Faust (Magill Book Reviews)
At a glance:
- Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- First Published: 1790
- Type of Work: Philosophical Drama
- Genres: Poetry, Drama, Verse drama
- Subjects: Magic or magicians, Sin or Original sin, Ghosts or apparitions, Spiritual life or spirituality, Beauty, Good and evil, Faustian bargains, Spiritualism, Hell, Devils or demons, Demonology, Demoniac possession
- Locales: Earth
In a prologue in Heaven, reminiscent of the biblical Book of Job, Mephistopheles bets God that he can corrupt God’s faithful servant on earth, Faust.
Faust is a restless striver with an insatiable desire for experience and knowledge. He wagers that the devil can never cause him to be self-satisfied, or to wish any experience or achievement to last forever.
Mephistopheles tempts Faust with debauchery. Together they attend a witches’ Sabbath. The devil restores Faust’s youth and tempts him with the love of a woman, Gretchen. Faust becomes adviser to the Emperor and...
[The entire page is 587 words long]
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See Also:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Cyclopedia of World Authors)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Poetry)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Drama)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Short Fiction)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Long Fiction)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Censorship)Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Dictionary of World Biography)
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