Irony in Heart of Darknes

 The Meaning of Irony

Irony always arises from a contrast of some kind. The contrast may be between things, as they appear to be, and as they actually are. A man may say something and mean just the opposite. When that happens, we say that he has made an ironical remark. Then we may expect something to happen, but find that just the opposite has happened. In such a case there would be irony in what we had expected.

Similarly, we may expect a man to behave in a particular way, and we may then find that he has behaved in just the opposite way. In such a case, there would be irony in our expectation of that man’s behaviour. Ironies of this kind are frequent in literature. Irony heightens the effect. In a humorous context, irony heightens the comic effect; and, in a serious or sombre context, irony heightens the tragic effect. Irony is one of the most common, and one of the most effective, weapons in the hands of a writer. Conrad was an adept in the use of irony. Indeed, irony is as pervasive in his novels as it is in the novels of Jane Austen. But all Jane Austen’s novels deal with the domestic and everyday social life of the English people, while Conrad’s novels deal largely with life on the distant seas and with the unusual experiences of human beings. Besides, irony in Jane Austen’s novels has a comic effect; while much of Conrad’s irony has a sombre or grim quality.

The Transformation in Kurtz, the Greatest Irony in the Novel

The greatest irony in Heart of Darkness is the transformation which takes place in Mr. Kurtz during his stay at the interior station of the Company of which he is an agent. Mr. Kurtz had been a kind of intellectual during the years of his prime. He had once written a pamphlet stating his views about the role of the white man in the backward countries explored by him. In that pamphlet he had written that the whites necessarily appeared to the savages as supernatural beings and as deities. The whites could therefore exercise a great power over the savages and bring about a great amelioration in their way of life. The whites, according to Mr. Kurtz, could confer great benefits upon the backward people of the countries which they visited, which they conquered, and which they governed. The whites could suppress the savage customs of those backward people, and could civilize those people. Thus Mr. Kurtz had, in those days, held highly progressive views about the role of the white men in the dark and unexplored countries of Africa. And yet Mr. Kurtz had written at the end of that pamphlet the following words: “Exterminate all the brutes.” This bit of writing at the end seemed to contradict what he had written about the constructive role of the white people. Anyhow, a man of the kind of Mr. Kurtz was expected to strive to bring about all possible improvements in the way of life and in the way of thinking of the savages of the Congo where Mr. Kurtz had settled down to carry out his duties as an agent of a Belgian trading company. However, just the reverse happens. Mr. Kurtz, instead of civilizing the savages, himself becomes a savage. This is one of the most surprising developments in this novel. Of course, Mr. Kurtz retains his identity as a civilized man. Whenever he is at his headquarters, he thinks and behaves like a civilized man; but, when he goes into the interior of the dark country, he identifies himself with the savages and becomes one of them. Gradually he becomes very powerful, and begins even to rule the savages, so much so that they begin to worship him. He then begins to preside over their midnight dances which always end in “unspeakable rites”. From all the reports which Marlow hears about this man, he forms the impression that this man has become a kind of devil living among savages, participating in their savage customs, and sharing their inhuman activities. Living among the savages, Mr. Kurtz has begun to gratify, without any restraint, his various lusts. He has begun to satisfy all his monstrous passions, and has begun to give a free outlet to all the primitive instincts which originally lay dormant in his nature but which have now come to the surface. Thus the opposite of what was expected from Mr. Kurtz has happened. This, as already pointed out, is the chief irony in the story of this novel.

The irony of Marlow’s Ultimate Reactions to Kurtz

Another great irony in this novel is the attitude which Marlow ultimately adopts towards Mr. Kurtz. Marlow’s impressions about Mr. Kurtz are of a very adverse kind in the beginning. From the various reports that he has heard about Mr. Kurtz, he forms a most un favourable opinion about Mr. Kurtz’s character. And yet, afterwards, Marlow becomes an admires of Mr. Kurtz, and begins to harbour strong feelings of friendship and respect towards that man. We had expected that a rational and intelligent man like Marlow would continue to react to Mr. Kurtz in the same adverse manner. But what happens is just the opposite of what we had expected. Marlow becomes so attached to Mr. Kurtz that he uses all his powers of persuasion to bring Mr. Kurtz back to the ship’s cabin from the forest into which Mr. Kurtz had slipped in response to the call of the wilderness. Marlow then tells us that it was “written” that he would never prove disloyal to Mr. Kurtz. Thus Marlow has now become almost a follower of Mr. Kurtz. Knowing fully the evil which has begun to dwell, in Mr. Kurtz, Marlow yet begins to cherish feelings of regard and esteem for that man. Evidently, Marlow’s own primitive instincts, have also been aroused, and been brought to the surface. That is why Marlow has begun to perceive a kind of kinship between himself and Mr. Kurtz. Thus, another civilized man, one who is an embodiment of reason and sanity, has also fallen a near-prey to the influences of savagery and primitivism.

