Goethe: The Tragedy of Faust

welcome in this session of our instant expert series we will review the dramatic epic poem Faust by the German philosopher Goethe the story of Faust which has as its basic theme the consequences of selling one's soul to the devil is a theme explored in many works before and after this famous version in the story of Faust a frustrated scholar promises his soul to the devil if the devil can give him happiness on earth there was an actual dr. Faust who lived in Germany in the late 1400s and he's the source of these legends he was reportedly interested in the occult and he's been dramatized since the 1500s until our own times we still see horror movies created in the name of dr. Faust but the first play about him was written in 1593 by Christopher Marlowe will look at Goethe's version soon but first let's review Goethe's life the life of one of Western cultures most renowned thinkers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in Frankfurt in 1749 his family was prosperous but hardly conventional Goethe's father was a successful lawyer who had a melancholy and perfectionist nature as Goethe was the only surviving son he lost five siblings in childhood and had one living sister his father put all his hopes on the boy Goethe's mother was closer an age to Goethe them to her husband she was a cheerful and intelligent woman who loved storytelling in history she was also fluent in foreign languages as Goethe came to be Goethe and his sister grew up in a big old house with lots of nooks and places to hide there were many books for the children to read especially the classics and they were imaginative children encouraged in their fantasies by their mother and their father who was a geography buff and like to plan imaginary trips for the family the household also included grandparents servants and guests who were among the most prominent people of the time Goethe was highly unusual even in toddlerhood he had a love of beauty that was so intense he would become very upset at the sight of ugliness he refused once to play with a child who was slightly deformed Goethe's extreme emotions continued throughout his childhood and lessons when he frequently fell in love with intense ardor his opinionated maturity kept him from fitting in although he was loved by those who appreciated his intelligence and charm at his father's insistence Goethe went to law school in another city in rebellion against the strict legal curriculum he led an overactive social life but his in temperate habits came to an end when Goethe got seriously ill and had to spend two unpleasant years convalescing at home after that Goethe went to the University of Strasbourg to finish law school once again he had an active social and romantic life when he finished his studies he returned to Frankfort to practice law he also started to write and achieved his first literary recognition in 1773 with a play he followed that with a novel many poems and critical essays in 1775 got to move to the city of Aimar where he lived until his death here in vimar Goethe had a prestigious political career under the patronage of a young Duke in time he became a nobleman and added prestige to his writing career despite Curtiss unusual personality he achieved public importance in politics which added to his fame in 1786 Goethe took a long trip to Italy as it has for so many people throughout the centuries Italy made a profound difference in Goethe's life its tremendous physical beauty touched him deeply for two years he savored all that Italy had to offer especially its art and culture this exposure to classical art forms greatly influenced Curtiss work and after his trip to Italy the content and style of his writings changed we'll see this in Faust in the difference between parts 1 and 2 when Goethe went to Italy he left behind a long-term relationship with a married woman a relationship that had a maturing and expansive influence on Goethe's writings when he returned from his trip go to develop new relationships and a new romance with the young and childlike Christiana food views they had a son and after almost 20 years of being lovers they married in 1806 throughout his life Goethe was very productive in his literary output he wrote plays novels poetry and an autobiography he also kept a hurry and many of his letters were saved and collected his interests also included directing plays and playing musical instruments after his return from Italy Goethe who'd always been somewhat isolated became increasingly so as he took an interest in science and conducting scientific experiments he may also have been unhappy living in Germany compared to the beauty of Italy he became more and more skeptical about society and religion although Goethe loved the Bible he questioned traditional Christian religious ideas from his childhood this questioning continued throughout his life just as it was reflected in the German religious quarrels at that time this era in Germany as in other parts of Europe was marked by Protestant Reformation and conflict in the Catholic Church Goethe believed in God but like many of the great thinkers found much to criticize in organized religion although Goethe began Faust in 1769 he didn't finish it until the year of his death 1832 but he published