Evil in Literature

Paper Summary:

Visions of evil operating in this world serve as the subject matter for the dramatist, especially in an era when good and evil were seen more clearly as battling for the human soul directly, often personified as angel and devil. The paper shows that in the Elizabethan era, William Shakespeare in "Macbeth" and Christopher Marlowe in "Doctor Faustus" (both in England) explored these issues in different ways, though each saw evil as manifest and physical as well as sometimes supernatural. It shows that in Spain, Calderan de la Barca a few years later similarly expressed the palpable nature of evil in human life in his "El Magico Prodigioso". The paper examines how the Marlowe and Calderan works are both based on the Faust legend, while Shakespeare's play is based on a historical individual reported. The three plays are related in that in all three cases, the protagonist is guided to success in this life by supernatural forces, imperiling his soul in the process. By comparing the three plays, the paper illuminates the character of Dr. Faustus as depicted in the Marlowe play and suggests how Marlowe used the legend to create a sense of tragedy in terms of a character who has clearly over-reached himself.

From the Paper:

"The character of Doctor Faustus reflects the view of the historical figure and the image that would be continued in other versions of the legend. He is a learned scholar and theologian, but his ambition for knowledge goes beyond what man is meant to know. He sells his soul for knowledge and power, which are linked, and though he is immediately and continuously faced with a sense of remorse for his fate, he cannot be said to be repentant. His nature in the beginning is more over-reaching than wicked, but that character worsens as time passes and as he exercises the power he has been given. He becomes more cruel and even asks that an old man who tries to save his soul be tortured for this act. The one action he takes that shows his former self is to send his friends away when he knows the devil is coming for him, thus protecting them."

More papers on Evil in Literature:

• Analytical Essay # 85217 : "Evil & the Person in Literature"
• Comparison Essay # 68783 : "Monsters in Literature"
• Term Paper # 127731 : "Good and Evil in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"

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