Jelisa Pearson
20 July 2016
Angela Brown
World Literature After 1600
Faust
In life there is much peer pressure and choices one must make that will shape one’s life forever. The story of Faust is a great example of worldly greed. Worldly greed is simply doing whatever means necessary to receive all the profits of the world. Even today many people will break the law, lie, or even sell their soul to the devil as Faust demonstrates in this story. The story of Faust still remains relatable even in today’s time by Faust’s motives, his opposite attraction, and falling under the wrong influence.
To begin, Faust, who is the main character, is a philosopher who wishes to have all the knowledge known to man. Instead of studying and continually applying himself, he chooses to make a deal with the devil to give his soul in exchange for knowledge. The author states, “Canst thou, poor Devil, give me whatsoever? When was a human soul, in its supreme endeavor, E'er understood by such as thou” (Goethe 55). Likewise, this motive still manifests today. People tend to look for the easy road instead of putting forth the effort to gain what he or she wants.…show more content… Gretchen, Faust’s attraction, is described to be a very virtuous woman. She tends to her siblings, cleans, and causes no trouble. The author states, “By Heaven, the girl is wondrous fair! Of all I've seen, beyond compare; So sweetly virtuous and pure, And yet a little pert, be sure” (Goethe 86). Amazingly this beautiful, virtuous woman is even more attracted to Faust. When reading this drama, one cannot help but wonder what causes two opposites to attract. Even today many men and women who are opposites attract to each other and leave their peers in a curious state. However, one partner always molds the other partner to conform to his or her ways as displayed in
