Race And The Color S Lives - 2163 Words

RACE AND THE COLOR’S LIVES Race is the product of illusion, yet it also is the cause of social status disparity, segregation, discrimination, oppression and hatred. It has been, as an un-detachable part of our society, constructed, developed, and reformed, together with the history of America. Regarding the matter of race, in this article, I would like to find out the differences between academic and practical discourse of race, and how racial categorization affects people’s lives. To support the article, I will incorporate studies from anthropologists with information gathered from the interviews with three white males of the same generation. They are all students at the University of Minnesota age from 19 to 21, two of which are also in the Marines. While three white male can’t speak for all white people, I wish to somewhat understand how consistent or inconsistent they, the white people, are on a certain matter of race. So, I started my interview with the question: what is your perceptions of race? The answers I got from the informants were basically the same as each other. Here is the answer from J that I found representative for all three answers. To J., race is a way to identify someone from others physically and culturally: â€Å" You look like you are from a different place but you identify as American because you were born here or you got American Citizenship here, but you look like you are different because of your traditional views do not fit American traditionalShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Desiree s Baby By Kate Chopin1446 Words   |  6 PagesBaby In the story Desiree s Baby by Kate Chopin the plot mainly revolves around race issues and also includes elements of sexism. In terms of race the difference between being white and being black shows vital importance in the characters lives through the story. As Desiree and Armand both originally associate themselves with the white class, once the plot unveils their black heritage they are faced with uncertainty, and ultimately their lives become meaningless and not worth livingRead MoreWhy Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pagesagree with the idea that race she be talked about at a young age. In Tatum s book she states, â€Å"He defines racism as a ‘System of advantage based on race’† (Tatum 7). This quote states that minorities cannot be racist because they do not benefit from past oppression which has helped form this system. I mildly disagree with this statement because there are several problems that arise from h aving this belief. However, I think this is wrong. Because there is a hierarchy in race, minorities who are fartherRead MoreDoes The Color Of Your Skin Define Your Identity?1694 Words   |  7 Pages Does the color of your skin define your identity? Despite the abolishment of African-American slavery in the United States in the late 19th century, black individuals during the 20th century were still subject to unequal treatment due to the color of their skin. Racism was alive and just like a disease, it spread rapidly and affected the way black individuals were treated during this time period. As these black individuals attempted to live their lives freely, they entered a time period where JimRead MoreEssay On The American Dream1004 Words   |  5 Pagesimmigrants are here to better their own lives and not hurt ours, the idea is just. As mentioned before, the biggest step towards halting immigrantion is happening in this lifetime. If this attempt to end immigration succeeds, will A merica still hold the same meaning as the Founding Fathers had hoped? Or, if the attempt fails, will America become a country with illegals, potentially questioning if the Founding Fathers would promote it? Point being, America s original plan could be ruined or continuedRead MoreSocial Class And Middle Class1580 Words   |  7 Pagestheir daily lives. The word classicism refers to people who share the same beliefs about economics, culture, politics, and have the similar social positions. This means that people who apart of same social class, only associate themselves with that particular class. People who are apart of the upper-class are mainly white, live in beautiful homes, and live in a primarily white community. But in low-class communities, it is largely assumed that people of color dominate the population. Race plays a bigRead MoreRacism, Violence, And Poisoning Media845 Words   |  4 Pagesfour little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.(Martin Luther King, Jr.) It has been decades since the 1963 March in Washington where Martin Luther King s I Have a Dream speech was delivered. However, none of us can say we have fully lived up to Dr. King s vision of a land where each person would be judged by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin. According to the historyRead MoreWhite Privilege : The Black Privilege988 Words   |  4 Pagesperson or group† in the Cambridge Dictionary. Globally, white individuals are often granted privileges than minority groups do not receive. While white privilege often goes unnoticed by white individuals, it causes many disadvantages for people of color and effects how they see themselves. Furthermore, Affirmative Action attempts to equal the playing field for minorities but is faced with contention by many white people. When asked about white privilege, many whites believe that it is a myth whileRead MoreWhat Causes Racism Persists?1568 Words   |  7 Pagesa tree be racist? Could a tree decide, based on race, how much oxygen it’d provide to the people around it? Could a tree emulate the evil of man? Regardless of how you’d answer those questions, trees and racism hold one important parallel: without their roots, they can’t exist. Roots allow racism, like trees, to live, build, and continue. Today racism persists due to the benefit racism offers the white collective, the confusion that inundates race and racism, the failures of leaders in the BlackRead MoreThe Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesToni Cade Bambara addresses how knowledge is the means by which one can escape out of poverty in her story The Lesson. In her story she identifies with race, economic inequality, and literary epiphany during the early 1970’s. In this story children of Afr ican American progeny come face to face with their own poverty and reality. This realism of society’s social standard was made known to them on a sunny afternoon field trip to a toy store on Fifth Avenue. Through the use of an African American protagonistRead MoreWhy Do People Still Stereotype?1026 Words   |  5 Pages Why do people still stereotype? There are many people in the world that are all different races or to some all different colors. People tend to judge others because of who they are and their skin color. Most people tend to judge black individuals more because of some negative things that they tend to do or say. However, this issue has not just started its been going on for years. Although, all people are human beings; their cognitive thinking is different as individuals. Many people tend

The Texas Constitution Guarantees An Efficient System Of...

