A cramped Gothic room with high ceilings, as Faust left it when setting off on a long journey. Mephistopheles emerges from behind the curtain. Faust lies motionless on his great-grandfather's old bed. For many years, since Faust left his office, the doors were tightly locked. Mephistopheles dresses in Faust's cloak, rings the bell, and the office doors swing open by themselves. An astonished famulus (an assistant professor from among the senior students) approaches the office with a staggering gait.

Mephistopheles asks him about Wagner, who took Faust's place. According to Mephistopheles, “in the rays of his fame, the last reflection of Faust’s glory disappeared.” But famulus does not agree with this judgment. He calls Dr. Wagner a model of modesty, who has been awaiting the return of his great teacher for many years. Wagner jealously kept Faust's office intact. Now he is on the verge of a major scientific discovery and leads a reclusive life. The famulus is removed.

The bachelor appears. This is a self-confident young man, fairly fed up with traditional science teaching. The bachelor states: “As a boy, with my mouth open, I listened to one of the bearded men in these same chambers and took his advice at face value. They all filled my innocent mind with carrion.” Noticing Mephistopheles and mistaking him for the returning Faust, the bachelor disrespectfully tells him that everything has changed in the world, but the doctor has remained the same. The bachelor no longer intends to tolerate his “ambiguity” and will not allow him to “make fun” of himself. Mephistopheles reproaches the bachelor for actually calling his teacher a fool, ironically inviting him, now so “experienced,” to become a professor himself. The bachelor answers:

All experience, experience! Experience is nonsense.
Experience will not cover the value of the spirit.
All that we have learned so far is
It wasn't worth looking for and it wasn't worth knowing.

Mephistopheles notes that he himself has long suspected this. The Bachelor is surprised that Faust admits his mistakes. He praises his teacher for his progressive thinking. The bachelor treats old age with contempt and the manner of old people pretending to be important people when they themselves have practically turned into “nothing.” The bachelor sees the purpose of young life in the motto: “The world did not exist before me and was created by me... On the way, my light is my inner light.” The bachelor leaves. Mephistopheles considers the bachelor to be an ordinary boaster: the devil knows for certain that there is nothing new in the world. He takes this youthful arrogance calmly: “You are destined to go crazy. In the end, no matter how the wort ferments, the end result is wine.”

Laboratory in the medieval spirit Mephistopheles visits Wagner in the laboratory, who is busy creating a man (Homunculus) in a flask. It seems to Wagner that he finally managed to “consciously break the secret seal of nature.” The homunculus from the flask reminds its creator not to accidentally break the glass: “The natural universe is cramped, but the artificial one needs closure.” The flask slips out of Wagner's hands and, flying over Faust, illuminates him. The homunculus aloud retells Faust's dreams: many naked women near a forest pond and among them the beautiful Helen. The homunculus reproaches the northerner Mephistopheles (a character of dark medieval mythology) for not understanding the cheerful legends of antiquity, while the ideal of Faust, a passionate admirer of nature, is “forest, swans, naked beauties.” The homunculus fears that Faust, having returned from the world of visions and dreams to reality, will die of melancholy in a gloomy laboratory. He invites Mephistopheles to whisk Faust away to some region more suitable to his worldview, and promises to time this move to coincide with the classic Walpurgis Night. The homunculus decides to fly to the ancient Greek city of Pharsalus (the city was famous for the fact that the decisive battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey took place here in 48 BC). There, Faust, thirsty for struggle, will feel in his place. Mephistopheles, referring to the numerous civil wars during which Roman dictators like Pompey and Caesar overthrew each other, asks:

Leave it! Not a word about centuries of struggle!
Tyrants and slaves disgust me...
It’s as if everyone is delirious about liberation,
And their eternal dispute, to be more precise, is
Enslavement is a dispute with enslavement.

Classic Walpurgis Night

Farsalian fields. Darkness Faust wanders around Greece, trying to meet the highest embodiment of beauty - Helen. Having set foot on the soil of classical Greece, Faust gains strength: “rising from the ground, I, like Antaeus, stand” (Anteus is the son of the Earth goddess Gaia, who possessed strength only while his feet touched the ground).

At the Upper Peneus, Faust goes through several stages of developing the imagination of the ancient Greeks, which culminated in the creation of the ideal image of Helen. The lowest level consists of images of fantastic creatures (sirens, vultures, sphinxes). Faust asks them to show him the way to Helen, but they are powerless to help him.

At the Lower Peneus At the next stage of Faust's wanderings, demigods, half-humans (centaurs), and fantastic forest inhabitants (nymphs) appear before his eyes. The centaur Chiron advises him to become more reasonable and give up on Helen, reminding him that she did not bring happiness to anyone who wanted to possess her. Chiron brings Faust to Manto, daughter of Aesculapius (god of healing). Manto “nice is the one who wants the impossible.” She shows Faust the descent into the bowels of Olympus to the goddess Persephone (queen of the underworld of the dead). Once Manto already showed this path to the singer Orpheus so that he would lead his wife Eurydice from the kingdom of the dead. Manto advises Faust to be “more dexterous” than Orpheus (who looked back at Eurydice when they came to the surface, which was impossible to do).

At the headwaters of the Peneus, as before, mythological creatures (gods, sirens, vultures, pygmies, dwarfs, etc.) explain the evolution of the earth's surface in different ways. Some believe that the changes occurred slowly and gradually, while others attribute the changes to earthquakes. Here Faust meets representatives of human thought, the philosophers Thales and Anaxagoras, who seek to understand the origin of the world. Thales adheres to the point of view that “in everything great there is gradualness, and not suddenness and instantaneity.” Anaxagoras believes that “the trail of eruptions is zigzag mountains.” Anaxagoras causes a rain of stones falling from the moon, and, “shaking the order of the earth,” goes crazy.

Mephistopheles penetrates the Forkyades (characters of Greek mythology; the embodiment of senile deformity, the three of them had one tooth and one eye, which they passed on to each other as needed). Mephistopheles tricks him into taking the form of one of the forkiads, takes the tooth and eye, and leaves.

Rocky bays of the Aegean Sea Homunculus, Mephistopheles and the philosopher Thales go to the inhabitants of the deep sea (Nereus and his beautiful daughters the Nereids) to ask advice on how best to bring the Homunculus into the world. Proteus (an old man in the service of the god of the seas Poseidon, who had the gift of divination and the ability to take on different appearances) advises the Homunculus to consistently develop from the simplest to the complex:

Be content with the simple, like the creature of the seas.
Swallow others, the weakest, and the fattest ones.
Eat well, prosper
And gradually improve your appearance.

The beautiful Galatea floats in a shell transformed into a chariot drawn by dolphins, past her father Nereus. The homunculus breaks his flask on the throne of Galathea and thereby unites with the embodiment of beauty and achieves the fulfillment of his dream of becoming a man. He merges with the sea and begins the path of gradual transformations leading to the creation of a full-fledged person. Thus, the Homunculus symbolically repeats the path of Faust himself.

The second part of Faust

The second part of Faust is overloaded with allusions to the events and disputes of those years, and much in our time needs commentary.

But the main thing remains the path of Faust. It is difficult, associated with new illusions and misconceptions. There are no everyday scenes of the first part, symbolic images predominate, but the author reveals them with the same poetic skill. The verse of the second part is even richer and more masterly than in the first. (Translators are not always able to convey this).

Goethe freely shifts times and eras. In Act III we find ourselves in Ancient Greece, in Sparta, ten centuries BC. Helen the Beautiful, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, because of whom, according to legend, the Trojan War occurred, acts as a symbol of the beauty of the ancient world.

The marriage of Faust and Helen is symbolic. It embodies the dream of reviving the high ideals of Greek antiquity. But this dream collapses: their son dies, Elena herself disappears like a ghost.

With all the further development of the action, Goethe affirms a progressive, ultimately revolutionary thought: the golden age is not in the past, but in the future, but it cannot be brought closer by beautiful dreams, one must fight for it.

