( Latin '''Faustus''') is the protagonist of a popular German tale of a Pact With The Devil , assumed to be based on the figure of the German magician and alchemist Dr. Johann Georg Faust (approximately 1480 - 1540 ). It has been used as the basis for many different Fictional works, most notably by Christopher Marlowe , Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe , Klaus Mann , Thomas Mann , Oscar Wilde and Mikhail Bulgakov .
The story concerns the fate of a learned gentleman named Faust, who in his quest for forbidden or advanced knowledge of material things, summons the Devil (represented by Mephistopheles , often also referred to as Mephisto), who offers to serve him for a period of time, at the cost of his Soul .
While most scholars believe the story of ''Faust'' originated in northern Germany, committed to print in 1587 with the publishing of a little Chapbook bearing the title ''Historia von D. Iohan Fausten'', other scholars are quick to note that ''historia'' is Latin for ''Geschichte'' (German word for ''story'' or ''history'') and Iohan is Latin for ''Johann.'' The choice of languages may imply the existence of an even earlier, independent source in Latin, such as that which Jacob Bidermann used for his treatment of the legend of the Damnation of the Good Dick of Paris, Cenodoxus .
There are other theories of origin for Faust . In the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century a Dutch play attributed to Anna Bijns appeared which may offer a template for the Faust legend. '' Mary Of Nijmeghen '' dramatizes the story of a young woman convinced by a demon, One-Eyed Moenen, to sell her soul to learn the seven liberal arts. She lives a dissolute life for some time until, moved by a morality play, she regrets her bargain and seeks forgiveness. Unlike Faustus, Mary repents and, after a long penitence, receives her reward in Heaven .
In either case, the little chapbook, already in circulation in Northern Germany, found its way to England where it was translated into English by a certain "P. F., Gent {Link without Title} " in 1592 as ''The Historie of the Damnable Life, and Deserved Death of Doctor Iohn Faustus'' (unpreserved). It was this work that Christopher Marlowe used for his somewhat more ambitious play, '' The Tragical History Of Doctor Faustus '' (published c. 1600 ). Additionally, Marlowe borrowed from Acts And Monuments by John Foxe , on the exchanges between Pope Adrian and a rival pope. Another possible inspiration of Marlowe's version is John Dee (1527-1609), who practised forms of Alchemy and science and developed Enochian magic.
Along with Jacob Bidermann 's Cenodoxus (published c. 1602 ), Marlowe's version served to inspire Goethe 's later '' Faust '', which may be considered the more definitive classic work.
The Faust tale is a variation of the story about a negotiated Pact Between Man And The Devil , involving human hubris and diabolic cunning; the oldest extant version is the tale of Theophilus Of Adana .
The origin of the protagonist's name and persona remains unclear. It is widely assumed to be based on the figure of the German magician and alchemist Dr. Johann Georg Faust (approximately 1480 - 1540 ), a dubious magician and alchemist probably from Knittlingen , Württemberg , who obtained a degree in divinity from Heidelberg University in 1509. According to one account Faust's poor reputation became legendary while he was in prison, where in exchange for wine he "offered to show a chaplain how to remove hair from his face without a razor; the chaplain provided the wine and Faustus provided the chaplain with a salve of Arsenic , which removed not only the hair but the flesh." (Barnett) Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon are said to have alleged Faust's companionship with the devil.
However, it is also possible that the name "Faust" (German for "fist") is related to Italian "fausto". Fausto is possibly derived from the Latin adjective "faustus", meaning "auspicious" or "lucky". There may also be a connection with the ''fustum'' (Latin for "doctor's staff") of Aesculapius and other doctors of the time, an item likely to have figured prominently in the Legend of the Damnation of the Good Doctor of Paris, Cenodoxus , which also was an influence on Goethe's version.
The name of "Faust" has since become attached to any number of legendary tales about a charlatan Alchemist (some claim " Astrologer and Necromancer "), whose pride, vanity, and vile hucksterism would inevitably lead to his doom. Similarly, the adjective " Faustian " has come to denote any acts or constellations that involve human hubris leading to doom.
In Polish Folklore there exists a tale with a Pan Twardowski in a role similar to Faust's, which seems to have originated roughly at the same time. It is unclear if and to what extent the two tales have a common origin or influenced each other. The figure of Pan Twardowski is supposedly based on a 16th Century German emigrant to Kraków , then the Polish capital. According to Melanchthon, the historic Johann Faust had studied in Kraków, as well.
- Sarasate 's "Faust Fantasy" is a showpiece for violin and piano based on the Faust story.
- Frank Zappa 's "Titties & Beer", from the album "Zappa in New York" and others, has the Devil stealing the protagonist's large-breasted girlfriend and their beer, and demands he make a deal to get them back.
- The second movement of Charles-Valentin Alkan 's Grande Sonate (published 1848 )
- Hector Berlioz 's '' The Damnation Of Faust '' ( 1845 - 46 ) (sometimes performed in staged opera versions)
- Ludwig Van Beethoven 's Opus 75 no 3 ( 1809 ) Song - Aus Goethe s Faust: "Es war einmal ein König"
- --- Interestingly enough, Trans-Siberian Orchestra 's album Beethoven's Last Night includes Faustian references; Beethoven in a deal with Mephistopheles must choose between his, possibly fictional, tenth symphony or his soul.
