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For other uses, see Faust (disambiguation).
Faust depicted in an etching by Rembrandt van Rijn (circa 1650).
Faust depicted in an etching by Rembrandt van Rijn (circa 1650). Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15 1606 &ndash October 4 1669 was a Dutch painter and etcher.

Faust (German for "fist") or Faustus (Latin for "auspicious" or "lucky") is the protagonist of a classic German legend in which he makes a pact with the Devil. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to A deal with the Devil, pact with the Devil, or Faustian bargain is a cultural motif widespread wherever the Devil is vividly present most familiar The tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic and musical works, such as those by Christopher Marlowe, Goethe, Mikhail Bulgakov, Thomas Mann, Hector Berlioz, Franz Liszt, Washington Irving, and Charles Gounod. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Mikhail Afanasievich Bulgakov (Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, Kiev &ndash March 10, 1940, Moscow) was a Russian Paul Thomas Mann ( June Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th Biography Gounod was born in Paris, the son of a pianist mother and a draftsman father

The name "Faust" has come to stand for a charlatan alchemist (some claim "astrologer and necromancer") whose pride and vanity lead to his doom. A charlatan (also called swindler) is a person practicing Quackery or some similar Confidence trick in order to obtain money or advantage via some form Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of An astrologer practices one or more forms of Astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a Horoscope for the time of an event such as a person's birth and interprets Necromancy ( Greek νεκρομαντία nekromantía) is a form of Divination in which the practitioner seeks to summon "operative spirits" Similarly, the adjective "Faustian" has come to denote acts or constellations involving human hubris which lead eventually to nemesis. Something that is faustian refers to a wider interpretation of the events of Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Hubris, sometimes spelled hybris ( Ancient Greek ὕβρις is a term used in modern English to indicate overweening Pride, self-confidence

Contents

Historical Faust

Main article: Johann Georg Faust

The origin of Faust's name and persona remains unclear, though it is widely assumed to be based on the figure of German Dr. Dr Johann Georg Faust (1466? &ndash c 1540 was an itinerant alchemist, Astrologer and magician of the German Renaissance. Johann Georg Faust (approximately 1480–1540), a dubious magician and alchemist probably from Knittlingen, Württemberg, who obtained a degree in divinity from Heidelberg University in 1509. Dr Johann Georg Faust (1466? &ndash c 1540 was an itinerant alchemist, Astrologer and magician of the German Renaissance. Knittlingen is a town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Enz district Germany. Württemberg, formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany. The Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg ( University of Heidelberg, Ruperto Carola, Heidelberg University, or simply Heidelberg) is a According to one account, Faust's infamy became legendary while he was in prison, where in exchange for wine he "offered to show a chaplain how to remove hair from his face without a razor; the chaplain provided the wine and Faustus provided the chaplain with a salve of arsenic, which removed not only the hair but the flesh" (Barnett). Arsenic (ˈɑrsənɪk is a Chemical element that has the symbol As and Atomic number of 33

In Polish folklore there is a tale with a Pan Twardowski in a role similar to Faust's, and seems to have originated at roughly the same time. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Pan Twardowski (pronounced tfar'dɔfski is a Polish Folklore character a sorcerer who entered a Pact with the Devil. It is unclear if and to what extent the two tales have a common origin or influenced each other. The figure of Pan Twardowski is supposedly based on a either a 16th century German emigrant to the then-capital of Poland, Kraków, or possibly John Dee or Edward Kelley. Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609 was a noted English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, occultist Edward Kelley or Kelly, also known as Edward Talbot ( August 1, 1555 –1597 was a convicted English criminal and self-declared According to Melanchthon, the historic Johann Faust had studied in Kraków, as well.

Sources of the Faust legend

Main article: Faust chapbooks

The first recorded Faust committed to print is a little chapbook bearing the title Historia von D. Historia von D Johann Fausten, the first " Faust book" is a Chapbook of stories concerning the life of Johann Georg Faust, written Chapbook is a generic term to cover a particular genre of pocket-sized booklet popular from the sixteenth through to the later part of the nineteenth century Iohan Fausten published in 1587. The book was re-edited and borrowed from throughout the 17th century.

With Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, written in the early 1590s, it also received an early theatrical treatment. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story in which a man sells his soul to the devil Plays and comic puppet theatre loosely based on the legend were popular throughout Germany, often reducing Faust to a figure of vulgar fun. The 1725 chapbook was widely circulated, and also read by the young Goethe. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer

It has been suggested Jacob Bidermann used such an earlier source for his treatment of the legend of the Damnation of the Good Doctor of Paris, Cenodoxus (published c. Jacob Bidermann (1578-1627 was born in the village of Ehingen, about 30 miles southwest of Ulm. Cenodoxus is one of several medieval Miracle plays by Jacob Bidermann, an early 17th century German seminarian and prolific playwright 1602). Possibly related tales of a pact between man and the devil include that of Theophilus of Adana, and Mary of Nijmegen,the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century Dutch play attributed to Anna Bijns. A deal with the Devil, pact with the Devil, or Faustian bargain is a cultural motif widespread wherever the Devil is vividly present most familiar Saint Theophilus the Penitent or Theophilus of Adana (died ca Anna Bijns (1493 in Antwerp, Belgium – 1575 in Antwerp was a Dutch writer

