Summary and Analysis
Part 1: Faust's Study (ii)
Evening finds Faust in his study. The poodle is still with him. Faust's soul is tranquil after his happy afternoon, and he feels confident of finding peace. He says:
Ah, when in our narrow cell
The lamp once more imparts good cheer,
Then in our bosom — in the heart
That knows itself — then things grow clear.
Reason once more begins to speak
And the blooms of hope once more to spread;
One hankers for the brooks of life,
Ah, and for life's fountain head.
But Faust's depression begins to return with these last words. To renew his inspiration he sets about translating into German the Gospel of Saint John, but cannot get past the first line, "In the beginning was the Word." After making several attempts to select a rendition that satisfies him, Faust finally decides on, "In the beginning was the Deed."
This episode crystallizes one of the main philosophical themes of the poem — Goethe's conception that action is the creative and ruling force of the universe. This is the metaphysical meaning of Faust's final translation.
The poodle begins to growl and continues to do so as long as Faust goes on reading the Bible. Faust realizes that some mysterious spiritual presence has taken on the form of the dog. He uses a magical incantation to force it to appear. In an instant Mephistopheles stands before him in the guise of a travelling scholar.
This is a crucial moment. Mephisto has been in pursuit of his intended victim ever since making the wager with God, but it was up to Faust to take the first step in his own seduction by recognizing and invoking the devil. This act confirms Mephisto's suspicion of Faust's disgust with positive methods of finding satisfaction and illustrates Faust's movement toward the nihilistic cynicism which characterizes the devil. Mephisto's costume is purposely chosen to make Faust feel at ease with him, and to prevent him from becoming frightened as he had been by the terrifying supernatural appearance of the Earth-Spirit.
Faust senses his visitor's identity, but Mephistopheles refuses to reveal his name. Instead he describes himself by explaining his function in the divine plan, saying he is
A part of that Power
Which always wills evil, always procures good . . .. . . the Spirit which always denies.
A metaphysical debate follows concerning Mephisto's description of himself as only a part of a whole — a concept which Faust finds hard to accept. After their talk Faust invites Mephistopheles to visit him again. The devil prepares to leave but cannot go because Faust has not released the spell that invoked him. Faust refuses to free Mephistopheles. The unexpected discovery that even the devil is subject to a form of law makes him wonder about the possibility of making a contract with him. He intends to force Mephistopheles to buy his freedom.
The devil is not as powerless as he has been pretending, however. He calls up a choir of spirits who lull Faust to sleep with an idyllic song about the sensual pleasures of pagan, southern lands. Next Mephistopheles summons the aid of some mice and makes his escape. When Faust awakens the room is empty. He wonders whether he has been dreaming.
Faust's belief that Mephisto's appearance was only a dream is one of many hints that the devil is partly a symbolic representation of hidden aspects of Faust's personality (of human nature in general).
Maelezo ya jumla na uchambuzi: Sehemu ya 1: Faust's Study (ii) Jioni hupata Faust katika utafiti wake. Poodle bado ni pamoja naye. Nafsi ya Faust ni yenye utulivu baada ya alasiri yake yenye furaha, naye ana uhakika wa kupata amani. "Anasema, ""Ah, wakati katika seli yetu nyembamba taa mara nyingine tena inatoa furaha nzuri, kisha katika kifua chetu, katika moyo ambao unajua mwenyewe, mambo yanaonekana wazi.""" "Hakika akili inaanza tena kusema, na maua ya matumaini yanaanza tena kuenea; mtu anatafuta vijito vya maisha, na kichwa cha chemchemi ya maisha.""" Lakini mshuko wa moyo wa Faust unaanza kurudi na maneno haya ya mwisho. "Kwa sababu ya kuvutiwa na mambo ya kiroho, alitafuta tafsiri ya Injili ya Yohana katika Kijerumani, lakini hakuweza kupita mstari wa kwanza: ""Mwanzoni Neno lilikuwa.""" "Baada ya kujaribu mara kadhaa kuchagua tafsiri inayomridhisha, Faust hatimaye anaamua, ""Mwanzoni kulikuwa na Utendaji.""" Kipindi hiki crystallizes moja ya mandhari kuu ya kifalsafa ya shairi <unk> dhana Goethe kwamba hatua ni nguvu ya ubunifu na kutawala ya ulimwengu. Hii ndiyo maana ya kimetaphysical ya tafsiri ya mwisho ya Faust. Mbwa huyo anaanza kunguruma na anaendelea kunguruma Faust anapokuwa akiendelea kusoma Biblia. Faust anatambua kwamba mtu fulani wa kiroho mwenye kutatanisha amechukua umbo la mbwa. Yeye hutumia uchawi wa kichawi ili kuilazimisha ionekane. Kwa ghafula Mephistopheles anasimama mbele yake akiwa mwanafunzi anayesafiri. Huo ni wakati muhimu sana. Mephisto amekuwa akimtafuta mhasiriwa wake tangu wakati alipofanya dau na Mungu, lakini ilikuwa juu ya Faust kuchukua hatua ya kwanza katika ushawishi wake mwenyewe kwa kutambua na kumwita shetani. Hatua hii inathibitisha mashaka ya Mephisto ya kuchukizwa kwa Faust na mbinu nzuri za kupata kuridhika na inaonyesha harakati ya Faust kuelekea ucheshi wa nihilistic ambao una sifa ya shetani. Mavazi ya Mephisto yamechaguliwa kwa makusudi ili kumfanya Faust ahisi vizuri pamoja naye, na kumzuia asiogope kama alivyoogopa kwa kuonekana kwa roho ya dunia. Faust anahisi utambulisho wa mgeni wake, lakini Mephistopheles anakataa kufunua jina lake. Badala yake, yeye hujifafanua mwenyewe kwa kueleza kazi yake katika mpango wa kimungu, akisema yeye ni sehemu ya nguvu hiyo ambayo daima inataka uovu, daima inatoa mema. . ... . Roho ambayo daima hukataa. Mjadala wa kimetaphysical unafuata kuhusu maelezo ya Mephisto ya yeye mwenyewe kama sehemu tu ya jumla - dhana ambayo Faust hupata vigumu kukubali. Baada ya mazungumzo yao Faust anamwalika Mephistopheles amtembelee tena. Ibilisi anajitayarisha kuondoka lakini hawezi kwenda kwa sababu Faust hajawatoa uchawi uliomwita. Faust anakataa kumweka huru Mephistopheles. Ugunduzi usiotazamiwa kwamba hata shetani anafuata aina fulani ya sheria humfanya ajulike juu ya uwezekano wa kufanya mkataba naye. Anakusudia kumlazimisha Mephistopheles kununua uhuru wake. Hata hivyo, shetani hana nguvu kama alivyojifanya. Anaita kwaya ya roho ambao humfanya Faust alale usingizi kwa wimbo wa kimapenzi kuhusu raha za kichawi za nchi za kusini za kipagani. Kisha Mephistopheles anaomba msaada wa panya fulani na kutoroka. Faust anapomkumbuka, chumba hicho hakina mtu. Anajiuliza kama amekuwa akiota ndoto. Faust anaamini kwamba kuonekana kwa Mefisto ni ndoto tu, na ni moja ya dalili nyingi kwamba shetani ni sehemu ya uwakilishi wa mfano wa mambo yaliyofichwa ya utu wa Faust (wa asili ya binadamu kwa ujumla).