- Charles Gounod 's Ballet music from his opera '' Faust '' (1859). The ballet occurs as an interlude in the Fourth Act during the Walpurgis Night scene familiar from Goethe's ''Faust Part 1''. The ballet or ballet music is often performed independent of the opera.
- Franz Liszt was fascinated by the Faust legend, particularly with the character of Mephistopheles. He wrote several musical works on this idea, including:
- ---'' Faust Symphony '' ( 1854 - 57 )
- ---" Two Episodes Based On Lenau's Faust ," the second of which is the famous " Mephisto Waltz No. 1 "
- ---" Mephisto Waltzes " (4)
- Gothic Rock band Mephisto Waltz , probably based on Liszt 's Mephisto Waltzes .
- Part II of Gustav Mahler 's '' Symphony No. 8 '' ( 1906 - 07 )
- Murdoc Niccals , bassist of the British animated band Gorillaz , claims he had sold his soul to the devil so that the album Demon Days would succeed, and that his middle name was Faust.
- Modest Mussorgsky : "Mephistopheles' song of the flea", is just that: a version of the song that Mephistopheles sings in the tavern scene of Goethe's ''Faust'', pt. 1.
- Randy Newman 's '' Faust '' (1993)
- Alfred Schnittke 's Faust Cantata '' ( 1982 - 83 )
- Franz Schubert 's '' Gretchen Am Spinnrade '' ( 1814 )
- Robert Schumann 's '' Scenes From Goethe's Faust '' (completed 1853 )
- Igor Stravinsky 's Histoire Du Soldat (1918) tells the story of a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that predicts the future of the economy.
- Richard Wagner 's '' Faust '' overture ( 1840 , originally intended as the first movement of a ''Faust'' Symphony )
- Art Zoyd 's song ''Faust''.
- The Fall 's song ''Dktr Faustus'' ( 1986 ), also known as ''Faust Banana''.
- The Charlie Daniels Band 's 1979 hit " The Devil Went Down To Georgia "
- Avant-garde / Progressive Black Metal band Arcturus 's album, '' La Masquerade Infernale '' ( 1997 ) alludes to the tale and is dedicated to the "Faustian spirit".
- American / Norwegian melodic Power Metal band Kamelot 's albums, '' Epica '' ( 2003 ) and '' The Black Halo '' ( 2005 ) are a two-part adaptation of the Faust legend.
- Brian DePalma 's '' Phantom Of The Paradise '' (both the plot of the movie and a musical incorporated into the movie, titled "Foster", are based on the legend of Faust).
- British Rock band Muse 's song 'The Small Print', from the album Absolution , describing the plight of Faust from the viewpoint of the Devil. The song's working title was "Action Faust".
- Popular British Black Metal band ' Cradle Of Filth ' have a song entitled 'Absinthe With Faust' on their 2004 'Nymphetamine' album.
- John Adams' new opera '' Doctor Atomic '' was originally commissioned as an American Faust telling, and the composer admits that the opera still retains Faustian elements. Its subject matter is Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project .
- English Band Dr. Faustus {Link without Title}
- Brazilian Death Metal band Mystifier released a song on their album ''Wicca/Göetia'' entitled "The True Story about Doctor Faust's Pact with Mephistopheles".
- Norwegian Black Metal act "Emperor" briefly contained a member who used the pseudonym Faust, he was imprisoned for murder in 1993 and has since been released
- Greek Death Metal band Septic Flesh 's last album, Sumerian Daemons, contains a song called Faust.
- In 2006 the German composer Ernst Heckel and the English writer Richard Bunting published a modern rock musical titled "Faust".
- The texts of the Dutch composer Alexander Comitas ' ''Walpurgisnacht'', a piece for fanfare band and choir, come from Goethe's ''Faust''.
- American .
- German kraut-rock band Faust , a founder of industrial and electronic rock.
www.albinofawn.com/faust
- Richard Burton and Nevill Coghill's ''Doctor Faustus'' (1967)
- '' Shaman King '' (A character in ''Shaman King'', Faust VIII, is a descendant of Dr. Faust)
- '' Saber Marionette '' (The antagonistic ruler of the kingdom of Gartlant in Saber Marionette J)
- Faust Münchhausen (a villain seen in the '' Urotsukidoji '' movies)
- Deel Faust (The impish kid Devil General of Wind in "''Devil'' (&)'' Devil''")
- Stauf, the main character in The 7th Guest is an anagram of "Faust".
- The 'Big Boss' of the Dead End Gang gang in Vendetta is called Faust. He blows poisonous green fumes from his mouth as a special attack.
- Faustus is the name of a minor villain in ''''
- '' Guilty Gear '' series, "Faust" (''Guilty Gear X'', ''Guilty Gear XX'')
- Max Payne , in which the mob member Jack Lupino is attempting the "Faustian deal".
- Dr. Faustus was a character in the cancelled Playstation 1 game, " Thrill Kill ."
- In the Soul Calibur series, Faust is the name of Siegfried Schtauffen 's first sword. Additionally the character Nightmare is what Siegfried becomes after laying hands on the demon blade and losing his soul.
- Faust is a secret boss in the Playstation 1 game " The Legend Of Dragoon "
- Faust is a notorious monster (in this case, a giant arcane "doll" (robot) creature) in Final Fantasy XI .
- Faust: The Seven Games of the Soul (PC Game - very loosely based on Goethe's Faust).
- In the opening cutscene of the PlayStation 1 game Xenogears , one of the computer operators reports that Deus has accessed the 'Control System Faust', which it uses to alter the Eldridge's course.
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