Johann Goethe "Faust": description, characters, analysis of the work. Faust (tragedy) The courtyard of the castle
The tragedy of I. V. Goethe "Faust" was written in 1774 - 1831 and belongs to the literary direction of romanticism. The work is the main work of the writer, on which he worked for almost his entire life. The plot of the tragedy is based on the German Legend of Faust, the famous warlock of the 16th century. Particular attention is drawn to the composition of the tragedy. The two parts of "Faust" are contrasted: the first shows the doctor's relationship with the spiritually pure girl Margarita, the second shows Faust's activities at court and marriage to the ancient heroine Elena.
main characters
Heinrich Faust- a doctor, a scientist disillusioned with life and science. Made a deal with Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles- an evil spirit, the devil, argued with the Lord that he could get the soul of Faust.
Gretchen (Margarita) - beloved Faust. An innocent girl who, out of love for Heinrich, accidentally killed her mother, and then, going crazy, drowned her daughter. Died in prison.
Other characters
Wagner - student of Faust who created the Homunculus.
Elena- an ancient Greek heroine, beloved of Faust, from whom her son Euphorion was born. Their marriage is a symbol of the combination of ancient and romantic beginnings.
Euphorion - the son of Faust and Helen, endowed with the features of a romantic, Byronic hero.
Martha- Margarita's neighbor, a widow.
Valentine- soldier, brother Gretchen, who was killed by Faust.
Theater Director, Poet
Homunculus
dedication
Theatrical introduction
The director of the theater asks the Poet to create an entertaining work that will be interesting to absolutely everyone and will attract more viewers to their theater. However, the Poet believes that "the splattering of vulgarities is a great evil", "talentless crooks are a craft".
The director of the theater advises him to move away from his usual style and more resolutely get down to business - “to deal with poetry in his own way”, then his works will be really interesting to people. The director provides the Poet and the Actor with all the possibilities of the theater in order to:
“In this boardwalk - a booth
You can, as in the universe,
Having passed all the tiers in a row,
Descend from heaven through the earth to hell.
Prologue in the sky
Mephistopheles comes to the Lord for reception. The devil argues that people "illumined by God's spark" continue to live like animals. The Lord asks if he knows Faust. Mephistopheles recalls that Faust is a scientist who "rushes into battle, and loves to take on obstacles," serving God. The devil offers to bet that he will "beat off" the Lord Faust, exposing him to all sorts of temptations, to which he agrees. God is sure that the scientist's instinct will lead him out of the impasse.
Part one
Night
Cramped gothic room. Faust is sitting awake reading a book. The Doctor reflects:
"I mastered theology,
I pored over philosophy,
jurisprudence hollowed
And studied medicine.
However, at the same time, I
I was and still am a fool.
And I turned to magic,
So that the spirit at the call appears to me
And he discovered the secret of being.
The doctor's thoughts are interrupted by his student Wagner, who suddenly enters the room. During a conversation with a student, Faust explains: people really do not know anything about antiquity. The doctor is outraged by Wagner's arrogant, stupid thoughts that man has already grown up to know all the secrets of the universe.
When Wagner left, the doctor reflects that he considered himself equal to God, but this is not so: "I am a blind worm, I am the stepson of nature." Faust realizes that his life is "passing in dust" and is about to commit suicide by drinking poison. However, at the moment when he brings a glass of poison to his lips, a bell ringing and choral singing are heard - the angels sing about the Resurrection of Christ. Faust abandons his intention.
At the gate
Crowds of people walking, including Wagner and Faust. The old farmer thanks the doctor and his late father for helping to "get rid of the plague" in the city. However, Faust is ashamed of his father, who during his medical practice for the sake of experiments gave people poison - while treating some, he killed others. A black poodle runs up to the doctor and Wagner. It seems to Faust that behind the dog "a flame snakes across the land of the glades."
Faust's workroom
Faust took the poodle with him. The doctor sits down to translate German New Testament. Reflecting on the first phrase of the scripture, Faust comes to the conclusion that it is translated not as “In the beginning was the Word”, but “In the beginning was the Deed”. The poodle begins to play around and, distracted from work, the doctor sees how the dog turns into Mephistopheles. The devil appears to Faust in the clothes of a wandering student. The doctor asks who he is, to which Mephistopheles replies:
“Part of the strength of that which is without number
He does good, wishing evil to everything.
Mephistopheles chuckles at human weaknesses, as if he knows what thoughts torment Faust. Soon the Devil is about to leave, but the pentagram drawn by Faust does not let him in. The devil, with the help of spirits, puts the doctor to sleep and disappears while he sleeps.
The second time Mephistopheles appeared to Faust in rich clothes: in a karamzin camisole, with a cape on his shoulders and a rooster feather on his hat. The devil persuades the doctor to leave the walls of the office and go with him:
"You will be comfortable here with me,
I will fulfill any whim."
Faust agrees and signs the treaty in blood. They go on a journey, flying straight through the air on the Devil's magical cloak.
Auerbach cellar in Leipzig
Mephistopheles and Faust join the company of merry revelers. Devil treats wine drinkers. One of the revelers spills a drink on the ground and the wine catches fire. The man exclaims that it is hellfire. Those present rush at the Devil with knives, but he induces a "dope" on them - it begins to seem to people that they are in a beautiful land. At this time, Mephistopheles and Faust disappear.
witch's kitchen
Faust and Mephistopheles are waiting for the witch. Faust complains to Mephistopheles that he is tormented by sad thoughts. The devil replies that he can be distracted from any thoughts by a simple means - the conduct of an ordinary household. However, Faust is not ready to "live without scope". At the request of the Devil, the witch prepares a potion for Faust, after which the doctor's body "gains heat", and the lost youth returns to him.
The outside
Faust, seeing Marguerite (Gretchen) on the street, is struck by her beauty. The Doctor asks Mephistopheles to set him up with her. The devil replies that he just overheard her confession - she is innocent, as Small child, therefore, the evil spirits have no power over it. Faust sets a condition: either Mephistopheles arranges their date today, or he will terminate their contract.
Evening
Margarita thinks that she would give a lot to find out who the man she met was. While the girl leaves her room, Faust and Mephistopheles leave her a gift - a jewelry box.
