Why is Gretchen considered a tragic figure in Faust?

In Johann Goethe’s Faust, the character of Gretchen is a tragic figure because she causes the death of her baby. Ironically, she is caught up in a sequence of damaging actions not because she is evil but because she is good. It is her basic goodness and purity that contribute to her undoing and the child’s death. Compounding the tragedy is her brother’s death while trying to avenge her. Goethe suggests that shielding people from the harsh ways of the world is not effective. Her innate goodness is undermined by her ignorance, as she lacks the ability to formulate adequate defenses against a man who is backed by infernal forces.

Goethe may imply that there is an element of pride in Gretchen’s fall. Her confidence that she would not give in to temptation may have led to her underestimating Faust’s power. Once she succumbs to seduction, her problems quickly snowball. She is open to further transgressions, such as despair, that lead her to rash actions. While Goethe leaves it somewhat ambiguous whether she actually murdered her child, she is clearly responsible for the baby’s death. Gretchen remains a tragic character because she does not become fully evil. Her guilt and remorse prompt her to reject Faust’s offer of help as she finally manages to free herself from his hold.

Discuss Gretchen's characterization and function in Faust.

The character of Gretchen in Johann Goethe’s Faust goes from being a pure young woman who is innocent of worldly ways to a fallen woman who is guilty of committing numerous sins. These transgressions lead to her disgrace and even a death sentence, as well as the deaths of others. The serious consequences of her unfortunate choices serve to remind the audience of both the difficulty and the importance of staying on a straight and narrow path. Gretchen stands for the innately flawed character of all females, as she succumbs to temptation in the form of male seduction.

In many ways, Gretchen can be seen as Faust’s polar opposite. Being sheltered from social ills, she falls into temptation. Faust, in contrast, actively seeks things—especially the magical dark arts—because he knows they are forbidden to him and to all humans. She shows that she is fully human as she embraces carnal knowledge, whereas Faust tries to place himself above other humans.

The depths to which Gretchen falls as a result of her sexual indiscretion may indicate Goethe’s severe assessment of female honor. The virtue she initially embodies is inadequate to protect her. Her character’s weakness in not resisting male sexual power seems to characterize all females’ frailty. The seriousness of her lapses is confirmed as they ultimately lead to the death of a truly innocent creature, her baby, as well as that of her noble brother. Gretchen’s story suggests the importance of female chastity.