Only he is worthy of life and freedom, Who goes to battle for them every day! - exclaims the aged, blind, but internally enlightened Faust.

Faust carries out a bold project of transforming nature. Part of the sea is drained, and a new city is built on the land reclaimed from the sea.

Death finds Faust at the moment when he dreams of draining these lands. He sees his highest and final feat in “diverting the rotten water away from stagnation”:

And let millions of people live here,

All my life, in view of the severe danger,

Relying only on your free labor.

The ending of the tragedy takes us back to the “Prologue in Heaven”: the dispute between the Lord and Mephistopheles is over. Mephistopheles lost the bet. He failed to prove the insignificance of man.

The tragedy "Faust" brilliantly completed the age of reason. But, as already said, the second part of it was created in a new era. Goethe lived the last three decades of his life in the 19th century, and the contradictions of the new society did not escape his penetrating gaze. In the second part of Faust, he allegorically introduced the image of Byron, perhaps the most tragic of the romantics, who so powerfully expressed the pain and disappointments of his time: after all, the “Kingdom of Reason” promised by the enlighteners did not materialize.

Goethe's own optimism, however, was not shaken. And this is the greatness of the titans of the Age of Enlightenment - they without hesitation carried their faith in man, in his high calling, throughout the entire unsettled planet.

But the debate between optimists and skeptics is not over. And Goethe’s Faust entered world literature as one of the “eternal images.” Eternal images in literature (Prometheus, Don Quixote, Hamlet) seem to continue to live beyond the boundaries of the era in which they were created. Humanity turns to them again and again, resolving the tasks that life poses to them. These heroes often return to literature, appearing under the same or a different name in the works of writers of subsequent eras. So, A.V. Lunacharsky’s play “Faust and the City”; Thomas Mann wrote the novel “Doctor Faustus”...

In our time, the problems of Goethe's Faust have not only acquired a new meaning, but have also become unusually complex. The twentieth century is a century of revolutionary upheavals. This is the century of the Great October Revolution, the historical victories of socialism, the awakening of the peoples of entire continents to social life, and this is the century of amazing technical discoveries - the atomic age, the age of electronics and space exploration.

Life has presented modern Fausts with questions that are infinitely more difficult than those faced by the medieval warlock, who allegedly entered into a pact with the devil.

As one of the modern researchers rightly writes, Goethe’s Faust sacrificed Margarita in the name of his quest; the price of Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb turned out to be more expensive: “A thousand Hiroshima Margaritas went to her account.”

And when, on the eve of the war, in the laboratory of the Danish physicist Niels Bohr, the mystery of the fission of the atomic nucleus was first solved, Bertolt Brecht wrote the drama “The Life of Galileo” (1938-1939). In the years when the historical revolution in science began, the great playwright of the 20th century called for thinking about what a great and responsible duty lies on each participant in this revolution.

And what an amazing transformation of the Faustian theme occurs in the drama of the modern Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt “The Physicists”! Its hero, the physicist scientist Mobius, feigns insanity so as not to continue his research, which could lead to the destruction of the world. The genius faces a terrible choice: “Either we stay in a madhouse, or the world will become a madhouse. Either we will disappear forever from the memory of humanity, or humanity itself will disappear.”

But the Faustian problem in our time is not limited to the question of the scientist’s responsibility to society.

In the West, technological progress coupled with general social disorder gives rise to fear for the future: whether a person will turn out to be a pathetic toy in the face of the fantastic technology he himself created. Sociologists are already recalling another work of Goethe - “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”. This ballad tells how a sorcerer's student, in his absence, made a simple broom carry water, but he himself almost drowned in the streams of water, because, having managed to summon the spirit, he forgot the magic words that could have been used to stop him. In horror, he calls his mentor for help:

Here he is! Have mercy,

There is no escaping grief.

I could summon the strength

But not to tame. ( Translation by V. Gippius)

Of course, modern man, who creates tiny elements of “thinking” machines and powerful multi-stage rockets, is least of all like this frivolous student. He has in his power not mysterious spells, but fundamental scientific knowledge, the result of an objective comprehension of the laws of nature.

The gloomy doubts of medieval sociologists about the fruitfulness of progress often resemble the position of Mephistopheles:

I deny everything - and this is my essence.

Then, that only to fail with thunder,

All this rubbish that lives on earth is good...

It is clear that doubt can be fruitful when it is one of the elements of the process of understanding the world. We remember Marx's motto: “Question everything.” This means that when studying facts and phenomena, one must meticulously and thoroughly check them, without taking anything for granted. But in this case, doubt serves knowledge itself, it is overcome by the course of research and only because of this helps the search for truth.

To clear the area, Mephistopheles burns the house of Philemon and Baucis. Their death was not part of Faust's calculations. But this was the reverse of his feat: by erecting a new city on the seashore, he inevitably destroyed the former quiet patriarchal way of life.

We know that modern technological progress also brings some unforeseen evil: the nervous rhythm of life, mental overload from the increasing flow of information, pollution of the atmosphere, rivers, and seas. However, the illnesses of the century, the costs of the journey, temporary failures and mistakes should not obscure the main result - the greatness of the historical successes of man and humanity. Goethe teaches us this in Faust.

Need I clarify that Goethe’s historical optimism is far from any kind of good-naturedness?

“Act is the beginning of being!” This is Goethe's main lesson - to tirelessly, rapidly move forward, to fight. Passivity, reconciliation with evil, any indifference and complacency are destructive for a person.

When on the bed of sleep, in contentment and peace,

I'll fall, then my time has come!

When you begin to flatter me deceitfully

And I will be pleased with myself,

With sensual delight when you deceive me,

Then it's over!

This is Faust's oath when he enters into an agreement with Mephistopheles: not to succumb to the temptation of peace and contentment!

Goethe calls us to Promethean daring, continuous feat in the name of the future in his “Faust”.

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Scene two

At the city gates

People walking out of the gate.

Several apprentices

Hey you! Where are you going, gentlemen?

Other

To the hunting yard. Where are you going?

First

To the mill.

One of the apprentices

Let's go to the ponds!

Second Journeyman

God be with them!
The road there is too bad!

Second group of apprentices

Third Journeyman

I'll go somewhere with others.

Fourth

I advise you to visit Burgdorf!
What girls, what beer there!
And the fight is first class! Let's go, guys!

Fifth

You know, your back itches: give up all the fights.
Just wait, they'll bruise your sides.
Go ahead yourself - don’t invite me.

Maid

No no! I need to come back soon.

Other

Where? He's probably there, by the poplars, in the alley.

First

What kind of joy is there for me?
He always follows you.
He chats and dances not with me:
What is your joy to me?

Second

Yes, we will not go with him alone:
Curly will also be with him.

Student

Eh, girls, damn it! Look, they are running so fast!
Well, colleague, we need to catch up with them!
Strong tobacco and foamy beer,
Yes, the girl is beautiful - what more could you ask for!

City girl

That's it, well done! How can they not be surprised!
After all, this is just shame and disgrace!
We could take a walk in great company -
No, they were hot on the heels of the maids!

Second student

(to the first)

Wait: there are two others coming;
One of them is my neighbor.
I really like her.
Look how elegant they are!
Slowly, they walk step by step
And they are waiting for us secretly.

First student

Eh, brother, come on! I don't want to be shy.
Hurry up: the game can gallop away!
Whose hand sweeps the floor when Saturday comes -
On holiday, she will be the best at cuddling everyone.

city ​​dweller

No, the new burgomaster is no good for hell.
As the day goes on, he is prouder.
Does the city see much benefit in it?
Every day is worse, no doubt;
Everything is just more submission
Yes, we are paying more and more every day.

Beggar

(sings)

Another Citizen

I love to hear how people gather on holiday
Talk about battles, about war,
Like somewhere in Turkey, in a distant place,
Peoples are cutting and fighting.
Holding my glass, I stand in front of the window,
And the barges on the river pass before me;
And then in the evening I go to my house,
Blessing the world with a calm soul.

