Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and Shakespeare's The Tempest present similar definitions of “power” through the different circumstances of their protagonists. Power, in these works, can be thought of as “control of the unknown”. If one character has control of something that another character doesn't understand, the first character can gain power over the second. Although Faustus and Prospero are both presented as powerful and highly educated wizards, Prospero is generally able to exert power over all of the characters in The Tempest because he is constantly aware of what is happening, while the other characters in the play are unaware of what is happening. Faustus, on the other hand, fails not because he is overly ambitious or proud, but because he believes he is in control while in reality he is under the power of Mephostophilis, kept unaware of what is being done to him. Taken as a whole, the works appear to offer an argument for prudence and caution when faced with the opportunity to gain power, rather than arguing against ambition as might be assumed in the case of Faustus. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although the plots of the plays show that it is not that simple, both protagonists equate knowledge with power and therefore pursue learning in their quest to become more powerful. Prospero, telling his daughter the story of their arrival on the island, says that he has distanced himself from his position as Duke of Milan because he was "kidnapped in secret studies" (1.2.176), and that he cannot resist her usurpation because his library “The ducat was enough” (1.2.212). While he may downplay how much he values ​​his current dukedom to ensure Miranda remains unaware of his ambitions, this reveals his devotion to his studies. However, he does not explicitly state why he places so much value on knowledge. This is explained later by other characters. Faustus also professes a love of knowledge, but is more explicit about why, often equating it not only with power, but also with magic. He says that through the study of his books, a “world of profit and pleasure / of power, of honor, of omnipotence / is promised to the studious craftsman!” (1.1.51-3), explicitly showing that his purpose in studying is to gain power, specifically magical power as suggested by "omnipotence". Possessing knowledge, however, is only part of what is necessary to gain power. First, characters must use their knowledge in a way that takes advantage of someone who doesn't have the same knowledge. Prospero is cautious and never states exactly why he is so interested in his studies, but Caliban reveals this information when he is planning with Stephano and Trinculo to overthrow Prospero. He tells them to take control of the magician's books because without them “he is but an idiot” and “has / no spirit to command” (3.2.1488-9). This reveals that Prospero, just like Faustus, uses knowledge from his books to gain power. This is shown in his relationship with Ariel. Prospero doesn't do much magic in the play, instead commanding his spirit servant Ariel to perform magical tasks. However, to command a spirit that has powers like commanding storms, Prospero must have some sort of power of his own. When Ariel briefly complains to Prospero and asks for freedom, Prospero tells the story of how he freed the spirit from a trap he had been placed in by a witch, and threatens him, saying, "If you murmur any more, I will tear down an oak tree." . / And I will impale you in its gnarled bowels until / you have howled twelve winters” (1.2.432-4). Although Ariel has powers thatProspero does not have, the powers that Prospero possesses allow him to wield Ariel as a tool. The play does not delve into the nature of Prospero's power over the spirit, but it is clear that Prospero has the knowledge necessary to free Ariel and imprison him again, while Ariel, although very powerful, does not have this knowledge. This puts Prospero in a position of power over Ariel. Faustus' relationship with Mephostophilis appears similar to Prospero's relationship with Ariel, in that Faustus does little magic himself, but commands the demon to perform magical tasks. However, Marlowe's work, unlike Shakespeare's, actually shows the process of conjuring and the magician's attempt to control his spirit. In this process, Faustus, unlike Prospero, finds himself involuntarily under the control of the spirit. Faustus's main problem is that he becomes extremely excited by the prospect of becoming a powerful wizard. “It is magic,” Faustus says to his friends Valdes and Cornelius, “magic that has captivated me,” already convinced of his own magical power despite not yet having performed any magic (1.1.109). When Mephostophilis appears, presumably as a result of an elaborate ritual, Faustus says "Such is the strength of magic and of my spells", demonstrating that the demon's appearance has further confirmed his belief in his power (1.3.30). of the moment in which he accepts the demon's pact, is the moment in which Faust condemns himself. He is too blinded by excitement and the idea of ​​the power he believes he has to properly process what the demon tells him. “I have come here of my own free will,” Mephostophilis tells Faustus, “because when we hear the name of God spoken…we fly in the hope of obtaining his glorious soul” (1.3.43-8). The demon lets the audience know that Faustus, despite his elaborate ritual, has done absolutely no magic. The demon came simply because Faustus blasphemed and saw it as an opportunity to steal a soul. This means that the knowledge Faustus possessed did not work properly or was not true. Therefore, Faustus has no power over Mephostophilis, because he has no control over any knowledge that the demon does not have. Prospero has a similar moment in the backstory of The Tempest when his brother plans to usurp his dukedom. Rather than resist his plans and seize more immediate power, he shows caution and chooses not to resist. Letting go of power allows him to come back later, regain his status, and put his daughter in a position of power. If he had chosen to resist his brother at that moment, this end may not have been possible. He may have put himself at a greater disadvantage or in greater danger by resisting his brother. Faustus, instead of taking into consideration the new information presented to him as Prospero did, effectively ignores Mephostophilis' statement. He takes the path that Prospero chose not to take and decides to gain immediate power, instead of updating his knowledge in the face of a force that can overwhelm him and figure out what else he can do to gain power. When Mephostophilis tells Faustus of the torment of eternal separation from the joys of Heaven, Faustus tells the demon to "Learn... from the manly fortitude of Faustus, / And scorn those joys..." (1.3.84-5). Even after Mephostophilis refutes the idea that Faustus has done any magic, Faustus not only ignores the demon and continues to believe in his own power, but also believes himself to be superior to the demon. Faust implies that Mephostopheles is somehow weak in feeling the pain of damnation and that he is able to resist such pain. Since nothing Mefostofili does dissuades Fausto from believing in his own power, the magician unconsciously allows himself to be manipulated.