delit1-3, Exercise 2: The Faust book of 1587

Model answer (check the details):

The book: the Historia von D. Johann Fausten, printed in Frankfurt in 1587, tells of a learned doctor who is dissatisfied with ordinary knowledge, makes a pact with the devil through the spirit Mephostophiles, enjoys years of power, magic and travel, and is finally carried off to hell when the contract falls due. It is a collection of episodes about a legendary figure, loosely based on a man who probably lived in the early sixteenth century.

Message for first readers: it was a warning in a Protestant spirit. Curiosity that goes beyond proper limits and trust in magic instead of God lead to damnation. The book is moralising, though modern readers may find Faust's ambition more attractive than the author intended.

Afterlife: the book was translated into English and used by Marlowe, and much later it was the starting point for Goethe (see Chapter 5).