Third Citizen

Old woman

(to city girls)

Look how dressed up they are - the rose is young!
Oh you beauties! Well, how can you not fall in love with you?
What are you looking at proudly? Don't disdain me:
The old lady might come in handy.

City girl

Here, Agatha! Away from the old woman!
It’s not appropriate for the witch and I to talk in public.
Although, believe me, on St. Andrew's night
She deftly showed me her betrothed.

Other

I also saw it with her:
The witch showed me in the mirror.
Military - how good! I've been looking for him
Yes, I can’t meet you, I don’t know why.

Soldiers

Towers with battlements,
Submit to us!
Proud maidens,
Smile at us!
All of you will surrender!
Glorious payment
Brave work!
Feat of a soldier
Sweet for us.
We are all matchmakers
With a ringing trumpet
To noisy joy,
To the death combat.
In battles and assaults
Our days are rushing;
Walls and maidens
They will submit to us.
Glorious payment
Brave work!
A moment - and a soldier
No longer there.

Faust and Wagner.

Faust

The broken ice floes rushed into the sea;
Spring shines with a lively smile;
The valleys shine with spring beauty;
The gray winter has weakened: into the gorges,
She goes to the high mountains.
There she hides in fruitless anger
And sometimes it blows like a cold blizzard
To the fresh, tender greenery of spring, -
But the sun does not want to tolerate whiteness;
Living aspiration will be born everywhere,
Everything wants to grow, it’s in a hurry to blossom,
And if the clearing is not yet blooming,
Instead of flowers, people dressed up.
Look, turn around: from under the ancient arch
The crowd comes out in a long line;
From the stuffy city to the field, into the light
The people are crowded, animated, dressed up;
Basking in the sun is a pleasure for everyone.
They celebrate Christ Sunday -
And they themselves seemed to have been resurrected:
Endless winter days have passed;
From a stuffy room, from hard work,
From the shops, from his cramped workshop,
From the darkness of the attics, from under the carved roof
The people rushed in a cheerful crowd,
And after prayer in the darkness of the churches
The air of green fields caresses them.
Look, look: both the fields and the road
Covered with a cheerful and motley crowd;
And there, on the river, there was fuss and anxiety,
And a countless swarm of boats flashes by.
And now the last shuttle, loaded,
With effort he set sail, to the edge of the water;
And even above, on a distant mountain,
You can see colorful dresses everywhere.
Chu! You can hear the chatter of the crowd in the clearing;
This is true paradise for them! The villagers rejoice
Both old and young, in a cheerful circle.
Here again I am a man, here I can be!

Wagner

I love a walk, doctor, with you,
It is my honor and benefit;
But I am the enemy of the rude - and I would not dare
Stay here alone with the men.
Their skittles, violins, shouting and round dance
I endure with strong disgust:
As if possessed by a demon, the people grimace, -
And he calls this fun, dancing, singing!

Peasants

(dancing under the linden tree; dancing and singing)

The shepherdess began to dance;
There are ribbons and a wreath on it,
And the jacket was showing off.
People swarmed under the linden trees,
And the mad dance was in full swing,
And the violin began to play.
He immediately flew into the crowd
And he hit a girl with his elbow
For the first start.
But the girl looks briskly:
“How stupid it is,” he says,
It wouldn’t hurt to be quiet!”
But he, wrapping his arm around her,
He started a dashing dance with her -
Only the skirts fluttered.
He lifted her on his elbow,
They felt hot in the cramped space,
And both were out of breath.
“Let me go, you won’t trick me!
I know: your caresses are a lie.
And your oaths are unsteady!
But he, hugging her, attracts her,
And there, in the distance, people are making noise
And the sounds of the violin flow.

Old peasant

That's great of you,
Why have you come at a merry hour!
You are so learned and smart,
And they didn’t forget about us.
You with a mug of the best drink
The people give gratitude
And loudly here I wish:
May she refresh your breasts,
And how many pure drops are in it -
May God give you so many bright days.

Faust

I drink to your health,
And thank you for the hello.

People gather around.

Old man

Yes, it’s a good idea to visit
The people are now at a cheerful hour;
But you happened to come
And in days of trouble, working for us.
There are a lot of them here,
Whom your father treated:
He saved them from certain death
And he extinguished the infection for us.
Then you, young man, follow him
I walked everywhere among the sick,
Brave, clean and unharmed,
Between corpses filled with pus, -
And the patron remained alive:
The Savior kept the savior.

People

Learned man, you have saved many;
Live a hundred years saving us!

Faust

Better bow down before
Who teaches everyone and benefits everyone.

Wagner

What should you, great man, feel?
Hearing this speech and these exclamations!
Oh, happy is he who has his gifts and knowledge
I could have used it to such advantage!
Your arrival instantly changed the picture:
The father shows you to his son,
Everyone is running, hurrying, crowding around;
The violinist fell silent, the dancing suddenly died down;
You walk by - they stand in rows,
And hats are all flying up here!
One more moment - and they will fall on their faces,
As before sacred gifts.

Faust

Let's go there: on that stone
Let's sit down and rest a little.
More than once I sat here, tormenting myself with fasting,
Praying and calling on God.
With hope, with faith in the creator,
In tears, groaning, wringing my hands,
For an evil ulcer, for terrible torment
I asked for a quick end.
The words of the crowd sound like evil mockery
In my ears, and I alone know
How little we, father and son,
We can be proud of this praise.
My father, a dark worker, in silence
He struggled in vain with the secrets of nature;
Into her circles of saints he strove
Penetrate with all the powers of the soul -
In your own way, but honestly. Between adherents
He sat locked up in the black kitchen
And I tried to find a healing balm,
Mixing many different recipes.
A red lion appeared - and he was the groom,
And in the warm liquid they crowned him
With a beautiful lily, and warmed them with fire,
And they were moved from vessel to vessel.
And then - shining with rays of all colors
We received the young queen in glass:
The healing drink was ready.
And we began to treat. The torment doubled:
The patients died without exception,
Has anyone recovered?
They didn’t think to ask about that.
These are our healing feats!
Among these mountains we destroyed
Worse than the destructive plague!
I myself gave poison to thousands:
They are gone - but I live... And so
In my person the people repaid
Honor and glory to your murderers!

Wagner

Well, is it worth bothering you about this!
Enough if correct and honest
You managed to put everything into action,
What did you know from others?
As a young man, I honor my father’s labors
You rewarded him - he was pleased with you;
Then you yourself advanced science,
And your son will go on again!

Faust

Oh, happy is the one to whom joy is given -
Hope to get out of the impenetrable darkness!
What we need, we don’t know
What do we know, we don’t need that.
But stop it: let's not poison
This hour is wonderful with sad speeches.
Look: the sun has already begun to shine
Gardens and huts with farewell rays.
It comes there, hiding in the distance,
And awakens the life of another land...
Oh, give me wings to fly away from the earth
And rush after him, without getting tired along the way!
And I would see in the radiance of rays
The whole world is at my feet: even the sleeping valleys,
And the burning peaks with a golden shine,
And a river in gold, and a stream in silver.
Gorges of wild mountains with high ridges
The aspirations of the soul could not constrain:
The seas would appear, sleeping in silence,
Before amazed eyes.
Now the sun has disappeared, but in my soul I am sick
A mighty desire grows again
Fly after him and drink his radiance,
I see the night behind me and the day in front of me,
And the sky is high, and the waves are under your feet.
A wonderful dream! But the day has already faded.
Alas, only the spirit soars, having renounced the body, -
We cannot soar with bodily wings!
But sometimes you can’t suppress
There is an innate desire in the soul,
Striving upward when it reaches us
Suddenly a lark sings
From the vast blue skies,
When, leaving the valley and forest below,
Eagle soars freely over the mountains
Or high under the clouds
To your distant homeland
A flock of cranes rushes.

