Faust: Night (2)

Summary

This section begins with Valentine talking of a time in a pub when men were comparing ideas of the most beautiful girl in the land. He listens to all the men throw out their opinions, then he names his sister, a beauty no man can deny. As soon as he says Gretchen's name he regrets having done so, now having to deal with the taunts and crude comments of all the men in the pub. Valentine remembers this occasion while waiting outside Gretchen's door, hoping to encounter this man who has not only stolen his sister's heart, but taken her innocence as well. As Faust and Mephisto approach, Mephisto sings a sample of a song he feels will make Gretchen swoon, a song which Valentine hears and becomes infuriated by. Valentine and Mephisto begin to fight, and Faust delivers the killing strike. Faust and Mephisto run away before Gretchen and Marthe come out to find Valentine dying. With his last few breaths, Valentine lectures Gretchen for her sins, and condemns her for having given herself to Faust.

Notes

Valentine's thoughts back to wanting to defend his sister's honor from the snickers and sneers of drunken barmates proves not only his initial love of his "beloved sister, Gretel," but also his inner need to protect her (I. 3462). Valentine's intense affection for his sister leads him to Margerete's doorstep, waiting for the man who stole his sister's virgnity. For their sneers, Valentine wanted to "smash them all, those beggars" (I. 3475). For this man's indencency, Valentine plans on killing him.

Mephisto's song as he and Faust approach Gretchen's home is blatantly patronizing to her current situation. The song is his newest gift to her, a smiling, verbal slap in the face. In the song he begs her, "petty child, beware," and "trust no one." Mephisto knows the decision Gretchen has made will leave her truly "undone" (I. 3515-30).

Commentary

Mephisto sings the song already knowing Gretchen has given herself to Faust, already knowing she is suffering for the decision. The entire situation is a game to Mephisto, he plays them all, leading Faust and Gretchen into this situation, where both their lives are beginning to change to an extreme.

During the swordfight, Mephisto seems to step back and let Faust deliver the deadly strike on Valentine. Mephisto allows Faust to take on every aspect of the adventure that has now become his life. This devil has lead Faust into another serious life scenario, and forced Faust to take on all consequences of the devil's actions. The taunting of Mephisto never ends, the game he plays continues from his song for Gretchen to his leading Faust into a struggle for his own life.

Valentine seems to take his sister's actions personally. As his sister's brother, her actions will also affect him. He will be the brother of the girl who got pregnant before marriage. Not only will the snickers and sneers of the barmates become unbearable, but he and his entire family have now been disgraced. His anger is not only based on his sister being taken advantage of, but also based on his feelings of disgrace because of her. As he lay dying, Valentine condemns Gretchen for her actions. He calls Gretchen a slut, being "more judgemental than god" as he predicts a future for her where she'll be nothing but a whore (Study guide). He condemns her to a life of a "plague-infected corpse" who will "hide in dark and dirty corners" (I. 3586-93). Apart from his hateful lecture to Gretchen, Valentine dies a very calm death, perhaps seeing an early death more acceptable than a life as Gretchen the Whore's brother.

External Resources

• Study Guide for Goethe's Faust

Works Cited

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. Faust, Part 1. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. Vol. 2. 8th Ed. Trans. Martin Greenberg. Sarah Lawall, et al, eds. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006.