Goethe's Faust - Triumph of Faust

Triumph of Faust

In the beginning of Goethe's Faust, a bet is made between God and Mephistopheles, a character that some consider to be the Devil. Mephistopheles says that Faust, the doctor, will fall and God says in lines 15-16, "If today he's still confused, a soul astray, my light shall lead him into a true way." Soon Mephistopheles has to do anything for Faust if Faust, in return, gives Mephisto his soul. Although Faust, throughout the play, is irritated with Mephistopheles, he feels like it is also necessary to have around because he needs him to have a fulfilling life. Faust discovers in the end that he doesn't want to be a bad guy and therefore triumphs over Mephistopheles and God wins the bet.

When the pact is first on, Faust doesn't seem to care about his soul or his life. He is Mephisto's sidekick for lack of anything better to do. In lines 1676-1678, Faust says, "If you pull this world down over my ears...who cares?" Faust sees himself as better than God, so therefore not worried about his welfare. In the scene, "Night", Faust even tried to kill himself. As the twosome begin hanging out together, Faust seems bored with all that Mephistopheles shows him. In lines 2377-2383 Faust says, "Are you telling me that I'll learn to be a new man stumbling around in this lunatic confusion?...If you can do no better, the outlook is black for me, the hopes I nursed are already dead."

Faust suddenly starts taking interest when he lays eyes on Gretchen, a beautiful, poor, good, and modest young woman. Although Mephistopheles doesn't approve of pursuing the girl, he must do what Faust orders him to or he'll lose Faust's soul. So, Mephisto does what Faust says, although reluctantly. "Aren't you fed up with it by now, this mooning about? How can it still amuse you? You do it for a while, all right; but enough's enough, on to the new!" Mephisto says in lines 3310-3313. Throughout the rest of the play, Mephisto tries to talk Faust out of some ideas, but he always gives into him, so Faust doesn't call off the pact, and Mephistopheles doesn't lose his bet with God.

In "An Overcast Day, A Field" Faust finds out that he got Gretchen pregnant, and that she's in jail.