The Texas Constitution guarantees an efficient system of public free schools, but schools have recently found themselves unable to provide an adequate education to the more than 5 million students in Texas because of the many problems within the education policy in the state. Such issues involve school financing, lack of preparation for college, early childhood education, teacher quality, and school choice. Tough all of these conflicts pose a potential threat to the school system’s competence and effectiveness as well as to Texas’ economy, there are a broad number of possible adjustment and reforms that could be placed to improve the adequacy of Texas’ school system. The biggest issue relating to the education policy in Texas is the†¦show more content†¦State legislators slashed more than $121 million from college financial aid programs alone, leaving 29,000 students without the possibility of receiving aid from TEXAS grants, the state’s financial aid program for needy students. Since Texas colleges and universities were also cut 9 percent by the legislator, they were forced to raise prices for students. Due to the uncertainty of the Texas financial aid, many college administrators reported losing numerous highly qualified students to out-of-state universities and colleges and many families have lost the ability to pay for tuition because of the lack of resources. Many of the other financing problems come from individual districts that some times misuse money that could be used to better the quality of education. Assistant Attorney General Shelly Dahlberg, said that individual districts must also â€Å"show they are spending their money efficiently†. Superintendents spend too much on items that they seem to prioritize such as iPads and equipment for the sports departments and other extracurricular activities that aren’t required by the state. At times, they also base their teacher pay on seniority rather than student performance. If Texas were to stop overemphasizing on the local control of its school districts and were to hold individual districts responsible for not spending their money efficiently, there would be a lot less shortcomings and a lot more money directed into bettering the

Female Education and Economic Growth Free Essays

string(52) " as well be due to an increase of the middle class\." Female Education and Economic Growth Case Study Of India Economic growth in India India is classified as a lower middle income country, and since 2011 is no longer regarded as a developing country (World Bank Database, 2012) due to recent high economic growth (Kohli, 2006). In 2010, the country had a real GDP growth of 8. 8 percent and a nominal GDP per capita of 1410. We will write a custom essay sample on Female Education and Economic Growth or any similar topic only for you Order Now 3 dollars (World Bank Database, 2012). According to AT Kearney, an International consulting group (Rao Varghese, 2009), India is ranked as one of the best countries to start a new business in. The foreign investment rate, might be a proof of that. The ministry of finance in India believes it will reach almost 40 percent of the GDP by 2013. Not only the foreign investments have increased but the domestic savings and investments has also gone up and were about 30 percent of the GDP in 2009 (Rao Varghese, 2009). The ratio of poor people6 has decreased from 45. 3 percent to 29. 8 percent between year 2000 and 2010 (World Bank Database, 2012). Even if poverty has decreased one third of the population is still thought to be poor (World Bank Database, 2012). Poverty negatively affects the opportunity for many to be able to enroll in school negatively. The state has a major role to mass educate the population and increase human capital (Duraisamy, 2001). One of the most important ways to do that is to reduce the fertility rate. It is one of the major components to long-term economic growth in India (Dreze Murthi, 2001; Tilak, 2006; World Bank, 1997; Yadava Chadney, 1994). A lower fertility rate means a higher GDP per capita (Weil, 2009), and more money to invest in the country and its inhabitants (World Bank, 1997). Education in India The 1. billion people (World Bank Database, 2012) of India’s 28 states, together with its seven union territories, do not speak the same language, do not share the same culture and do not have the same religious beliefs. Educational system differs in the respective states due to the fact that it is partly regulated by the state and partly by the local government (Kajisa ; Palanichamy, 2009; World Ba nk, 1997; World Bank, 2004). In 1999 India spent 4. 5 percent of its total GDP on education, but spending on education has declined since then. In 2006, spending dropped to 3. 1 percent (World Bank Database, 2012). Article 45 in the Indian Constitution states: â€Å"†¦ for free and compulsory education for all children until they reach the age of 14† (in Andreosso-O’Callaghan, 2003). 7 As can be seen in article 45, ambitions have been high since 1960s. In year 2000 approximately 18. 5 million children were out of school. In 2007 the number was 4. 