Essay - Nineteenth Century Romantic Theory Observed in Goethe's Faust the Drama...

Nineteenth Century Romantic Theory Observed in Goethe's Faust

The drama, Faust, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is an excellent study in the context of nineteenth century romantic theory because it addresses several ideas such as the dualism, primacy of the individual, and the search for one's center. Faust is a pl*****y that is linked with Christian overtones including redemption and forgiveness through repentance. Faust is searching for a new type of knowledge, re*****lity, or experience ***** he learns how truly vain all of these things re*****y are.

Faust's endeav*****s lead him to face the aspect of dualism when Faust realizes that ********** seem ***** be two aspects of his soul working against each other. When Faust acquires knowledge, he still feels as though something is missing. He says, "That we in truth can nothing know! That in my heart like fire doth burn" (Goethe 11-2). We see the depth of his emotion when he states, "Scruple or doubt comes not to enthrall me,/Nei*****r can devil nor *****ll now appal me—" (15-6) and "Woe's *****! ***** prison'd in the gloom/Of this abhorr'd and musty room!" (45-6). ***** emph*****izes ***** duality when he allows himself to become convinced by Mephistopheles to enter into a bet. Later in the play, he tells Wagner that he feels as though two souls are at war in his breast.

***** souls, alas! ***** lodg'd within my breast,

Which struggle ********** for undivided reign:

***** to t***** world, wi*****h obstinate desire,

And closely-cleaving organs, still adheres. (772-5)

Here we see how ***** embeds aspects ***** dualism in the play.

The primacy of the individual is an***** aspect that Goethe ***** able to focus on in the character of Faust. Many Romantics supported the importance of the individual. With *****, we see the efforts of one man attempting to create his own reality, so to speak. He ***** his "eager palpitation" (128) ***** "***** free choice" (390) are misplaced. These *****s of the play allow us to ***** ***** the ***** of Faust reinforces the primacy ***** the *****.

Faust's search for immortality and his quest ***** knowledge force his to comes to terms with who he is. From this perspective, we can see how Faust's journey *****s him back to himself. He dabbles with dark forces ***** is allo*****d many things but in ***** end, he must look within himself to discover the real truth about life. At the ***** of the *****, he states:

Tell me, to what doth all this tend?

*****re will these frantic gestures end?

This loath*****me cheat, this senseless stuff

I've known and hated long enough. (2240-4)

Here we ***** how Faust comes full circle. He realizes his mistake and fin*****y comes to understand that he can***** hold and know all of t***** *****steries of world. ***** admits, " The misery of ***** one pierces me to the very marrow, and harrows up my soul; thou art grinning calmly over the doom of *****sands!" (4193-5). He learns the "sweet and fostering tides"