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'''Mephisto’s Appearance''' | '''Mephisto’s Appearance''' | ||
The Witch’s Kitchen also gives us another important bit of information regarding Mephisto. Most people commonly picture the Devil with horns, a tail, and hoofed feet. However, Mephisto always appears wearing a different costume and blames his attire on the culture. In his first meeting with Faust, he is dressed as a Franciscan Monk. In another scene, he is dressed as a young nobleman in a “red doublet trimmed in gold, with a stiff silk cloak, a cock’s feather in his hat, wearing at his side a long sword” ( | The Witch’s Kitchen also gives us another important bit of information regarding Mephisto. Most people commonly picture the Devil with horns, a tail, and hoofed feet. However, Mephisto always appears wearing a different costume and blames his attire on the culture. In his first meeting with Faust, he is dressed as a Franciscan Monk. In another scene, he is dressed as a young nobleman in a “red doublet trimmed in gold, with a stiff silk cloak, a cock’s feather in his hat, wearing at his side a long sword” ([http://groups.msn.com/AnotherRoadsideAttractions/yourwebpage27.msnw Mephistopheles]). He states to Sibyl that “Culture is everywhere now and it even extends to the Devil. I have done away with the horns and tail and claw that people used to see in the Devil” so that I may walk the surface of the earth and appear in the world of humanity with my minions from time to time (Montgomery 39). | ||
'''Holy Trinity''' | '''Holy Trinity''' | ||
When Mephisto says “Three-in-One and One-in-Three, Lies are sown broadcast, truth may go along” in lines 2354-55, he is mocking the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Among the most controversial aspects of Christian belief is the allusion that God can be both one and three people at the same time. Mephisto enjoys pointing out the paradox that theologians take great pains to explain in logical terms. | When Mephisto says “Three-in-One and One-in-Three, Lies are sown broadcast, truth may go along” in lines 2354-55, he is mocking the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Among the most controversial aspects of Christian belief is the allusion that God can be both one and three people at the same time. Mephisto enjoys pointing out the paradox that theologians take great pains to explain in logical terms. | ||
It has also said that "Men usually believe, if only they hear words, that there must also be some sort of meaning" (Maas). | |||
==Commentary== | ==Commentary== | ||
'''Reawakening of Sexual Desire''' | |||
The love potion that Faust takes in “Witches Kitchen” serves the same purpose as does the feast in “Walpurgis Night”-to reawaken sexual desire. Both are closely connected to the Devil and are considered creations of the witches (Dieckman 175). | |||
'''Mephisto’s Nobility''' | |||
In the “Witches Kitchen”, Mephisto makes the comment that he “feels like a king” and states that “I am a gentleman of noble background. If you doubt it, have a look at my coat of arms.”, however, he is neither king nor nobility (Montgomery 38). Even though he considers himself to be both these things, he is really just “supernatural by legendary right, being either the devil or some sort of devil and quite without pedigree” (Fairley 88). | |||
What are '''minions'''? They are Satan's assistants. | |||
What are the '''pinions'''? They are used to restrain somebody. | |||
The '''deadly phrase''' “Wait, you are so fair” was originally written in German as "Verweile doch, du bist so schon" (Fletcher). | |||
==Study Questions== | ==Study Questions== | ||
1) Why does Mephisto bring Faust to this particular Witch's Kitchen? | 1) Why does Mephisto bring Faust to this particular Witch's Kitchen? | ||
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==External Resources== | ==External Resources== | ||
[http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/faust.html Study Guide for Goethe's Faust] | [http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/faust.html Study Guide for Goethe's Faust] | ||
[http://groups.msn.com/AnotherRoadsideAttractions/yourwebpage27.msnw Mephistopheles] | |||
==Works Cited== | ==Works Cited== | ||
Dieckmann, Liselotte. ''Johann Wolfgang Goethe''. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1974. | Dieckmann, Liselotte. ''Johann Wolfgang Goethe''. New York: Twayne Publishers, | ||
Inc., 1974. | |||
Fairley, Barker. ''Goethe''. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1963. 88. | |||
Fletcher, Richard M.. ''American Notes & Queries'', Mar74, Vol. 12 Issue 7, p102, 1/2p; [http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=7672545] | |||
Maas, David F.. ETC: ''A Review of General Semantics'', Jul2004, Vol. 61 Issue 2, p219-226, 8p, [http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=13943613] | |||
Montgomery, Paul. ''Review Notes and Study Guide to Geothe's Faust''. New York: Thor Publications, Inc., 1964. 37-40. | |||
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