A 

Abortion
Accounting
Advertising
Africa
African-American Studies
Aging
Agriculture
American Indian Studies
Anthropology
Archaeology
Architecture
Argumentative
Art: Artists (Alphabetized)
Art: General
Become an Affiliate and Earn $$$
Biographies (Alphabetized)
Book Reviews (Non-Fiction) (Alphabetized)
Business: Companies (Alphabetized)
Business: General
Business: Industries (Alphabetized)
Business: International
Business: Small
California
Canada
Caribbean
Child Abuse
China
Communication: Journalism
Communication: Language & Speech
Communication: Media
Communication: Non-Verbal
Communication: Television
Communication: Television & Children
Communism
Computer Science
Consumerism
Criminal Justice: General
Criminal Justice: Juvenile Delinquency
Criminal Justice: Police Science
Criminal Justice: Prisons
Cuba
Death & Dying: Euthanasia
Death & Dying: General
Death & Dying: Suicide
Drama: American
Drama: English
Drama: World
Drugs: Alcohol
Drugs: General
Economics: Banking
Economics: Economists (Alphabetized)
Economics: General
Economics: Inflation
Economics: International Trade
Economics: Macroeconomics
Economics: Microeconomics
Economics: Taxation
Education: Administration
Education: Curriculum
Education: General
Education: Higher
Education: Physical
Education: Psychology
Education: Reading
Education: Special
Education: Teaching Methods
Education: Theory
Energy: General
Energy: Nuclear
Energy: Solar
Environmental Studies
Evolution
Family & Marriage
Films: Artists (Alphabetized)
Films: General
Finance: Companies (Alphabetized)
Finance: General
Former Soviet Union: Post-1990
France
Gender & Sexuality
Geography
Germany
History: Ancient Greek & Roman
History: European
History: Great Britain
History: U.S. (After 1865)
History: U.S. (Before 1865)
History: U.S. Presidency
History: U.S. Presidents (Alphabetized)
Homosexuality
Immigration
India
Indonesia
International Relations: Arms Control
International Relations: Cold War
International Relations: Non-U.S.
International Relations: U.S.
Japan
Jewish Studies
Korea
Labor
Latin America
Law: Business
Law: Capital Punishment
Law: General
Law: International & Non-U.S.
Law: Supreme Court
Leadership
Literature, American: Authors (Alphabetized)
Literature, American: Faulkner
Literature, American: Fitzgerald
Literature, American: General
Literature, American: Hawthorne
Literature, American: Hemingway
Literature, American: Melville
Literature, American: Poe
Literature, American: Steinbeck
Literature, American: Twain
Literature, English: Authors (Alphabetized)
Literature, English: Chaucer
Literature, English: Conrad
Literature, English: Dickens
Literature, English: General
Literature, English: Joyce
Literature, English: Lawrence
Literature, English: Shakespeare
Literature, English: Swift
Literature, General: Children
Literature, General: Classic (Greek & Roman)
Literature, General: Russian
Literature, General: World
Management: General
Management: Japanese
Management: Motivation
Management: Theory
Management: Women
Marketing: Companies (Alphabetized)
Marketing: General
Marketing: Plans
Mathematics
Medical: Aids
Medical: Dentistry
Medical: Diseases & Disorders (Alphabetized)
Medical: General
Medical: Nursing
Mexican-American Studies
Mexico
Middle East: Egypt
Middle East: General
Middle East: O.P.E.C.
Military
Music: Classical
Music: General
Mythology
Nutrition
Parapsychology/Occult
Philosophy: Ancient Greek
Philosophy: Descartes
Philosophy: Eastern
Philosophy: General
Philosophy: Kant
Philosophy: Sartre
Poetry: American
Poetry: English
Poetry: Milton
Poetry: World
Political Science: Elections & Campaigns
Political Science: Foreign
Political Science: Lobbyists & Pressure Groups
Political Science: Machiavelli
Political Science: Mill
Political Science: Political Theory
Political Science: U.S.
Psychology: Behaviorism
Psychology: Child & Adolescent
Psychology: Disorders
Psychology: Dreams
Psychology: Experimental
Psychology: Freud
Psychology: General
Psychology: Jung
Psychology: Physiology
Psychology: Piaget
Psychology: Rogers
Psychology: Social
Psychology: Testing
Psychology: Therapies
Public Administration: General
Public Administration: Government Agencies (Alphabetized)
Racism
Real Estate
Recreation & Leisure
Religion: Eastern
Religion: General
Religion: Islam
Religion: The Bible
Research: Completed Studies (With Statistics & Results)
Research: Designs & Proposals
Research: Statistics & Methodology
Russia: Pre-1917 Revolution
Science: Astronomy
Science: Biology
Science: General
Science: Genetics
Sociology: Durkheim
Sociology: General
Sociology: Marx
Sociology: Social Problems
Sociology: Social Theory
Sociology: Social Welfare
Sociology: Weber
Soviet Union: 1917-1990
Sports: Drugs
Sports: General
Technology
Transportation: Automotive
Transportation: Aviation
Transportation: General
Transportation: Railroads
Urban Studies
Vietnam
Women Studies
 

THEMES OF EVIL.   Term Paper ID:29909 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Discusses views of evil as the subject of 3 plays.... More...