Wagner

I, too, often moped, without a doubt,
But I didn’t feel such a desire.
After all, you will soon get tired of wandering in the forests, in the fields...
No, what do I need wings and why be a bird!
Ah, is it a matter of absorbing
After volume after volume, page after page!
And the winter nights fly by so merrily,
And the heart beats so pleasantly!
And if I come across a rare parchment,
I'm just in heaven and endlessly happy.

Faust

You know only one aspiration,
To know otherwise is misfortune for people.
Ah, two souls live in my aching chest,
Strange to each other - and thirst for separation!
Of these, one is dear to the earth -
And here she loves it, in this world,
The other is the heavenly fields,
Where the shadows of the ancestors are, there, in the ether.
O spirits, if you live on high
And you soar imperiously between heaven and earth,
From the golden sphere come down to me
And let me live a different life!
Oh, how glad I would be to have a magic cloak,
To fly away on it to an unknown world!
I would give the most luxurious outfit for him,
I wouldn’t trade it for the royal purple!

Wagner

Don't call this familiar swarm,
Spilled in the air, rushing above us;
From time immemorial he has been in the human soul
It threatens with grief and troubles from all sides.
They rush from the north, and their sharp teeth savagely
And with their tongue they sting us like an arrow;
Then from the east they send us rainlessness
And they dry our breasts with evil consumption;
Then, if the hot south sends them out of the deserts,
They accumulate scorching heat above our heads;
Then suddenly they will rush in coolness from the west,
And after us, the meadows and fields are drowned.
They rush to the call, preparing our death:
They submit, wanting to lead you into deception,
They are like heaven's holy ambassadors,
And their evil lies are like the song of the angels...
However, it’s time for us to go home long ago:
The fog is falling, it’s cold, it’s dark...
Yes, only in the evening we appreciate a secluded house!
But what have you become? And than in the dark valley
Is your attention so attracted?
What is your gaze looking for in the foggy darkness?

Faust

Do you see a black dog prowling around the field?

Wagner

Well, yes; but what's special about that?

Faust

Take a closer look: what do you see in him?

Wagner

Yes, just a poodle in front of us:
He is looking for the owner by following the tracks.

Faust

Do you see: spiral circles
He is rushing closer and closer to us.
It seems to me that a fiery stream
Sparks follow in his wake.

Wagner

You inadvertently fall into a visual illusion:
There's just a black dog there - and nothing more.

Faust

It seems to me that he is luring us
Into a magical network among your circles.

Wagner

He was looking for the owner - and he sees two strangers!
Look how timidly he runs up to us.

Faust

The circles are getting closer, closer... He’s already close to us.

Wagner

Of course, a dog like a dog is not a ghost: you see for yourself!
Either he will lie down, then, grumbling, he will rush off without looking back,
Then he wags his tail: it’s all a dog’s grip!

Faust

Come here! Follow us!

Wagner

Yes, there is no end to the fun with this dog:
You stand calmly - he waits patiently;
If you call out, he’s coming towards you;
If you drop an item, he will bring it back in an instant;
Throw a stick into the water - he will get it out quickly.

Faust

You're right, I was wrong. Yes:
All the training is here, but not a trace of the spirit.

Wagner

Yes, to such a tamed dog
Sometimes even a learned husband will become attached.
Pupil of daring students,
This dog is worth your mercy.

They enter the city gates.

Scene three

Faust's Cabinet

Faust enters with a poodle.

Faust

I left the fields and fields;
They were covered in fog.
Soul, humble your impulses!
Innocent dream, wake up!
The wild anxiety has subsided,
And the blood does not rage in the veins:
Faith in God was resurrected in my soul,
Love for one's neighbor has been resurrected.
Poodle, be silent, don’t rush and don’t fight:
It’s enough for you to grumble on the threshold;
Go to the stove, calm down, warm up -
You can lie on a soft pillow.
You amused us along the long road,
He jumped, galloped and frolicked all the way;
Lie down now and behave decently.
Be a friendly guest.
When again in the ancient cell
The lamp will shine, friend of the nights,
Quiet fun will arise
In my humbled soul,
And again thoughts will swarm,
Hope will bloom again -
And again dreams strive there,
Where the spring of life flows.
Poodle, shut up! To these heavenly sounds,
So took possession of my soul,
By the way, should I mix in your wild howl?
Often we have over the beautiful and honest
People laugh with evil mockery,
Not being able to understand the High Duma.
They only grumble angrily, not controlling themselves.
Is that how you, poodle, grumble in front of me? –
But woe is me! Contentment and humility
My sore chest no longer feels.
Why have you dried up, the key of peace?
Why am I thirsting in vain again?
Alas, I have experienced this more than once!
But, in order to compensate for the loss of happiness,
We are learning to appreciate the unearthly
And in Revelation we are waiting for an answer,
And its ray burns brightest
That's what the New Testament tells us.
I will reveal the ancient, inspired text,
I will be completely imbued with holy antiquity
And I will honestly convey the sacred original
In the dear dialect of Germany, dear.

(Opens the book and gets ready to translate.)

It is written: “In the beginning was the Word” -
And now one obstacle is ready:
I cannot value the Word so highly.
Yes, I have to change the text in the translation,
When my feeling told me correctly.
I will write that Thought is the beginning of everything.
Wait, don't rush, so that the first line
It was not far from the truth!
After all, Thought cannot create and act!
Isn't Power the beginning of all beginnings?
I write - and again I began to hesitate,
And again doubt troubles my soul.
But the light flashed - and I see a way out, boldly
I can write: “In the beginning was the Deed!”
Poodle, don’t you dare squeal and rush around,
If you want to stay with me!
The comrade is too annoying:
Your howling is disturbing me from studying.
Me or you; although against hunting,
I am forced to drive the guest out the door.
Well, come out quickly now:
You will easily find the path to freedom here.
But what do I see? Reality or dream?
My poodle is growing, he is scary,
Huge! What miracles!
It grows in length and width!
He doesn't look like a dog!
The eyes are burning; like a hippopotamus
He bared his mouth at me!
Oh, you will recognize my power!
"Key of Solomon" all its weight
He'll show you, demigod!

Perfume

(in the corridor)

He's caught! Let's hurry!
But you can’t go in behind him.
Like a fox among snares,
The old demon sits and waits.
So come quickly,
A swarm of cautious spirits,
And try with the whole crowd,
So that he can escape the chains.
On this dark night
We must help him.
He is great, mighty, strong:
He helped us more than once!

Faust

To subdue the evil beast
Let me say four words first:
Salamander, burn!
You, Sylphide, fly!
You, Undine, swirl!
Brownie, work hard!
Elements four
Reign in this world;
Who has not comprehended them,
Their strength did not penetrate, -
Power is alien to him,
To curse the spirits.
Disappear in fire
Salamander!
Spill in the wave
You, Ondine!
Shine with a star
You, Sylphide!
Give me some help at home,
Incubus, Incubus,
Come out to end the alliance!
No, none of the four
The terrible beast does not hide:
It doesn't hurt him; he lay down,
And he bares his teeth and mocks.
To call the spirit and find out,
I will spell stronger.
But know this: if you, insolent,
A fugitive from dark hell,
Then - look - a victory sign!
Hell and darkness fear him,
The spirits of the dust are submissive to him.
The dog bristled with fear!
Damned creature!
Can you read the title
Him, the uncreated
Him, ineffable,
And death and hell of the trampled
And the one who suffered on the cross!
Terrible, menacing, huge, like an elephant,
It grows behind the stove,
And in the fog it wants to spill out!
He fills the entire vault with himself.
Gloomy spirit, I am your lord:
You must bow before me.
It was not in vain that I threatened with the cross:
I will burn you with God's fire!
Don't wait from me now
Three times the holy fire!
Don't wait, I say, from me
The most powerful in our sacrament!

The fog dissipates, and Mephistopheles appears from behind the stove in the clothes of a wandering scholastic.