The Irony in the Admiration Felt By Kurtz’s Fiancee for Kurtz

There is irony also in the attitude of Mr. Kurtz’s fiancee towards Mr. Kurtz. This woman has been a devotee and worshipper of the man with whom she had fallen in love. She has been entertaining feelings of the highest admiration and esteem for him. She has been feeling proud of the man who had proposed marriage to her, and whom she had agreed to marry in opposition to the wishes of her own family. After hearing about the death of her lover, this woman is plunged into grief and, when Marlow goes to meet her a year after Mr. Kurtz’s death, he finds her still in mourning. She talks about her deceased lover in glowing terms and pays to him the highest tribute which a woman can pay to her lover. The irony in this case lies in the fact that the man, whom this woman still worships and adores, had become a devil as a result of his stay among the savages. The irony becomes all the greater when Marlow tells her that the last word uttered by her lover before his death was her own name. She feels overjoyed to hear that Mr. Kurtz had spoken her name while dying though the actual fact is that the last words spoken by him had been: “The horror!” The irony in this case arises from the contrast between what Mr. Kurtz had actually become and what his fiancee still continues to think about him.

The Irony in the Russian’s Adoration of Kurtz

There is a similar irony in the Russian’s attitude of worship towards Mr. Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz has become a devil, as Marlow tells us. But, to the Russian, Mr. Kurtz has been a kind of hero worthy of adoration. The Russian tells Marlow, that Mr. Kurtz had enlarged his mind and that Mr. Kurtz had taught him to perceive the very essence of things. In other words, Mr. Kurtz had appeared to be a great sage and moralist to the Russian. The Russian had found in Mr. Kurtz a hidden wisdom which was a source of great enlightenment and illumination to the Russian. It is very strange that a man, who has become a savage and a beast, should be able to inspire such a deep respect in the Russian who is by no means a fool or a simpleton.

Marlow’s Ironical Descriptions

There is irony also in Marlow’s descriptions of things at certain points in his narration. For instance, his description of the blasting of a rock with gunpowder, when the rock does not stand in the. way of the building of the railway line, is surely ironical. Ironical also is his description of the warship firing its guns without any purpose. The supposed purpose of the firing of these guns is to destroy the enemy, but no enemy is visible anywhere in the forest; and the warship is merely wasting its ammunition. There is irony also in the fact that, although the white man has brought a lot of machinery into the dark country of the Congo, the machinery is lying unused. Equally ironical is the fact that, although there are heaps and heaps of rivets lying at one of the Company’s stations, no rivet are made available to Marlow for the repairing of the wrecked steamer which he has been able to pull out of the river-bed.

Irony in Some of Marlow’s Portrayals of the White Persons

There is irony also in the way in which Marlow describes some of the white persons. His description of the two knitting-women, in the Company’s office in Brussels is ironical. There is a tinge of irony in his description of the Company’s doctor and the manner in which he examines the prospective employees of the Company. There is a lot of irony in Marlow’s description of the white agents who are seen loitering about at the Central Station in the Congo, and in Marlow’s describing these men as faithless pilgrims. The irony here becomes most pungent. For instance, referring to the sticks which these men carried, Marlow says: “I verily believe they took these sticks to bed with them”. Besides, the irony here is not sombre or tragic but most comic and most amusing. Then there is irony in his portrayal of the manager’s uncle, and the brick-maker who tries td extricate some information from Marlow because in his view, Marlow is a highly connected man wielding a lot of influence among the higher officials of the Company.

The Purpose of the Use of Irony in This Novel

As already indicated, irony deepens a particular effect. In this novel, the use of irony deepens the effect of melancholy and sadness which constitute the prevailing atmosphere of the story. Irony sharpens the sorrow which we, experience when we read about the unexpected transformation which comes, over Mr. Kurtz. The ignorance of Mr. Kurtz’s fiancee about this transformation in him saddens us because, being innocent and idealistic, she still visualizes him as her noble knight and her adorable hero. Similarly we feel a deep regret at the moral deterioration which unexpectedly takes place in Marlow and which him admire Mr. Kurtz.

