So is Faustus a Goth? 1/11/2011

So we have beena sked to blog about whether Faustus is truly a Gothic character or a tragic one instead.
I would argue that he is a mixture of both as he has a number of tragic and gothic character traits:

Gothic Traits

1. At the very start of the play Faustus has a strong passion for knowledge, particularly in the 'gothic' art of necromancy-dark magic. His desires for 'power', 'honor' and 'omnipotence' at the start of the play could be described as obsessive through the fact he sells his soul to the devil as a means of achieving them. What is tragic however is that once he has sold his soul, the passions and ambitions that Faustus held at the start of the play ebb away and he is content to be satisfied by Mephistopheles taking control and doing everything for him.
2. Faustus is an intelligent man, this can be seen through his dismillas of great subjects of knowledge including 'law', 'medicine' and philosophy and belittling the works of the great masters of these subjects e.g. 'St Justinian'. Tragically by the end of the play he wishes he had never opened a book, 'never read book!'[act 5] showing that he recognizes his intelligence has caused his downfall.
3. Linked to an idea of corruption- Mephistopheles corrupts Faustus throughout the playthrough: getting him to sell his soul and not allowing him to do the things that he desired when the bargain was made.
4. Inhuman in some way- he sells his soul!

BIG TRAGIC TRAIT

1. Hubris!!- Faustus' arrogance and pride causes him to sell his soul and prevents him from repenting at the end of the play.