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Faust: Prologue in Heaven: Difference between revisions
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=== Lines 53-115: The Lord and Mephistopheles Make a Bet === | === Lines 53-115: The Lord and Mephistopheles Make a Bet === | ||
The Lord is often seen as representing the creative power of the universe; Mephistopheles, then, would be the nihilistic or desctructive force. | The Lord is often seen as representing the creative power of the universe; Mephistopheles, then, would be the nihilistic or desctructive force. | ||
The Lord begins to lose his temper, accusing Mephistopheles of being eternally accusatory. Their dialogue suggests something that never changes: Mephistopheles is eternally cynical. Yet, here he seems also comic, rather than tragic; cf. lines 56-58. | The Lord begins to lose his temper, accusing Mephistopheles of being eternally accusatory. Their dialogue suggests something that never changes: Mephistopheles is eternally cynical. Yet, here he seems also comic, rather than tragic; cf. lines 56-58. | ||
Mephistopheles seems genuinely dissatisfied with the current state of humanity — so much so, that he doesn't even like "tormenting the poor ninnies" anymore (l. 58). | |||
The Lord mentions [http://aix1.uottawa.ca/%7Ejesleben/faust/fausttimeline.html Faust] for the first time in line 59 as His "good servant," but Mephistopheles counters that Faust is "quite unsatisfied," suggesting that the view of the universe that the Heavely Host hold cannot satisfy humans for long. | The Lord mentions [http://aix1.uottawa.ca/%7Ejesleben/faust/fausttimeline.html Faust] for the first time in line 59 as His "good servant," but Mephistopheles counters that Faust is "quite unsatisfied," suggesting that the view of the universe that the Heavely Host hold cannot satisfy humans for long. | ||
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The "old aunt of mine, the famous snake" is an allusion to [http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v10/i4/snakes.asp Genesis' snake] that tricks Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. The snake's punishment, given by God, is to forever crawl on its belly and eat dust. | The "old aunt of mine, the famous snake" is an allusion to [http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v10/i4/snakes.asp Genesis' snake] that tricks Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. The snake's punishment, given by God, is to forever crawl on its belly and eat dust. | ||
"Carte blanche" in line 98 means "free reign." | "Carte blanche" in line 98 means "free reign." The Lord is allowing Mephistopheles to do what he wants in order to steer Faust away from the right road. | ||
==Commentary== | ==Commentary== | ||
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Humans (as insects) cannot help but be what they are, since the Lord made them that way. This "absolute" idea seems to be a critique of [http://earthshine.org/node/409 Neoclassicism]'s belief in absolutes. [http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/romanticism.html Romanticism] emphasized the individual and his/her striving toward an understanding of the universe, away from notions of absolutes. In many ways, Goethe's Mephistopheles suggests some aspects of the romantic hero: a soul in [http://earthshine.org/node/434 revolt], melancholy and anti-social, cynical, and bored. | Humans (as insects) cannot help but be what they are, since the Lord made them that way. This "absolute" idea seems to be a critique of [http://earthshine.org/node/409 Neoclassicism]'s belief in absolutes. [http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/romanticism.html Romanticism] emphasized the individual and his/her striving toward an understanding of the universe, away from notions of absolutes. In many ways, Goethe's Mephistopheles suggests some aspects of the romantic hero: a soul in [http://earthshine.org/node/434 revolt], melancholy and anti-social, cynical, and bored. | ||
Mephistopheles has almost lost his spirit: when the world seems mostly evil, how can the devil have any fun? The Lord almost seems sympathetic toward Mephistopheles, and mentions Faust immediately. This seems to suggest that, seemingly contrary to the orthodox notion that seeks to obliterate evil, Mephistopheles seems to be an integral part of the Lord's design; this theme will be echoed again in [[Faust: Faust's Study (1)|Faust's study]] when Faust asks Mephistopheles his name; the latter answers: "A humble part of that great power / Which always means evil, always does good" (ll. 1119-1120). Indeed, how can one be good if there exists nothing that can be pointed to as evil? Part of his duties, it seems, is to "prod and poke and incite [people] as a devil should," says the Lord, suggesting further the necessity of "evil." Indeed, the Lord's last words seem to suggest that he prefers the devils of the world to his own Heavenly Hoast. Indeed, who wouldn't? | |||
Faust (like all humans?) is somewhere between the Heavenly Host and Mephistopheles. If the former symbolizes reason, then Mephistopheles must symbolize that which is animalistic, or bodily desires. While learning emphasizes the strengthening of mental faculties, Faust has not experienced this "earthly" side, as Mephistopheles suggests (l. 61). The Lord maintains that "My light," or reason, shall lead him back to goodness, but Mephistopheles seems to think he can distract Faust from this path: thus, the bet. | Faust (like all humans?) is somewhere between the Heavenly Host and Mephistopheles. If the former symbolizes reason, then Mephistopheles must symbolize that which is animalistic, or bodily desires. While learning emphasizes the strengthening of mental faculties, Faust has not experienced this "earthly" side, as Mephistopheles suggests (l. 61). The Lord maintains that "My light," or reason, shall lead him back to goodness, but Mephistopheles seems to think he can distract Faust from this path: thus, the bet. | ||
Unlike Job, where the bet is about whether or not Job will remain pious, this bet is about whether Faust will choose the right road even while under Mephistopheles' carte blanche. | Unlike Job, where the bet is about whether or not Job will remain pious, this bet is about whether Faust will choose the right road even while under Mephistopheles' carte blanche. This heavenly wager will be [[Faust: Faust's Study (2)|echoed later]] with that between Faust and Mephistopheles; cf. ll. 1459-1470. | ||
The scene ends with Mephistopheles praising the Lord in his own way as a decent sort who will talk with the devil. This is perhaps an important lesson of <i>Faust</i>. | |||
==Study Questions== | ==Study Questions== | ||
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#The Lord says "As long as man strives, he is bound to err." What does he mean by this, and how does it fit into the context of their discussion? | #The Lord says "As long as man strives, he is bound to err." What does he mean by this, and how does it fit into the context of their discussion? | ||
#What seems to be Mephistopheles' role in the Lord's creation? | #What seems to be Mephistopheles' role in the Lord's creation? | ||
#What do Mephistopheles' final words suggest about his relationship with the Lord? | |||
==External Resources== | ==External Resources== | ||
*[http://www.bartleby.com/19/1/1004.html Prologue in Heaven] on [http://www.bartleby.com/ Bartleby] | *[http://www.bartleby.com/19/1/1004.html Prologue in Heaven] on [http://www.bartleby.com/ Bartleby] | ||
*[http://www.tonykline.co.uk/PITBR/German/FaustIProl.htm Dedication] before the Prologue | *[http://www.tonykline.co.uk/PITBR/German/FaustIProl.htm Dedication] before the Prologue | ||
*[http://www.octc.kctcs.edu/crunyon/CE/03-Goethe/441.htm Notes on the Prologue] by Carl Runyon; see also his [http://www.octc.kctcs.edu/crunyon/CE/03-Goethe/FaustIntro.htm Faust Intro Notes] | |||
==Works Cited== | ==Works Cited== | ||
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. <i>Faust, Part 1</i>. <i>The Norton Anthology of Western Literature</i>. Vol. 2. 8th Ed. Trans. Martin Greenberg. Sarah Lawall, et al, eds. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. [All primary text citations are taken from this edition unless otherwise noted.] | |||
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