9 million. Primary completion rate also increased and in 2008 it was around 95 percent, for both males and females8 (World Bank, 2012). The quality of governmental schools has been questioned in India (Duraisamy, 2001). Even if the completion rate in primary schooling is high, literacy rate is not reflecting that. Between year 2000 and 2006 there has been little change in the literacy rates, which was just under 50 percent for females and approximately 75 percent for males (2006) (World Bank, 2012). Some argue that good quality schooling is only available for the rich and higher middle class in private schools, especially for boys (Andreosso-O’Callaghan, 2003). According to Easterly (Andreosso-O’Callaghan, 2003) elite education does not lead to economic growth. If ability is seen as innate, it means that the majority of the people who are not included in the elite will not be able to use their full potential. This is a great social loss, and might slow down India’s future long-term economic growth (Esteve- Volart, 2004; Klasen, 2002; Rao ; Varghese, 2009). For example, in China, mass education has been the key to a fast growing economy (Andreosso-O’Callaghan, 2003). Chatterji (2008) claims that primary education has the highest correlation with economic growth in India, secondary education have some effect and tertiary education being insignificant to economic growth. The reason Chatterji (2008) came to that conclusion might be the debated â€Å"surplus of education† in the media. India supplied domestic labor market with 22 million graduates (2009) and faced high youth unemployment rates (Rao Varghese, 2009). However, Tilak (2007) disagrees. According to him higher education has a significant effect on economic growth, but it is not as strong as the effects of primary and secondary education on economic growth in India. Female education in India As mentioned above approximately 18. 5 million were out of school in the year of 2000, almost 75 percent of these children were girls9. Out of 5 million children out of school in 2007, 3. 5 million were girls. The data indicates that ratio is still approximately the same. In year 2007 the expected years of education for women and men respectively was 10. 9 for males and 9. 8 for females. However, this was not reflected on the average years of schooling in 2010. The mean years of schooling for girls over the age of 15 were approximately 4. 5 years and about 7 years for boys (World Bank, 2012). 10 Figure 1: Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance (World Bank Database, 2012). As can be seen in figure 1, gross female school enrollment11 rate has increased for all levels in India between 1990 and 2010. The highest increase has been in primary education after the millenium and forward. The high percentage rate of female enrollment rate in primary schooling might be an indication that women in all ages are enrolling in school, independent from appropriate primary schooling age in the country. This might be due to an increase in informal schooling, which will be reviewed later in the paper. Secondary schooling is spiriling up as well, which might be due to an increase of the middle class in India. However, tertiary education does not have as high increase in enrollment as primary and secondary schooling. This might as well be due to an increase of the middle class. You read "Female Education and Economic Growth" in category "Papers" Females staying at home is a sign of financial stability (Duraisamy, 2001), therefore the incentives to enroll in tertiary education might decrease. Figure 2: When figure 1, is compared to figure 2, which shows the trends for male schooling in India between 1990-2010, it is possible to see that the gap between male and female enrollment is closing. In the beginning of 1990 almost 110 percent of males were enrolled in primary schooling, whilst only 80 percent of females were enrolled in the same level. In 2010 the enrollment for males and females is almost the same. This might be because of subsidies for girls, but also that informal schooling which first of all targets females and the poor has showed results. The enrollment for male secondary schooling has slightly increased during the last two decades, while the female secondary enrollment significantly has increased. This might be due to the facts mentioned for primary schooling, as well as completion of primary schooling and therefore the ability to move on to the next level of schooling. The increase of the middle class might also be a reason for this. Tertiary schooling is moving in the same pace more or less both for males and females, slightly more males than females join higher education. Which might be an indicator that the most bright ones, or with the most money have the ability to join, independent of gender. It is also important to mention the states hard work since the 1960’s to make its inhabitants see the positive sides with education, working hard for families to see the benefits of schooling for girls. A woman’s socioeconomic background might affect the level of completion rate. If a family is poor, one rather invests in sons than daughters (Chaudhri Jha, 2011; World Bank, 1997). Women from the middle class in the majority of cases finish at least primary education, irrespectively if they live in rural or urban area. Women from the upper class in the urban areas, usually have at least secondary education, and more often can chose if they want to become a part of the labor force or not. There are few or no social