Irony and Satire in Heart of Darknes

 Irony is a figure of speech in which the writer or the speaker says one thing when he means something different or opposite of his meaning. Irony adds much pungency to an observation and is very much effective in exposing the vices and follies of men and women. Heart of Darkness is replete with elements of irony and satire. In it Conrad has satirised  the evil of imperialism through effective use of ironies all through the novel.

 irony and satire in Heart of Darkness

Elements of irony may be traced in Marlow's descriptions of places, things and person's behaviour. For example, Marlow's medical examination at the Company's headquarters in Brussels is ironical. The description of the warship firing its guns without any purpose is ironical, since no enemy is visible in the forest and the warship is merely wasting its ammunition. There is also irony in the fact that, although the whitemen have brought a lot of machinery in the dark country of the Congo, the machinery is lying unused.

There is lot of irony in Marlow's description of the white agents, loitering about at the Central Station in the Congo, and in Marlow's describing these men as 'faithless pilgrims'. The irony here becomes most pungent when Marlow says, "I verily believe they took these sticks to bed with them". The portrayal of the manager's uncle and the brich-maker who tries to elicit information from Marlow is  ironical, because he wrongly believes that Marlow has influence over the higher officials of the Company.

 

The greatest irony in Heart of Darkness is the transformation of Mr. Kurtz from a civilized whitemen into a savage. In his early life Mr. Kurtz was a man of sound sense and enlightened outlook upon life. He was admired throughout the whole of Europe. But we are puzzled to see the change in his character and outlook after his prolonged stay in the interior of the Congo. Instead of civilizing the savages, he fell an easy prey to the life and customs of the savages. The wilderness seemed to have consumed his flesh and spirit and transformed his whole being completely into a devil. Thus, the opposite of what was expected from Mr. Kurtz has happened.

The irony becomes all the greater when Marlow tells Kurtz's fiancee in England that the last word uttered by her lover before his death was her own name. The actual fact is that the last words spoken by Kurtz were "The horror! The horror!." The irony here arises from the contrast between what Mr. Kurtz had actually become and what his fiancée still continues to think about him.

Thus irony has been used in Heart of Darkness as an effective weapon to satirise and unfold the evil designs and hypocrisy of the white imperialistic rule in a backward country like the Congo.

Satire | Importance of being Earnest.

DOWNALL OF DR FAUSTUS

 

LESSON 2021 DEC DR FAUSTUS

 

The main cause of Dr. Faustus's downfall is his hubris, or overweening pride. Faustus has a pretty good life, overall, but he's still not satisfied. He wants power; he wants to be renowned the world over as a great genius. But human learning has its limitations. The capacities of the human mind are such as to preclude the kind of power over nature that Faustus craves. So he turns to the dark side for help. He starts dabbling in black magic, making him vulnerable to the overtures of the devil.

 

Lucifer plays upon Faustus's hubris and intellectual vanity by dispatching his servant Mephastophilis to make him an offer he can't refuse: twenty-four years of service in exchange for his soul. Faustus wavers before entering into the bargain, and the temptation to have everything he's ever wanted is just too great. Although Faustus knows full well that he's playing with fire, that he's placing his very soul in danger, he still goes right ahead and agrees to the diabolical deal, which he signs with his own blood. Ultimately, his overweening pride has got the better of him, and it will lead directly to his eventual downfall.

There are multiple reasons why Faustus chose the path of destruction, both internal and external. Internally, Faustus was dissatisfied with his studies in divinity, with waiting around for the afterlife, to be fulfilled by God. Faustus also had an ego, and desired to have absolute power for a period of time; although he was incredibly knowledgeable and well-read, he continually thirsted for more and was willing to sacrifice everything for it. Marlowe likely knew it was human nature to never be satisfied, and Faustus wouldn't be satisfied until he struck a deal with Lucifer. Externally, Faustus was tempted by Mephistopheles, Lucifer's servant. Mephistopheles lured Faustus into believing that the things Lucifer would provide him on Earth -- knowledge, power, renown -- would prove more satisfying than waiting on God and heaven for the rest of his life. The Evil Angel also tempts Faustus, in spite of pleas issued by the Good Angel for Faustus' repentance.

 

The focus of this study goes to the downfall of the protagonist of the play Doctor Faustus. Three causing factors of downfall emerging from the study are insatiable passion, inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality, and uncontrollable praxis of necromancy.

 

This study is to analyse the causing factors of the downfall of Doctor Faustus, the protagonist in the play. The causing factors are Insatiable Passion, Inability to Distinguish between Fantasy and Reality and Uncontrollable Praxis of Necromancy. All the three aspects become the sub-titles of discussion, conducted by means of descriptive qualitative method proposed by Baum (2009).

2.1.Downfall

Down fall is classified into two categories: personal downfall and general downfall, both of which have different causing factors .The first deals with the intrinsic and the second with extrinsic factors. The first usually comes from within and the second from without. In the first part ,man becomes the creator and in the second man powerless being[5].

