Compare and Contrast two plays

Irresoluteness in Hamlet and Dr . Faustus

Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Dr . Faustus by Christopher Marlowe are masterpieces of English Literature from Elizabethan era . Both these plays are tragedies in the true sense of Aristotelian tragedy . I have selected these two plays for my compare and contrast essay . Both Hamlet and Faustus share certain resemblances of character , disposition and the situation in which they are placed . Beside these commonalities , they possess differences as well . The foremost of the commonalties , is their larger than life characterization and their tragic flaws

Hamlet is

a character of larger than life personality . He is a character of extraordinary complexity and depth . Like other tragic heroes of Shakespeare he is also endowed with exceptional qualities like royal birth , graceful and charming personality among his own countrymen . He has a high intellectual quality as Ophelia observes

O what a noble mind is here overthrown / The courtier 's , soldier 's scholar 's eye , tongue , sword / Th ' expectancy and rose of the fair state / The glass of fashion , and the mould of form / Th ' observed of all observers . [Act III , Scene I]

Dr . Faustus is also a larger than life character . He is an epitome of the rebellious , non-conformist and non-conventional spirit and thought of the romantic era . His eloquence and intelligence is matchless Furthermore he is an egotistic , superior , and commanding character possessing strong determination and persona who could rebel against the established norms and laws of society . He had the ability to manipulate the situation in his favor by utilizing the great strength of knowledge as compared with strength and power of conventional hero . His greater mental power and knowledge led him to believe that `mind is its own place , and in itself / Can make a Heav 'n of Hell , a Hell of Heav 'n (Milton ) His chief objective remains experimentation with the ideals rather than conventionalities

So above mentioned arguments and evidences show that both Hamlet and Faustus are larger than life characters . And both of them suffer due to his individualistic way of thinking and acting . They are disinclined to surrender their egotism and freedom according to the established norms and wills of others . Their grand persona lead them to their destruction i .e . Hamlet to death and Faustus to ultimate and eternal damnation

Additionally some inherent flaws in their characters lead them to their ultimate decline . The tragic flaw in the character of Hamlet is that he thinks too much and feels too much . He is often disturbed by his own nature of `self analyses . What is required of Hamlet is prompt action whereas he broods over the moral idealism which leads to his delay in action . When he gets an opportunity to kill Claudius , he puts aside the thought because he cannot strike an enemy while he is at prayer . Several causes account for his inaction . By nature he is prone to think rather than to act . He is a man of morals and his moral idealism receives a shock when his...