ABSTRACT
In Dichtung und Wahrheit Goethe emphasizes the biblical context of his fascination with the idea of patriarchy. The matter of Werther's patriarchal fantasy might be thought of as little more than an interesting footnote, however, if it were not for the light which it sheds on Faust, and in particular on the question why Faust falls in love. To address the question of Faust's career in love, one has to start with the scene 'Abend'. What makes his falling in love remarkable are the circumstances in which it occurs, and the fact that the origins of this love are mysterious to Faust himself. Goethe makes it clear that Faust's interest in Gretchen does not as yet extend beyond the immediate gratification of a sexual impulse. The evidence for a connection between the Song and Goethe's work on Faust comes from the poet himself.