On a walk
Margarita's mother took the donated jewelry to the priest, as she realized that it was a gift from evil spirits. Faust orders to give Gretchen something else.
Neighbor's house
Margarita tells her neighbor Marta that she has found a second jewelry box. The neighbor advises not to say anything about the find of the mother, starting to put on jewelry gradually.
Mephistopheles comes to Martha and informs about the fictitious death of her husband, who left nothing to his wife. Marta asks if it is possible to get a paper confirming her husband's death. Mephistopheles replies that he will soon return with a friend to testify about the death, and asks Margarita to stay too, since his friend is "an excellent fellow."
Garden
Walking with Faust, Margarita tells that she lives with her mother, her father and sister have died, and her brother is in the army. The girl guesses on a camomile and gets the answer "Loves". Faust confesses his love to Marguerite.
forest cave
Faust is hiding from everyone. Mephistopheles tells the doctor that Margarita misses him very much and is afraid that Heinrich has cooled off towards her. The Devil is surprised that Faust so easily decided to give up on the girl.
Martha's Garden
Margarita shares with Faust that she really dislikes Mephistopheles. The girl thinks that he can betray them. Faust, notes the innocence of Margarita, before which the Devil is powerless: “Oh, the sensitivity of angelic guesses!” .
Faust gives Marguerite a sleeping pill so she can put her mother to sleep, and they manage to be alone longer next time.
Night. Street in front of Gretchen's house
Valentine, Gretchen's brother, decides to deal with the girl's lover. The young man is upset that she brought shame upon herself by an affair without marriage. Seeing Faust, Valentine challenges him to a duel. The doctor kills the young man. Until they are noticed, Mephistopheles and Faust hide, leave the city. Before his death, Valentine instructs Margarita, saying that the girl must protect her honor.
The cathedral
Gretchen attends a church service. Behind the girl, an evil spirit whispers to her that Gretchen is responsible for the death of her mother (not woken up from a sleeping pill) and her brother. In addition, everyone knows that a girl carries a child under her heart. Unable to withstand obsessive thoughts, Gretchen faints.
Walpurgis Night
Faust and Mephistopheles watch the coven of witches and sorcerers. Walking along the fires, they meet a general, a minister, a wealthy businessman, a writer, a junk witch, Lilith, Medusa and others. Suddenly, one of the shadows reminds of Faust Margaret, the doctor imagined that the girl was beheaded.
It's a nasty day. Field
Mephistopheles tells Faust that Gretchen has been begging for a long time and is now in prison. The doctor is in despair, he reproaches the Devil for what happened and demands that he save the girl. Mephistopheles notices that it was not he, but Faust himself who ruined Marguerite. However, after thinking, he agrees to help - the Devil will put the caretaker to sleep, and then take them away. Faust himself will have to take possession of the keys and lead Margarita out of the dungeon.
Prison
Faust enters the dungeon where Marguerite is sitting, singing strange songs. She lost her mind. Mistaking the doctor for an executioner, the girl asks to put off punishment until the morning. Faust explains that her lover is in front of her and they need to hurry. The girl is glad, but takes time, telling him that he has grown cold to her arms. Margarita tells how she lulled her mother to death and drowned her daughter in a pond. The girl is delusional and asks Faust to dig graves for her, her mother and brother. Before her death, Margarita asks for salvation from God. Mephistopheles says that she is condemned to torment, but then a voice is heard from above: “Saved!” . The girl is dying.
Part two
Act one
Imperial Palace. Masquerade
Mephistopheles in the form of a jester appears before the emperor. The Council of State begins in the throne room. The chancellor reports that the country is in decline, the state does not have enough money.
Walking garden
The devil helped the state solve the problem of lack of money by turning a scam. Mephistopheles put into circulation securities, the pledge of which was gold located in the bowels of the earth. The treasure will someday be found and will cover all expenses, but so far fooled people are paying with shares.
dark gallery
Faust, who appeared at court as a magician, informs Mephistopheles that he promised the emperor to show the ancient heroes Paris and Helen. The Doctor asks the Devil to help him. Mephistopheles gives Faust a directional key that will help the doctor penetrate the world of pagan gods and heroes.
Knight's Hall
The courtiers await the appearance of Paris and Helen. When an ancient Greek heroine appears, the ladies begin to discuss her shortcomings, but Faust is fascinated by the girl. The scene of the “abduction of Helen” by Paris is played out before the audience. Having lost his composure, Faust tries to save and keep the girl, but the spirits of the heroes suddenly evaporate.
Act two
gothic room
Faust lies in his old room motionless. The student Famulus tells Mephistopheles that the now famous scientist Wagner is still waiting for the return of his teacher Faust, and is now on the verge of a great discovery.
Medieval laboratory
Mephistopheles comes to Wagner, who is at the clumsy instruments. The scientist tells the guest that he wants to create a person, because, in his opinion, "the former children's survival for us is an absurdity, handed over to the archive." Wagner creates Homunculus.
The homunculus advises Mephistopheles to take Faust to the Walpurgis Night festival, and then flies away with the doctor and the Devil, leaving Wagner.
Classic Walpurgis Night
Mephistopheles lowers Faust to the ground, and he finally comes to his senses. The Doctor goes in search of Elena.
Act three
In front of the palace of Menelaus in Sparta
Landed on the coast of Sparta, Elena learns from the housekeeper Phorkiada that King Menelaus (Helen's husband) sent her here as a sacrifice for sacrifice. The housekeeper helps the heroine escape death by helping her escape to a nearby castle.
Castle courtyard
Helen is brought to Faust's castle. He reports that the queen now owns everything in his castle. Faust sends his troops against Menelaus, who is coming at him with a war, who wants to take revenge, and he takes refuge with Elena in the underworld.
Soon Faust and Helen have a son, Euphorion. The boy dreams of jumping so that "inadvertently reach the sky with one swoop." Faust tries to shield his son from trouble, but he asks to be left alone. Having climbed a high rock, Euphorion jumps from it and falls dead at the feet of his parents. The grieving Elena tells Faust: "The old saying comes true on me, That happiness does not get along with beauty" and, with the words "take me, O Persephone, with a boy!" hugs Faust. The woman's body disappears, and only her dress and veil remain in the man's hands. Elena's clothes turn into clouds and carry Faust away.
act four
Mountain landscape
To the rocky ridge, which was previously the bottom of the underworld, Faust swims up on a cloud. A man reflects on the fact that with the memories of love, all his purity and “the best essence” are gone. Soon, on seven-league boots, Mephistopheles flies to the rock. Faust tells Mephistopheles that his greatest desire is to build a dam on the sea and
"At any cost at the abyss
Reclaim a piece of land."
