A
tragedy is based on the downfall of a hero who belongs to a noble or
high class. The hero has a certain flaw known to be hamartia that leads to his
misfortune and miserable ending. With that ending, he gains wisdom or a lesson
from his mistakes. According to Aristotle’s definition, a tragic hero possess
all these characteristics. Both dramas, Oedipus and Dr. Faustus come under the
category of tragedy. But there are some differences in their characters,
stories and flaws, and their wills. Both qualify to be tragedies but their
choices and hamartia differ.
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If we analyze Oedipus Rex’s character,
he was a nobleman, king of Thebes who solved the riddle of Sphinx. He was a
person of good morals, honest, and discipline in his work. Throughout the play,
the audience felt pity for him as he faced his fate unwillingly and was
unfamiliar with the truth. His circumstances might have led to his fate but he
intentionally did not want to end up like that. Now consider the case of Dr.
Faustus, he was a person of higher status and well educated. But along with
that, he was an ignorant and proud person. His hunger for knowledge and power
led to his doom. Besides, he already knew the consequences but still willingly
chose that fate for himself. He made a deal with Lucifer and traded his soul
for unmatched power for about twenty-four years.
At
the beginning of the first play, Oedipus city, Thebes is facing a plague, and
to get rid of it, he consults Apollo, the God to guide them. He is ordered to
look for the former king Laius murderer and exile him from the country to save
Thebes. This mystery leads to his bad luck and to reveal his true identity.
Now, the hamartia in Oedipus’s case is his inquisitiveness to know the truth
and being proud of his ambition. Although, he unintendedly followed his doom he
created the circumstances to make the prophecies come true. On the other hand,
Dr. Faustus’s keenness and greed for knowledge are quite noticeable. After
analyzing the law, medicine, and religion, he is still dissatisfied with all
that learning. His hunger to enlighten himself with more knowledge leads to his
downfall which later became greed for power. But his character is quite vile
compare to Oedipus. Oedipus possesses more strengths than weaknesses while Dr.
Faustus has a weak character. Where Oedipus is trying to help people with his
power, Dr. Faustus is enjoying it to frustrate others.
The blind Priest, Teiresias asked Oedipus to
stop looking for the murderer and to give up his search for the person he is
looking for is around them. He warned him and tried to stop him but despite
that Oedipus accused him of murder. Similarly, Mephistophilis tried to stop Dr.
Faustus from making this commitment by warning him about hell and how he
regrets leaving heaven and has to live this miserable life. Oedipus is blind to
see the truth right in front of him and still wants to keep looking for the
assassin and Dr. Faustus is blind by his determination to gain power.
The difference between humbleness in front of
God and willingness to give away oneself to God’s mercy can also be seen. While
Oedipus is trying his best to save Thebes from the wrath of their Gods. Oedipus
consulted Gods for help and believed in their plans. Whereas, Dr. Faustus is
giving up on his faith. The Good Angel keeps reappearing and asking him to
repent and that Lord is Merciful and will forgive him. Even the two scholars
tried to help him and the old man, they wanted him to repent but he did not as
he believed that God will not forgive him.
Oedipus’s
fate led to his damnation while Dr. Faustus chose to be damned for temporary
power. Oedipus unknowingly faced all the consequences but he was not at fault
while Dr. Faustus took his actions into his hands and already knew about the
consequences. He was against God and neglected all the chances of forgiveness.
His frustration of being an ordinary person and disagreement with God was what
he was determined to change and be extraordinary.
Now
from the Audience’s perspective, they might feel more sympathetic towards
Oedipus as he unintentionally did all the wrongdoings and he was ashamed of
himself at the end of the play. And to make up for his guilt somehow, he
blinded himself. Whereas one can feel sorry for Dr. Faustus only because he was
beguiled in his gratification. He neglected the chances of repentance and
willingly surrendered himself to Satan. At the end of the play when he was
being dragged to hell, one might pity him because he chose this dark place for
himself.
We
can conclude that Oedipus’s curiosity to know the answers to the questions of
the past and Dr. Faustus’s thirst to gain more, got them in trouble. Overall if
we analyze both the dramas and examine them according to Aristotle’s criteria
of a tragedy, Oedipus is more fulfilling of its characteristics. It has a good
protagonist with a hamartia that led to its downfall and the concept of catharsis (Oedipus Rex) is present more in Oedipus than in Dr. Faustus.
