Faust
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
Faust: The Man Who Had Everything and Nothing Based on narrative aspects from earlier works, including a segment from the Book of Acts as well as popular legends, Goethe wrote Faust, Parts I and II, over a period of 60 years. Of the two sections, Part I is more popular and widely read. In a scene reminiscent of the Book of Job, God and Satan (called Mephistopheles) in Goethe's work, discuss the fate of humankind. God contends that humans can be saved as long as they strive. The scene then shifts to the dark study of Dr. Faust. By human standards, Faust has achieved all he can. He is a doctor of medicine, law and theology. Still, he is miserable. He laments that nothing in life is capable of bringing him pleasure. On this Easter's eve, Faust contemplates suicide. He eyes a poisonous liquid on the shelf in his study, and is about to drink it when he hears the neighboring church's choir heralding the dawn of Easter. While Faust is not a religious man, believing in neither heaven nor hell, the singing calms him as he thinks back upon a simpler time in his life. He resolves to live. The next day, Faust and his assistant Wagner stroll about on Easter Sunday. Near the end of their walk, Faust realizes a black Poodle is following them. The dog later enters Faust's study and growls at him as he attempts to translate a passage from the Gospel of John. Suddnely a form manifests itself and Mephistopheles appears. Mephistopheles promises to give Faust the pleasure he seeks, but he will have to pay with his soul. Faust does not believe that Mephistopheles can do anything for him (or to him), so he makes a pact and signs it in blood. From that point in the narrative, Faust and Mephistopheles travel about seeking pleasure. Faust meets a young maiden, Gretchen, who soon falls in love with him. Faust gives Gretchen's mother a potion to make her sleep (so they can be together), but the potion is too strong and Gretchen's mother dies. Gretchen becomes pregnant and her brother, Valentine, dies attempting to defend his sister's honor. Faust abandons Gretchen. Then, in her distress because of so many deaths, Gretchen drowns her baby in a pond. She is carried away to prison where she awaits execution by hanging. As Walpurgis Eve approaches (the last day in April), Mephistophes prepares to usher Faust into the highest degree of evil, after which he will claim his soul. When Faust dances with a witch, however, he is frightened by a red mouse that comes out of her mouth. Faust decides not to go through with the ceremony and he begins to long for Gretchen whose life he realizes he has destroyed. Faust and Mephistopheles travel to the prison where Gretchen is being held. They are able to see her and speak with her just before her execution. Faust wants Gretchen to escape with him, but, determined to pay her debt, she remains to receive her punishment. At the moment of her death, Mephistopheles fully expects to claim her soul, but the voice of God proclaims she is saved. Faust, Part I, ends at this point. Faust, Part II, continues with Faust's traveling all over the world to seek pleasure. At his death, Faust is redeemed. Faust's effort in life has purchased his salvation, and, once again, Mephistopheles is robbed of his prize.
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