Faust asks Mephistopheles for help. Suddenly, the sounds of war are heard. The Devil explains that the emperor they previously helped is in dire straits after exposing the securities scam. Mephistopheles advises Faust to help the monarch return to the throne, for which he will be able to receive a seashore as a reward. The Doctor and the Devil help the Emperor win a resounding victory.
act five
open area
A wanderer visits the old people, the loving married couple Baucis and Philemon. Once the old people have already helped him, for which he is very grateful to them. Baucis and Philemon live by the sea, there is a bell tower and a linden grove nearby.
Castle
The aged Faust is indignant - Baucis and Philemon do not agree to leave the seashore so that he can realize his idea. Their house is exactly on the spot that now belongs to the doctor. Mephistopheles promises to deal with the old people.
Deep night
The house of Baucis and Philemon, and with it the linden grove and the belfry, were burnt down. Mephistopheles told Faust that they tried to drive the old people out of the house, but they died of fright, and the guest, resisting, was killed by the servants. The house caught fire accidentally from a spark. Faust curses Mephistopheles and the servants for deafness to his words, since he wanted a fair exchange, and not violence and robbery.
Large courtyard in front of the palace
Mephistopheles orders the lemurs (grave ghosts) to dig a grave for Faust. Blinded Faust hears the sound of shovels and decides that it is the workers who make his dream come true:
"Put a boundary to the fury of the surf
And, as if reconciling the earth with itself,
They are erecting, the rampart and embankments are being fixed.
Faust orders Mephistopheles to "recruit workers here without counting," constantly reporting to him on the progress of work. The Doctor thinks that he would like to see the days when the free people toil for free land, then he could have exclaimed: “A moment! Oh, how beautiful you are, wait a bit!” . With the words: “And anticipating this triumph, I am now experiencing the highest moment,” Faust dies.
Position in the coffin
Mephistopheles is waiting for Faust's spirit to leave his body so that he can present him with their blood-backed pact. However, angels appear and, pushing the demons away from the doctor's grave, carry the immortal essence of Faust into the sky.
Conclusion
Tragedy I. In Goethe, "Faust" is a philosophical work in which the author reflects on eternal theme confrontation in the world and man of good and evil, reveals the issues of human knowledge of the secrets of the world, self-knowledge, touches on issues of power, love, honor, justice, and many others that are important at any time. Today, Faust is considered one of the pinnacles of German classical poetry. The tragedy is included in the repertoire of the world's leading theaters and has been filmed many times.
Artwork test
After reading the short version of the tragedy - try to pass the test:
Retelling rating
Average rating: 4.8. Total ratings received: 2271.
The tragedy "Faust" is based on the confrontation between good and evil, hell and heaven, beginning with three texts: the first tells about the friends of youth, with whom Goethe began work on the tragedy, in the second "Theatrical Introduction" the Comic Actor, the Poet and the Director talk about creativity, poetry, the transience of time, lost youth. The third, main part of the tragedy "Prologue in Heaven" opens with a dispute between God and Mephistopheles. The dispute flared up because of the faithful and industrious servant of God Faust. Mephistopheles expressed a desire to tempt the "Aesculapius", for which the Lord gave him permission, as he was sure that Faust would find a way out of the impasse.
Faust was a successful scientist and physician at the time. For hours he sat in his Gothic cell and pored over books. Not satisfied with the knowledge gained, he turns to magic and alchemy, but this did not satisfy his inquisitive mind. Despite the fact that the townspeople revered him as a good doctor and scientist, and his assistant Wagner admired him, Faust believed that the knowledge that humanity has is insignificant. Thinking that his life was in vain, the scientist decides to commit suicide. He did not have time to drink the poison, the bells rang and he heard Easter choral singing. "I have been returned to the earth, thanksgiving to you for this, holy hymns."
The next morning, together with Wagner, he goes to the city for a holiday. People respectfully bow to him. He deserved honors, because he always treated people, without refusing help to anyone, even the plague did not frighten him. But even that doesn't cheer him up. On the way, they pick up a homeless black poodle. At home, to get rid of black thoughts, Faust takes up the translation of the New Testament. “In the beginning was the work,” thus translating the first verse, he suddenly drew attention to the dog, which turned into a man in the clothes of a student.
Mephistopheles turned out to be a new friend of our hero. He was very different from his other acquaintances, in some things even superior in mind to Faust. To his question, the owner of the cell heard an intricate answer: “I am part of the power of that which does good without number, wishing evil to everything.” A lively meaningful conversation with the guest was to the taste of the protagonist, introducing some intrigue. At some point, taking advantage of the fact that the host fell asleep, the guest disappeared. The next arrival of Mephistopheles turned out to be the first cunning move to tempt Faust. Dressed like a young dandy and offering the clothes of a young rake to the owner, he concluded a contract with him. As soon as the proposed pleasure captures Faust so much that he asks to stop the moment, he will immediately become a slave to Mephistopheles, i.e. his soul will belong to the guest.
Further events develop in the scenery of earth, heaven and hell, with directors - God and the devil, and their assistants - spirits and angels, witches and demons. Faust, having tasted the potion brewed by the witch, feels more than ever young and beautiful, full vitality and desires, to comprehend the highest happiness.
The first temptation prepared for the protagonist was a young fifteen-year-old innocent Margarita, or Gretchen. She lived in a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone. Her father died, her brother was in the army, her younger sister, with whom she studied all the time, died. She stayed with her mother. Faust, having met a girl on the street, immediately fell in love and Mephistopheles immediately took advantage of this, offering his help. And now they are together, Margarita and our hero, so that no one interferes with their meetings, the girl put her mother to sleep with a potion on the advice of her beloved.
