Faust

When man petitions the heavens, is it God or the devil who answers? This question, central to the human experience, is the driving force behind Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s seminal 1806 play, Faust.
Based loosely on the facts and dramatized retellings of 15th century alchemist, astrologer, and magician Johann Georg Faust, the play follows Faust’s search for limitless understanding and wisdom through magical means outside the realms of science and religion. The devil, keen to prove to God that he can lead one his servants away from righteous pursuits, presents himself to Faust as the enigmatic Mephistopheles and offers him a bargain: He will serve Faust in life, but in return Faust must serve him in death. Goethe, not satisfied with joining in the long tradition of ‘deal with the devil’ stories, augments his telling by arriving at the distinctly modern conclusion that “He who strives on and lives to strive / Can earn redemption still.” In the end, Faust is not punished for his drive to know more but rewarded for his unwavering spirit even in the face of hardship, horror, and the knowledge that no single moment can bring eternal bliss.
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Preface 9
Preliminary 13
Dramatis PersonÆ 53
Dedication 55
Prelude at the Theatre 57
Prologue in Heaven 65
Faust Part I 71
Act I
Scene I, Scene II, Scene III 71
Act II
Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V, 
Scene VI, Scene VII 88
Act III
Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V, 
Scene VI, Scene VII, Scene VIII 138
Act IV
Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V, 
Scene VI, Scene VII, Scene VIII, Scene IX 189
Act V
Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V 227
Faust—Selections from Part II (1832) 265
Act the First 265
Act the Second 281
Act the Third 300
Act the Fourth 314
Act the Fifth 330
Notes 353