What is the tragic dilemma of Faustus in Marlowe’s Dr.Faustus? [British Drama]
The tragic dilemma of Dr. Faustus in Marlowe's play is that he is torn between his desire for limitless knowledge, power and worldly pleasure and his fear of eternal damnation in Hell. Faustus is a learned man, but he is not satisfied with the limits of human knowledge and longs for something greater. He decides to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for 24 years of unlimited knowledge and worldly power
However, as the play progresses, Faustus begins to realize the gravity of his decision and the consequences that await him in the afterlife. He is plagued by fear and guilt and tries to repent, but it is too late. His pact with the devil is irreversible, and he is doomed to suffer in Hell for all eternity.
In this sense, Faustus' tragedy lies in his inability to reconcile his desires with his sense of morality and spirituality. He is torn between his longing for worldly power and his fear of damnation, and this conflict ultimately leads to his downfall. The tragedy of Dr. Faustus is a cautionary tale about the dangers of overreaching and the consequences of giving into temptation.