the first part of Faust in 1808 by that time Goethe was recovering from a serious illness and was less and less involved with his life in politics and even in personal socializing he also wrote other poetry during these years poetry that was considered among his best in the same year that Goethe published the first part of Faust Napoleon visited Germany and met him Napoleon who considered go to the greatest German dramatic poet of the time said at that meeting there as a man Goethe was almost 60 at this point and indeed quite a man of letters and philosophy in his native country Goethe's old age was a time of physical and emotional pain he had always been controversial and he was very lonely in his old age he became more and more reclusive and of course many of those near to him died Goethe worked on Faust until a few days before his death on March 20th 1832 it's important to understand something about the structure of Faust before we begin the story although Faust is called a play the ideas in it have greater significance than the dramatic action in some ways it's more like an epic poem there's also a constant sense of the supernatural as the devil accompanies the hero throughout the drama Goethe was said to have had an interest in the a cult and one of his grandparents was attributed with prophetic gifts but Goethe insisted there was nothing magical or occult about his play Faust Faust is a drama of ideas regarding the internal nature of heaven and hell and the personal experience of salvation or damnation that results from each individual's journey from meaning the main characters in Faust are dr. Faust a famous German scholar vogner Faust teaching assistant margarita an innocent young woman whom Faust falls in love with and meth estoppel ease the devil there's a dedication and a prelude to the play but neither relates to the play's action the failure however is an interesting bit of theatre because it contains three actors a director a poet and a comedian who discuss what a play really is in their perspectives considering that Goethe was a director as well as a playwright this is interesting material for theater lovers the play itself begins in heaven which is an immediate indication of the supernatural conflicts that are to follow we see God seated on a throne attended by angels one of these angels is the most famous fallen angel of all time mephistopheles mephistopheles asks permission to give a speech saying since you O Lord are here with us once more to ask how we are going on but the staff Elise says that his speech would probably make the Lord laughs if laughter weren't a thing you have forsworn he says that although the angels who sing God's praises insist that the universe is perfect he mephistopheles disagrees mephistopheles says that the universe is imperfect because man is still in a state of misery he further says that it's humanity's reasoning powers that make it miserable he says four things I find it boring to torment them God asks Memphis Napoles if he knows dr. Faust whom God refers to as his own servant the fact that God calls Faust his servant should tip mephistopheles off that God already knows Faustus allegiance Memphis Tov Elise says that indeed he does know dr. Faust and says what will you wager that you do not lose him the Lord agrees to make a bet with meThe estoppel ease he says that as long as Faust lives mephistopheles is free to try to gain his soul after stop police is thankful to deal with alive soul for a change and says frankly it's repelling to have so much to do with the deceased the wager between them is that whoever has control of Faust at the time of his death will get Faust soul the heavens close the angels leave and Memphis Napoles is alone he says to himself I like to see God now and then and take good care to keep relations civil with this prologue ended the dramatic action begins at night in dr. Faustus study he's a famous scholar of the 1500s and lives in a large city in Germany dr. Faust is alone and Restless at his desk despite his degrees and the range of disciplines he is studied he says that he knows nothing but the emptiness of what I teach he's even studied magic in his search for the secrets of the universe he picks up a book and says a distant land awaits me in this secret book from Nostradamus is very hand he's talking about the occult plastic by the Frenchman Nostradamus who is still publicized in sensational television shows today Faust opens the book to a universal symbol of the macrocosm a drawing of infinite order and harmony his mood changes and he says was it a God who made this mystic scroll to touch my spirits tumult with its healing he stares at the glowing symbol saying things in woven made to blend in oneness with the whole celestial powers who ever taken give transfixing all the world with harmony then he turns the pages and finds a symbol of the earth on looking at that he feels powerful and strong but then Faust says the lamp dies down a vapor grows red quivering dart round my head he grabs his book and makes a magic gesture a red flame shoots up and the spirit inside it speaks to Faust saying you have compelled me here are you that Faust whose challenge smoked my ears now a frightened worm but Faust insists he isn't afraid and the spirit describes his own