Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German
Faust: Part Two of the Tragedy Act 1: Pleasant Surroundings Faust lies on a flowery meadow, tired, restless, seeking sleep. Spirits sing to calm him. As dawn breaks, Faust awakens feeling rejuvenated by nature. He reflects on the sun and a waterfall. Scene: Imperial Palace - Throne Room The Emperor awaits his council. The jester (Mephistopheles) appears and engages the Emperor with riddles. The Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, and Master of Horse report on the kingdom's dire state: corruption, empty coffers, and rampant discontent. Mephistopheles proposes a solution: introduce paper money backed by the Emperor's treasure. This immediately revitalizes the economy, bringing joy and prosperity. Scene: Great Hall A herald announces a festive celebration. Gardeners present their wares, symbolizing the year's bounty. The Emperor arrives, followed by various allegorical figures. A drunken man is comforted by his wife. Pulcinella and his troupe entertain. The Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos) appear, representing the inevitability of destiny. The Furies (Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone) arrive, representing vengeance and chaos. Fear, Hope, and Prudence appear, followed by Zoilos-Theristes, a critic. Act 2: High-Vaulted Gothic Room Mephistopheles finds Faust's old study, still preserved. He reminisces about Faust's pact. A Famulus, Nikodemus, arrives, seeking Faust. Mephistopheles reveals Faust's location. A Baccalaureus enters, boasting of his learning. Mephistopheles dismisses him. Faust is summoned to conjure Helen of Troy and Paris for the Emperor. Mephistopheles takes Faust to the Mothers, ancient, powerful beings who dwell in the realm of the primordial. Scene: Laboratory Wagner, Faust's assistant, successfully creates an Homunculus, a small, artificial human, in a bottle. The Homunculus desires a physical form. He guides Mephistopheles and Faust to classical Greece, seeking the Mothers to help Faust find Helen. Scene: Classical Walpurgis Night - Pharsalian Fields Faust, Mephistopheles, and the Homunculus arrive in ancient Greece during a magical celebration. They encounter mythological figures, including Erichtho, the sorceress. Faust seeks Helen. The Homunculus guides them to the Temple of the Mothers. Scene: Upper Peneius Faust converses with Chiron, the centaur, a wise teacher, who tells him about heroes and the nature of beauty. Faust expresses his longing for Helen. Chiron directs him to Manto, the prophetess, who might have knowledge of Helen. Scene: Lower Peneius Faust meets Nereus, an old sea god, who speaks of the transient nature of human endeavors and directs Faust to Proteus, the shapeshifter, for guidance. Proteus advises Faust that true existence lies in transformation and the pursuit of ideals. Faust, guided by the Homunculus, seeks Helen. Scene: Shore of the Aegean Sea Faust, Mephistopheles, and the Homunculus encounter various sea creatures and the Sphinxes. Faust is drawn to the sea's beauty and power. The Homunculus seeks to be born into a higher form. Proteus advises Faust to embrace the sea's transformative power. Act 3: Before the Palace of Menelaus in Sparta Helena returns to Sparta after the Trojan War. She is welcomed by her attendants and the Chorus, who praise her beauty. Helena reflects on her tumultuous past and her uncertain future. The Chorus sings of her divine beauty and the impact she has on men. Helena expresses a desire for peace and normalcy. Scene: Inner Castle Courtyard Helena is disturbed by the appearance of Phorkyas, a grotesque figure who represents the negative aspects of fate and desire. Phorkyas reveals the harsh realities of the world and the destructive power of ambition. Helena, disturbed by these visions, seeks refuge in her palace. Faust appears, disguised as a prince, and they are reunited. Faust promises Helena a glorious future. Scene: High Mountains Faust, now a ruler, surveys his vast domain. He is obsessed with creating an ideal society and a magnificent empire. He orders the construction of a grand palace and a new city. In his pursuit of progress, he inadvertently causes the displacement and suffering of an elderly couple, Philemon and Baucis, whose humble cottage he destroys to make way for his ambitious project. Faust, though initially pleased with his achievement, is haunted by the unintended consequences of his actions. Scene: Deep Night Four figures—Want, Guilt, Care, and Need—appear before Faust, tormenting him. They represent the destructive forces that plague humanity. Faust, consumed by remorse and despair, realizes the futility of his relentless pursuit of power and pleasure. He is blinded by Care, symbolizing the ultimate consequence of his ambition.