Downfall simply means misfortune or great loss, either caused by internal factors or external factors. In the case of Dr Faustus, the dominant factors come from within Dr Faustus, as he is unable to identify his standing. He is a man of high learning having specification in Theology. He should have known all the things pertaining to the knowledge of God :what to do and what not to do .He faces his tragic downfall by what he has done. Several theories and concepts are taken to support the analysis of the subject matter. In general, downfall could be applied either to human beings or inanimate objects. Some downfall is on the edge of natural and non-natural. Famines, the chronic lack of food, may be caused by a combination of natural and human factors.

2.2.Passion

According to Christian (2011, 87) passion enables us to overcome obstacles.The power of passion also enables us to have self-confidence, trust ourselves and to take the risks required to live every day to its fullest.Butontheotherhand,toomuchpassionwillsurelyruinapersonashappened to Faustus. He is over energetic that he does not realize that as a human being, he is weak physically and mentally. PassionisatermappliedtoaverystrongfeelingaboutapersonorthingPassionisan intense emotion compelling, enthusiasm , or desire for anything. The term is also often applied to alively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal ,cause, or activity or love to a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion, a positive affinity or love, towards a subject. It is particularly used in the context of romance

or sexual desire though it generally implies a deeper or more encompassing emotion than that implied by the term lust.

2.3.Fantasy

Fantasy is a way to tell stories about the fantastic. When set in this world, it tells a story which is impossible in the world as we perceive it (perception), when set in an otherworld, that otherworld will be impossible, though stories set there may be possible in its terms Fantasy can drive some people to act out immoral, even illegal, things. Fantasies, like anything which creates excitement and pleasure, can be addictive and so too can the acts which feed them. Like any other addiction, fantasies can be classifiedassuchwhentheyimpactdetrimentallyuponourlifeandwecannotsimply stop indulging, even though it is causing us and this is what happens to Faustus. His fantasy to rule the world is so great that he cannot think properly. Like everything in life, there are needs to be balance. Having an imagination and filling it with things that feel good can be, in many ways ,a great blessing .But if these fantasies become misplaced if they consume and create barriers between what we have and what we want, we can indeed become dissatisfied with, and desensitized to, reality and this will cause a downfall.

2.4.Reality

Realityis the stateofthings as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined.In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible Bycontrastexistenceisoftenrestricted solely to that which has physical existence or has a direct basis in it in the way that thoughts do in the brain. Reality is often contrasted with what is imaginary, delusional, (only) in the mind, dreams, what is false, what is fictional, or what is abstract. At the same time, what is abstract plays a role both in everyday life and in academic research. For instance, causality, virtue, life and distributive justice are abstract concepts that can be difficult to define, but they are only rarely equal with pure delusions. Both the existence and reality of abstractions is in dispute: one extreme position regard them as mere words, another position regard them as higher truths than less abstract concepts. This disagreement is the basis of the philosophical problem of universals. The truth refers to what is real, while falsity refers to what is not. Fictions are considered not real.

2.5.Praxis

Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted ,practiced ,embodied, orrealised(Rees,2012:140).”Praxis”mayalsorefertotheactofengaging,applying, exercising, realizing, or practicing ideas. This has been a recurrent topic in the field of philosophy, discussed in the writings of many great philosophers. It has meaning in the political, educational, and spiritual realms.

2.6.Necromancy

Necromancy is a form of magic involving communication with the deceased either by summoning their spirit as an apparition or raising them bodily for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge. The term may sometimes be used in a more general sense to refer to black magic or witchcraft. Necromancy is more generally used as a term to describe the pretence of manipulation of death and the dead ,often facilitated through the use of ritual magic or some other kinds of occult ceremony. Contemporary séances, channelling and Spiritualism verge on necromancy when supposedly invoked spirits are asked to reveal future events or secret information. Necromancy may also be presented as sciomancy, a branch of the Ugric magic. There is much in this life that remains unseen. In Necromancy what is beneath our vision is brought to eye level and frozen in time, offering us point blank an invitation to share in a moment from an unseen world . Necromancy is a celebration of intimate moments with small things and as Roy (1997: 86) reminds us, there is a special god just for small things. Necromancy is a form of magic involving communication with the deceased either by summoning their spirit as an apparition or raising them bodily for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge. In the present day, necromancy is more generally used as a term to describe the pretence of manipulation of death and the dead, often facilitated through the use of ritual magic or some other kind of occult ceremony.

In Doctor Faustus, is Faustus's damnation tragic or an act of justice? Discuss in detail.

 

1. In Doctor Faustus, is Faustus's damnation tragic or an act of justice? Discuss in detail.

1.Hubris=  pride, errogance

Hamartia= error of judgement

Sell his soul

2. act of justice,

evil ways , necromancy,

Poetic justice

Virtue  is rewarded, vice, evil will be punished

Role of mephistophilis

Role of  Helen

Role of seven deadly

 

 Discuss the role of Mephistophilis .

