Goethe's Faust

[MrScorpio]

From Wikipedia:

The story concerns the fate of Faust in his quest for the true essence of life ("was die Welt im Innersten zusammenhält").



Frustrated with learning and the limits to his knowledge and power, he attracts the attention of the Devil (represented by Mephistopheles), who agrees to serve Faust until the moment he attains the zenith of human happiness, at which point Mephistopheles may take his soul. Faust is pleased with the deal, as he believes the moment will never come.


In the first part, Mephistopheles leads Faust through experiences that culminate in a lustful and destructive relationship with an innocent and nubile woman named Gretchen.


Gretchen and her family are destroyed by Mephistopheles' deceptions and Faust's desires and actions. The story ends in tragedy as Gretchen is saved and Faust is left in shame.


The second part begins with the spirits of the earth forgiving Faust (and the rest of mankind) and progresses into rich allegorical poetry.


Faust and his devil pass through the world of politics and the world of the classical gods, and meet with Helen of Troy (the personification of beauty). Finally, having succeeded in taming the very forces of war and nature Faust experiences a single moment of happiness.


The devil Mephistopheles, trying to grab Faust's soul when he dies, is frustrated as the Lord intervenes – recognizing the value of Faust's unending striving.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust

Sometimes the Devil wins a Faustian deal

[grantcart]

1. Faust was a POW?

[SeattleGirl]

2. You didn't know that?

I thought everybody did!

:P

[Iterate]

3. Thanks for reminding us

and putting our feet back in our literature, our commonality.

It is an epic time, an epic story, and also full of distracting silliness.

For unknowable reasons, I've never bought into the McCain as hero myth, but still see him as the bomber pilot: driven by duty, hedging for opportunity, plagued by guilt and apologizing for his deeds, then zigzagging wildly to avoid being shot down.

McCain as Faust, the deal he struck will plague him.

[Koeln]

4. Der zauberlehrling

The whole Bush administration was and the Mc Cain campaign is more like "Der zauberlehrling" from Goethe.

[MrScorpio]

5. I need to read that

Thanks!

[Koeln]

6. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

It´s probably the english name of the ballad.

It´s still one of my favorites from Goehte .

it´s a summery from the internet. So i do not have to torture you with my language problems.

In it, an old sorcerer departs his workshop, leaving his apprentice with chores to perform. The apprentice tires of fetching water for a bath or tank, and enchants a broomstick to do the work for him. But soon the floor is awash with water, and he realises that he cannot stop the broom because he does not know the magic word to make it stop. Despairing, he splits the broom in two with an axe, but each of the pieces takes up a pail and continues fetching water, now faster than ever. When all seems lost, the old sorcerer returns, quickly breaks the spell and saves the day

[MrScorpio]

7. I remember that from my childhood

Thanks for the translation