Faust
The Christian Project of the Personal-The thematic of pragmatological Some of the greatest literary manifestations of the Christian messagein the Western tradition can be found in the gospel narratives themselves,Dante's "Divine Comedy," and Milton's "Paradise Lost" and "ParadiseRegained." Although all of these literary and spiritual works come fromdifferent nations, times, and different theological aspects of theChristian tradition, all show the increasing emphasis on the individualperson (and persona) within the Christian tradition, as opposed to epic,nationalistic struggles of heroism that places their emphasis on the nation-state rather than on the individual soul. Jesus offered a radical reinterpretation of the Hebraic tradition,whereby Mosaic Law in the context of the nation-state of Israel wasoverridden by an emphasis on the individual pursuit and perfection of theinternal life of the soul. Dante created, out of his own personalstruggles with his soul and the familial struggles within the Italiannation state, an entire personal and temporal cosmology of hell, purgator
As theindividual and the notion of the individual soul became more and moreimportant within the Christian religious tradition, individuals such asFaust become more apt to seek a greatness approaching the divine persona. Through intellectualunderstanding, Faust hopes to render his own personhood and project onearth closer to the realm of the divine, transcendental project of supremeknowledge and creation. Only the purewoman whom Faust loves, who does not have confident in her intellect, butmanifests herself in her innocence and goodness, despite hertransgressions, brings Faust back to the true Christian emphasis onspiritual as well as mentally willed love. By making the individual mind and spirit the essence ofChristian faith, the individual inevitably wishes to enrich that mind andspirit with more and more sustaining transcendent knowledge and scope,until that scope threatens the greater divine will. Thus, Faust highlights a paradox of human rational understanding ofreligion as well as individualistic redemption as a focus of the Christiantradition. Like Mary Magdalene, because sheis aware of her imperfections, she can be saved. The persona of Faust has become a kind of template for theindividual's frustrations with the human limits of understanding. Through self-creation of a more mentally andspiritually aware person, Faust strives for godlike knowledge and status. Faust wishes, not a godlike power, but at veryleast to stretch the limits of the ability of human beings to achievetranscendental understanding while they dwell on earth. The ethical system established by Jesus, which placed responsibilityon the individual becomes perverted in the Faustian narrative and project,where the dominance and importance of the individual and God's interest inevery individual soul's development, regardless of where that individualmay dwell on earth, becomes twisted in Faust's rationaliststrivings-Faust's assertion of individual mental prowess becomes hubristicrather than spiritual and supplicating to the divine will. As thenotion of 'the individual' evolved in the Christian tradition is became thecenter of the Western religious project of the redemption of the individualsoul outside of a national context. Likewise, Goethe'sFaust in this "personificational" history of the Christian heritageattempts to create, by understanding and expanding upon his self-knowledge,a new cosmology of the individual pursuit of intellectual excellence in thecontext of the late European Renaissance and early Romantic tradition. Like Milton's Satan, Goethe's Faust is angered by a world that woulddeny him the full extent of his intellectual expression.
Common topics in this essay:
European Renaissance,
God Faust,
God Dante,
Goethe's Faust,
Paradise Regained,
Mosaic Law,
Mary Magdalene,
Adam Eve,
Milton's Satan,
Project Personal-The,
christian tradition,
individual soul,
goethe's faust,
christian tradition individual,
dwell earth,
persona faust,
emphasis individual,
mind spirit,
realm divine,
european renaissance,
milton's satan,
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Acceptance Essays