Mephistopheles

Faust

So that's who was sitting in the poodle;
Scholastic, hidden in the dog!
Funny!

Mephistopheles

Hello to you, venerable priest of science!
By your grace, I was sweating quite a bit.

Faust

What is your name?

Mephistopheles

The question is quite petty
In the mouth of one who despises words
And, alien to appearance, empty,
He only looks deeply into the essence of things.

Faust

To find out the essence about your brother,
The name is something to look at.
According to your specialty, the nickname you are given is:
The spirit of malice, the demon of lies, deceit - as necessary.
So who are you?

Mephistopheles

I am part of the eternal power,
Always wishing evil, doing only good.

Faust

Curly said; and more simply - what is it?

Mephistopheles

I deny everything - and this is my essence,
Then, that only to fail with thunder,
All this rubbish that lives on earth is good.
Wouldn’t it be better if they weren’t born at all!
In short, everything that your brother calls evil -
The desire to destroy, evil deeds and thoughts,
This is all my element.

Faust

You told me: “I am part”; but all of you are in front of me?

Mephistopheles

I modestly expressed only the truth, without a doubt.
After all, it’s just you, your ridiculous little world
You count for everything, for the center of all creation!
And I am only part of the part that was
At the beginning of all the darkness that the light produced,
The arrogant light that began to argue from birth
Happy mighty night, mother of creation.
But he still can’t grow up to us!
Whatever he gives birth to, all this every time
Inseparably connected with bodies,
Originated from bodies, beautiful only in bodies,
It must always remain within the boundaries of bodies,
And - right, it seems, we won’t have to wait long -
He himself will fall apart with their bodies into decay and dust.

Faust

So this is your high value!
You couldn’t destroy something great
Then, in small ways, you started destruction!

Mephistopheles

What to do! And even here I tried in vain.
Trashy Something, insignificant world,
Rival of the eternal Nothing,
Stands without looking at anything
And it causes all sorts of harm:
Whether there is a flood, fires, thunderstorms, hail -
Both sea and land still stand.
With the breed of stupid animals and humans
Sometimes I don’t have the strength to fight -
After all, how many people have I already destroyed?
And life flows its wide river.
Yes, it’s crazy - everything in the world is done this way,
What is in the air, in the water and on the dry road,
The embryo will develop in both heat and cold.
One more fire remains, thank you.
Otherwise, by God, you wouldn’t find shelter!

Faust

And this life-giving power,
Always fighting evil
You threaten in vain, foolish devil,
With your cold fist.
It’s better to invent another aspiration,
Chaos is a strange creation!
The poodle didn’t see this thing as strange;
He jumped up and instantly changed his appearance,
And the exit was closed to the evil one.

Faust

Go to the window, there will be no difficulties.

Mephistopheles

Alas, this is the law of devils and ghosts:
The way you entered is the way you come out.
I am free to enter, but I am obliged to leave.
Where he entered.

Faust

And is hell bound by law?
Here's the news! Well! Great: maybe
Is it possible to conclude an agreement with you?

Mephistopheles

What we promise you can get
In full, we will not deceive you in anything.
Yes, but it takes a long time to talk about this.
Another time we will talk in more detail.
Now I ask your humble permission
Leave. Could you please remove the pentagram?

Faust

Where? Why rush? Stay a moment.
Can you tell me a story?

Mephistopheles

Now let me go! After all, I will come again;
Then ask - I will give a solution to everything.

Faust

I didn’t call you, you know that;
You yourself got caught in the net, don’t you tell me?
Whoever holds the devil, hold him:
It's not so easy to catch him again.

Mephistopheles

Well, if that's what you want, I'm ready
Stay with you for a few hours;
But I ask you to give me the freedom
I amuse you with my art.

Faust

Do whatever you want; only if you can
Keep me busy.

Mephistopheles

You are in a brief hour among visions
You will get more pleasure
Than in a whole year of ordinary days.
Not the songs of disembodied spirits,
Not a marvelous series of wonderful paintings
They will not be a dream of magical enchantments;
You will please your sense of smell,
And taste, and even touch -
I’ll give you everything, everything as a gift!
No need to wait for preparations:
We're all here. Start together!

Perfume

You dark arches,
Oh, may you be gone!
Let it be light and bright
He will look friendly
Ether blue!
Let the clouds disappear
The swarm will disperse!
Let the stars twinkle
Let meekly caressing
The sun is shining for us!
Like a light flock,
In luxurious bloom
Incorporeal beauty
Heavenly children
Fluttering, flying;
And a lovely swarm of them
It will fly higher
It creeps below
And closer, ever closer
He strives for the ground
And ethereal fabric
Their clothes are blowing
Above the bushes of peace,
Blessed country,
Where are the gazebos in the bliss,
Full of sweet thoughts
Lovers are thrilled
They are loyal to each other.
And everywhere they are colorful
Gazebos, gazebos!
Vine tender branches
They give grapes;
Pressed in a vice,
The juice of the grapes flows,
And, foaming, rivers
The wine flows down;
Among the incomparable
Precious stones
It flows
And, leaving the heights
Shining mountains
Flows, falling
To the plains of lakes.
Strings of hills
They bloom among them,
And birds of paradise
They drink bliss there,
And they strive for the sun,
And they rush joyfully
They're off to the islands
What's in the brilliance of the radiance
Floating on the waves;
And a hymn of rejoicing
We hear it there;
Our eyes captivate
Dancing choirs
In the bright meadows,
Climbing mountains
Diving in the waves
And they soar in the air,
And cherished in the heart
Your aspirations
To that blessed life
In the boundless universe,
Where are the stars, sparkling,
They give them, caressing,
Bliss of love!

Mephistopheles

He is lulled to sleep. aerial creations,
Thank you my for your chants:
I am indebted to you for this concert.
No, Faust, it is not for you to command demons!
Let him dream, embraced by airy dreams,
All immersed in deceptive peace.
But we need to remove the spell from the threshold:
The rat will chew it off for me.
Now one has come: the order runs and
My fulfillment is just waiting.
Lord of rats, mice, frogs,
Bedbugs, and fleas, and lice, and flies
Would you like to order
Run up to that threshold -
And where he puts the oil,
Let your tooth gnaw hard.
Live, little animal! Forward! Stops me from going out
There, on the edge, is a corner on the left side.
Enough! Fine! Thanks for your efforts!
Well, Faust, get some sleep! See you soon!

(Leaves.)

Faust

(waking up)

Will I be deceived again?
The spirit world has disappeared again: in a dream
An insidious demon appeared to me,
And the poodle disappeared from the alcove!

The tragedy of I. V. Goethe “Faust” was written in 1774 – 1831 and belongs to the literary movement of romanticism. The work is the main work of the writer, on which he worked throughout almost his entire life. The plot of the tragedy is based on the German Legend of Faust, the famous warlock of the 16th century. The composition of the tragedy attracts special attention. The two parts of Faust are contrasted: the first depicts the doctor’s relationship with the spiritually pure girl Margarita, the second depicts Faust’s activities at court and his marriage to the ancient heroine Helen.

Main characters

Heinrich Faust- doctor, scientist disillusioned with life and science. Made a deal with Mephistopheles.

Mephistopheles- the evil spirit, the devil, bet with the Lord that he could get Faust’s soul.

Gretchen (Margarita) – beloved of Faust. An innocent girl who, out of love for Henry, accidentally killed her mother, and then, having gone crazy, drowned her daughter. She died in prison.

Other characters

Wagner – Faust's disciple who created the Homunculus.

Elena- Ancient Greek heroine, beloved of Faust, with whom she had a son, Euphorion. Their marriage is a symbol of the union of the ancient and romantic principles.

Euphorion – the son of Faust and Helen, endowed with the features of a romantic, Byronic hero.

Martha- Margarita's neighbor, a widow.

Valentine- soldier, Gretchen's brother, who was killed by Faust.