barriers prohibiting them from joining the labor market (World Bank, 1997). Duraisamy (2001) came to the conclusion that female education has a positive rate of return for all levels of education in India. World Bank (1997) came to the same conclusion, but only when participation in the labor market was not accounted. One reason for this might be that majority of women do not work after finishing school but become stay at home mothers. Therefore education for women might not give the same economic return on the investment compared to men who join the labor force and therefore contribute to increased income per capita. This finding might be questioned due to exclusions of positive externalities mentioned earlier in the paper. Before continuing on and reviewing the impacts of female education on economic growth through a decline in fertility rate and increase in human capital, it is important to clarify the diversity in India. In the 1990s some states had almost universal education, such as the southern state of Kerala. In Kerala, both men and women can choose whether to join the labor force or not. In other parts of the country, such as states of Bihar and Rajasthan, overall female enrollment was about 50 percent. In Punjab on the other hand, an agricultural state in the north, overall female enrollment was almost 80 percent, but labor participation for women was extremely low (World Bank, 1997; World Bank, 2004). Female education’s effect on fertility rate in India Dreze and Murthi (2001) argue that female education together with low mortality rate and low son- preference are the only significant factors reducing fertility rate in India. They add that modernization and urbanization, poverty reduction and male literacy have no significant association with reduced fertility rate. On a national level, a drop in fertility rate reduces population growth and therefore increases income per capita. A lower mortality rate is indirectly affected by female education. According to the World Bank (1997; 2004) literate women have more knowledge about how to feed their children; they grasp the importance of hygiene and clean water, and know more about a child’s basic health. This decreases child mortality, and therefore women does not have to plan for as many children (Dreze and Murthi, 2001; Yadava Chadney, 1994). Figure 3: Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance (World Bank Database, 2012). Figure 4: Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance (World Bank Database, 2012). In figure three and four one can view that fertility rate and mortality rate have decreased significantly in the last 20 years. Majority of the scholars such as Klasen (2002) claim that only secondary female education has a direct effect on reducing fertility rate while primary education has an indirect effect in reducing fertility rate through reducing mortality rate for children under the age of five. Comparing figures one, two and three one can comprehend that it might be true. Mortality rate has had a higher percentage decrease than fertility rate and primary female enrollment is higher than secondary. There is a strong son-preference in India. Parents might continue to have children until they get a son. A weaker son-preference could decrease the fertility rate by eight percent (Dreze and Murthi, 2001; Chaudhri Jha, 2011; Esteve-Volart, 2004; Mutharayappa, Choe, Arnold Roy, 1997; Yadava Chadney, 1994). Some argue that modernization did not show to have any direct effect on fertility rate in India but might lower son-preference indirectly through female education. However, this might not only be true for female education solely, but for education in general as well (Dreze Murthi, 2001; Yadava Chadney, 1994). 13 In India, female secondary education has a stronger direct effect in reducing fertility rate, than primary education. An educated woman might not desire as many children as an uneducated one. They also have a higher probability to give birth to as many children as desired. Thus, the actual family size has a higher chance to be close to the desired. This indicates to an increased knowledge of contraception use and that educated women marry later than uneducated ones. The income and substitution effect both occur in India, as explained above (Dreze Murthi, 2004). In 1994 in Gujarat, women with no education had 3. 6 children, mothers with primary education had 3. 3 children, and women who had completed secondary school had 2. 4 children. In Rajasthan the fertility rate in 1991 was 6, and in Kerala the fertility rate the same year was 2. 6. The rate of female enrollment in these states was very different, from almost universal in Kerala to less than 50 percent in Rajasthan (Mutharayappa, Choe, Arnold Roy, 1997; World Bank 1997; 2004). 