Essay/Term paper: Faust

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Expository Essays

Faust Chris Davidson
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 10/22/96
Translated by Walter Kaufmann Period 2
Mrs. Hand
A

Faust

This novel written originally by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and translated by Walter Kaufmann. There are 201 pages in this novel.. This book is a poem divided into two parts and has many adventures in it. The point of view is from the writer of the play, 3rd person narration. The theme of this novel is Don"t always take the easy way out of things because in the end you will pay for them.
This novel starts off with Mephisto the Devil asking God to be able to tempt a scholar named Faust. Mephisto talks with angels and God. Mephisto tells God that Faust is loyal to him but will no be for long. Mephisto is going to take Faust from him. Faust is sitting in his study most of the poem. He looks up information to gain more knowledge. When he is looking one day through his study he notices a book that he has never seen before. Faust takes it out and examines it and finds out it is a book of spells, With this spell book he calls on Mephisto. Faust finds out that Mephisto never wants to say his name just describe his great power and plans that he can give Faust. Mephisto fails the first time to get Faust to give in. He comes back the next day and tries again but doesn"t gain his hand in this deed. After Faust calls on Mephisto they make a deal. Mephisto would serve Faust in this life and when Faust would die he would come to hell and help Mephisto in return for giving Faust all this power. Faust agrees and this is the start of the deed. Mephisto would do anything in his power for Faust.
These things that Mephisto did was to try to get Lady Gretchen (that Faust liked dearly) to notice him. Mephisto would give Gretchen diamonds and other assortment of jewelry to tempt her. This did not work. Over the years of Mephisto doing all these deeds for Faust, He gained a lot of knowledge. Faust started to get real old and very ill. He started to see ghosts and other kinds of unnatural things in front of his eyes that he never saw before. Over more time Faust becomes blind and can no longer do anything. When Faust is dying Mephisto gets ready to take him to hell to serve him in eternity. When Faust dies God comes into the picture again. He gets angels to distract Mephisto and take Faust into Heaven. God forgives Faust for all he has done. He was doing it only for the good of the people. He wanted to learn more information and only good came out of his ideas. Faust"s soul is reprimanded and he is in heaven. He finally gets to stay with his love Gretchen.
This novel which is a poem divided into two parts is very good. You are always thinking about many different things during the poem like why Faust would do this and not this. The way this poem is setup keeps you wanting to read more and more. I didn"t want to put the book down. I usually don"t do that when I am reading. This novel is very good I give this novel a rating of an A. Some people might think it is not good cause of the Devil in it. This is a good novel no matter what people say you should take a look at it.