5 Pages / 1125 Words 6 sources, 5 Citations, MLA Format $20.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Discusses views of evil as the subject of 3 plays. Compares Shakespeare's MACBETH, Crhistopher Marlowe's DOCTOR FAUSTUS & Calderon de La Barca's EL MAGICO PRODIGIOSO, a Spanish play based on the Faust legend. Role of supernatural forces in life & actions of the protagonists of each play. The power of evil. Paper Introduction: 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. In the Elizabethan era, William Shakespeare in Macbeth and Christopher Marlowe in Doctor Faustus in England explored these issues in different ways, though each saw evil as manifest and physical as well as sometimes supernatural. In Spain, Calder?n de la Barca a few years later similarly expressed the palpable nature of evil in human life in his El m?gico prodigioso. The Marlowe and Calder?n 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 Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Though the Devil tries to besmirch Justina's reputation, this doesnot occur because God intervenes. The legend reflects the view that evil can never be trusted, thoughin truth, human beings are easily fooled into destroying themselves. Both Macbeth and Doctor Faustus repent of theirsins only to be further seduced into accepting their reward. Contemporary accounts suggestthat he was widely traveled and fairly well-known, with an evil reputation. It was less the stories themselves and more the author's graphic and unflinching descriptions of hell and the state of his hero's mind which inspired unquestioning belief among readers (Hawkins).The Faustbuch was translated and distributed throughout Europe, and anEnglish prose translation from 1592 was the probable inspiration forMarlowe's play "which, for the first time, invested the Faust legend with atragic dignity, although, in spite of magnificent scenes of dramatic poetry. Three Philosophical Poets: Lucretius, Dante, and Goethe. The Prodigious Magician. The result is similar--Cipriano takes lessons in black magic,hoping to win the love of Justina. Faustus conjures the demon spirit,Mephostophilis, and offers a deal--he will give his immortal soul to thedevil in exchange for 24 years of magic and success in whatever he pursues. He owes his enduring legend to the anonymous authorof the first Faustbuch, a collection of tales of wise men skilled inscience and the occult which had been told since the Middle Ages and whichfeatured such renowned wizards as Merlin, Albertus Magnus, and Roger Bacon. Marlowe's Doctor Faustus retained much of the clowning and comicbuffoonery of the source text" (Hawkins). Works CitedCole, Douglas. The character of Doctor Faustus reflects the view of the historicalfigure and the image that would be continued in other versions of thelegend. While Humanist scholars of the day dismissed his magic as pretty andfraudulent, the Lutheran clergy, including Martin Luther himself, took hisactivities seriously. All three protagonists are destroyed by the wrong choices they make.Evil places a certain vision before their eyes, but they are responsible inthe end because they make the choice that leads to their downfall. Macbeth has the opportunity to refuse to do what his wife asks and towait. His humanity is fully developed, and he emerges as a man whohas sinned, who knows this, and who is prepared to pay for it. In the Calder?n version of the Faustus legend, Cipriano is a studentwho searches his books for truth, much as did Faustus. A comparison of the three illuminatesthe character of Dr. Faustus as depicted in the Marlowe play and suggestshow Marlowe used the legend to create a sense of tragedy in terms of acharacter who has clearly over-reached himself. Visions of evil operating in this world serve as the subject matterfor the dramatist, especially in an era when good and evil were seen moreclearly as battling for the human soul directly, often personified as angeland devil. Macbeth. Good operates in this world as doesevil. and knows that he is dealingwith the supernatural. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 191 .Shakespeare, William. For Macbeth,any good he considers is countered by his wife. For Faustus, good and evilappear before him in visual form as a Good Angel, who tells him to flee andnot to have anything to do with this evil, and Mephostophilis, who returnswith an offer from Lucifer of great wealth and power, which makes Faustusdecide to accept: Had I as many souls as there be stars I'd give them all for Mephostophilis. