1. Doctor Faust
Student Names Here

2. Culture/History There was a real a Johann Faust (1480-1539)
He was a traveling scholar, astrologer, fond of practical jokes, and was “celebrated example of an intellectual’s rebellion against God”.
Germans are known for thinking ahead.

3. Culture/History (cont.)
Protestant Reformation was making people choose between Catholicism and Protestantism (life or death).
Universities and schools during the Protestant Reformation were to impose Lutheranism on people and higher people’s education.

4. Doctor Faust Genre: Folktale/Legend
Country & Geographic Region: Germany
Topic of Story: Acquirement of Knowledge
Theme of Story:
Don’t be selfish and/or arrogant.
Don’t stray from God’s path.

5. Characteristics of the Genre
Repetition
Reveal strengths & weakness of humans
Has no particular time
Heroes usually don’t emerge triumphant
Functions as a role model

6. Motifs Devil (Lucifer, Prince of Darkness) God Deal with the Devil
Hell
Heaven

7. Universal Questions How much control do I have over my own life?
What is likely to be my greatest source of happiness?
How can I attempt to achieve happiness?
How can I reconcile myself to the inevitability of death?
How can I succeed without help?

8. Significance on Culture
Teaches moral lessons
Form of entertainment
Can cause us to realize that we can also become victims of circumstance
Gives a national sense of identity and pride
Develops in response to a particular political and social need

9. Fundamental Plots
Interdiction: Mephistopheles warns Doctor Faust not to stray from the path.
Violation: Doctor Faust makes a deal with the Devil, straying from the path of God.
Reconnaissance: Doctor Faust starts to get self-centered (villain).
Complexity: When Faust found out that his child wasn’t real.

10. Fundamental Plots (cont.)
Villainy: Doctor Faust signs a contract with the Devil because he wants more knowledge, power, and earthy pleasures (selfishness).
Lack: Doctor Faust wants/desires more knowledge, power, and earthy pleasures.
Meditation: Doctor Faust neighbor tries to get him to repent.
Counteraction: Doctor Faust warns his students not to trust the Devil.

11. Fundamental Plots (cont.)
Departure: Doctor Faust travels to Hell, to Heaven, and all over the world.
Donor test: Doctor Faust signs a contract with the Devil and gets Mephistopheles as his slave.
Test:
Fails: Faust died and was sent to Hell.
Pass: Faust warned his students.

12. Discussion Questions
Did Doctor Faust make a wise decision by making a pact (contract) with the Devil? Why or why not?
Did Faust get the knowledge and power that he so desired? Why or why not?

13. Discussion Questions (cont.)
Did Faust use his knowledge/power wisely? Was it worth the cost that he paid?
Was Lucifer fair on his agreement with Faust? Did they both (Faust and Lucifer) stay true to their parts of the agreement with each other?