Crazy love causes a series of misfortunes. Margarita's brother Valentin accidentally meets with her sister's "boyfriends". A fight ensued, in which Valentine is killed by Faust's sword. Before his death, the brother, betraying universal disgrace, cursed his sister. To avoid punishment for the crime, Faust, together with his new friend, fled the city. Margaret's mother did not wake up one day from the potion with which her daughter was drunk. Then the girl had a daughter, and in order to avoid shame, she drowned the baby in the river. But she did not escape punishment, as a harlot and a murderer, she was put in prison, where she was awaiting execution in stocks.
Her lover, for a while, forgetting about the girl, went with Mephistopheles to Mount Broken, where all evil spirits gathered for the Sabbath on Walpurgis Night. The Satanic ball does not frighten Faust. He dances with one of the members, who suddenly has a pink mouse popping out of her mouth. Coming to his senses, he leaves his companion. Suddenly, in the darkness, he saw the silhouette of his beloved, imprisoned, with a scar on her neck. Faust is going to save the girl. Mephistopheles notices that it was he who caused her disasters. Friends go to save the girl.
After putting the guards to sleep, they entered the dungeon. Margarita, devoid of reason, barefoot, sang children's songs, frightened by extraneous noise. She did not immediately recognize her beloved. He rushes to the girl, freeing her from the shackles. And then, recognizing her savior, Margarita throws herself on his neck, kisses him, asks her to hug her tighter. Faust hurries her, she needs to leave, but the girl unexpectedly refuses. She tells him that all her loved ones died through her fault, and she must stand trial for all her sins. Faust leaves the dungeon, and Mephistopheles tells Margaret that she will be condemned as a sinner to torment. However, a voice is heard from above: "Saved." The girl refused the services of the devil, preferring death and repentance, and thus saved her soul.
Faust's life is gaining new round. Together with a new friend, he finds himself at the imperial court. Mephistopheles offers his help to the emperor in replenishing the empty treasury. He carries out a scam by selling non-existent gold from the bowels of the earth for securities. At court, he and Faust become heroes and use their position. It is clear that someday the deception with securities will be revealed.
Faust receives from his friend a magic key that opens the door to the world of pagan gods and heroes. Our hero brings the personification of male and female beauty, Paris and Helen, to the imperial ball. The ladies of the court enviously throw critical remarks at the beautiful lady, but Faust is fascinated by Elena. He tried to hold her, but the beauty disappears. Obsessed with the beauty of Elena, he rushes to search through the depths of time. At some point, he finds himself in his workshop, where Wagner, trying to create an artificial person, raised a Homunculus in a flask, suffering from a split personality.
Faust finds Elena, they have a beautiful son, Euphorin, who will not stay long on earth. With the words “I am not an outsider, I am a participant in earthly battles,” he flies away and disappears. Elena, having explained to Faust that beauty and happiness do not get along together, also disappears.
Our hero returns to the Middle Ages from antiquity. On the way, he notices a piece of land that every year floods the sea. He intends to build a dam so that "at any cost a piece of land can be won from the abyss," but Mephistopheles persuades him to help their friend the emperor, who, due to the scam, turned out to be a terrible situation. Friends spend military operation and destroy the emperor's enemies.
Faust returns to carry out his plan, but in the place where the dam should have stood, there is the dwelling of the old people - Philemon and Baucis. On the offer to move to another house, they refuse. Faust decides to use the help of Mephistopheles, but he, as always, taking everything literally, kills the old people and the traveler who was visiting them. Faust is again disappointed. But he decided that he must complete the dam. Suddenly our hero goes blind. He hears the sound of shovels, joyfully urges the workers, being sure that they are building a dam. In fact, the devil's helpers are digging Faust's grave. Our hero, overwhelmed with happiness and the knowledge that he is creating something useful, necessary for humanity, understands that this is exactly what he really wanted, this is the meaning of his life and true purpose. He pronounces the cherished words that “a free people on a free land” appears before him in such a majestic picture that he would like to stop the moment. That hour our hero falls dead. Mephistopheles triumphs, but suddenly the angels carry away the soul of Faust. Mephistopheles is angry and curses himself. The soul of our hero is saved, which means that he deserves forgiveness. His soul meets the soul of Margarita, who takes him to another world.
Please note that this is only a summary. literary work"Faust". This summary omits many important points and quotations.
Love for everything mystical in a person is unlikely to ever fade away. Even aside from the question of faith, the mystery stories themselves are extremely interesting. There have been many such stories for the centuries-old existence of life on Earth, and one of them, written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, is Faust. Summary of this famous tragedy will acquaint you with the plot in general terms.
The work begins with a lyrical dedication, in which the poet remembers with gratitude all his friends, relatives and close people, even those who are no longer alive. This is followed by a theatrical introduction in which three - the Comic Actor, the Poet and the Theater Director - are arguing about art. And finally, we get to the very beginning of the tragedy "Faust". The summary of the scene called "Prologue in Heaven" tells how God and Mephistopheles argue about good and evil among people. God is trying to convince his opponent that everything on earth is beautiful and wonderful, all people are pious and submissive. But Mephistopheles does not agree with this. God offers him a dispute on the soul of Faust - a learned man and his diligent, immaculate slave. Mephistopheles agrees, he really wants to prove to the Lord that any, even the most holy soul, is capable of succumbing to temptations.
So, the bet is made, and Mephistopheles, having descended from heaven to earth, turns into a black poodle and follows Faust, who was walking around the city with his assistant Wagner. Taking the dog to his house, the scientist proceeds with his daily routine, but suddenly the poodle began to "puff up like a bubble" and turned back into Mephistopheles. Faust (the summary does not allow revealing all the details) is at a loss, but the uninvited guest explains to him who he is and for what purpose he arrived. He begins to seduce the Aesculapius in every possible way with the various joys of life, but he remains adamant. However, the cunning Mephistopheles promises him to show such pleasures that Faust will simply take his breath away. The scientist, being sure that nothing can surprise him, agrees to sign an agreement in which he undertakes to give his soul to Mephistopheles as soon as he asks him to stop the moment. Mephistopheles, according to this agreement, is obliged to serve the scientist in every possible way, fulfill any of his desires and do everything that he says, until the very moment he utters the cherished words: “Stop, a moment, you are beautiful!”