How much of a role does he play in Faustus' s damnation(2018)

 

YEAR 2011

Note the appearance of Helen of Troy Sc.12. What role does she play in the drama of Faustus's damnation? What does her presence suggest about Marlow's attitude toward women?

 

Frailty, thy name is women

 

Theme of Damnation

                                                     Theme of Damnation
Properly speaking the theme of a literary work is its central idea which may be stated directly or indirectly. Marlowe’s Dr.Faustus is no exception in this regard. The play has a clear theme which is indirectly stated through the representation of Faustus’ life on the stage. Beyond any doubt the central theme of the play is the eternal damnation of an insatiable scholar who falls a prey to presumption or pride caused by his excessive learning.
                                          “Till, swollen with cunning of a self-conceit,
                                           His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
                                            And, melting, heavens conspired his overthrow.”
If we read and analyze the life of Dr.Faustus carefully, we shall find that Dr.Faustus earns eternal damnation through a gradual process. This process of heading towards eternal damnation is quite opposite of sudden. In simple words Faustus commits four deadly sins and paves his way to hell. These four deadly sins are the sin of presumption, the sin of blasphemy, the sin of demoniality and the sin of despair. The committal of these four mortal sins on the part of Dr.Faustus constitutes the gradual process of his damnation.
Firstly the seeds of self-damnation are sown by Faustus in form of his presumption and pride. In his pride and arrogance, Faustus reminds us of Lucifer. Lucifer was created and placed above cherubim by God. This superior status caused Satan to presume unto the throne of God with the intention of thrusting God out of his seat. Upon this presumption Satan was cast down by the Lord into the darkness of Hell. Quite like Lucifer, Faustus happens to attains the status of superiority among his fellow scholars for his learning. This superior and excessive learning accounts for his pride and presumption. Proud and presumptuous Faustus ponders upon his status as a man and is almost disgusted with his human status.
                                  “Yet art thou still but Faustus, and a man.”
Faustus arrogance and haughtiness cause him to think of becoming a demi-god.
                                        “here tire, thy brains, to get a deity.”
In this presumptuous pursuit, Faustus is assisted and escalated by his German friends Veldese and Cornelius. They coax him to practice Necromancy which, they claim, would immortalize him.
                                       “Go forward Faustus, in that famous art.
                                           Be thou on earth as Jove in the Sky”
Such presumptuous and audacious fancies lead him to another sin, the sin of blasphemy. Under the spell of his vain presumption, Faustus analysis the prospects and suitability of traditional sciences and shuns them haughtily and chooses necromancy hastily.

                                            “Philosophy is odious and obscure;
                                              Both Law and Physic are for petty wits;
                                              Divinity is basest of the three.
                                              Tis magic, magic, that hath ravish’d me”

He dives further into the sin of blasphemy when he dares to defy God and abjure Trinity. Even he declares to dedicate himself of Beelzebub.
                                                  “There is no chief but only Beelzebub.”

His presumption leads him to his bargain with the devils and he writes a deed of gift with his unwilling blood. Although he goes through a spiritual conflict in form of good angel and bad angel. Here too inclines himself to evil forces and further towards damnation.

 

Human is prone towards evil by nature.

                                              “What power can hurt me? Faustus thou art safe.”

The third sin is committed by Faustus while he is availing himself of the life of sensuous joys. The apex of these sensual joys reaches when he gratifies himself with the” Sweet embraces” of Helen, an impersonated devil. Thus by embracing a devil, Faustus commits the sin of demoniality.

                                              “Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.”

The last but not least, the sin of despair is committed by Faustus. When the old man comes for the final attempt on the part of forces of goodness, Faustus thinks of repentance but at the same time despairs.

                                                “I do repent, and yet I do despair.”

At this the holy man realizes that Faustus is devoid of soul and the grace of heaven. That is how Faustus pushes himself towards lasting damnation. His ruin roots in his pride and is culminated by his despair. His hellish fall is a stern warning in general to all human beings and in particular to the forward wits.
                                                “Faustus if gone: Regard his hellish fall,
                                                  Whose fiendful fortune may exhort the wise,
                                                  Only to wonder at unlawful things,
                                                   Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits,
                                                   To practice more than heavenly power permits.”