Theater director, Poet

Homunculus

Dedication

Theatrical introduction

The director of the theater asks the Poet to create an entertaining work that will be interesting to absolutely everyone and will attract more spectators to their theater. However, the Poet believes that “sprinkling vulgarities is a great evil,” “the craft of mediocre scoundrels.”

The director of the theater advises him to move away from his usual style and get down to business more decisively - to “deal with poetry in his own way,” then his works will be truly interesting to people. The director provides the Poet and Actor with all the possibilities of the theater in order to:

“In this plank booth
You can, as in the universe,
Having gone through all the tiers in a row,
Descend from heaven through earth to hell."

Prologue in the sky

Mephistopheles appears to receive the Lord. The devil argues that people “illuminated by God’s spark” continue to live like animals. The Lord asks if he knows Faust. Mephistopheles recalls that Faust is a scientist who is “eager to fight and loves to take on obstacles” while serving God. The devil offers to bet that he will “take away” Faust from the Lord, exposing him to all sorts of temptations, to which he receives consent. God is sure that the scientist's instincts will lead him out of the dead end.

Part one

Night

Cramped gothic room. Faust sits awake reading a book. The Doctor reflects:

“I have mastered theology,
Poored over philosophy,
Jurisprudence hammered
And he studied medicine.
However, at the same time I
He was and remains a fool."

“And I turned to magic,
So that the spirit appears to me when called
And he discovered the secret of existence."

The doctor’s thoughts are interrupted by his student Wagner unexpectedly entering the room. During a conversation with a student, Faust explains: people actually know nothing about antiquity. The doctor is outraged by Wagner’s arrogant, stupid thoughts that man has already grown to know all the secrets of the universe.

When Wagner left, the doctor reflects on the fact that he considered himself equal to God, but this is not so: “I am a blind worm, I am the stepson of nature.” Faust realizes that his life is “passing in the dust” and is going to commit suicide by drinking poison. However, at the moment when he brings the glass of poison to his lips, bells ring and choral singing is heard - angels sing about the Resurrection of Christ. Faust abandons his intention.

At the gate

Crowds of people walking, including Wagner and Faust. The old peasant thanks the doctor and his late father for helping to “eliminate the plague” in the city. However, Faust is ashamed of his father, who, during his medical practice, gave people poison for the sake of experiments - while treating some, he killed others. A black poodle runs up to the doctor and Wagner. It seems to Faust that behind the dog “a flame is snaking across the land of the glades.”

Faust's work room

Faust took the poodle to his place. The Doctor sits down to translate the New Testament into German. Reflecting on the first phrase of scripture, Faustus comes to the conclusion that it is translated not as “In the beginning was the Word,” but “In the beginning was the Deed.” The poodle begins to play around and, distracted from work, the doctor sees how the dog turns into Mephistopheles. The Devil appears to Faust dressed as a traveling student. The doctor asks who he is, to which Mephistopheles replies:

"Part of the strength that is without number
He does good, desiring evil for everything."

Mephistopheles chuckles at human weaknesses, as if knowing what thoughts torment Faust. Soon the Devil is about to leave, but the pentagram drawn by Faust does not let him in. The devil, with the help of spirits, puts the doctor to sleep and, while he sleeps, disappears.

The second time Mephistopheles appeared to Faust in rich clothes: in a camisole made of karamzin, with a cape on his shoulders and a rooster feather on his hat. The devil persuades the doctor to leave the walls of the office and go with him:

“You will be comfortable here with me,
I will perform any whim."

Faust agrees and signs the contract in blood. They set off on a journey, flying through the air on the Devil's magic cloak.

Auerbach cellar in Leipzig

Mephistopheles and Faust join the company of merry revelers. The devil treats drinkers to wine. One of the revelers spills a drink on the ground and the wine catches fire. The man exclaims that this is hellfire. Those present rush at the Devil with knives, but he puts a “dope” on them - people begin to think that they are in a beautiful land. At this time, Mephistopheles and Faust disappear.

Witch's kitchen

Faust and Mephistopheles are waiting for the witch. Faust complains to Mephistopheles that he is tormented by sad thoughts. The devil replies that he can be distracted from any thoughts by a simple means - running a normal household. However, Faust is not ready to “live on a grand scale.” At the request of the Devil, the witch prepares a potion for Faust, after which the doctor’s body “gets hot” and his lost youth returns to him.

Street

Faust, seeing Margarita (Gretchen) on the street, is amazed by her beauty. The doctor asks Mephistopheles to introduce him to her. The devil replies that he just overheard her confession - she is as innocent as a small child, so the evil spirits have no power over her. Faust sets a condition: either Mephistopheles arranges a date for them today, or he will terminate their contract.

Evening

Margarita reflects that she would give a lot to find out who the man she met was. While the girl leaves her room, Faust and Mephistopheles leave her a gift - a jewelry box.

On a walk

Margarita's mother took the donated jewelry to the priest, as she realized that it was a gift from evil spirits. Faust orders Gretchen to be given something else.

Neighbor's house

Margarita tells her neighbor Martha that she discovered a second jewelry box. The neighbor advises not to say anything about the mother’s find, starting to put on jewelry gradually.

Mephistopheles comes to Martha and reports the fictitious death of her husband, who left nothing for his wife. Martha asks if it is possible to get a paper confirming the death of her husband. Mephistopheles replies that he will soon return with a friend to testify about the death, and asks Margarita to stay too, since his friend is an “excellent fellow.”

Garden

Walking with Faust, Margarita says that she lives with her mother, her father and sister have died, and her brother is serving in the army. The girl tells fortunes using a daisy and receives the answer “Loves”. Faust confesses his love to Margarita.

Forest Cave

Faust is hiding from everyone. Mephistopheles tells the doctor that Margarita misses him very much and is afraid that Henry has lost interest in her. The devil is surprised that Faust so simply decided to abandon the girl.

Martha's Garden

Margarita shares with Faust that she really doesn’t like Mephistopheles. The girl thinks that he might betray them. Faust notes the innocence of Margarita, before whom the Devil is powerless: “Oh, the sensitivity of angelic guesses!” .

Faust gives Margarita a bottle of sleeping pills so that she can put her mother to sleep, and they can be alone longer next time.

Night. Street in front of Gretchen's house

Valentin, Gretchen's brother, decides to deal with the girl's lover. The young man is upset that she has brought shame upon herself by having an affair without marriage. Seeing Faust, Valentin challenges him to a duel. The doctor kills the young man. Before they are noticed, Mephistopheles and Faust hide and leave the city. Before his death, Valentin instructs Margarita, saying that the girl must take care of her honor.

Cathedral

Gretchen attends a church service. Behind the girl, an evil spirit whispers to her thoughts that Gretchen is guilty of the death of her mother (who did not wake up from the sleeping potion) and brother. Besides, everyone knows that a girl carries a child under her heart. Unable to bear the obsessive thoughts, Gretchen faints.

Walpurgis Night

Faust and Mephistopheles watch the Sabbath of witches and sorcerers. Walking along the fires, they meet a general, a minister, a rich businessman, a writer, a ragpicker witch, Lilith, Medusa and others. Suddenly, one of the shadows reminds Faust of Margarita; the doctor dreamed that the girl was beheaded.

It's a nasty day. Field

Mephistopheles tells Faust that Gretchen has been a beggar for a long time and is now in prison. The doctor is in despair, he blames the Devil for what happened and demands that he save the girl. Mephistopheles notices that it was not he, but Faust himself who ruined Margarita. However, after thinking, he agrees to help - the Devil will put the caretaker to sleep, and then take them away. Faust himself will have to take possession of the keys and lead Margarita out of prison.

Jail

Faust enters the dungeon where Margarita is sitting, singing strange songs. She lost her mind. Mistaking the doctor for an executioner, the girl asks to delay the punishment until the morning. Faust explains that her lover is in front of her and they need to hurry. The girl is happy, but hesitates, telling him that he has lost interest in her embrace. Margarita tells how she put her mother to death and drowned her daughter in a pond. The girl is delirious and asks Faust to dig graves for her, her mother and brother. Before her death, Margarita asks God for salvation. Mephistopheles says that she is condemned to torment, but then a voice comes from above: “Saved!” . The girl is dying.

