FAUST – REPRESENTATIVE OF MODERN MAN

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with Christiane Haid

The fundamental questions confronting human beings today are those having to do with the limits of knowledge, the encounter with evil, death, love, and power. Faust’s career path provides a privileged insight into the plight of contemporary human beings: besides being a scientist, Faust has expertise in the fields of law, medicine, theology and philosophy. And yet he comes to realise that he understands neither the world nor himself, and that he is incapable of grasping the deeper meaning of existence. His inability to fathom the secrets of life and nature lead him, in a moment of doubt, to contemplate suicide. Completely isolated from everything and everyone, he delves into the practice of magic. He soon finds himself in such a state of depression that he is on the verge of taking his own life. Yet, somehow, he is miraculously saved, and decides to leave the confines of his gloomy study. He then meets the Devil, with whom he makes a pact. Mephistopheles entices him to learn to know the world, and this inaugurates the period of Faust’s life during which he gradually gives in to all of life’s temptations; he readily succumbs to the allurements of love, power and money. The pact he signs with the Devil chains him to the earth and prevents him from becoming a true human being through his own forces. He is only saved in the end by Gretchen, the sweetheart he had cruelly abandoned.

The Faust story brings to light the challenges confronting us as human beings in today’s world, where, freed from divine guidance, must find our own way to our inner self and our higher nature. The confrontation with evil can serve as a stimulus to undertake this quest.

The fundamental questions confronting human beings today are those having to do with the limits of knowledge, the encounter with evil, death, love, and power. Faust’s career path provides a privileged insight into the plight of contemporary human beings: besides being a scientist, Faust has expertise in the fields of law, medicine, theology and philosophy. And yet he comes to realise that he understands neither the world nor himself, and that he is incapable of grasping the deeper meaning of existence. His inability to fathom the secrets of life and nature lead him, in a moment of doubt, to contemplate suicide. Completely isolated from everything and everyone, he delves into the practice of magic. He soon finds himself in such a state of depression that he is on the verge of taking his own life. Yet, somehow, he is miraculously saved, and decides to leave the confines of his gloomy study. He then meets the Devil, with whom he makes a pact. Mephistopheles entices him to learn to know the world, and this inaugurates the period of Faust’s life during which he gradually gives in to all of life’s temptations; he readily succumbs to the allurements of love, power and money. The pact he signs with the Devil chains him to the earth and prevents him from becoming a true human being through his own forces. He is only saved in the end by Gretchen, the sweetheart he had cruelly abandoned.

The Faust story brings to light the challenges confronting us as human beings in today’s world, where, freed from divine guidance, must find our own way to our inner self and our higher nature. The confrontation with evil can serve as a stimulus to undertake this quest.

Admission: 20$ (Students and Seniors -18$)