life as God's Weaver a spirit whose work is to weave the webs of human consciousness the spirit says I apply on my wave with weaving motion birth and the grave a boundless ocean ceaselessly ion the warring loom of time the life that clothes the deity sublime this spirit invoked by Faust is God's costumer and Faust is enthralled to be in the company of such a worker for God he says that he feels like the spirit but the spirit tells Faust that he's not fit for such work saying you match the spirit that you comprehend not me he vanishes and Faustus dismayed he angrily says that if he cannot be on the same level as that spirit then damnation will be his master Faust is interrupted by a knock at the door Faust less than brilliant assistant vogner Bogner says that he overheard Faust and thought perhaps Faust was dis coursing on a topic that vogner could benefit from hearing about Faust annoyed at the interruption tells vogner that knowledge is more than simple recycles and book-learning he gives vogner a long talk on the shallowness of books and schoolwork then excuses himself because of the late hour vogner says that the day is Easter Sunday and leaves Faust alone thinks how foolish his assistant is but he's grateful that vogner interrupted his disillusioning talk with the spirit who'd left no doubt that Faust was much more immortal than a god Faust says to well i feel my kinship with the worm his eyes are drawn to a bottle of poison that seems to glow with the seduction of painless death he says i am ready to be free and prepares a deathly potion he wants to prove that he like the gods isn't afraid to die he raises his glass to drink and suddenly there's the sound of church bells and the choir of angels sings Christ is risen it's Easter Faust puts down the Goblet and says I hear but lacked the faith and yet the sound calls me to life again Earth's child I am again the chorus expose the praises of Christ's triumph over death singing love sets you free in the next scene people of all sorts walk outside the city gate that Easter Sunday afternoon Faust and Bogner joined them and Faust speaks of spring and the flowing streams that are now freed from winters eyes he compares the people around them to the risen Lord saying they are resurrected from hubble's and oppressive rooms and trades and guilds from streets that stifle crowds that crush from the dark churches cloistered hush Here I am man and claim man's element Faust is happy to be walking among humanity some people recognize and toast Faust is the doctor who helped them during a plague vogner thinks that such public acclaim must be sweet but Faust assisted his crude medicines probably killed as many people as they saved Faust expresses the basic duality that's tearing him apart he says that two souls are housed in his body one is governed by the senses while the other longs for spiritual beauty then Faust spots a little dog circling them in a web-like pattern and he says that the dogs tracks are traced with sparks the dog follows vogner and Faust home back in his room alone at night with the strange dog Faust talks about the pure awareness in his soul and the love of God that's been reawakened in him but then the dog starts to growl and as it becomes agitated Faust calmness is disturbed once again he becomes despondent he opens up the New Testament and works on a translation he says in the beginning was the word I wonder what is here inferred the thought the power the deed but the dog continues to whine and when Faust tells the dog to go the dog begins to change shapes Faust again participates in magic he recites a magic invocation and the dog starts to transform itself into different shapes and different animals as Faust experiments with different spells suddenly one of his spells takes hold the room shakes and the dog goes behind a stove then a mist comes from behind the stove and out of the mist steps mephistopheles the devil dressed as a scholar Faust laughs to see that the essence of the dog is a scholar and math estoppel EES complements Faust on his powers Faust asks Mephistophilis who he is and mefist awfully answers part of a power that would work evil but engenders good Epis top Elise says that he's a part of darkness and that darkness is a never-ending struggle with light they converse more that evening and the next day the devil strikes a bargain when Faust says that he curses the pain of life in this world of illusion mephistopheles makes him an offer he says he will be Faust slave on earth and bring him delight there if Faust will be his slave and death Faust agrees saying that if Malthus awfully can bring him pleasure on earth Malthus offal ease can have his soul meth estoppel ease insists on a written contract signed in Faust splud their agreement sealed Faust says I do not ask for joy he asks instead for the experiences of emotional and sensual excess Malthus offal ease spreads his magic cloak to take them to explore the world of pleasure the next scene is in a tavern where four men carouse and drink and sing and talk bluntly of sex and politics Faust and mephistopheles enter and Memphis Napoles says I bring you first where you can see convivial society the drinkers wonder who these strangers are and Malthus awfully Stokes that people sit next to the devil and