14 It is commonly believed that poverty has a significant positive effect on fertility rate. As mentioned earlier, Dreze and Murthi (2001) have not found any association between poverty and fertility rate in India. Studies have shown that parents do not view children as financial assets. Instead they are seen as a financial burden in short-term, with a possibility that sons will take care of them in old age. This perception in India seems to be independent of income. Female education’s effect on human capital in India After China, India has the second largest labor force in the world, of approximately 500 million people (Rao ; Varghese, 2009; Sahoo ; Kumar Dash, 2009). This is a possible foundation for high productivity and therefore economic growth. However, if the population is unhealthy, illiterate and uneducated then the large population might not translate into a high human capital. In India, where majority of the mothers stay at home, they are the ones taking care of children’s health needs (Esteve-Volart, 2004). There has been shown, not only in India, but in the whole world, that mothers who are literate have more nurtured and healthier children, than their illiterate counterpart (Tembon Fort, 2008). Therefore female education has shown to be both directly (through women joining the labor force) and indirectly related to a higher human capital, hence higher economic growth. Good health and nutrition received in early age is an important condition for good health as an adult. For example, in India, vaccination against polio and malaria increases when a mother is educated to some extent (World Bank 1997). However the causality between female education and better health and attainment in school can be questioned. The poorest women have the least access to education in India, and therefore do not have access to financial assets as educated women might have. Healthy children facilitate mother’s ability to go back to paid or un-paid work much faster than women who have unhealthy children (World Bank, 1997; 2004). This means that the opportunity cost of female education for girls decrease, if mothers and siblings are healthier. This might increase female enrollment, and decrease drop-out rate among girls. Therefore, an increase in knowledge of basic health due to female education increases human capital in more than one way (Esteve-Volart, 2004; Rao ; Varghese, 2009). In the majority of cases, fathers join the labor market while mothers stay at home, especially in rural areas. In India there is a positive relation between educated mothers and their children’s achievements in school. Studies have shown that a mother’s education increases not only the health and therefore concentration level of a child in school, but also the motivation and grades. Once again we can see that educated mothers have positive effects on their daughters. Educated mothers, especially in urban areas, encourage their daughters more often to strive for a higher education, than uneducated ones (World Bank, 2004). Policies that promote female education in India The Indian government has been working hard since the late 1960s to be able to give universal education to its population (Duraisamy, 2001; Tilak, 2006). It is not the easiest task in India where the population grew from approximately 890 million in 1991 to over 1. billion in 2010. The hardest ones to reach are the Dalit15 girls. Indian government has tried to increase the demand for education for them through subventioning the direct costs of their education, for example text books and uniforms (Ferry, 2008;Munshi ; Rosenzweig, 2006). 16 A project that started in the 1980s in India was informal schooling. The purpose was and is mass education for those who had the least possibilities to enter form al schooling and provide basic knowledge in subjects that students can use in their everyday life. These schools reduce opportunity cost of female education through having schools closer to communities in rural areas and during the day when girls do not have to be involved in household work. There are many positive effects of informal schooling, which are similar to those of primary education. However, the national institute of educational planning and administration reported that the informal education had several weaknesses, especially in the poorest areas in the country like Bihar. It was said to be underfunded, curriculum was thought by unmotivated teachers and few children continued with formal education (World Bank, 1997). Studies made in urban Mumbai shows that some girls from former casteless groups, the Dalits, have been the biggest winners. These women used free education offered to them and became active members of the labor market and have taken themselves out of the poverty trap. In contrast to women from the middle class who might not have been able to do so because of the social norms (Ferry, 2008). In summation, the key factor for long-term economic growth in India is a decrease in fertility rate. The proof that female education affects economic growth through fertility rate reflects findings of Dreze and Murthi (2001) who argue that the only factors which decrease fertility rate in India are female education, low mortality rate and low son-preference. It is also proven that female education has both direct and indirect effect on human capital which creates effect on economic growth as well. Obstacles for female education in India are mainly related to social and cultural norms, as well as a high population. How to cite Female Education and Economic Growth, Papers

Dr Faustus as a Tragic Hero Essay Example For Students

