-
Essay / Conflicting Value Systems in Everyman, Dr. Faustus and...
Conflicting Value Systems in Everyman, Dr. Faustus and HamletConflicting value systems are always present, especially when death is involved. Thus, in the tragedies of Everyman, Doctor Faustus and Hamlet, there are many conflicts to be faced. These include personal moral conflicts with individual characters in the plays as well as opposing values between the different characters in the play. Conflicting value systems can even extend to how the audience interprets the play as well as the beliefs and culture of the time. In Everyman, we can see that the character “Everyman” faces a moral dilemma as God calls Everyman offering death to take him as his. own. This creates conflicting value systems. The first is whether everyone should accompany death. O miserable caitiff, whither shall I flee to escape this endless sorrow? (l.171-2) Here everyone is wondering whether or not they should go with death. He finds it very difficult to make a mental decision. The Everyman piece is about whether he will make the right decisions. The other question is about Everymans friends. Should they go with Everyman? That's really a question. The promise is a duty; but and I should undertake such a journey upon myself, I well know, it should be to my sorrow; and that also scares me for sure. (l.248-9) Here, the Fellowship refuses to participate in Everymans' journey, although he feels ashamed and weak to do so. Kindred, Goods, Knowledge, Confession, Beauty, Strength, Discretion and Five-Wits also refuse to join Everyman, after facing a personal moral conflict. The whole of Everyman consists of dramatic conflicts and abstract arguments as Everyman fights for his soul. This is called Psycho Machia. This means that middle of paper...... how to do it best is when society often causes conflict by taking different points of view. Tragedy, however, does not mean that evil always wins. Sometimes good outweighs bad.BibliographyAnonymous Everyman in ed. Worthen, WB (1996) The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 2nd ed., Texas: Harcourt BraceGillie, C (1977) Longman Companion to English Literature, London: LongmanJump, J (1962) Introduction to Marlowe, Christopher Doctor Faustus, Kent: Methuen Marlowe, Christopher Doctor Faustus in ed. Worthen, W. B. (1996) The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 2nd ed., Texas: Harcourt BraceShakespeare, William Hamlet in ed. Worthen, WB (1996) The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 2nd ed., Texas: Harcourt BraceWynne-Davis, Marion (1989) The Bloomsbury Guide to English Literature, London: Bloomsbury