Faust: Auerbach's Cellar in Leipzig

Summary

In this scene Mephistopheles takes Faust to a local tavern. The scene opens inside the tavern with four “drinkers carousing” (563). As these men are drinking, they are also singing a variety of songs and commenting on them. Mephistopheles and Faust enter the scene, so Faust can learn how to relax and live a little. Mephistopheles joins the singing by singing a song the men have never heard before; however, Faust says nothing. After the singing the drinkers offer a toast to “Long live freedom, long live wine!” (l. 2032). Mephistopheles says he would toast to that but their wine was not good enough; he then offers them what he’s got if it will not insult there landlord. Mephistopheles drills holes in front of each man so that their requested wine may poor from it when Mephistopheles says his few magic words. The men are surprised by this trick and drink cup after cup, until one of the drinkers, Siebel, spills some wine and it catches ablaze. Mephistopheles puts the fire out with some more magic words and the drinkers become very upset with this witchery. The drinkers attack Mephistopheles with knives and he makes them think they are in a vineyard, and they grab each other by the nose and then Mephistopheles takes the spell off and they are back in the tavern while Mephistopheles and Faust have disappeared.

Notes

The tavern in this scene takes place in Leipzig located in eastern Germany. Leipzig is a city widely known for its tourism, and is often referred to as “Little Paris” (Montgomery 34). The actual name of the tavern is Auerbach’s Keller, Keller being German for cellar (Montgomery 34).

As Mephistopheles and Faust enter the tavern Siebel notices the Mephistopheles has a limp. “The devil is able to appear in human form except for one cloven hoof instead of a foot. This misshapen foot, in the form of a goat’s hoof, points to the animal origins of the devil” (Montgomery 35).

This experience was supposed to show Faust how to live a little and enjoy life; however it only does the opposite. Faust is disgusted with Mephistopheles trick playing on innocent men, it “is not his idea of [an] ennobling activity” (Cummings).

Commentary

This scene is supposed to show Faust how to loosen up and have some fun by going to the tavern. However, throughout the scene as the drinkers and Mephistopheles are talking and singing, Faust says nothing. Faust’s only line gives us the impression that he doesn’t like the party life; almost as if it was to low of a social status for him to be seen with, since he has some many degrees. Maybe he thinks a man of such intelligence could not be seen doing such obscene things.

Study Questions

1. Where does the scene take place?

2. What are the men doing in this place?

3. Why does Mephistopheles take Faust to this place?

4. When the men offer a toast, what does Mephistopheles do?

5. How does Mephistopheles get them out of trouble?

6. Why does Faust not say but two lines in this scene?

External Resources

Study Guide for Goethe's Faust

Works Cited

Cummings, Michael J. "Faust." Cummings Study Guides. 2003. 25 Feb. 2006 Faust.

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.

Montgomery, Paul. Goethe's Faust. New York: Thor Publications, Inc., 1963. 34-36.

< Faust's Study (2) | Faust Summary, Commentary, Notes | Witch's Kitchen >