Dr Faustus as a Tragic Hero Essay Doctor Faustus as a tragic hero Doctor Faustus is the most famous play of Christopher Marlowe and this play alone has perhaps made that his name will be mortal in the history of English literature and English drama. This play shows that he was of high skilled as a playwright and he could write very good drama. It is a tragedy of Doctor Faustus that is the main point of this play. Before moving on further, we should discuss about the definition of a tragic hero. A tragic hero is obviously a hero of a tragedy drama. However, this is not enough. Perhaps the first tragic hero in history of drama is Oedipus in ‘Oedipus Rex’ of Sophocles. There we could find that Oedipus in the end suffers tragic consequence but he was higher than ordinary people. This matter is very important. A hero of the tragedy should not be an ordinary man but should be some higher and extra ordinary. He is exceptional than other people. From this point of view, perhaps we can say that Doctor Faustus is a good example of tragic hero. If we look at the opening scene then we will notice that he was unhappy because he grew tired of life. He was a scholar and he wanted new knowledge. He got all the knowledge but except black magic. He realized that he did not have all the knowledge and there was something missing. So, he sought the new knowledge and he was not afraid of it. He was also not afraid of anything a deal with Lucifer and Mephistopheles. After Doctor Faustus could make a deal with Mephistopheles then he started to enjoy all the knowledge but the main problem is that instead of gaining more knowledge, he became hungry for power. He wanted to be the boss of everyone and he wanted that other obey him. This is the thing that ultimately leads him into the tragedy. This is the thing that perhaps also takes away the sympathy from the audience. I think that the main problem of Doctor Faustus is that he was proud and he was greedy. Although, he was thirsty for knowledge but in his character, there was a mixture of knowledge and power both. He was not happy along with knowledge but he wanted to become the dominant person. That is why, I think that his tragic flow was pride and thirst. He was also very proud and not satisfied with the things he got. His pride makes him abnormal and this way he wanted to make a deal with the devil despite knowing after a certain period of time his soul will be captured and he will suffer eternal damnation. The last scene perhaps disappoints the audience because there we can find that Doctor Faustus hopeless and desperate. He wanted to get back his belief on god and Jesus Christ. He regretted a lot why he made the deal with Lucifer. He perhaps wanted another chance from god. It is clear that if he got another chance or opportunity from god then he would not waste it and he would denounced Lucifer and come back into the way of god. I think that Doctor Faustus is a renaissance tragic hero. Like many other people in renaissance time, he had the desire to go beyond the limit of knowledge and religion. He also challenged religion but in the end he could not win over religion. The struggle between religion and the new class of educated people who were secular by nature is perhaps the main theme of renaissance. Thus, I think that Doctor Faustus was a renaissance tragic hero. Dr. Faustus the protagonist of Christopher Marlowes great tragedy can be considered as a tragic hero similar to the other tragic characters such as Oedipus or Hamlet. Dr. Faustus who sells his soul to Lucifer in exchange of twenty four years of knowledge ought to have some special features in order to be considered as a tragic hero. But first of all let me present Aristotles definition of a Tragic hero and then I will elaborate on each element in relation to the tragedy of Dr. Faustus. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero evokes both our pity and terror because he is neither good nor thoroughly bad but a mixture of both; this tragic effect will be stronger if the hero is better than we are. Such a hero suffers from a change of happiness to misery because of his mistaken choice which is led by his hamarcia (error of judgment). The tragic hero stands against his fate or the gods to demonstrate his power of free will. He wants to be the master of his own fate. He decides to make decisions but mostly the decision making would lead to weakness or his own downfall. Now according to Aristotles definition of a tragic hero it is time to elaborate on the clues in details in order to conclude that Dr. Faustus can also be a tragic hero according to following reasons: Firstly because Dr. Faustus as a tragic hero evokes our pity. We feel some form of connection with him because he has a sense of realism. Dr. Faustus makes mistakes which can be also all human condition. He wants to gain more knowledge that is also another part of human condition to learn and understand more. We sympathize with Dr. Faustus because his feelings are similar to other human beings at the end we really want him to repent in order to change his fate radically. We sympathize with him at the end of the drama when it is time for a farewell to his soul. Although he has done many faults but we really want God not to be so fierce towards a human being. He desires: O soul, be changed to little water drops And fall into the ocean. Nere be found. My God, my God, look not so fierce on me! Act V, Scene ii: lines 180-182) Secondly because Dr. Faustus is a well-known and prosperous character, so the reader