Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus complicates gender in a variety of ways. First, the text has a very sexist view towards women. Helen of Troy, the Furies and women in a general sense are treated as lesser beings because of their sex. women in this text are objectified and in complete power of the males surrounding them. The men in the text are insecure about their masculinity. Faustus, Benvolio and the Emperor are all characters that have difficulties with their masculinity. The characteristics of what makes a male manly are not all fulfilled in these characters which cause them to be insecure in their masculinity. Faustus struggles most with his masculinity because more than one manly characteristic is unfulfilled. Doctor Faustus complicates
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In an article, it is noted that Helen represents two unfortunate women, “Helen’s presence stimulates reference to Semele, who was raped and consumed by Zeus’s destructive glory, and Arethusa, who fled Alpheus and was transformed into a Sicilian spring” (Stevenson 414). Both of the women Helen’s presence references had their lives destroyed by sexism. Zeus was entranced by Semele’s beauty and decided it was alright to take advantage of her without consent. Zeus rapping Semele was a sexist act. The actual death of Semele is just an added offence of the sexist act committed against her. Alpheus, like Zeus, was captivated by the beauty of a woman and acted horribly because of it. Not considering Arethusa’s opinion he attempted to have sexual intercourse with her. The only way this was prevented was by Arethusa turning herself into a tree. It was sexist of Alpheus to try to sleep with Arethusa. In no moment of the text does it suggest that rape is wrong. The representation of the two women just enforces the idea that rape is not a problem, that it should be encouraged Therefore, the text is sexist because it invited the representation of the main female in this text to be that of two women who were the victims of male lust, with no mention of how rape is …show more content…
Men pride themselves on their intellect but Faustus cannot even read the bible correctly, “The reward of sin is death: that 's hard” (1.1.39). It is odd that Faustus should struggle with his intellect when he is a scholar. Faustus studied theology but when reading the most import text in Christianity he is unable to read it properly. His failure at reading the bible suggests his failure at his studies as a whole. Failing his studies would be an insecurity of intellect and thereby an insecurity of masculinity. After his failure of intelligence he moves to magic. Magic does gain Faustus power which reaffirms his masculinity. Therefore, the text displays another struggle of masculinity by having Faustus failure at reading the bible suggest his failure of
In an article, it is noted that Helen represents two unfortunate women, “Helen’s presence stimulates reference to Semele, who was raped and consumed by Zeus’s destructive glory, and Arethusa, who fled Alpheus and was transformed into a Sicilian spring” (Stevenson 414). Both of the women Helen’s presence references had their lives destroyed by sexism. Zeus was entranced by Semele’s beauty and decided it was alright to take advantage of her without consent. Zeus rapping Semele was a sexist act. The actual death of Semele is just an added offence of the sexist act committed against her. Alpheus, like Zeus, was captivated by the beauty of a woman and acted horribly because of it. Not considering Arethusa’s opinion he attempted to have sexual intercourse with her. The only way this was prevented was by Arethusa turning herself into a tree. It was sexist of Alpheus to try to sleep with Arethusa. In no moment of the text does it suggest that rape is wrong. The representation of the two women just enforces the idea that rape is not a problem, that it should be encouraged Therefore, the text is sexist because it invited the representation of the main female in this text to be that of two women who were the victims of male lust, with no mention of how rape is …show more content…
Men pride themselves on their intellect but Faustus cannot even read the bible correctly, “The reward of sin is death: that 's hard” (1.1.39). It is odd that Faustus should struggle with his intellect when he is a scholar. Faustus studied theology but when reading the most import text in Christianity he is unable to read it properly. His failure at reading the bible suggests his failure at his studies as a whole. Failing his studies would be an insecurity of intellect and thereby an insecurity of masculinity. After his failure of intelligence he moves to magic. Magic does gain Faustus power which reaffirms his masculinity. Therefore, the text displays another struggle of masculinity by having Faustus failure at reading the bible suggest his failure of