10/31/2011

Background to the legend

The name Faust has become deeply rooted in European Legend Faust is the man who sold his soul to the Devil for power and knowledge The legend has been embellished and retold in many formats think of the idea that, with contracts, the devils in the details

The Legend of Faust

Paul Meahan Week Nine

Historical figure
There was a man named Georg Faust (Georgius Faustus) who lived in Germany around the year 1500 He was a kind of travelling magician At some point, the name is confused with the academic Dr. Johann Faust another astrologer (scientist) who was unpopular with many of his contemporaries John Dee figure later in 16th c. (science and magic are the same in a relatively uneducated age)

History Meets Legend

Johann Faust/Georg Faust are combined by legends to give us a figure of both magical power and enormous intellect:
He was a highly educated man, who sought to know everything. He studied (among other things) theology, alchemy, astrology, and necromancy widely travelled and well known

John Dee

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Magic Powers?
It is highly unlikely that Faust actually had magic powers (big surprise, yes?) However, in a relatively unscientific age in Germany, his illusions were seen as magical, so much so that critics debunked him and the Church hierarchy (Catholic and Lutheran/Protestant) took notice of him and denounced him imagine for a minute what an unscientific public would think if you used a magnet. Only magic could make two rocks stick together!

The original tale

Dr. Faustus desire to learn everything led him to the art of necromancy These pursuits led him to want to commune with the devil

Eugne Delacroix, 1828

The original tale

Mephistopheles, Satans messenger, appeared They make a pact:
The Devil would serve Faust for 24 years by providing whatever knowledge he may want and never lying to him. In return, Faust renounced Christianity, gave his soul to the devil, and signed a contract in blood
Eugne Delacroix, 1828

The good part of the bargain

For 24 years, Dr. Faustus had all the knowledge and power that he wanted He had elegant clothing, fine wines, beautiful women even Helen of Troy! He would bring Odysseus, Achilles, Hercules and others to stand before his class as he lectured about them in a sense, he was the greatest teacher of a Gen.Ed. Myth course EVER!
August von Kreling, 19th C

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The bad part of the bargain

After 24 years, the devil came to collect on his debt At this point, Faust is dismembered, leaving his corpse to be found by his favourite students (p. 124 of textbook) The original German account of the legend (1587) is compiled and prepared for the printer in several parts as a horrible example and sincere warning for all conceited, clever, and godless people (113). religious significance

The key passage (p. 124)

From Donna Rosenbergs retelling:
And so we remember the learned Faust that great but crooked bough that could have grown tall and straight. His Fall is a lesson to all who are truly wise. We should honour God all the days of our lives with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. We should respect the limits of human knowledge. And we should stand apart from all immoral pursuits and all who would mislead us.
Note: The passage in blue is a quotation from the New Testament. Jesus tells the people that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength. Faust is thus like a Lancelot figure who replaces the love for God with something more worldly.

Later (Romantic) Versions

Writers like Gotthold Lessing (pictured here) rewrote the story to represent the Enlightenment era thinking Faust is reconciled with God in the end and is not torn to shreds Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (most famous continental written version) rewrites the story so that, in the end, God saves Faust by bringing about his purification and redemption this brings to mind the original tale of Theophilus, but with an important difference (p.112). In the original version, God is very real and Theophilus piety saves him. In Goethes version, God is really just a character who swoops in at the end to save Faust not because he is pious, but because he has pursued the highest good (knowledge) by any means necessary!

Different endings
Goethe and other Enlightenment thinkers wanted to praise the pursuit of knowledge. In a sense, the newer (18th century) ending reflects another old folktale in many German (and English) folk stories, tricking the devil will get you out of trouble
Rembrandt, c. 1650

Romantic philosophy is based on humanism: the highest good humans can achieve is more knowledge specifically knowledge about the self.