Introduction

The old scholar Faust has mastered philosophy, law, medicine and theology, only to find himself 'a poor fool, no wiser than before', and in despair he thinks of suicide. Mephistopheles wagers with God that he can lead Faust astray. He appears to Faust and they make a pact: the devil will serve Faust on earth and satisfy his every desire; but should Faust ever say to a passing moment, 'Stay, thou art so fair!', his soul will belong to the devil. Faust drinks a magic potion, regains his youth and falls in love with the innocent Gretchen. But their love brings her ruin: her mother, her brother and her baby die one after another, and she is thrown into the condemned cell. Part One ends with Faust urging her in prison to escape, and her refusing and commending her soul to God. It is the summit of German literature.