 

 

The end of Faustus and his eternal damnation shows that humans that there is a moral decision to make on a daily basis. For what humans cannot achieve through mortal means should be left to having faith in God over the evils and the seven deadly sins the devil uses to seduce

 

Idea of damnation in dr Faustus

Dr. Faustus is the Christian story that deals with these topics in the heart of religion’s understanding of the world. Firstly, there is this purpose of sin, which religion defines as acts contrary to the purpose of God. In making the treaty with Satan, Faustus commits the transgression to refuse God and he consciously and still eagerly renounces obedience to him, choosing instead to swear allegiance to Lucifer, the prince of devils. In the Christian theory, however, even the worst act will be forgiven through the redeeming force of Jesus, god’s son, who according to devotion and belief, died on the cross for humankind’s sins. So, however terrible Doctor Faustus’s pact with Satan may exist the expectation of salvation is always welcome him. All that he wants to do, theoretically, is take deity for mercy. Doctor Faustus is the tragic hero of Marlowe’s story. Doctor Faustus exhibits pride, regret without action and self-doubt at times. He also displays cowardice towards the devils such as Lucifer and Mephistopheles. He is a contradictory character who is capable of extraordinary eloquence and sinful desire with an intentional blindness and willingness to misuse powers that he gained at the great cost of his soul.

If the time of Doctor Faustus is carefully analyzed, we can see that Doctor Faustus earns eternal damnation through a gradual process. The process of leading up to eternal damnation is actually quite step by step for him. Doctor Faustus commits several deadly sins and paves his way into hell. The seven deadly sins that parade around Doctor Faustus to tempt him are the personifications of pride, covetousness, wrath, envy, gluttony, sloth and lechery. When Doctor Faustus accepts these seven deadly sins for what they are, it represents his personal gradual process into eternal damnation. Their parade from beginning to end is a parade of his own mortal vices. Doctor Faustus’s excessive desire for everything is one of the early more noticeable signs of his association with the seven deadly sins. The definite extent of where Faustus can go beyond reasoning cannot be found in the mortal areas of art, medicine, law and theology. Art could not pique the interest of his mind. Medicine could not give him the power over life and death. Law is too servile in its limitations for justice. Theology is too confining for a normal person to figure out what is true or not.

Doctor Faustus went above normal mortal means to satisfy his avarice for knowledge and pride for being above the average human for having such a mind. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that he craves everything (power, knowledge, etc.) and Mephistopheles can tell what his weakness is. Pride is shown to be a reoccurring deadly sin. Pride is what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven and turn into Satan, the god of hell and pride was the first sin to appear before Faustus. Pride causes actions to be carried out for one’s personal worth and through a self-regarding heart. That goes against the honesty that comes from virtue and truly striving to make oneself worthy of respect. Doctor Faustus doesn’t maintain virtue throughout the story, but rather acknowledges that selfish and impure pride in his heart.

Faustus does not realize how tempting the seven deadly sins are when he tries to take control of them, which in turn allow the seven deadly sins to control him throughout the story. When Faustus signs the contract in blood with Mephistopheles, he is tempted by the devil’s offer to grab crowns and riches, which satisfy the pride, envy and covetousness in his mind.  After signing the contract in blood, he craves a wife, but is given courtesans instead to satisfy his craving for lust. The blood in this contract symbolizes the signing of his soul to Lucifer as well as his gradual approach to damnation. Faustus actively makes a decision to ignore the signs and warnings that he receives throughout the story. After signing the contract, the words, “Homo Fuge” appear on his arm. When he started to doubt himself, he fell back into his covetousness with the offerings of Mephistopheles.

The word Damnation doesn’t terrify Faustus. Marlowe switches Doctor Faustus from talking in the first person to him talking in the third person which suggests that Faustus is making an attempt to distance himself from the unavoidable damnation that he faces. To disassociate himself from it some manner, he speaks in the third person. God is a continual presence throughout the story and the readers are never allowed to that in heaven Gods knows. Marlowe shows how devastating it can be when man abuses power and uses it for personal gain. When Faustus takes advantage of that power, Marlow illustrates how important the gift of free will is, which is taken away from Faustus at the end when his twenty-four hours came to an end. Throughout the play, Faustus had a good angel on one shoulder and a bad angel on the other. Typically, the good angel is a consciousness advising a person not to do anything malicious or covetous. Through these angels he knew which presented the righteous path he should chose, and which presented the covetous path that would lead him to his desires. Faustus acknowledged that he was stupid to toss aside an afterlife in heaven for the temporary joy that he would receive of fulfilling his desires. By following the bad angel’s advice, he was led down the path where his free will was taken away. Although society is made to believe that good triumphs over evil, in this case that was not the norm. In the beginning to himself, he seemed like a good and devout person that had been on his search for knowledge and answers. Searching for knowledge then unknowingly to himself turned in a craving for knowledge and desire to use his intellect. Over time, Doctor Faustus was fulfilled with the seven deadly sins, but failed to realize that he was blameworthy for each of the seven deadly sins.