The treaty was signed in blood. Further, the summary of Faust stops at the acquaintance of the scientist with Gretchen. Thanks to Mephistopheles, the Aesculapius became 30 years younger, and therefore the 15-year-old girl absolutely sincerely fell in love with him. Faust also burned with passion for her, but it was this love that led to further tragedy. Gretchen, in order to freely run on dates with her beloved, puts her mother to sleep every night. But even this does not save the girl from shame: rumors are circulating around the city that have reached the ears of her older brother.
Faust (a summary, keep in mind, reveals only the main plot) stabs Valentine, who rushed at him to kill him for dishonoring his sister. But now he himself is waiting for a mortal reprisal, and he is fleeing the city. Gretchen accidentally poisons her mother with a sleeping potion. She drowns her daughter, born of Faust, in the river to avoid people's gossip. But people have known everything for a long time, and the girl, branded as a harlot and a murderer, ends up in prison, where Faust finds her and releases her, but Gretchen does not want to run away with him. She cannot forgive herself for what she has done and prefers to die in agony than to live with such a mental burden. For such a decision, God forgives her and takes her soul to heaven.
In the last chapter, Faust (the summary is not able to fully convey all the emotions) again becomes an old man and feels that he will die soon. Plus, he's blind. But even at such an hour he wants to build a dam that would separate a piece of land from the sea, where he would create a happy, prosperous state. He clearly imagines this country and, exclaiming a fatal phrase, immediately dies. But Mephistopheles fails to take his soul: angels flew down from heaven and won it back from the demons.
Year: 1800 Genre: tragedy
Main characters: scientist Faust, God and Mephistopheles
The tragedy begins with a dedication in which the author recalls the years of his youth. He remembered his first love, first dates. Good friends also come to his visions, among them those who have had a good life, and those who are "uprooted and deceived by fortune." They discuss what is the role of theater in society.
The poet is sure that this kind of art is bestowed by God himself and cannot be speculated on. After all, these are people's feelings, experiences. The director doesn't agree at all. For him, there is only a technical side, he invites his interlocutor to use all the benefits of the theater in order to attract as many people as possible to it. The director is sure that many will come here not to feel spiritual feelings, but just for fun. Knock about in the crowd, digest dinner calmly sitting on a chair, and sometimes laugh. The poet was given the task to come up with something in the shortest possible time that would attract many people here. But he does not agree with this, because his job is to feel subtly, to pass experiences through himself. And then the comedian throws up the idea that jokes need to be inserted into the work urgently, because this is the main thing for a theatrical production.
In the prologue "In Heaven" the Lord is talking with his archangels. They talk about how life on earth goes on as usual. The seas are raging, the Earth is spinning and the sun is shining. Mephistopheles alone does not agree with this. He says that before his eyes there are only torments of people who do not know how to manifest themselves in this life. God tells him about Dr. Faust, about his spiritual quest.
There seems to be a bet between Mephistopheles and the Almighty that people like Faust can be swayed to the side of evil, depravity and deceit. And here we have Faust himself. He is not satisfied with his knowledge. He does not understand why he taught so many different sciences, because they did not satisfy his thirst to know the unknown. Now he is attracted to black magic. He pins his last hopes on her. But again, not getting what he expected, he decides to drink a cup of poison. The fun of people who celebrate the Resurrection of Christ distracts the doctor.
At this point, the reader is introduced to Wagner, Faust's student. The teacher considers him slightly incapable of science, he is rather fed up with the hero. Therefore, when Mephistopheles appears on the horizon in the form of a capable student, Faust is simply crazy about him. But this is later. And now Wagner and his teacher are walking around the city. The color is described in the third scene festivities. Young boys look at girls. They flirt with them. Older peasants are walking in the square. Everyone is happy to see Faust, they treat him with great respect, because he is a very talented doctor. This does not appeal to him himself, and he returns to his house with Wagner.
A poodle dog appears on his doorstep, which soon turns into Mephistopheles. In the fourth and fifth chapters, in Faust's office, he gets acquainted with evil spirits. The Doctor signs a pact with Satan. He gives him his soul, in exchange for understanding all the delights of life. Faust is young again, handsome, full of strength and hope. On the painted cloak of the devil himself, he flies to a new life. The contract is sealed with blood, and if the doctor decides to ask Mephistopheles to stop the moment, he will forever fall into his network. Next are the scenes where the doctor rotates in all sorts of dissolute circles, taverns, booze. Encounters with evil spirits, witches, strange animal-like helpers of the devil.
The turn of the first bliss is coming. A young girl, Margarita, whom Faust begins to seduce with all sorts of gifts with sweet speeches. The girl's brother decides to avenge the desecrated honor of his sister, but Satan kills him. They, along with the doctor, run away from the city. Margarita poisons her mother and drowns her newborn daughter in the river. She herself is now waiting for the verdict in shackles in a dungeon. And Faust flies to Satan's ball on Mount Broken, because Walpurgis Night is coming soon. The mountain is teeming with all sorts of evil spirits, but our hero is already accustomed to such an environment. Suddenly, in one of the shadows, the doctor recognizes Margarita. With Mephistopheles, he flies to the dungeon to prevent her death. But although she is no longer in her right mind, she rejects the power of evil.
part 2
The second part begins with Faust sleeping in a beautiful meadow, near him the elves sing. The heroes are already at the court of one of the emperors. The imperial treasury is getting thinner and it is getting harder in the country. Mephistopheles pretends to be a jester. They were invited to introduce paper, which sooner or later will enable people to enrich themselves with gold from the bowels of the earth. People believe and give their money in the hope of getting much more. Entertainment, festivities, balls. On them, Faust is represented as a sorcerer. He has a magic key with which he can enter the ancient eras. He brings the ideal of human beauty to Helena and Paris to the ball. Faust falls in love with Elena. But there is a sudden explosion and she disappears. Now the doctor's goal is to find the one that captivated his mind. During this period, Mephistopheles returns Faust to his workshop.
But the doctor is torn through the ages to find Elena. He succeeds. They have a son who dies young, and Elena also flies away with her son. Now Faust needs to help Mephistopheles protect the emperor, whom they once visited. And then the doctor wants to build a dam for one piece of land, which, due to constant flooding, is not fertile. But the old people who live in the place where they want to build a dam do not want to leave these lands.