Marlowe's Doctor Faustus

Main article: The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

The early Faust chapbook, while already in circulation in Northern Germany, found its way to England, where it was translated into English by "P. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story in which a man sells his soul to the devil F. , Gent[leman]" in 1592 as The Historie of the Damnable Life, and Deserved Death of Doctor Iohn Faustus. It was this work that Christopher Marlowe used for his more ambitious play, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (published c. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story in which a man sells his soul to the devil 1604). Marlowe also borrowed from Acts and Monuments by John Foxe, on the exchanges between Pope Adrian and a rival pope. The Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe, is an Apocalyptically oriented English Protestant account of the Persecutions of John Foxe (1517 &ndash April 18, 1587) martyrologist is remembered as the author of what is popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs Another possible inspiration of Marlowe's version is John Dee (1527-1609), who practiced forms of alchemy and science and developed Enochian magic. John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609 was a noted English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, occultist Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of This article is about the Angelical Language recorded in the journals of Dr

Goethe's Faust

Main article: Goethe's Faust

Goethe's Faust inverts and makes greatly more complex the simple Christian moral of the original legend. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 's Faust is a tragic play. It was published in two parts de Faust der Tragödie erster Teil (translated A hybrid between a play and an extended poem, Goethe's two part "closet drama" is epic in scope. A closet drama is a play that is not intended to be performed onstage but read by a solitary reader or sometimes out loud in a small group perhaps in a small room called It gathers together references from Christian, medieval, Roman, eastern and Hellenic poetry, philosophy and literature; ending in a Faust who is saved, carried aloft to heaven, as Mephistopheles looks on.

The legend of Faust was an obsession of Goethe's. Although by no means a constant pursuit, the composition and refinement of his own version of the legend occupied him for over sixty years. The final version, not completely published until after his death, is recognized as a great work of German Literature.

The story concerns the fate of Faust in his quest for the true essence of life ("was die Welt im Innersten zusammenhält"). Frustrated with learning and the limits to his knowledge and power, he attracts the attention of the Devil (represented by Mephistopheles), who agrees to serve Faust until the moment he attains the zenith of human happiness, at which point Mephistopheles may take his soul. The Devil is the Mephistopheles (also Mephistophilus Mephistophilis Mephostopheles Mephisto and variants is a name often given to one representation of The devil or Satan The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Goethe's Faust is pleased with the deal, as he believes the moment will never come.

In the first part, Mephistopheles leads Faust through experiences that culminate in a lustful and destructive relationship with an innocent and nubile woman named Gretchen. Nubility is the state of being marriageable In a given Society, the level of nubility (those eligible for marriage compared to the level of Nuptiality (state of Gretchen and her family are destroyed by Mephistopheles' deceptions and Faust's desires and actions. The story ends in tragedy as Gretchen is saved and Faust is left in shame.

The second part begins with the spirits of the earth forgiving Faust (and the rest of mankind) and progresses into rich allegorical poetry. Faust and his devil pass through the world of politics and the world of the classical gods, and meet with Helen of Troy (the personification of beauty). This article is about the mythological figure Helen of Troy For other uses see Helen (disambiguation and Helen of Troy (disambiguation. Finally, having succeeded in taming the very forces of war and nature Faust experiences a single moment of happiness.

The devil Mephistopheles, trying to grab Faust's soul when he dies, is frustrated as the Lord intervenes – recognizing the value of Faust's unending striving.

Influence

Goethe's Faust was the source material for at least two successful operas: Faust by Charles Gounod and Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito. Faust is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Biography Gounod was born in Paris, the son of a pianist mother and a draftsman father Mefistofele is an Opera in a prologue four acts and an epilogue the only completed opera by the Italian Composer - Librettist Arrigo Boito ( February 24, 1842 &ndash June 10, 1918) aka Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito Pseudonym Tobia Gorrio was an Italian It has inspired numerous additional major musical works, such as the "dramatic legend" The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust, the second part of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, and Franz Liszt's Mephisto Waltzes. La damnation de Faust (English The Damnation of Faust) is a work for Orchestra, voices and chorus written by Hector Berlioz (he Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic Written between 1844 and 1853 Szenen aus Goethes Faust ( Scenes from Goethe's Faust) has been described as the height of composer Robert Schumann 's accomplishments The Symphony No 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler, known as the Symphony of a Thousand, was mostly written in 1906 with its vast Orchestration The Mephisto Waltzes are four waltzes composed by Franz Liszt in 1859-62 1880-81 1883 and 1885

Translations

In September 2006, Oxford University Press published an English, blank verse translation of Goethe's work entitled Faustus, From the German of Goethe, now widely believed to be the production of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Although Coleridge famously insisted during his lifetime that he "had never put pen to paper as a translator of Faust", he was never the most trustworthy source for matters autobiographical, and the volume's editors, UCLA Professor Emeritus Frederick Burwick and University of Montana Professor James McCusick (both renowned Coleridge scholars), have assembled over 800 verbal echoes between the translation and Coleridge's other poems and dramatic works, uncovered a wealth of circumstantial evidence, and used computer-aided stylometric analysis in order to support their claim that Coleridge was the author. The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United The University of Montana is a State university located in Missoula Montana, U The translation, which was published anonymously in 1821, was previously attributed to George Soane. Despite this evidence, the status of the translation as the work of Coleridge is still disputed by some Coleridge authorities. [1]

See also

Sources

References

  1. ^ A review of the controversial edition, Times Literary Supplement, Kelly Grovier

External links

Kelly Grovier is an American poet Grovier was educated at the University of California Los Angeles and Christ Church Oxford, where he was a Marshall Scholar The Times Literary Supplement (or TLS, on the front page from 1969 is a weekly literary review published in London by News International

Dictionary

Faust

-proper noun

  1. a magician and alchemist of German lore who sold his soul to the Devil for knowledge
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