don't even know it the two joined the men and Malthus Napoles is right at home as vulgar and insulting as anyone at the table the devil intoxicates the men by magically conjuring up their favorite drinks but when the drinks turn into flames the men draw their knives mephistopheles casts a spell on them and the drunks imagine they're in a beautiful land filled with grapes they grab at each other as if it grapevines and Memphis awfully is laughs and how foolish and animal-like humans are the next scene is a witch's kitchen where a family of monkeys tends a cauldron the place is filthy and Faust is revolted mephistopheles points out how much the monkeys are like people for the monkeys also believe that wealth can make them happy Faust looks in a magic mirror and sees a beautiful woman the devil says he can get Faust a woman that beautiful the witch enters and barely recognizes the devil without his horns and tail the devil tells her to make a potion for Faust so that he can win the woman he saw in the mirror after Faust finishes the drink the devil says in an aside to the audience a dose like that within your guts my boy and every other wenches Helen of Troy this is more than a figure of speech for Helen plays an important role later in the play the next scene finds us on a street in a German town Faust sees margarita a pure and lovely girl he boldly approaches her and asks if he can walk her home she properly refuses and exits mephistopheles enters and Faust says the girl go win her sir for me but Malthus awfully Zach's coy and says he doesn't know if he can obtain such an honorable and innocent girl Faust aroused by passion tells me pasta please that if the girl is not in his arms by midnight their pact will end Mephisto Felice says he needs two weeks to do it and he'll have to use magic to grant Faustus wishes next we see margarita alone in her room braiding her hair and wondering who the gallant gentleman was that spoke with her she leaves and methis awfully zan Faust enter Faust asks for a moment alone and he finds that his passion is overcome by a sweeter emotion he says this little cell holds perfect happiness he leaves and when margarita comes back to her room she finds the air warm and feels afraid to be alone she opens a window begins to undress then finds in her closet the case of jewels we see here the cunning of the devil who started a trap that will ensnare Margaret and Faust in a fate they could not possibly foresee the young woman tries on the jewels and wishes they were hers she says to call a poor girl young and fair it doesn't leave you anywhere alas for all us poor in the next scene mephistopheles angrily tells Faust that margarita showed the jewels to her mother who gave them to the church the devil says the church can swallow gold and lands and such and never feel that she has had too much for only to the church there appertains the good digestion for ill-gotten gains this reflects Goethe's opinion of the wealth of the church Faust insists that mephistopheles get more jewels for margarita who's sad at their disappearance the next scene is at Margaret his neighbor's house Margaret tells her neighbor Marta that she's found another case of jewels she decides to keep it and not tell her mother The effect of the devil is already obvious because previously margarita wouldn't have kept secrets from her mother there is a knock at the door and mephistopheles enters he pretends to be bringing Marta some official information but he's really there to flatter the women and gain control over margarita later Faust and mephistopheles meet with them margarita tells Faust that she was very impressed when he bowed spoke to her at their first meeting her receptivity encourages Faust who tells her that he loves her with every word he says she's responsive and finally they kiss but she leaves saying that she must go home to her mother Faust leaves Margarita's town afraid that he will hurt her alone in a cavern he speaks his praise to the gods for the Bliss he experienced and loving margarita mephistopheles enters and asks when they can go to something really new he says that all of Faust snobol feelings are just a disguise for Faust lust and he says that margarita loves Faust to despair and Faust should go to her Faust at first refuses saying tempt not again my aching soul to gaze on her sweet limbs with all my heart aflame but Faust is no match for his desires and finally gives in recklessly saying now may her fate come crashing down on me and drag her with me to the self-same doom back in her room margarita pines for Faust and when she meets with him in the garden she says that she would welcome him to her bed if her mother were not such a light sleeper during this love scene Margaretta asks Faust if he believes in God Faust replies is not life leaving eternal mysteries seen and unseen give it what name you will your joy love heart your God through Faust Goethe expresses his devotion to God but like Faust he doesn't trust organized religion when margarita leaves Malthus tahvalli's gives Faust a sleeping potion for margaritas mother Mustafa li's knows that margarita doesn't trust him and he also knows that she has somewhat beyond his power because of her allegiance with holiness when Faust asks the devil why he's being so helpful