ABSTRACT
The story of Faust The figure of Faust has held a special place in people’s imagination for centuries. Faust was reputedly a German fortune-teller and magician. He lived in the 16th century, in various university cities in Germany, and travelled around the country performing tricks. Several scholars of his own time described him as a charlatan, while others reported that he was a respected citizen, under the patronage of the archbishop of Cologne. By the late 16th century, the stories of Faust’s supernatural powers were widely told and believed by his contemporaries, including Martin Luther and Melanchton.1 Faust is not primarily known for the actual events of his life, but rather for the legends about him that later formed the basis for a number of literary and musical works. The first story was printed in 1587 by Johann Spies and published in Frankfurt. According to this narrative, Faust made a pact with the devil, called Mephistopheles, and exchanged his soul for 24 years of pleasure, power and knowledge of magic. After 24 years, the devil carried Faust to hell, and Faust repented for having made the pact. In this version, Faust’s story represented the old myth about the struggle between good and evil for a man’s soul.
