albert Weiner, who is known for editing Hamlet: The First Quarto, 1603, explains that the Chorus in Greek drama was a troupe of actors who described and commented on the main action of the play through song, dance and recitation (205). Weiner goes on to explain that Greek tragedy began with choral performances dating back to the 5th century B.C. (205). In Weiner’s article, he pulls a quote from Chapter 18 of Aristotle’s Poetics, where Aristotle