notices to his reputation as a well-respected scholar inevitably. In Act I, Scene i ; he calls for his servants and students in his speech about various fields of scholar ship which suggests him to be a prosperous intellectual. Philosophy is odious and obscure, Both law and physic ar e for petty wits, Divinity is basest of the three, Unpleasant, harsh, contemptible, and vile; Tis magic, magic that hath ravished me. ( Act I, Scene i: lines 107-111 ) His reputation as a scholar has been mentioned both in the beginning and at the end. It is one of the clues to present Dr. Faustus as a tragic hero so that the readers would be able to sympathize with him throughout the whole drama. In the closing lines the scholars put emphasis on this aspect more when they lament about their respectful professors death. Yet for he was a scholar once admired For wondrous knowledge in our German schools, Well give his mangled limbs due burial; And all the students, clothed in mourning black, Shall wait upon his heavy funeral. (Act V, Scene iii: Lines 14-19) Thirdly because Dr. Faustus mistaken choice, exchange of his soul to Lucifer, results in his downfall. His agreement with the devil blinds him in choosing between right and wrong. In the opening speech, in Act I, Faustus tells that he is skillful in different sciences but he wants to know more. FAUSTUS. How am I glutted with conceit of this! Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please, Resolve me of all ambiguities, Perform what desperate enterprise I will? Ill have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl, And search all corners of the new-found world For pleasant fruits and princely delicates; Ill have them read me strange philosophy, And tell the secrets of all foreign kings; Ill have them wall all Germany with brass, And make swift Rhine circle fair Witttenberg; Ill have them fill the public schools with silk, Wherewith the students shall be bravely clad; Ill levy soldiers with the coin they bring, And chase the Prince of Parma from our land, And reign sole king of all the provinces; Yea, stranger engines for the brunt of war, Than was the fiery keel at Antwerp-bridge, Ill make my servile spirits to invent. Act I, scene i: lines 79-98 ) Actually the desire for learning is part of human nature but he chooses the wrong way without some sense of guilt. His hasty desire for power and honor did not allow him to repent. He was so confused that he couldnt decide on following the ways of God or the path of Lucifer. Fourthly because Dr. Faustus wanted to support his own plot to make his own decision. This aspect of his character was as a result of the Renaissance period, unlike the medieval period, the dominance of fate upon human life became as a matter of ignorance. It was time for secular matters. Endangered Species Study: Jaguars EssayThis aspect of the tragic hero of Doctor Faustus in relation to the audience and readers may vary. There may be some who do pity Faustus, while other may feel no pity for this character. The same can be said of the characters Oedipus and Hamlet. Several people may feel sympathy for these two characters, while others won’t sympathize with these characters. This aspect and feature is part of the human condition and adds to the realism of the character and of the play. It is impossible to like or sympathize with everyone 1Dr faustus as a targic hero There are different views of Dr. Faustus. There may be different or varying ways of looking at certain characters and revealing them as a certain type of character. In Christopher Marlowe’s play Doctor Faustus, the main character, Doctor Faustus, could be described and revealed as a tragic hero, similarly to other tragic characters, such as Sophocles’ Oedipus and Shakespeare’s Hamlet may also be described as such. There are different features and characteristics, which would make these characters be considered as tragic heroes rather than another type of character. One of the features that characterize a tragic hero is that this type of character â€Å"will mistakenly bring his own downfall†, (McManus) which is referred to as â€Å"hamartia†. In Marlowe’s play, the main character, Faustus, brings his own downfall by the end of the story. In his opening speech, in Act 1 Scene 1, Faustus tells and explains the audience and the readers that he has skilled himself in law, medicine and divinity, but he wants to know more than what he knows and also know more about other things. This aspect of Faustus, his curiosity to learn and know more, may be thought of as part of the human condition and human nature and isn’t something that is seen as wrong in our society. Read more in National  «Ã‚  Greek Drama Amusing Stories Behind the 12 Words of Indian Origin That Made It to the Oxford Dictionary  Ã‚ » However, this aspect also blinds Faustus from a sense of reason and right from wrong. This eventually leads the main character of Doctor Faustus to make an agreement with the devil, which results in Faustus’ downfall. This aspect of Faustus’ character and personality is similar to Oedipus, in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. Oedipus’ pride blinds him from seeing truth, reason, as well as the difference from right and wrong, which leads to and results in the character’s downfall and to the main character of Sophocles’ play, Oedipus, stabbing his eyes out. This feature will lead to the characteristic and fact that, by doing these mistakes or â€Å"flaws†, the tragic heroes are doomed from the beginning and the audience and readers know the fate of these characters is sealed. And for the tragic hero be just that, a tragic hero or tragic character, this type of character has to be doomed from the beginning of the play, but doesn’t hold any responsibility for possessing his flaw or fault. This may be seen in Faustus. From the beginning of the play, from the time that he tells the audience and readers that he wants to acquire more knowledge and especially when he signs the, the audience and readers may that Faustus is doomed to have a less than perfect and happy ending. Much like Faustus, Oedipus’ fate is sealed when he refuses to see the truth, even when it’s standing right in front of him. Though these two tragic heroes may feel some sense of guilt about their actions, neither Faustus nor Oedipus seem feel some sense of guilt or responsibility of their flaw. A third feature or characteristic that the tragic hero should have is that â€Å"he protagonist should be renowned and prosperous†. (McManus) The audience and readers may witness and see this characteristic in the main character of Doctor Faustus. Early on in the play, the audience and readers knows that Faustus is well renowned and with some reputation. Over the course of the play, there are several people, mainly three scholars, talk about Faustus, his knowledge, and such aspects of this character. The audience and readers may see some signs of prosperity in Faustus. In Act 1 Scene 1, Faustus calls in his servant and student, which reveal not only that Faustus is prosperous, but also renown. The reason for this is that people at this time wanted to send their children study would to well known people. It could also be said that Oedipus and Hamlet are also prosperous and renown. Oedipus is king of Thebes, which leads the readers and audience to assume that he is fairly prosperous. The readers and audience may also assume that he is renown, because the citizens of Thebes come to Oedipus, when the city is attacked with plague, in the prologue. Hamlet is a prince, which also may lead us to suggest that he is fairly prosperous and successful. A fourth feature and aspect involving the tragic hero is that this character must support the plot of the story, which is similar to many other protagonists. This may be easily seen with Faustus, in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. It is Faustus’ actions, which seem to lead and direct the plot and the entire story of the play. This is the same situation with Oedipus and Hamlet, in Oedipus Rex and Hamlet. Both Oedipus and Hamlet are tragic heroes, who both lead and guide the story and its plot. This may be also part of and applied to the human life, as most of us make our own decisions and lead and drive our own lives, much like Faustus, Oedipus, and Hamlet guide the plays they are in. A fifth feature, which is attributed to the tragic hero, is that the main character must be realistic or present some sense of realism. This may help the audience and readers relate to the character. This aspect of the tragic hero is meant for the audience to relate to or feel some form of connection with the characters and the story of the play. Faustus does have a certain sense of realism to him. For one, the main character of the play Doctor Faustus makes mistakes, which is part of the human condition and is something that every human being does. This also adds to a sense of realism to Faustus. This is the same for Oedipus and Hamlet, who also both make mistakes. There is also the fact that Faustus wants to acquire more knowledge, which adds to the realism of the play. Acquire knowledge is another aspect that is part of the human condition. Learning and understanding more and more subjects and obtaining more knowledge is part of how we can grow and evolve as human beings, as individuals and as a society. This sense of realism in the tragic hero may introduce pity. This is a crucial aspect to the tragedy genre. If the audience and the readers pity or sympathizes with the main character, this may lead to suggest that the audience and readers feel some form of connection with the hero of the play. In order for this to occur, the character must have some realistic features. This aspect of the tragic hero of Doctor Faustus in relation to the audience and readers may vary. There may be some who do pity Faustus, while other may feel no pity for this character. The same can be said of the characters Oedipus and Hamlet. Several people may feel sympathy for these two characters, while others won’t sympathize with these characters. This aspect and feature is part of the human condition and adds to the realism of the character and of the play. It is impossible to like or sympathize with everyone. These aspects are a few attributes and features that characterize a tragic hero. Most of these attributes may be applied to Faustus, as well as other tragic heroes, such as Hamlet and Oedipus. But, like every human being and characters that exist, these three tragic heroes aren’t perfect and do make mistakes. Read more: http://writinghood. com/literature/national/faustus-as-a-tragic-hero/#ixzz0xy75wB00