Question

Do you think of Faustus as a Renaissance Man or a tragic hero? Use examples from the text and other literary characters to support your response.

Answer 1

Faustus is a Renaissance Man who is not satisfied of what knowledge he has and went beyond the normal learning by selling his soul to the devil in exchange for greater power using magic. Because of wanting to learn magic, he made a pact to the devil for twenty four years. The excerpt of his life story depicts that after all the knowledge and powers he has, it has an end and no one can save him. And his time has come to be taken by the devil.

Answer 2

Faustus is a good example of a Renaissance man. He is interested in many different branches of knowledge. So interested, in fact, that he is willing to sacrifice his own salvation in order to acquire more knowledge and abilities. Faustus embodies many characteristics of the Renaissance, such as an extreme confidence in the power of human reason and the inevitability of progress. He thinks science and knowledge are the most powerful forces on Earth, and that the transformation of the world through their use is possible. Moreover, he is often hesitant about religious matters, doubting whether God and Hell even exist.