Mephistopheles brutally kills them. The doctor is appalled by what has happened. Here he is again old, in his workshop. Grief befell him - he became blind. But his hearing does not fail, he hears the sound of shovels, the sound of a hammer. Faust is sure that work is underway to build a dam. But the evil spirits are digging his grave. The doctor rethought his life. He says that the most valuable thing is free people on a free land, and he wants it to be like this forever. At the same moment, he falls to the ground. His soul flies out, but the angels pick it up. Mephistopheles curses himself. In another world, Faust meets Margarita, she becomes his guide in another world.
With his tragedy, the author wanted to convey to the reader the idea that all earthly blessings that hurt people around are more evil. After all, making life easier for yourself at the expense of others is wrong. Everything must be done honestly and with respect for people.
Five brave Americans find themselves on desert island Lincoln. On the new land, they build a shelter for themselves, gardening, irrigating the land and raising livestock.
The book describes the period from 1711 to 1720. The work is full of wit and irony in describing the life of Persian harems. In the work, the author touched upon the problems of external and domestic policy, religion
The tragedy opens with three introductory texts. The first is a lyrical dedication to the friends of youth - those with whom the author was associated at the beginning of work on " Faust and who has already died or is away. “I again thankfully recall everyone who lived on that radiant noon.”
Then comes the Theatrical Introduction. In a conversation between the Theater Director, the Poet and the Comic Actor, problems are discussed artistic creativity. Should art serve the idle crowd, or be true to its lofty and eternal purpose? How to combine true poetry and success? Here, as well as in Initiation, the motif of the transience of time and irretrievably lost youth resounds, nourishing creative inspiration. In conclusion, the Director gives advice to get down to business more decisively and adds that all the achievements of his theater are at the disposal of the Poet and the Actor. “In this wooden booth, you can, as in the universe, go through all the tiers in a row, descend from heaven through the earth to hell.”
The problematics of “heaven, earth and hell” outlined in one line is developed in the “Prologue in Heaven” - where the Lord, the archangels and Mephistopheles are already acting. The archangels, singing the glory of the deeds of God, fall silent when Mephistopheles appears, who, from the very first remark - “I came to you, God, at the reception ...” - as if bewitches with his skeptical charm. First name in conversation Faust, whom God cites as an example as his faithful and diligent servant. Mephistopheles agrees that “this Aesculapius” “is eager to fight, and loves to take on obstacles, and sees a target beckoning in the distance, and demands stars from the sky as a reward and the best pleasures from the earth,” noting the contradictory dual nature of the scientist. God allows Mephistopheles to subject Faust to any temptations, to bring him down into any abyss, believing that his instinct will lead Faust out of the impasse. Mephistopheles, as a true spirit of denial, accepts the dispute, promising to make Faust crawl and "eat […] dust from a shoe." A grand struggle of good and evil, great and insignificant, sublime and base begins.
...The one about whom this dispute is concluded spends a sleepless night in a cramped Gothic room with a vaulted ceiling. In this working cell, for many years of hard work, Faust comprehended all earthly wisdom. Then he dared to encroach on the secrets of supernatural phenomena, turned to magic and alchemy. However, instead of satisfaction in his declining years, he feels only spiritual emptiness and pain from the vanity of the deed. “I mastered theology, pored over philosophy, hammered jurisprudence and studied medicine. However, at the same time, I was and remain a fool for everyone, ”he begins his first monologue. Unusual in strength and depth, Faust's mind is marked by fearlessness before the truth. He is not deceived by illusions and therefore sees with ruthlessness how limited the possibilities of knowledge are, how incommensurable are the mysteries of the universe and nature with the fruits of scientific experience. He laughs at the praises of Wagner's assistant. This pedant is ready to diligently gnaw at the granite of science and pore over parchments, without thinking about the fundamental problems that torment Faust. “All the beauty of the spell will be dispelled by this boring, obnoxious, limited scholar!” - the scientist speaks in his hearts about Wagner. When Wagner in presumptuous stupidity pronounces that man has grown to know the answer to all his riddles, an irritated Faust stops the conversation. Left alone, the scientist again plunges into a state of gloomy hopelessness. The bitterness of realizing that life has passed in the ashes of empty studies, among bookshelves, flasks and retorts, leads Faust to a terrible decision - he is preparing to drink poison in order to end the earthly share and merge with the universe. But at the moment when he raises the poisoned glass to his lips, bells and choral singing are heard. It is the night of Holy Easter, Blagovest saves Faust from suicide. “I have been returned to the earth, thank you for this, holy hymns!”
The next morning, together with Wagner, they join the crowd of festive people. All the surrounding residents revere Faust: both he and his father tirelessly treated people, saving them from serious illnesses. The doctor was not frightened by either the pestilence or the plague, he, without flinching, entered the infected barracks. Now ordinary townspeople and peasants bow to him and make way. But even this sincere confession does not please the hero. He does not overestimate his own merits. On a walk, a black poodle is nailed to them, which Faust then brings to his home. In an effort to overcome the lack of will and discouragement that have taken possession of him, the hero takes up the translation of the New Testament. Rejecting several variants of the initial line, he dwells on the interpretation of the Greek "logos" as a "deed" and not a "word", making sure: "In the beginning was the deed," the verse says. However, the dog distracts him from his studies. And finally, she turns into Mephistopheles, who for the first time appears to Faust in the clothes of a wandering student.
To the host's wary question about his name, the guest replies that he is "a part of the power of that which does good without number, wishing evil to everything." The new interlocutor, in contrast to the dull Wagner, is Faust's equal in intelligence and power of insight. The guest condescendingly and caustically chuckles at the weaknesses human nature, over the human lot, as if penetrating into the very core of Faust's torment. Having intrigued the scientist and taking advantage of his drowsiness, Mephistopheles disappears. The next time, he appears smartly dressed and immediately invites Faust to dispel the melancholy. He persuades the old hermit to put on a bright dress and in this "clothes characteristic of rake, to experience after a long fast, which means fullness of life." If the proposed pleasure captures Faust so much that he asks to stop the moment, then he will become the prey of Mephistopheles, his slave. They seal the deal with blood and go on a journey - right through the air, on the wide cloak of Mephistopheles ...