There was the elderly person that invited him over with the intent of saving him. After speaking to Faustus about how Faustus has rebelled against God, Faustus had yet to acknowledge that he had put the safety of his soul, his legacy and his existence on the line by displeasing God. After being open to what the old man was saying, Faustus had been confronted by Mephistopheles to remind him of the blood contract made with Satan. Faustus was blind and grief stricken that he did not notice that Mephistopheles responded out of fear. Fear drives people into taking quick action against an undesired result. Faustus had then accepted that his soul was to belong to Lucifer without taking any action to repent. Throughout the entire story, Faustus had only taken actions to show that he had considered repenting his sins but had never taken any action in doing so due to being tempted for the entirety of the twenty-four-hour period by the seven deadly sins, Mephistopheles and Lucifer. Doctor Faustus digs himself into a deeper hole although he is urged by others to atone and apologize for his choice to sell his soul to Lucifer and for committing sins. When Faustus and Helen leave, the old man is being tormented by devils that were sent by Faustus himself. The old man was not deserving of such an atrocity for showing Faustus that his soul was in danger. Because Faustus was caught up and stuck in his head, he does not take any action to repent. Faustus had committed on of his last sins to convince himself that he was past atonement from that point on.

Doctor Faustus was not deserving of repentance at the end. He had various chances to show that he wanted to take back his initial actions of choosing Lucifer, the prince of devils, thus refusing God. The end of Faustus and his eternal damnation shows that humans that there is a moral decision to make on a daily basis. For what humans cannot achieve through mortal means should be left to having faith in God over the evils and the seven deadly sins the devil uses to seduce.

 

 

 

 

The end of Faustus and his eternal damnation shows that humans that there is a moral decision to make on a daily basis. For what humans cannot achieve through mortal means should be left to having faith in God over the evils and the seven deadly sins the devil uses to seduce

 

💖Oedipus Rex as a Tragedy

 💖Oedipus Rex as a Tragedy

Oedipus Rex is one of greatest literary creations ever produced by man. The greatness and uniqueness of the play is attributed mainly to its perfection as a tragedy. Viewed from Aristotelian point of view, we find the play perfectly compatible with standards set by Aristotle. Even Oedipus Rex was the source of inspiration for Aristotle to ordain the principal rules or the qualities of a perfect tragedy. Before discussing Oedipus Rex as a tragedy, we should recall how Aristotle defined tragedy and its ingredients.
According to Aristotle:-
“Tragedy is an imitation of an action, serious, complete and of certain magnitude, in a language beautified in different parts with different kinds of embellishments, through action and not narration and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the Catharsis of these emotions”
Aristotle points out six essential elements of a tragedy which are Plot, Tragic hero, Thought, Diction, Chorus, Spectacle.
Let us see how Oedipus Rex possesses all the ingredients and excellences of a perfect tragedy determined by Aristotle. The first and most essential element of a tragedy is its plot which can be called the soul of tragedy. The plot of Oedipus Rex is perhaps the best among all dramatic creations. Its excellences are perfectly in accordance with Aristotelian standards. The salient features of the plot of Oedipus Rex are as follows.
Unity and Coherence:-
According to Aristotle the greatest feature of a good plot is its unity. We find that the entire plot of Oedipus Rex is a perfect and coherent sequence of separate incidents which are logically inter-connected and which cannot be separated from each other.
Basic function of Tragedy:-
Another feature of a good plot is its capacity to arouse the feelings of pity and fear, and to bring about the catharsis of these emotions. The plot of Oedipus Rex fulfills this basic demand of a tragedy. Various happenings in the play do arouse the feelings of pity and fear among the audience. The misery of Thebans afflicted with deathly sickness, clash between Oedipus and Teiresias, the allegations of Oedipus and Creon for each other, the horrible discovery of truth about Oedipus, the acts of Jocaste’s suicide and gouging of Oedipus’ eyes, the plight of Oedipus’ children, all is so fearsome and pitiable. Most importantly pity is aroused chiefly through the tragic fate of Oedipus and fear is aroused through the sense of uncertainty which is ever hovering over human life.
Dramatic irony:-
The plot of the play is logical and effective. It is also complex and replete with dramatic irony. This dramatic irony is created through dialogues and situations. Oedipus’ promise to punish and banish the killer, the quarrel between Oedipus and Teiresias, Jocaste’s verdict about oracles, Oedipus’s effort to avoid the prophecy about him, all this and much more is fraught with dramatic irony.
Three unities:-
The plot of Oedipus Rex observes the three unities of action, place and time. We see that the plot has unity of action as the entire action centres round the one theme, the quest and inquiry of the murder of Laius. Similarly there is unity of place as the entire action takes place at one place, the royal palace and it occurs within 24 hours which is unity of time.
The second most important element of tragedy is tragic hero. According to Aristotle a tragic hero must be neither a villain nor saint.
He should be rather a man ordinary weaknesses and virtues, occupying a position of eminence and falling into ruin from that position not because of deliberate wickedness, but because of some error of judgement. If we examine Oedipus on these lines we find him a perfect example of a tragic hero. He is a man of royal birth, enthroned on seat of eminence. He is neither an angel nor a devil rather a blend of weaknesses and virtues. On one side he is famed as the man of all men, the wisest, the noblest, a caring king, a respecting husband and a loving father. On the other hand he is hot tempered, rude, stubborn, over confident, proud of his genius, and blasphemous. He falls into ruin from the position of prosperity and prominence not due to any wicked deed rather due to the sins committed in ignorance. So Oedipus is a true tragic hero who is more sinned against than sinning.
Another essentiality of a tragedy is the song in form of the Chorus. The role of chorus is a vital part of Greek drama. In Oedipus Rex the role of chorus is very vital. It is part of dramatis personae. Choral Odes reflect the pathos and passion of changing situations in the play. The choragus speaks as a viewer, a commentator, an intervener and a coordinator.
Another essentiality of a tragedy which Oedipus Rex possesses is thought. The play Oedipus Rex accentuates the sublime thought which is reflection of sublime intellectual ability of its author. The questions which are raised throughout the play are perhaps too serious and sublime to be ever answered. These questions pertain human status in the world, the relation between God and man, the role of fate and character in shaping out human lot and such other issues.
Finally the cruel role of fate in the tragedy of the hero makes the tragedy poignant and pinching. Following the Greek tradition Sophocles gives fate most predominant role in Oedipus Rex. On the whole the tragedy of Oedipus is the tragedy of fate. This makes the play one of the greatest tragedies.
We can wind up this discussion with the conclusion that Oedipus Rex is a perfect example of a perfect tragedy. No other play from the comity of great plays observes the rules of a tragedy more precisely and perfectly. It possesses all the essentialities and excellences that are mentioned by Aristotle in his “Poetics”. It presents to us a terrible affirmation of man’s subordinate position in the universe and at the same time a heroic vision of man’s victory in defeat. Oedipus Rex has no parallel to its perfect plot and pathos, the suffering of the protagonist, arousal and catharsis of emotions of pity and fear, dramatic irony, dialogue and diction.💖

