1
Characteristics Of Marlovian Hero
Introduction
One of the greatest contributions of Marlowe in the development of English tragedy is the concept of
a tragic hero. Marlowe was the first playwright in England to realize that a tragic action must have its
origin in the mind of the character.
Marlovian tragedy is significant due to its newness, Renaissance influence, Machiavellian morality,
powerful and passionate expression, element of tragic inner conflict, tragic hero, popular literary
type, high seriousness, bombastic language and blank verse.
Before Marlowe, there was no convention of a tragic hero in the early English plays, e.g. Moralities
and Miracles of the pre-Elizabethan age. Even in his contemporaries and in the writers of early
tragedies, there was no awareness of any such need. Hence, Marlowe was the first to introduce such
titanic and secular minded characters as his heroes, like Tamburlaine, Barabas and Faustus. Thus:
“Liberating English tragedy, Marlowe widened its scope.”
Marlovian Hero
Marlowe introduces ordinary persons as the heroes in his tragedies. He picks up day-to-day themes
and in accordance to these themes, he selects commonplace persons as his heroes. However, these
persons are distinct in their respected groups because of their special qualities. As Barabas is an
ordinary moneylender, Tamburlaine is a shepherd, while Faustus is an ordinary scholar in divinity.
Hence, Marlowe makes his tragedy the story of everyone. According to the Greeks, a tragic hero is a
conspicuous man, such as king and princes, falling from prosperity to adversity. But Marlowe’s hero
struggles against the hostile forces. Thus he brings the drama out of the forte.
“Marlowe’s heroes reflect the struggle of a brave soul”.
His protagonists have a towering personality, who play the most dominant role, rising head and
shoulders high above all the minor characters and attain a titanic stature of a superman size. They are
just like Gulliver amongst the various Lilliputians. In “Dr. Faustus”, Faustus is the only figure focused
throughout the play and “The Jew of Malta” focuses the “Jew” everywhere. Hence, hero is the sole
interest of Marlowe’s play. However, Shakespeare takes much care of his minor characters too.
Maarlovian heroes are ambitious and passionate men with their great but limited capabilities. But
they want to fly high in the sky. He desires:
“His waxen wings did mount above his reach.”
He wants to hold the powers of the world.
Bs English 6th Semester
2
He says:
“All things that move between the quiet poles shall be at my command”.
Their passion urge them to undertake mighty actions; even they violate all the accepted moral codes.
They are terribly inclined to evil. Faustus wants to attain the highest power of Omnipotence, even at
the cost of God and religion. He says:
“Divinity adieu: These metaphysics of magicians and necromantic books are heavenly.”
He further thinks:
“A sound magician is a mighty God: Here Faustus tire thy brain to gain a deity.”
Inner Conflict
Another great contribution of Marlowe is that he interiorized the drama. Greek tragedies and the Pre-
Elizabethan dramas focus at the outer conflict of the protagonists, with the forces of nature or
destiny. But Marlowe introduces both inner as well as outer conflicts in the minds of his heroes. The
minds of his heroes are generally tom off between two extremes. In “The Jew of Malta” and
“Tamburlaine”, the conflict is mainly external but in Dr. Faustus it is most of the time internal. The
object of the author is to delineate the psychological conditions of Faustus, though Faustus wants to
repent yet he has to carry on his passions as well:
“Ay, and Faustus will turn to God again,
To God? He loves thee not”
All of the heroes of Marlowe also reflect the zealous spirit of renaissance. They are embodiments of
Machiavellian ideals.
Influence Of Renaissance
Renaissance is famous for adventure, ambition, extremely individualistic approach, sensuous pleasure
and the longing for infinite power and knowledge. And Marlovian protagonists are true
representatives of these qualities. They are self-made individuals, working at cross ends with the
world for personal benefits. Marlowe presents three basic of his age in his three well renowned and
genuine heroes. In this regard, Tamburlaine strives for universal power, The Jew runs after infinite
riches while Doctor Faustus longs for universal knowledge. All these thing are unattainable yet
fascinating. Hence, Faustus says:
“O what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence,
Is promised to the studious artizan!”
Bs English 6th Semester
3
Marlovian Hero As Mouthpiece Of Author
Marlovian heroes are the portraits of the author himself. Marlowe himself held renaissance spirit and
was fascinated by the various ambitions of this age. Therefore, he portrayed his own passions and
ambitions in his heroes. Shakespeare did not project himself in his heroes, but Marlowe did it
successfully but they are not the thorough picture of Marlowe himself. His heroes are very
prominently the mouthpiece of their author in their poetic expressions. Dr. Faustus of all Marlowe’s
heroes is the most poetic with his passionate love of beauty and yearning for sensuous pleasure. He
says:
“Was this the face that launched thousand ships,
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium!
Sweet Helen make me immortal with a kiss”.
Another major characteristic of Mariovian heroes is that they are very skeptical and anti-
dogmatic. They do not hold any regard for social norms and values confronting their policies. They are
irreligious and even atheistical in their views.
Faustus is also anti-religious and says:
“Never name God, or to pray to him,
To burn his scriptures, slay his ministers,
And make my spirits pull his churches down.”
He also holds an opinion:
“That holy shapes becomes a devil best.”
Marlowe’s major characters also do not believe in matrimonial bliss or marriage e.g., when
Mephistophilis tells Faustus about marriage, he says:
“Tut, Faustus, Marriage is but a ceremonial toy.”
Tragical End Of Morlovian Hero
Another important characteristic of Marlovian heroes is that they meet their death because of their
over ambitiousness. As in “The Jew of Malta” Barabas dies because of his excess lust for wealth and
this lust leads him to his death.
“Die, life! Fly, soul! Tongue, curse thy fill, and die!”
And same is the case with Faustaus, he says:
“My God, my god, look not so fierce on me!
Bs English 6th Semester
4
Adders and serpents, let me breath a while!
Ugly hell, gap not! Come not, Lucifer!
I’ll burn my books! - Ay, Mephistophilis!”
Conclusion
We can conclude that Marlowe conceives his heroes as ordinary men, capable of great qualities, raise
to high position, because of their over ambitiousness and their insurmountable ambition brings their
fall and doom. Thus, we can say that Faustus suffers from his fall because of his unconquerable will
and unrelenting ambition.
Bs English 6th Semester
