The Doctor, the Demon, The Magician, and the Spirit: Differences in the Distribution of Power between the Protagonists and their Assistants in Doctor Faustus and The Tempest
Both written in the early seventeenth century, by two rival play writers, The Tempest and Doctor Faustus share many identical themes, yet they also show differences on some aspects. It is not known if Shakespeare and Marlowe intended these similarities to be noticed by the public, but the parallel notions in the plays cannot be disregarded. Although Doctor Faustus and The Tempest have similar themes, like greed, supernatural elements, and hierarchy, they actually differ in the distribution of power, evident in motivation, source of power, and the end of the relationships …show more content…
Whenever Ariel tries to claim his freedom, Prospero answers with reminding his supernatural servant that he freed him and that Ariel now owes him, and so creating a guilt complex. However, the guilt complex is not the only thing that keeps their relationship together, as Prospero sometimes actually acts as a friendly, maybe even fatherly figure towards Ariel: ‘Ariel: Do you love me, master? No? Prospero: Dearly, my delicate Ariel’(ll. 4.1.47-48) Although the distribution of power between master and servant is still evident, their connection is one that contains loyalty. This loyalty, however, is not existent in the relationship between Faustus and Mephastophilis: ‘Faustus: Consummatum est, the bill is ended, and Faustus has bequeathed his soul to Lucifer’(ll. 5.74-75 ). Faustus makes a physical contract with Mephastophilis, which states that Mephastophilis is in Faustus’ service for 24 years, after which Faustus will give his soul to the devil. This contract is an established connection between the two, and the relationship of master and servant is made official, unlike the relationship between Prospero and Ariel, and cannot be doubted because of the …show more content…
However, the plays also show a difference, as the distribution of power between the protagonists and their partners differ in various ways. The motives to stay with their masters differs in loyalty and obligation for the two assistants, creating an alternate balance of power, whereas another disruption for that balance is the source of power for the protagonists, which does not correspond in both stories with the master-servant relationship. At last, both plays differ in the ending of the relationship between the masters and servants, since one is ended forcibly, and the other is ended on peaceful terms, again showing who actually controls the character in the play. All this proofs that The Tempest and Doctor Faustus are very similar, yet they have one big difference: who of the main characters is actually the master, and who is the
Both written in the early seventeenth century, by two rival play writers, The Tempest and Doctor Faustus share many identical themes, yet they also show differences on some aspects. It is not known if Shakespeare and Marlowe intended these similarities to be noticed by the public, but the parallel notions in the plays cannot be disregarded. Although Doctor Faustus and The Tempest have similar themes, like greed, supernatural elements, and hierarchy, they actually differ in the distribution of power, evident in motivation, source of power, and the end of the relationships …show more content…
Whenever Ariel tries to claim his freedom, Prospero answers with reminding his supernatural servant that he freed him and that Ariel now owes him, and so creating a guilt complex. However, the guilt complex is not the only thing that keeps their relationship together, as Prospero sometimes actually acts as a friendly, maybe even fatherly figure towards Ariel: ‘Ariel: Do you love me, master? No? Prospero: Dearly, my delicate Ariel’(ll. 4.1.47-48) Although the distribution of power between master and servant is still evident, their connection is one that contains loyalty. This loyalty, however, is not existent in the relationship between Faustus and Mephastophilis: ‘Faustus: Consummatum est, the bill is ended, and Faustus has bequeathed his soul to Lucifer’(ll. 5.74-75 ). Faustus makes a physical contract with Mephastophilis, which states that Mephastophilis is in Faustus’ service for 24 years, after which Faustus will give his soul to the devil. This contract is an established connection between the two, and the relationship of master and servant is made official, unlike the relationship between Prospero and Ariel, and cannot be doubted because of the …show more content…
However, the plays also show a difference, as the distribution of power between the protagonists and their partners differ in various ways. The motives to stay with their masters differs in loyalty and obligation for the two assistants, creating an alternate balance of power, whereas another disruption for that balance is the source of power for the protagonists, which does not correspond in both stories with the master-servant relationship. At last, both plays differ in the ending of the relationship between the masters and servants, since one is ended forcibly, and the other is ended on peaceful terms, again showing who actually controls the character in the play. All this proofs that The Tempest and Doctor Faustus are very similar, yet they have one big difference: who of the main characters is actually the master, and who is the