with the sleeping potion the devil says I have my bit of pleasure in it - unknown - Faust the sleeping potion will poison Margarita's mother time passes and Margaret is pregnant her heart broken in anguish her brother a soldier overhears Mufasa police sing a vulgar song underneath margaritas window and a sword fight ensues with the devil's help Faust kills her brother whose last words are to call his grieving sister a even prayer cannot comfort margarita who starts to go mad at the shame and misery in her life now both her mother and brother are dead due to Foust's desires and methis Tov Elise's aide the next scene is a wild spectacle espoused in mephistopheles frolic with the spirits on the famous Bob Fergus night on Bob Fergus night spirits gather atop a mountain in central Germany and frolic until dawn when the revelries are over dawn turns into a desolate day Faust is in misery because Margaret has been sent to prison for drowning their baby he accuses mephistopheles of distracting him from margarita by taking him to the witch's revelry the devil says here we are where the wit of man breaks down he points out that Faust has gotten what he wanted and can't face the consequences he says who was it centered to her ruin I or you but he agrees to help Faust rescue Margaretta and they ride to the jail along the way Faust sees a hanging gallows going up but the devil pretends not to know who it's for at this point we can see an interesting parallel between the devil and the modern psychological concepts of rationalization and projection although Faust wants to blame the devil for the evil effects of his desires Faust is the force of action behind the calamities in modern life a person who experienced similar misfortunes would not claim it was the work of the devil but think perhaps that it was the result of their psychological weaknesses or their baser instincts in the last scene of part 1 Faust magically gains entrance to Margaretta in prison she's gone mad and doesn't recognize him at first but even in her madness she senses the nearness of Satan and falls on her knees in prayer when the anguished Faust calls her name she recognizes him but he can't persuade her to leave the jail she would prefer to stay and face God's judgement than to travel with the devil meth estoppel ease insists that Faust leave or they'll be caught and as they go mephistopheles says she is condemned to die but a voice from above says she is redeemed on high as mephistopheles and Faust vanish the same voice that told of margaritas Redemption faintly says Foust's name as if to call him to redemption as well when the second part of the play opens Faust is in a flowery meadow a choir of graceful spirits sings to comfort in console 'i'm between much of the writing in the first and second part Goethe went to Italy this is reflected in the second part which is lighter in tone than the first their singing dancing and fantasy scenes with prominent figures from classical myths there's an abundance of classical poetry in this second section and an overall sense of ethereal beauty that contrasts to the gloomy actions in part 1 fast awakens to the dawn and says o steadfast earth breathing beneath my feet in glad new birth and clothing me afresh and joy of living we now follow Faust through new adventures that are more fantastic than his first mephistopheles still guides the action but in disguises the next scene is in a palace where the Emperor asks for his court jester the court jester is mysteriously absent and Malthus tahvalli's offers to take the role of the wise fool the emperor is told that the country is in an uproar the Treasury is bankrupt there's injustice everywhere and the Army's been unpaid and is about to mutiny mephistopheles suggests that the Emperor print up certificates that entitle the citizens to a part ownership in a hidden supply of gold this refers to the invention of paper money when the paper money has printed all the country's financial and political problems seemed to be solved everyone has money in the land is at peace when Faust does some tricks at a festival the Emperor demands that he conjure up Helen of Troy and her lover Paris Faust goes to Malthus awfully for help and mephistopheles tells Faust how to descend beneath the floor of the earth to get Helen in Paris later in a Grand Hall the court awaits the fantastic show the magical conjuring of Helen and Paris the devil takes his place in the prompters box saying my eloquence should capture every heart since prompting is the devil's special art magically a Greek temple appears which an architect in the audience criticizes at some length then accompanied by music Faust appears and conjures up the handsome Trojan nobleman Paris Paris is reclining asleep and the ladies in the audience extol his physical charms although a knight says that Paris looks more like a shepherd than a prince then Helen of Troy enters and Faust is overwhelmed with love for her mephistopheles warns him be careful or you'll overstep your part Helen and Paris are in a charmed world Helen kisses Paris much to Foust's annoyance when Paris awakens and prepares to take Helen away in keeping with the legend of his abduction of her from Greece Faust breaks in on the scene and there's an explosion the spirits disappear