As a highly revered individual – a doctor of theology who is also involved in liberal arts, medicine and law – Doctor Faustus possesses limitless knowledge. Nonetheless, unfortunately the more people know the more curious, thirsty and greedy for knowledge they become. Thus, wanting to know more and therefore, gain supernatural power, Faustus creates his own fall through pride, insolence and child-like behavior – the by-products of the dominating id that overpowers the superego in this particular case.
The above excerpt was provided to make the student aware of the focus of the essay, the complete paper begins below:
“…Man builds towels of the spirit from which he may survey larger horizons that those of his class, race and nation. This is a necessary human enterprise. Without it man could not come to his full estate. But it is also inevitable that these towers should be Towers of Babel, that they should pretend to reach higher than their real height; and should claim a finality which they cannot posses,” quotes Sylvan Barnet in his introduction to Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus” (xiv). Doctor Faustus lives in such pretension. Due to Faustus’ extraordinary, celebrated, restless and insatiable mind that differs from the ordinary minds, the quote above stands as the basic premise for Marlowe’s play. As a highly revered individual – a doctor of theology who is also involved in liberal arts, medicine and law – Doctor Faustus possesses limitless knowledge. Nonetheless, unfortunately the more people know the more curious, thirsty and greedy for knowledge they become. Thus, wanting to know more and therefore, gain supernatural power, Faustus creates his own fall th…
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…ioned by his immediate circumstances…He wants to be man. He is not content with his truth. He seeks the truth…His restless mind seeks to comprehend the meaning of all cultures so that he may not be caught within the limitations of his own” (xiv).
Works Cited and Consulted
Beddow, Michael. Thomas Mann: Doctor Faustus. Cambridge: Cambridge, 1994.
Carnegy, Patrick. Faust as Musician: A Study of Thomas Mann’s Novel Doctor Faustus. London: Chatto
Free Essays on Homer’s Odyssey: Gaining Power from Others in The Odyssey
Gaining Power from Others in The Odyssey
Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus’ power was gained through the power of others resulting in three phases of understanding: self-determination, courage, and having a greater vision in life. In order to understand these three phases, one must be able to conquer predominance from those less useful than others. Although Odysseus was physically strong, he was not who he was mentally, without the help and guidance through the gods. Odysseus was like one who has no friends, but when he meets up with more people, he becomes popular. One who was alone and meets new people, has more friends and finds out more interesting subjects about daily life. They are the ones who have more predominance than others because they know more people and have much more interesting subjects. Odysseus was like this because he didn’t know much without the help and guidance from others.
Once Odysseus has served enough time in a place against his will, he would be determined to leave that place. Odysseus’ journey towards home was now going to be able to be finished. For seven years Calypso held him prisoner on the island of Ogygia and he was determined to leave and see to the rest of his journey. Calypso agrees to let him go and she gives Odysseus some advice and guidance saying, “Only I will not aid [you] on [your] way, for I have no ships fitted with oars, nor crews to bear [you] over the broad oceanridges; but I will freely give [you] counsel and not hide how [you] may come unharmed to [your] own native land”(47). Calypso recognizes Odysseus’ greatness. Calypso says she will give some advice, but Odysseus will have to prove his greatness by making his own ship and understand how he will make it home.
Even though Odysseus was physically strong, at other times he was weak. When the Phaeacians returned Odysseus home, Odysseus not knowing where he was recounted his jewels and gifts. While doing so the Phaeacians were just turned to stone by Poseidon for helping him return home. Odysseus can practically do whatever any god can do but with the help of them. So speaking, Odysseus says to Athena, “And do you stand beside me, inspiring hardy courage, even so as when we tore the shining crown from Troy”(130). When Odysseus was at war with Troy, Athena gave him guidance.