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1962.de la Barca, Calder?n. Madrid: Studia Humanitatis, 1982.Hawkins, Lloyd. He sells his soul forknowledge and power, which are linked, and though he is immediately andcontinuously faced with a sense of remorse for his fate, he cannot be saidto be repentant. Faustus alsotakes action to bring about what he wants, and in addition, Mephostophilisleaves him alone for a time during which he has the opportunity toreconsider and to see that what he is doing will destroy him. In truth, he is doomed even before he makes the dealbecause he has trafficked with the devil through his necromancy.Similarly, it would seem that Macbeth has no real choice and is doomed fromthe time he is told his future, a future already set. The one action hetakes that shows his former self is to send his friends away when he knowsthe devil is coming for him, thus protecting them. Hiswife counsels him to take action and to make this happen. His nature in the beginning is more over-reaching thanwicked, but that character worsens as time passes and as he exercises thepower he has been given. http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/faust.htm.Marlowe, Christopher. Cipriano has beentrying to form an image of God--he has to have direct knowledge of good orevil rather than accepting them on faith as he should. Faustus is certain that he will be given the rewards he requestsbecause he has seen the power of the demon. He is a learned scholar and theologian, but his ambition forknowledge goes beyond what man is meant to know. TheMarlowe version presents a man intended to be seen as a reflection of theaudience: Marlowe's public would see in Doctor Faustus a man and a Christian like themselves, carried a bit too far by ambition an the love of pleasure. Faustus comes to believe he has purchased a cheap bag of magictricks and so shows regrets, but he gets over his moment of doubt and triesto enjoy his rewards. By him I'll be great emperor of the world, And make a bridge through the moving air To pass the ocean with a band of men . New York: New American Library, 1969.Santayana, George. The Devil selects Justina, defames her virtue, arousesjealousy in her suitors, and causes Cipriano to fall in love with her, atwhich point he does abandon his studies and seeks Justina. The Devil admits this and so shows howgood and evil fight back and forth over individual souls. "The Faust Legend." Mystical World Wide Web, 2 . New York: Signet, 1998. Macbeth isalso spurred to reconsider by events such as the appearance of the ghost ofBanquo. He becomes more cruel and even asks that an oldman who tries to save his soul be tortured for this act. The Marlowe and Calder?n works are both based on theFaust legend, while Shakespeare's play is based on a historical individualreported. He often alluded to the Devil as his "Schwager," or crony.He left behind a legend of sorcery and alchemy, astrology and sooth-saying,studies both theological and diabolical. (I.iii.1 1-1 5). . Ambition infuses Faustus and Macbeth, while Cipriano is not ambitiousbut lustful. Macbeth is not an evil manwhen he first meets the witches, but he allows his ambition to overcome hisnature. Thisis never their intention when first seduced. Dr. John Faustus also has an ambition greater than hispresent position, and what he does to satisfy this ambition is moredirectly to search out evil than does Macbeth. In the Elizabethan era, William Shakespeare in Macbeth andChristopher Marlowe in Doctor Faustus in England explored these issues indifferent ways, though each saw evil as manifest and physical as well assometimes supernatural. . . Good is morepowerful, but evil gains power when those it selects are seduced and admitevil into their lives. The three plays are related in that in all three cases, theprotagonist is guided to success in this life by supernatural forces,imperiling his soul in the process. Doctor Faustus. Suffering and Evil in the Plays of Christopher Marlowe. He is told that he will be king--he could wait and become king. Faust was a historical figure who diedaround 154 . He knows that thisinvolves forbidden traffic with demons, with the evil forces that tempthumans and interfere in human life. In the Calder?nversion of the story, Cipriano is not the easy target Faustus or Macbethare and indeed bests the devil in their first encounter by referring to theall-powerful nature of God, something the Devil cannot counter. Macbeth means to satisfy hiswife and become king; he then means to rule; and he means to live out hisfull span of years. . Faustus, however, becomes involved by choice with necromancy, orblack magic, and through this seeks godlike powers. These stories were now retold with Faust as the central character: They were crudely narrated and supplemented with clumsy humor at the expense of Faust's victims. His Doctor Faustus recognizes his own contradictions as aChristian who has fallen and who will have to meet the fate he created forhimself, but in the end, he wishes his friends to be spared and so sendsthem away. However,the Devil can fight in another way, and he determines that he will seduceCipriano to evil by making him forget his religious studies and fall for abeautiful woman. He shares this tradition with Macbeth and Cipriano alike. The story has its roots in the mid-sixteenth century, not long beforethese three works were written. Thedownfall of Faustus is very much in the Christian tradition, and Colestates that Marlowe gave the Christian element "a new, concentratedintellectual shape by reorganizing his material along the moresophisticated lines of philosophical and theological concepts of evil"(Cole 194). In Spain, Calder?n de la Barca a few years latersimilarly expressed the palpable nature of evil in human life in his Elm If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.