Part two

Act one

Imperial Palace. Masquerade

Mephistopheles appears before the emperor in the guise of a jester. The State Council begins in the throne room. The Chancellor reports that the country is in decline, the state does not have enough money.

Party garden

The devil helped the state solve the problem of lack of money by pulling off a scam. Mephistopheles put into circulation securities, the collateral of which was gold located in the bowels of the earth. The treasure will one day be found and will cover all expenses, but for now the fooled people are paying in shares.

Dark gallery

Faust, who appeared at court as a magician, tells Mephistopheles that he promised the emperor to show the ancient heroes Paris and Helen. The Doctor asks the Devil to help him. Mephistopheles gives Faust a guide key that will help the doctor penetrate the world of pagan gods and heroes.

Knight's Hall

The courtiers await the appearance of Paris and Helen. When an ancient Greek heroine appears, the ladies begin to discuss her shortcomings, but Faustus is captivated by the girl. The scene of the “abduction of Helen” by Paris is played out in front of the audience. Having lost his composure, Faust tries to save and hold the girl, but the spirits of the heroes suddenly evaporate.

Act two

Gothic room

Faust lies motionless in his old room. The student Famulus tells Mephistopheles that Wagner, who has now become a famous scientist, is still awaiting the return of his teacher Faust, and is now on the verge of a great discovery.

Laboratory in a medieval spirit

Mephistopheles appears to Wagner, who is at the awkward instruments. The scientist tells the guest that he wants to create a person, since, in his opinion, “for us, the former existence of children is an absurdity, archived.” Wagner creates the Homunculus.

The homunculus advises Mephistopheles to take Faust to the Walpurgis Night celebration, and then flies away with the doctor and the Devil, leaving Wagner.

Classic Walpurgis Night

Mephistopheles lowers Faust to the ground, and he finally comes to his senses. The Doctor goes in search of Elena.

Act three

In front of the Palace of Menelaus in Sparta

Landed on the shores of Sparta, Helen learns from the housekeeper Phorkiades that King Menelaus (Helen's husband) sent her here as a victim for sacrifice. The housekeeper helps the heroine escape death by helping her escape to a nearby castle.

Castle courtyard

Helen is brought to Faust's castle. He reports that the queen now owns everything in his castle. Faust directs his troops against Menelaus, who is coming at him with war and wants revenge, and he and Helen take refuge in the underworld.

Soon a son, Euphorion, is born to Faust and Helen. The boy dreams of jumping so “that he might inadvertently reach the heavens in one leap.” Faust tries to shield his son from trouble, but he asks to leave him alone. Having climbed a high rock, Euphorion jumps from it and falls dead at the feet of his parents. Grieving Helen says to Faust: “The old saying comes true on me, That happiness does not coexist with beauty,” and, with the words “Take me, O Persephone, with a boy!” hugs Faust. The woman's body disappears, and only her dress and bedspread remain in the man's hands. Helen's clothes turn into clouds and carry Faust away.

Act Four

Mountain landscape

Faust floats on a cloud to the rocky ridge, which was previously the bottom of the underworld. A man reflects on the fact that with memories of love, all his purity and “best essence” goes away. Soon Mephistopheles flies to the rock on seven-league boots. Faust tells Mephistopheles that his greatest desire is to build a dam on the sea and

"At any cost in the abyss
Conquer a piece of land."

Faust asks Mephistopheles for help. Suddenly the sounds of war are heard. The Devil explains that the Emperor, whom they had previously helped, is in dire straits after the discovery of a securities scam. Mephistopheles advises Faust to help the monarch return to the throne, for which he can receive the seashore as a reward. The Doctor and the Devil help the Emperor achieve a brilliant victory.

Act five

Open area

A wanderer visits the elderly, loving married couple Baucis and Philemon. Once upon a time, the old people already helped him, for which he is very grateful to them. Baucis and Philemon live by the sea, nearby there is a bell tower and a linden grove.

Castle

The aged Faustus is outraged - Baucis and Philemon do not agree to leave the seashore so that he can bring his idea to life. Their house is located exactly on the spot that now belongs to the doctor. Mephistopheles promises to deal with the old people.

Deep night

The house of Baucis and Philemon, and with it the linden grove and bell tower, were burned. Mephistopheles told Faust that they tried to drive the old people out of the house, but they died of fright, and the guest, resisting, was killed by the servants. The house caught fire accidentally from a spark. Faust curses Mephistopheles and the servants for being deaf to his words, since he wanted a fair exchange, and not violence and robbery.

Large courtyard in front of the palace

Mephistopheles orders the lemurs (grave ghosts) to dig a grave for Faust. The blind Faust hears the sound of shovels and decides that these are the workers making his dream come true:

“They put a limit to the frenzy of the surf
And, as if reconciling the earth with itself,
They are erecting, the shaft and embankments are being secured.”

Faust orders Mephistopheles to “recruit countless workers here,” constantly reporting to him on the progress of work. The Doctor reflects that he would like to see the days when a free people worked in a free land, then he could exclaim: “In a moment! Oh, how wonderful you are, wait!” . With the words: “And anticipating this triumph, I am now experiencing the highest moment,” Faust dies.

Coffin position

Mephistopheles waits for Faust's spirit to leave his body so that he can present to him their agreement, backed by blood. However, angels appear and, having pushed the demons away from the doctor’s grave, they carry Faust’s immortal essence into the sky.

Conclusion

Tragedy I. In Goethe, “Faust” is a philosophical work in which the author reflects on the eternal theme of the confrontation in the world and man between good and evil, reveals issues of human knowledge of the secrets of the world, self-knowledge, touches on issues of power, love, honor, justice that are important at any time and many others. Today, Faust is considered one of the pinnacles of German classical poetry. The tragedy is included in the repertoire of the world's leading theaters and has been filmed many times.

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Three introductory texts open the tragedy.

The first one is dedication to friends of youth, a memoir full of lyricism and tenderness about those who were with Goethe while working on the poem.

Followed by Theatrical introduction, where a Theater Director, a Poet and a Comic Actor argue about the role of art in society. The director, a down-to-earth cynic, firmly believes in the serving role of art in general and theater in particular. Simple jokes, funny situations, intensity of primitive passions - there is no better way to lure the viewer into the theater and make the performance successful. The Comic Actor agrees with him, suggesting that the Poet should not think too much about eternal values ​​and advocating for momentary success. The poet opposes the use of high art, bestowed by heaven itself, as entertainment for an undemanding public. Concluding the argument, the Director proposes to get down to business decisively and reminds that the Poet and Actor have all the technical wonders of his theater at their disposal.

Prologue in the sky.

The sublime and pompous glorification of the miracles of God, proclaimed by the archangels, is interrupted by Mephistopheles, who points out, with the skeptical charm characteristic of the “spirit of denial”, the plight of people. Mephistopheles believes that the reason given by the Lord is of no use to people, “He calls this spark reason / And with this spark the cattle live as cattle.” The Lord points Mephistopheles to Faust as an example of the use of reason for the benefit of knowledge, and assures that Faust will overcome any difficulties along this path. Mephistopheles is sincerely surprised, believing the duality of the doctor’s nature to be the key to his downfall. This is how the argument goes. Faust was given by the Lord to Mephistopheles with the parting words to perform any experiments on him, because “.. by instinct, of his own accord / he will break out of the dead end.” Another batch of the eternal struggle between light and darkness, good and evil begins.