So, the scenery of this tragedy is earth, heaven and hell, its directors are God and the devil, and their assistants are numerous spirits and angels, witches and demons, representatives of light and darkness in their endless interaction and confrontation. How attractive in his mocking omnipotence is the main tempter - in a golden camisole, in a hat with a rooster feather, with a draped hoof on his leg, which makes him slightly lame! But his companion, Faust, is a match - now he is young, handsome, full of strength and desires. He tasted the potion brewed by the witch, after which his blood boiled. He knows no more hesitation in his determination to comprehend all the secrets of life and the pursuit of the highest happiness.
What temptations did his lame-legged companion prepare for the fearless experimenter? Here is the first temptation. She is called Marguerite, or Gretchen, she is fifteen years old, and she is pure and innocent, like a child. She grew up in a wretched town, where gossips gossip about everyone and everything by the well. They buried their father with their mother. The brother serves in the army, and the younger sister, whom Gretchen nursed, recently died. There is no maid in the house, so all household and garden chores are on her shoulders. “But how sweet is the eaten piece, how expensive is rest and how deep is sleep!” This artless soul was destined to confuse the wise Faust. Having met a girl on the street, he flared up with an insane passion for her. The procurer-devil immediately offered his services - and now Margarita answers Faust with the same fiery love. Mephistopheles urges Faust to finish the job, and he cannot resist it. He meets Margaret in the garden. One can only guess what a whirlwind is raging in her chest, how immeasurably her feeling is, if she - before that very righteousness, meekness and obedience - is not just given Faust, but also puts his strict mother to sleep on his advice so that she does not interfere with dates.
Why is Faust so attracted to this particular commoner, naive, young and inexperienced? Maybe with her he gains a sense of earthly beauty, goodness and truth, which he previously aspired to? For all her inexperience, Margarita is endowed with spiritual vigilance and an impeccable sense of truth. She immediately discerns in Mephistopheles the messenger of evil and languishes in his company. “Oh, the sensitivity of angelic guesses!” - drops Faust.
Love gives them dazzling bliss, but it also causes a chain of misfortunes. By chance, Margarita's brother Valentine, passing by her window, ran into a pair of "boyfriends" and immediately rushed to fight them. Mephistopheles did not back down and drew his sword. By the sign of the devil Faust also got involved in this battle and stabbed the brother of his beloved. Dying, Valentine cursed his sister-reveler, betraying her to universal disgrace. Faust did not immediately learn about her further troubles. He fled from the payback for the murder, hurried out of the city after his leader. And what about Margarita? It turns out that she unwittingly killed her mother with her own hands, because she once did not wake up after a sleeping potion. Later, she gave birth to a daughter - and drowned her in the river, fleeing worldly wrath. Kara did not pass her by - an abandoned lover, branded as a harlot and a murderer, she was imprisoned and awaiting execution in stocks.
Her beloved is far away. No, not in her arms, he asked for a moment to wait. Now, together with the inseparable Mephistopheles, he rushes not somewhere, but to Broken itself - on this mountain on Walpurgis Night, the witches' sabbath begins. A true orgy reigns around the hero - witches rush past, demons, kikimors and devils call to each other, everything is embraced by revelry, a teasing element of vice and fornication. Faust does not feel fear of the evil spirits swarming everywhere, which manifests itself in all the many-voiced revelation of shamelessness. This is a breathtaking ball of Satan. And now Faust chooses a younger beauty here, with whom he starts dancing. He leaves her only when a pink mouse suddenly jumps out of her mouth. “Thank you that the mouse is not gray, and do not grieve so deeply about it,” Mephistopheles condescendingly remarks on his complaint.
However, Faust does not listen to him. In one of the shadows, he guesses Margarita. He sees her imprisoned in a dungeon, with a terrible bloody scar on her neck, and grows cold. Rushing to the devil, he demands to save the girl. He objects: was it not Faust himself who was her seducer and executioner? The hero does not want to delay. Mephistopheles promises him to finally put the guards to sleep and break into the prison. Jumping on their horses, the two conspirators rush back to the city. They are accompanied by witches who sense imminent death on the scaffold.
last date Faust and Marguerite- one of the most tragic and heartfelt pages of world poetry.
Having drunk all the boundless humiliation of public shame and suffering from the sins she committed, Margarita lost her mind. Bare-haired, barefoot, she sings children's songs in prison and shudders at every rustle. When Faust appears, she does not recognize him and shrinks on the mat. He desperately listens to her crazy speeches. She babbles something about the ruined baby, begs not to lead her under the axe. Faust throws himself on his knees in front of the girl, calls her by name, breaks her chains. At last she realizes that before her is a Friend. “I can’t believe my ears, where is he? Get on his neck! Hurry, hurry to his chest! Through the darkness of the inconsolable dungeon, through the flames of hellish pitch darkness, and hooting and howling ... ".
She does not believe her happiness, that she is saved. Faust frantically urges her to leave the dungeon and run. But Margarita hesitates, plaintively asks to caress her, reproaches that he has lost the habit of her, “has forgotten how to kiss” ... Faust again pulls her and conjures to hurry. Then the girl suddenly begins to remember her mortal sins - and the artless simplicity of her words makes Faust go cold with a terrible foreboding. “I lulled my mother to death, drowned my daughter in a pond. God thought to give it to us for happiness, but gave it for trouble. Interrupting Faust's objections, Margaret proceeds to the last testament. He, her desired one, must necessarily stay alive in order to dig three holes with a shovel on the slope of the day: for mother, for brother and the third for me. Dig mine to the side, put it not far away and attach the child closer to my chest. Margarita again begins to be haunted by images of those who died through her fault - she imagines a trembling baby whom she drowned, a sleepy mother on a hillock ... She tells Faust that there is no worse fate than "staggering with a sick conscience", and refuses to leave the dungeon. Faust tries to stay with her, but the girl drives him away. Mephistopheles, who appeared at the door, hurries Faust. They leave the prison, leaving Margarita alone. Before leaving, Mephistopheles throws out that Margarita is condemned to torment as a sinner. However, a voice from above corrects him: "Saved." Preferring martyrdom, God's judgment and sincere repentance to escape, the girl saved her soul. She refused the services of the devil.
