Comparing The Book Of Job And Goethe's Faust

This desire to have success and the low value in his soul allows the perfect opportunity for Satan to bargain for his soul, and Mephostophilis, who must attract as many souls as possible for Satan, works on his lack of self worth to attain his soul. This exchange between Mephostophilis and Faustus is a match of wits and an attempt to test the degree at which Faustus will follow Satan. When Mephostophilis appears to Faustus after he has preformed the ritual to conjure up spirits, Faustus is frightened. Yet there is a hint of pride that he was able to control the devil, which was quickly erased by Mephostophilis. This devil played Faustus for information about his desires, and kept getting him to talk without answering any of the questions that he had about the arrangements of the deal. Mephostophilis would only give out the answers Faustus wanted when the deal was completed. Mephostophilis won the battle of wits because Faustus gave up all the

The Faust legend is one of civilization’s most prominent myths, and over time has been reinterpreted by many authors, each based on its own time. The tales overall are about people “who have compromised their conscience to get what they want.” The original Faust story consists of a man named Doctor Faust who began to study noble professions such as Divinity and medicine. He then turned the table and took on the belief of the devil seeking to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for his ultimate desire: power. The devil once came and Faust sold his soul to the devil in exchange for power, but, Faust agreed to give away his entire body and soul at the end of twenty-four years. Faust had everything within his reach: the finest wines, clothing,

Although Faustus may not think it, he guilty of each of those sins, namely jealousy and avarice. This shows an interesting contrast between his self perceptions and reality. He takes full advantage of the power the devil brings him. Faustus has fleeting regrets about his vow to the devil, yet never serious. In his thoughts of repenting, it seems to be only for his own good rather than reaffirming his belief in God. In the end once Faustus becomes conscious that his life of power will be over and he will remain a servant to the devil for eternity, he realizes his huge mistake. When his death is inevitable he curses his choice: “Accursed Faustus, wretch, what hast thou done? I do repent, and yet I do despair. Hell strives with grace for conquest in my breast. What shall I do to shun the snares of death?”

As a result of this ambition and its outcome on his perspective, Faust 's rational dilemma has been retained by many to embody the indifference of man in the present day. All of Faust 's values and flaws, his strengths and weaknesses, are amplified so that his experiences and proper improvement are granted on a scope that is greater than life. At the end of the novel, Faust is granted salvation but continues to be seen as a great tragic hero. Faust’s misfortune has been portrayed as “rebellious," for he tries to stride above the constraints of humanity to explore that which is not inclined to mankind to have or experience. Faust 's countless experiences all convey the message that to find contentment one must learn to subdue

The main casualties of satire in Faust are Satan and God, who show up in to some degree little scale structure in an early scene that matches the Book of Job. In Goethe's Heaven rules "The Lord," to whom trios of chief heavenly messengers attribute

The biblical figure of Job and Greek hero Achilles both see various ups and downs in their lives and those experiences made them realize that the world they lived in was not meant to be sought after. They both gave sacrifices, yet kept devoted to their faiths.

When Job curses the day that he was born his friend’s reason for being takes a turn. They begin to tell him how the innocent do not suffer but the wicked do. That Job must have sinned and this is why God is doing this to him. I believe even though it was not stated in the story this is still the work of Satan. Instead of physically attacking Job, and taking away possessions he is targeting him mentally. After listening to his friends he challenges them to show him where he has sinned. Job complains about his health and his life in a whole. While Job has not lost his faith he has lost any hope pertaining to his life. He mocks his friends and reaches out to God to present his case. Job maintains his integrity speaking on all the good he has done and evil he has steered clear

hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among the people of the East" (Job 1: 2-3). God bragged to Satan about Job saying that he was blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. But Satan said, "Have you not but a hedge around his household and everything he has ... But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he

It would seem to be most logical to tell Job that he is not suffering due to any actions he may have committed, but instead God only allows Satan to know this. This seemingly odd decision is rationalized by Stump’s claim that Job’s suffering was an act of love that Satan needed to experience firsthand, because “love that is given to an alienated person tempts, tugs, pushes that person to receive it” (214). Fundamentally, God was extending his love to Satan through this act in the hopes that it would draw the two closer or at least prohibit further

He is attracted by Gretchen’s description of her simple, working life, and of her “rough and ugly hands” (2082) coarsened by work. He is entranced by Gretchen’s story of caring for her infant sister, strangely enamored with this depiction of middle-class domesticity. When Faust first sneaks into Gretchen’s room, he marvels at the appealing simplicity of her life: “what abundance in this poverty / And in this prison such a blessedness!” (2693-4). Gretchen’s lower class status is interesting because while it gives her sex appeal to Faust, as already discussed, it also helps present her as a maternal, homely figure. Goethe’s Faust is characterized by his desire to be satisfied and content, and he seeks that contentment in Gretchen, whose simple life is sufficient for her. However, Faust is doomed to never find satisfaction, since his complacency is the one crime God will not forgive him for. Faust knows that if he even finds contentment, he will lose his wager with Mephistopheles, so his continued obsession with Gretchen reveals his self-destructive nature. He willingly agrees to give his soul to Mephistopheles if that devil is able to satisfy him, and actively pursues that satisfaction, rather than fighting back in the wager that will damn his

In Satan's discussion in Job 2:4-5 with God, Satan tells God that a man will give his life for all the things he has, but take all a man's things and he will curse you to your face. God takes Satan's challenge because, God knows what Job will do, and He knows Satan's assessment of Job is wrong. I believe God would not allow Job to be tested unless He was sure job would pass the test. Job says in Job 7:18 that he's been tested every minute. It would seem by Job's statement that he knew God was putting him to a test. The book James (James 1:12) reveals that people who remain steadfast

Not many stories captivate readers like Marlowe’s Faust can captivate. It’s the classic story of a man who risks hellfire by dealing with the devil for a brief, yet magnificent, period of otherworldly knowledge and power. This story has been rewritten and reformulated time and time again. I aim to show that the story of Faust is inspired by the story of Adam and Eve.

In the original telling of the tragedy, Doctor Faust is a well-educated man versed in many subjects, but he cannot accept his limited knowledge of creation as a human being. He suffers until he sells his soul to an agent of the

While Goethe’s Faust may be very popular and important, the story he wrote is not the ONLY interpretation. Several other authors have written books, symphonies, and plethoras of forms of art based on the story behind Faust. The lore, originating around the 13th century, the legend of Faust is about a man making a deal with the devil to receive otherworldly powers to satisfy his humane needs. He is so dissatisfied with his knowledge, he wants more, and this is very much like the interpretation Goethe wrote (Boyle). The story itself has spawned over 100 interpretations (Faust).

Things aren’t always as they appear to be. This is true in John Faustus’s case in terms of his relationship with Mephistopheles and in turn the devil himself. Poor Faustus believes it is he who has called upon the demon Mephistopheles and it is his tongue that orders the servant of hell, yet he could not be any more mistaken. In reality, Faustus is the one with strings attached to him and it is Lucifer, Mephistopheles, and the Evil Angel playing the role of the puppeteer. Nevertheless, Faustus remains a student to the ideology of Christianity throughout his adventures, even amongst the bleakest of hours. God never leaves the side of John Faustus, as He relentlessly tries to bring Faustus back onto the path of righteousness.