Past papers (DRAMA –I) JEW of MALTA (UOS)

 Past papers (DRAMA –I)

JEW of MALTA (UOS)

Objective Type:

1.                What does Ferneze suggest for Calymath in the end of Jew of Malta?

2.                What is the act 2 scene 1of Jew of Malta mainly about?

3.                What is meant by micavillain statement “end justifies the man.”

4.                What is brabas reaction on the death of Abigail?

5.                How does Ferneze and knights justify the confiscation of brabas wealth? 2017

6.                Why does brabas decide to kill ithamore? 2018

7.                Why does brabas scold the three jews in the senate house? 2016

8.                Why is ithamore so quick to scheme against brabas? 2015

9.                Why was brabas angry eith the three jews?

 

Subjective part

1.                “I count a religion but a childish toy and hold there and hold, there is no sin but ignorance”. How far is Marlow justified in these claims in the Jew of Malta? 2019

2.                 

3.                Different aspects of religion

4.                Every character was a sinner in malta rather he belongs to any religion

5.                Maltese society waas full of evil hypocrisy, actually it was society not religion

6.                Each n everyone was ignored of religion, but not of worldy success.

7.                Machiavellian approach, utilitarian approach

8.                Religion was tackles as a tool.

9.                Discuss the character of Barabas in the play Jew of Malta? 2018

10.           Jew of Malta is a tragi-comedy, satire of religious hypocrisy and Machiavellian scheming. Agree or disagree with examples. 2017

Tragi-comedy definition

Tragedy,” says Aristotle, “is an imitation [mimēsis] of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude…through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation [catharsis] of these emotions.”

Comedy ,” says Aristotle, “is an imitation [mimēsis] of a non-serious action . of men worse than the average ,

 

11.           Renaissance spirit and Machiavellian policy dominate “jew of Malta. Elaborate? 2017 composite.

12.           Enlist the three major themes in jew of Malta 2016

Hypocrisy

Religion is childish tool

Machiavellian approach

Revenge and hatred

Lust for wealth

13.           What role does Abigail play within the text? Is she a tragic heroine, a disloyal daughter, or a victim to the prejudice of her peers? 2015 composite

 

14.           Discuss in detail, the character of Ferneze in jew of Malta?