At the beginning of the second part, we find Faust, forgotten in a green meadow in an uneasy dream. Flying forest spirits give peace and oblivion to his soul, tormented by remorse. After a while, he wakes up healed, watching the sunrise. His first words are addressed to the dazzling luminary. Now Faust understands that the disproportion of the goal to the capabilities of a person can destroy, like the sun, if you look at it point-blank. The image of the rainbow is dearer to him, “which, with the play of the seven-color variability, elevates to constancy.” Having gained new strength in unity with beautiful nature, the hero continues to climb the steep spiral of experience.
This time, Mephistopheles brings Faust to the imperial court. In the state where they ended up, discord reigns due to the impoverishment of the treasury. No one knows how to fix things, except for Mephistopheles, who pretended to be a jester. The tempter develops a plan to replenish the cash reserves, which he soon brilliantly implements. It puts securities into circulation, the pledge of which is declared to be the content of the earth's interior. The devil assures that there is a lot of gold in the earth, which will be found sooner or later, and this will cover the cost of papers. The fooled population willingly buys shares, “and the money flowed from the purse to the vintner, to the butcher's shop. Half the world is washed down, and the tailor's other half is sewing new clothes. It is clear that the bitter fruits of the scam will sooner or later affect, but while euphoria reigns at the court, a ball is arranged, and Faust, as one of the sorcerers, enjoys unprecedented honor.
Mephistopheles hands him a magic key that gives him the opportunity to penetrate the world of pagan gods and heroes. Faust brings Paris and Helen to the emperor's ball, personifying male and female beauty. When Elena appears in the hall, some of the ladies present make critical remarks about her. "Slim, big. And the head is small ... The leg is disproportionately heavy ... ”However, Faust feels with his whole being that he has before him a spiritual and aesthetic ideal cherished in its perfection. He compares the blinding beauty of Elena with a gushing stream of radiance. “How dear to me the world is, how full, attracting, authentic, inexpressible for the first time!” However, his desire to keep Elena does not work. The image blurs and disappears, an explosion is heard, Faust falls to the ground.
Now the hero is obsessed with the idea of finding the beautiful Elena. He is waiting long haul through the ages. This path runs through his former working workshop, where Mephistopheles will transfer him to oblivion. We will meet again with the zealous Wagner, waiting for the return of the teacher. This time, the scientist pedant is busy creating an artificial person in the flask, firmly believing that "the former survival of children is an absurdity for us, handed over to the archive." Before the eyes of a grinning Mephistopheles, a Homunculus is born from a flask, suffering from the duality of his own nature.
When at last the stubborn Faust finds the beautiful Helen and unites with her and they have a child marked by genius - Goethe put Byron's traits into his image - the contrast between this beautiful fruit of living love and the unfortunate Homunculus will come to light with special force. However, the beautiful Euphorion, the son of Faust and Helen, will not live long on earth. He is attracted by the struggle and the challenge of the elements. “I am not an outsider, but a participant in earthly battles,” he declares to his parents. He rushes up and disappears, leaving a luminous trail in the air. Elena hugs Faust goodbye and remarks: “The old saying comes true on me that happiness does not get along with beauty ...” Only her clothes remain in Faust’s hands - the bodily disappears, as if marking the transient nature of absolute beauty.
Mephistopheles in seven-league boots returns the hero from harmonious pagan antiquity to his native Middle Ages. He offers Faust various options on how to achieve fame and recognition, but he rejects them and tells about his own plan. From the air, he noticed a large piece of land, which is annually flooded by the sea tide, depriving the land of fertility, Faust has the idea to build a dam in order to "recapture a piece of land from the abyss at any cost." Mephistopheles, however, objects that for now it is necessary to help their familiar emperor, who, after deceiving with securities, having lived a little to his heart's content, faced the threat of losing the throne. Faust and Mephistopheles lead a military operation against the enemies of the emperor and win a brilliant victory.
Now Faust is eager to begin the implementation of his cherished plan, but a trifle prevents him. On the site of the future dam stands the hut of the old poor - Philemon and Baucis. Stubborn old people do not want to change their home, although Faust offered them another shelter. In irritated impatience, he asks the devil to help deal with the stubborn. As a result, the unfortunate couple - and with them the guest-wanderer who dropped in on them - suffers a ruthless reprisal. Mephistopheles and the guards kill the guest, the old people die of shock, and the hut is occupied by a flame from a random spark. Experiencing in again bitterness from the irreparability of what happened, Faust exclaims: “I offered me change with me, and not violence, not robbery. For deafness to my words, curse you, curse you!
He is feeling tired. He is old again and feels that life is coming to an end again. All his aspirations are now focused on achieving the dream of a dam. Another blow awaits him - Faust goes blind. It is enveloped in the darkness of the night. However, he distinguishes the sound of shovels, movement, voices. He is seized by violent joy and energy - he understands that the cherished goal is already dawning. The hero begins to give feverish commands: “Get up to work in a friendly crowd! Scatter in a chain where I point. Picks, shovels, wheelbarrows for diggers! Align the shaft according to the drawing!
Blind Faust is unaware that Mephistopheles played an insidious trick with him. Around Faust it is not the builders who are crawling in the ground, but lemurs, evil spirits. At the behest of the devil, they dig a grave for Faust. The hero, meanwhile, is full of happiness. In a spiritual outburst, he utters his last monologue, where he concentrates the experience gained on the tragic path of knowledge. Now he understands that it is not power, not wealth, not fame, not even the possession of the most beautiful woman on earth that bestows a truly supreme moment of existence. Only a common deed, equally needed by everyone and realized by everyone, can give life the highest fullness. This is how the semantic bridge is stretched to the discovery made by Faust even before the meeting with Mephistopheles: "In the beginning there was a deed." He understands that "only the one who has experienced the battle for life deserves life and freedom." Faust utters intimate words that he is experiencing his highest moment and that "a free people on a free land" seems to him such a grandiose picture that he could stop this moment. Immediately his life ends. He falls down. Mephistopheles looks forward to the moment when he will rightfully take possession of his soul. But at the last minute, the angels carry away Faust's soul right in front of the devil's nose. For the first time, Mephistopheles loses his temper, he goes on a rampage and curses himself.
Faust's soul is saved, which means that his life is ultimately justified. Beyond the edge of earthly existence, his soul meets the soul of Gretchen, who becomes his guide to another world.
... Goethe finished "Faust" just before his death. “Forming like a cloud”, according to the writer, this idea accompanied him all his life.