Explain how irresolution becomes the dramatic strength of both Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Irresolution is the lack of
deciciveness or purposeiveness. Irresolution plagues Hamlet when he
cannot decide whether to believe in the ghost and act on the ghost's demand for revenge
or not. Irresolution plagues Doctor Faustus when he cannot
determine to break the shackles of Mephistopheles hold upon his soul and beseech God's
forgiveness regardless of the soul-wracking pain the attempt will bring
him

Dramatic
strength encompasses many elements of dramatic technique, not
the least of which are characterization, dialogue, plotting, diction and other devices,
and imagination. In short dramatic strength is measured by how
thoroughly no element(s) distracts from the effect of the drama or from the passion of
the play.

The irresolution that plagues both Hamlet and
Doctor Faustus adds dramatic strength in both Shakespeare's and Marlowe's play. In
Hamlet, Hamlet's irresolution is part of the rising action and
contributes to authentic turmoil and ingenious means by which to get at the truth of
Claudius's guilt, specifically the play within the play of Act III, scene
ii.

In Doctor Faustus, Faustus's
irresolution is part of the falling action and leads right into the resolution. In this
phase of the play, his irresolution adds to the painful suspense of "Will he? Won't he?"
which builds a cathartic anguished feeling in the audience when it is seen that Faustus
does not withstand the pain and confess to God.

Thus it can
be seen that in both plays, irresolution,
though used in different places and for different purposes, produces dramatic
strength in characterization; in passionate feeling; in plotting; and in the
unity of dramatic elements.