and Faust is unconscious on the floor in the next scene we're back at Faust study where we first met him his assistant vogner has taken Faustus place Faust lies unconscious recovering from the magical shock met the staff Elise goes to vogner's laboratory and finds vogner making a tiny human being inside a bottle the tiny figure is called homunculus which means small man a monkey list comes to life and calls vogner his father and says to Mufasa police sir rascal cousin your visit means some luck Fermi was brewing among keyless wants to show meThe estoppel is a festival similar to Val Fergus night a monk Ulis says that Faust will enjoy this festivity which is called classical Val Fergus night this is also influenced by Goethe's trip to Italy and Italy's reverence for classical forms of art poetry and myth this second Bob Fergus night takes place in Greece and is attended by figures from the classics instead of by witches as in the German Val Fergus Knight Faust awakens on the Greek fields and looks for Helen of Troy Helen was a Greek woman who was taken by the Trojan Prince Paris back to Troy for much of this section figures from antiquity discourse on humanity and philosophy Faust talks to some of the spirits about Helen Malthus Toph Elise is uncomfortable in this new territory and is pleased when homunculus appears unfortunately homunculus falls in love with a beautiful sea creature and when he tries to join her the bottle that protects him breaks against her shell he's dissolved in the sea and classical vault Fergus night ends the next act begins in Helens Greek Palace Helen tells a chorus of companions how she was taken to Troy by Paris who was killed in the ensuing war now she's back in Greece where her husband is King an ugly woman spirit named for kiyose appears and tells Helen and her attendants that Helens husband plans to kill her Helen asks Fortius what they can do Fortius says that there's another king nearby who will shelter them the next scene is in the castle of this king while Helen and her attendants watch Faust enters in the costume of a medieval knight he makes a dignified entrance followed by Squires and pages by Faust side is a watchman in chains Faust tells Helen that the watchman is being punished for having neglected to tell Faust of Helens approach and preventing a royal reception but the watchman says that when he saw Helen coming he was so overwhelmed by her beauty that he couldn't move in this section of the drama Goethe uses a classical poetic Greek form for many of the characters this device is one of many in Faust that demonstrate Goethe's poetic mastery Faust swears his love for Helen and they sit side by side on Thrones speaking of love to each other but Fortius appears and says that Helens husband is coming with his army Faust remarks that for kiyose takes a special delight in bearing bad news as the sound of battle is heard offstage Faust invokes the green pastures of the legendary Arcadia a fabled country setting from the classics the scene changes Faust and Helen are gone for kiyose awakens a sleeping chorus and tells them that in a nearby cave Faust and Helen have given birth to a beautiful and highly active little boy music comes from the cave where Helen and Faust and their son you for ian's live soon the three emerged blissfully happy and their Sun Springs about irrepressible when Faust in Helen tried to contain their son who joins with the chorus in a wild dance they can't restrain his wild exuberance he seems to be growing and maturing with each sleep euphoria and rushes often comes back with a young girl who unsuccessfully resists his embrace when you for ian's kisses her she bursts into flame and disappears her voice lingers in the air follow me till your vanished prize be caught euphoria in rushes up a cliff ignoring the cries of his parents and casts himself into the air for a brief moment his robes hold him up and the chorus cries Icarus Icarus Icarus is the name of the mythical character who tried to fly with wings made of wax but he flew too close to the Sun and they melted you for ian's to falls at the feet of his parents his body fades away leaving only his robes his voice says mother forsake me not in the dark realm in the lamentation that follows Helen tells Faust that an ancient prophecy is fulfilled in her that happiness and beauty cannot exist together she also vanishes leaving Faust only with her robe for kiyose tells Faust to hold this priceless gift which will bear him away where they will meet again very far from here Helen's garments lift Faust up and away from the scene for kiyose says this I call a happy ending and she removes her mask revealing herself to be mephistopheles act four opens on a jagged mountain top where Faust tells the devil that what he wants now is to own a strip of land on the coast he wants to build a series of dikes to fight against the tide mephistopheles says that Faust can win this coastline if he helps the Emperor in an upcoming war during the ensuing battles Faust uses his magic to assist the Emperor and gets this piece of land in act 5 we come upon an old man and an old woman who are being hounded by Faust for their cottage the only property in that area that Faust doesn't own Faust who is now 100 years old again asks the devil's help there's