First part

The subject of the dispute, the great scientist Faust spends a sleepless night in his cell, cluttered with tomes, instruments, scrolls and other attributes of the world of a scientist, striving at all costs to master the secrets of the universe and comprehend the laws of the universe. Doctor Faustus does not delude himself, admitting that despite the broadest knowledge in almost all areas of science, “I mastered theology, / pored over philosophy, / hammered out jurisprudence / and studied medicine,” which he mastered during his life, true knowledge of nature He never managed to acquire everything that exists. An attempt to appeal to the most powerful spirit only once again demonstrates to the scientist the insignificance of his earthly deeds. The grief and despondency in which the doctor was immersed could not be dispelled by a visit from his neighbor, the schoolboy Wagner. This character is an excellent example of the desire to “gnaw the granite of science,” replacing true knowledge and inspiration with skillful intonations and borrowed thoughts. The schoolboy's arrogant stupidity irritates the doctor, and Wagner is thrown out. Gloomy hopelessness, the bitter realization that life was spent among retorts and flasks, in the vain darkness of constant searches, lead Faust to attempt suicide. The doctor intends to drink the poison, but at the moment when the cup is already raised to his lips, the Easter message is heard. The holy holiday saves Faust from death.

The scene of a folk festival, where in the crowd one can observe students, maids, noble ladies, burghers, beggars, light dialogues and funny jokes brings a feeling of light and air, sharply contrasting with the night tossing.

Faust, in the company of his student, Wagner, joins the society of cheerful townspeople. The veneration and respect of the surrounding residents, caused by the doctor’s medical successes, does not please him at all. The dual desire to simultaneously learn all the earthly secrets and transcendental miracles evokes in Faust a call to the heavenly spirits that would help him master the truth. On the way, a black poodle meets them, and Faust takes him to his house.

The hero tries to cope with loss of spirit and lack of will, taking up the translation of the New Testament. According to his theory of active cognition, the doctor translates the Greek “logos” as “work,” interpreting the first phrase of the canon as “In the beginning was the work.” But the poodle's antics distract him from his scientific works. And suddenly Mephistopheles appears before Faust and the readers in the form of a wandering student.

Faust’s wary question about who the newcomer is gives rise to the famous remark “I am part of that force that always wants evil, but does good.” The doctor's new interlocutor, it turns out, is no match for the dull and stupid Wagner. Equal to the doctor in strength and sharpness of mind, in breadth of knowledge, Mephistopheles caustically and accurately laughs at human weaknesses, as if seeing through the tossing of Faust. Having put the doctor to sleep with the help of a choir and a round dance of spirits, Mephistopheles disappears, leaving the dozing scientist intrigued by the unexpected meeting.

The second visit of Mephistopheles, already in the guise of a secular dandy, entails an agreement according to which Faust gives his soul to the power of the devil. Blood seals the deal, and on Mephistopheles’ wide cloak, like a flying carpet, the heroes set off on a journey. Faust is now young, handsome, full of strength - all the pleasures and illusions of the world are at his service. The first experience is love for Margarita, which at first seems to be the only possible earthly happiness, but soon turns into a tragedy, entailing death and grief.

Second part

The second part of the travels of Faust and Mephistopheles leads us to the imperial court, in the description of which one of the German states is easily guessed.

Act one begins with a scene of Faust resting in a beautiful summer meadow. The spirits of light evoke light, pleasant dreams and soothe the wounded and tormented soul of the doctor, who is punishing himself for the death of Margarita.

The next scene takes the heroes and spectators to the court. Luxury and gilding that cover up total impoverishment and impoverishment. The emperor's advisors are worried, but Mephistopheles, the cheerful devil-prankster, throws a ball, in the whirlwind of which he manages to concoct a cunning plan to “improve” the financial situation. Coupons are used, signed by the hand of the emperor, whose nominal value, indicated on paper, is covered either by the treasury or by the “wealth of the bowels of the earth.” Of course, sooner or later the scam will burst, but for now the whole country is rejoicing, and doctors and the devil are celebrated as if they were heroic deliverers.

After the ball, in one of the dark galleries of the palace, Faust receives from the tempter an inconspicuous at first glance key, which turns out to be a pass to the magical land of ancient gods and heroes. From his wanderings, Faust brings Paris and Helen to the imperial court, thirsting for more and more entertainment. Secular ladies, according to tradition, criticize the appearance of a beauty, but Faust feels with his whole being that before him is the ideal of female beauty, a marvelous fusion of spiritual and aesthetic traits. The Doctor strives to keep Elena, but the evoked image does not last forever, and soon disappears, leaving Faust in anguish.

Act two. The cramped Gothic room where Mephistopheles brings the doctor turns out to be his old laboratory. Heaps of volumes, receipts, rags and dust. While the doctor is in oblivion, Mephistopheles subtly mocks the stupidity and pomposity of Faust's former students. Having driven them away, Mephistopheles looks into the laboratory, where a diligent student, who now imagines himself as a creator, is trying to grow an artificial man, a homunculus, in a flask. The experiment turns out to be successful, and another creature from the world of shadows is born in the flask. The homunculus, together with Mephistopheles, decide to drag Faust into the other world in order to break the enchanted dream and bring the doctor to his senses.

Staying beyond the boundaries of reality, the doctor meets mythical and wonderful creatures, talks with sphinxes and lamias, sirens and Charon, who tells him where to find the beautiful Helen. Faust is unstoppable; the desire for a goal makes him obsessed. Sirens and Nereids, a homunculus and Faust, together with Mephistopheles, swirl in a round dance of either visions or incredible adventures, among which the homunculus’ monologue sounds about the dual nature of his nature, which does not allow him to find peace and happiness.

Act three shows us the beautiful Helen at the gates of the palace of Menelaus in Sparta. Anxious and sad, Elena enters the palace, not knowing what to expect from the future. The magnificent verse, which Goethe brought as close as possible to the Greek hexameter, takes viewers back to the times of ancient tragedies. The events that unfold further in the palace require readers to know ancient Greek myths and ancient stories, referring to the times of internal strife in the country, when Athens fought with Sparta. Helen, together with her maids, must, according to the parka of Forkiada, accept death, but fog comes, with which the parka dissipates, and the queen finds herself in the courtyard of the castle. Here she meets Faust.

Handsome, wise and strong, like the embodiment of a dozen ancient Greek kings, Faust receives Helen as his beloved, and the result of this wondrous union is the son Euphorion, whose image Goethe deliberately gave a Byronic aura. A charming picture of family happiness, but the enjoyment of existence is suddenly interrupted by the disappearance of Euphorion. The young man is attracted by the struggle and challenge of the elements, he is carried upward, leaving only a shining trail. At parting, Elena hugs Faust and notes that “... the old saying is coming true for me, that happiness does not coexist with beauty...”. In Faust’s arms only her clothes remain, as if signifying the transitory nature of bodily beauty.

Act four. Return.

Mephistopheles, like any inhabitant of the other world who does not disdain exotic means of transportation, in seven-league boots returns Faust from ideally hexametric Greece to his native and nearby Middle Ages. Various options and plans for how to achieve fame and recognition, offered to Faust, are rejected by the doctor one after another. Faust admits to the annoyed devil that he would like to try himself as the creator of the earth's firmament, having won a piece of fertile land from the sea. Mephistopheles objects to this that a great idea can wait, but now we need to help the emperor, who, having blessed and carried out a scam with securities, did not live for long in pleasure, and is now in danger, risking losing his throne, or even his life. A brilliant military operation, where our heroes demonstrate knowledge of military tactics and strategy, as well as undoubted sabotage abilities, ends in a resounding victory.

Act five, in which Faust is determined to realize his plan, which equates him with the demiurge. But bad luck - on the site of the future dam there is a hut of two old men, Philemon and Baucis. And was it in vain that Goethe gave these tertiary characters the names of the ancient Greek embodiments of a happy family old age... Faust offered them another home, but the stubborn ones refuse to leave the hut. Annoyed by the obstacle, Faust asks the devil to help cope with the situation. Mephistopheles resolves the issue in full accordance with the image. The old people, and with them the visiting guest, are killed by the guards, and the hut burns down from an accidental fire. Faustus is in grief, exclaiming and groaning.