Nietzschean Conceptualization of the 'Renaissance Man' in Hamlet and Doctor Faustus - Elixir Literature 91 (2016)

Aug 20, 2026

The Renaissance in sixteenth-century Europe drove major cultural, economic, artistic, and literary transformations, shaping English literature under influential master figures such as Shakespeare and Marlowe. A comparative study examines Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus through a Nietzschean lens, using six fundamental Nietzschean concepts to interpret the notion of the Renaissance Man. The analysis highlights moral implications grounded in the plays, emphasizing how life’s ups and downs and the heroes’ jeopardies convey meaning for readers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time14 min

AccessFree to download

Prologue

Preamble

Research Enquiry

The Concept of Renaissance Man

[Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com](Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com) (Elixir International Journal) Literature Elixir Literature 91 (2016) 38392-38400 Nietzschean Conceptualization of the 'Renaissance Man' in Hamlet and Doctor Faustus Masoud Shahnazari 1 and Hassan Shahabi, Ph.D. Department of English, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran. ARTICLE INFO | Article history :
Received: 11 December 2015; Received in revised form:
09 February 2016;
Accepted: 13 February 2016; | | --- | | Keywords | | Renaissance,
Hamlet,
Doctor Faustus,
Nietzsche, Comparative Study, Renaissance Man. | ABSTRACT Sixteenth century Europe is widely recognized by the word Renaissance which made an enormous evolution in cultural, economic, artistic and literary aspects of that age. British literature in particular went under the influence of masterpieces of great men like William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe who injected a generous motif to the literary canon of that time. By establishing a peculiar research on the side of the heroes of the two plays i.e. Shakespeare's Hamlet and Marlowe's Faustus, we come to face with the emergence of novel characters who are in need of more precision. In this direction, Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical thoughts come in handy to researcher's attempt to apply a critical reading of the two plays in a comparative manner in order to shed light on the deep levels of the groundwork of these two plays. For doing so, six fundamental concepts taken out of Nietzsche's theories are being observed along the context of the works each of which though might meet in a number of overlaps, represent the complicated concept of Renaissance Man with a critical and metaphoric perspective. Finally, the outcome is captured as was the ultimate goal of the researcher: a moral implication perceived on the literary basis of the two plays. Without considering any biased tendency towards a specific author or critic, the extracted concepts of the works rely on Nietzsche's enlightenments by expressing life's various ups and downs and by manifesting the outcomes of such jeopardies happened to the heroes which directly target the literary reader on how to supply the eternal pace of life as the mere meaning of humanity. © 2016 Elixir all rights reserved. 1. Prologue 1.1. Preamble Sixteenth century marks the high watermark of English literary accomplishment. Just in a short period of time, the whole situation of people flourished. Rediscoveries of classical manuscripts led to a new and improved period of artworks. At this period the medieval west was transformed into the modern western civilization, greatest pieces of art came out that the whole world has never witnessed before. This period later in 19th century was named the Renaissance, and as the famous historian Paul Johnson explained, "The Renaissance was primarily a human event, propelled forward by a number of individuals of outstanding talent, in some cases amounting to genius" (17) . A collection of geniuses, tobe called, made the Renaissance a true historical phenomenon. It was in the Renaissance age that biased religious thoughts started to decline and people felt a freer and less limited life. Moreover, education, technology and rhetorical knowledge was expanded and medical science and the living environment surpassed those of the Middle Ages. Great men of literature flourished in this era; Edmund Spenser, Sir Philip Sidney, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare and John Milton are among the most brilliant examples. Those whose enchanting rhetoric and literary wit were and will be never repeated in any other period of history. Neither has any other age in Western and specifically in English civilization observed such a revolutionary glorification in art, culture, literature, science and lifestyle. Obviously there are thousands of researches and critiques on any work of art done in this period

FAQs

What is the main focus of this comparative research?

The study focuses on applying Nietzsche’s philosophical concepts to interpret Renaissance Man in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus.

How does the article connect Nietzsche’s ideas to the plays?

It observes six fundamental concepts drawn from Nietzsche’s theories within the context of the two works to shed light on their Renaissance Man implications.

What conclusion does the research claim to reach about the plays?

The outcome emphasizes moral implications based on the literary basis of both plays, aiming to address the reader’s understanding of humanity’s meaning through life’s challenges.

Aug 20, 2026

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