Aristotelian Tragedy

• Dr Faustus exhibits elements of an Aristotelian tragedy but also deviates from some of the conventions of the genre
• Dr Faustus aligns with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it involves a Tragic Hero, who has hamartia (a fatal flaw) due to excessive pride & vanity (Hubris), fulfilling Aristotle's criteria for a tragic hero
• Dr Faustus aligns with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it involved hamartia, Faustus's tragic flaw is his hubris which leads him to defy divine laws and seek power beyond human limitations. This flaw drives the plot and ultimately results in Faustus's downfall
• Dr Faustus aligns with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it involves Peripeteia, the play features a reversal of fortune (peripeteia) as Faustus's initial aspirations for greatness give way to despair and damnation
• Dr Faustus aligns with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it involves Anagnorisis, Faustus experiences a moment of recognition (anagnorisis) when he realizes the consequences of his actions but is ultimately unable to change his fate
• Dr Faustus aligns with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it involves Catharsis, Faustus elicits feelings of extreme pity and fear in the audience as they witness Faustus's tragic downfall serving as a warning against the dangers of hubris and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, prompting the audience to reflect on their own moral choices and values
• Dr Faustus deviates with the Aristotelian Tragedy as Faustus wasn't born into nobility, warning the audience no one is immune to supernatural temptations
• Dr Faustus deviates with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it does not feature a clear reversal of fortune in the conventional sense, Faustus's trajectory is consistently predetermined & downward, with his initial aspirations leading inexorably to his damnation
• Dr Faustus deviates with the Aristotelian Tragedy as it has Ambiguity of a Moral Resolution as they often conclude with a sense of moral resolution or closure, as the audience witnesses the protagonist's downfall and reflects on the broader implications of their actions