a fire at the old couples cottage and methis a police tells Faust that the old couple is dead this upsets Faust for he only wanted them to move not to die once again as always in this long epic he gets what he wants but at the cost of someone else's happiness so there is no possible joy in it for him alone and sad he's visited by a spirit named care Faust tells care of his hard-earned lessons he says that humanity should concern itself with daily life not with eternity care breathed upon Faust and blinds him she says that people are blind all their lives and so shall he be till the end of his days Faust goes outside and hears the workers digging he says to mephistopheles that the greatest joy in life is to put knowledge into active use Faust says that if he could be such an active person he could experience joy in life then he dies the devil has lost because although Faust realized what would have brought him joy on earth he didn't experience it himself the angels claim vows so and mefist ah Feliz is angry for all the time he wasted still the devil says it took God to beat him the last scene of the play is in a mountain wilderness holy people sing the praises of eternity and of heaven one of the singers is the soul of margarita who sings grant me to teach and guide Faust here he who will be dazzled by new shining day a mystical chorus concludes the play singing all things corruptible are but a parable eternal womanhood leads us above the poem Faust is known as a romantic work because it embodies so much of the romantic spirit first like a romantic Faust sets himself on an impossible quest it starts soon after his melodramatic suicide attempt when he's tempted by the poison in his study then in the love he has for margarita he again is the romantic because although his initial feelings are sensual his love is transformed into a chivalrous emotion Faust even attempts to save margarita margarita on her part embodies the spiritual archetype of romantic womanhood from her first meeting with Faust she remembers her place as an honorable woman to be cherished when she rejects his initial advances on the street even under the spell of magical love she remains aware of her first allegiance to God and her duty to keep the men in her life equally aware of that Allegiance in the garden she questions Faust beliefs and reminds him of his true nature her madness the result of the trials that the devil sends her way is a result of her refusal to give up her principles even when Faust offers Margaretta escaped from prison she prefers to face her judgement mephistopheles recognizes her in corruptibility right away and she also knows him for what he is she refuses to be in the company of the devil a companionship that Faust called up for himself and never leaves another indication of the romantic essence of this drama is Faust love of nature throughout the play were treated to lush outdoor scenes and the spirits of flowers wood nymphs and other characters nature provides Faust with solace and rest in between his adventures scholars have spent years of their lives studying this complex and lengthy work it contains endless stories characters and ideas because of its exhaustive scope the work has its share of inconsistencies in structure theme and characters but it is nonetheless a treasure of ideas ideas about the meaning of existence in the place of God in every person's life the story in summary is that of a person who wants to know the meaning of life at the beginning Faust seems to have everything a learnin person could want but still he's unsatisfied by the end of the play he's experienced everything that anyone could want love fame wealth power and all manner of supernatural experience then just before he dies he realizes that happiness comes from working in the service of one's talents and one's world this theme applies through all times but we should keep in mind that Faustus it in Germany in the mid 1500s at that time the Renaissance was being felt in Europe its effects rippling out from Italy the heart of the Renaissance with the Middle Ages over the great thinkers were embracing new ideas about humanity instead of viewing wisdom as a kind of pyramid where book learning was piled into the intellect thoughtful human beings look to themselves their centers for knowledge in this perspective Faust is the Renaissance person whose achievements are gained by examining his soul rather than reading a book and like the true Renaissance figures and like the true seekers of every age Faust is in a state of becoming freed from the medieval confines of church doctrine Faust looks to his heart for intuitive leadership and aspires to God as his rightful goal this is the end of the session

Channel: Eric Masters

Views: 102,765

Rating: 4.9055967 out of 5

Keywords: Johann, Wolfgang, von, Goethe, The, Tragedy, of, Faust, Poet, Novelist, Playwright, Natural, Philosopher, Diplomat, Civil, Servant, Audio, Collection, Contain, Treasury, Hundred, Classic, Include, Info, Life, Time, Author, Theme, Characters, Story, Outline, Concise, Detailed, Abridgement, Discussion, Values, Great, Work, Literature, Bio, IntelliQuest, World, 100, Greatest, Books, #017

Id: 8ulWiK6g-hk

Length: 37min 18sec (2238 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 30 2012