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Faust home - Syllabus - Course Description - Materials - Grades - Links German home

The legendary Faust, a man who sells his soul to the devil to achieve his personal aspirations, has appeared repeatedly in masterpieces of world literature, art, and music since the 16th century. Who was Faust and why has he fascinated writers, artists and thinkers for centuries?  In this course, we will examine the development of the Faust motif through time, from the legend’s origins in the Renaissance-Reformation period through the Enlightenment and the trials and tribulations of the twentieth century. Primarily through our readings of literary texts, but also in the media of art, music, and film, we will explore such questions as: What is the Faustian nature? What facets of the Faust motif have ensured its lasting relevance through 400 years of historical and social transformation?  How does each age adapt the motif to its own concerns, and where do the elements of continuity and change lie? What does the prevalence of the Faust motif in the Modern period say about humanity and the times we live in?

These texts are available for purchase at the A.S. Bookstore:

Christopher Marlowe. Doctor Faustus and Other Plays. Oxford/New York: Oxford UP, latest ed.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Faust. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Doubleday, latest ed.
Thomas Mann. Doctor Faustus. The Life of the German Composer Adrian Leverkühn, as
  Told by a Friend. Trans. H.T. Lowe-Porter. New York: Vintage, 1992.
German 298C students should additionally buy the German texts:
Heinrich Heine. Der Doktor Faust. Ein Tanzpoem. Stuttgart: Reclam, latest ed.
Thomas Mann. Doktor Faustus. Das Leben des deutschen Tonsetzers Adrian Leverkühn,
  erzählt von einem Freunde. Frankfurt a.M.: Fischer, latest ed.
 
In addition, copies of texts & excerpts will be distributed & readings will be made available in the limited loan area of Meriam Library as the semester progresses. These include but are not limited to:
Johann Spiess. Historia von D. Johann Fausten (1587). Excerpts.
The Historie of the damnable life, and deserved death of Doctor John Faustus (1592). Excerpts.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Faust fragment (1755-67).
Heinrich Heine. Doktor Faust. A Dance Poem (1851). Trans. Basil Ashmore. NY: Nevill, 1952.
Oswald. Spengler. Decline of the West. Excerpts.
Hermann Hesse, “Ein Abend bei Dr. Faust,” in Fabulierbuch (1927).
Bertolt Brecht, “Thesen zur Faustus-Diskussion” in the journal Sinn und Form (1953).
I.A. Richards. Tomorrow Morning, Faustus! (1962).

Grading:

Final grades for the course will be based on the following criteria:

 

Participation & oral reports	25%
Response papers (4)	25%
Take-home mid-term exam	25%
Final project & presentation	25%

 
Participation & oral reports:
Because the course will in large part consist of the discussion of the texts we read, your participation forms an important part of your grade.  In order to participate effectively, you should come to class prepared. For each reading assignment, I will assign questions which will guide you in your reading.  Occasionally, I will ask for volunteers to research and briefly report on specific topics and issues. These reports will provide background information for our discussions.

Response papers:
Throughout the semester, I will give a number of specific written assignments (approximately one per week).  Of these, students should select at least four and write a one- to two-page response on each.  If more than 4 assignments are completed, the highest four grades will be counted.

Mid-term exam:
The mid-term exam will cover the time period from the inception of the Faust legend through Goethe's Faust II.  The text will consist primarily of essay questions and may be completed at home. It will be distributed in mid-October, and students will have approximately one week to prepare their answers.

Final project & presentation:
In lieu of a traditional final exam, students will prepare a final project related to the Faust theme.  Possibilities include, but are not limited to: a research paper, an original Faust story, a video or audio production, a puppet show, an online production, etc. Projects may be completed individually or in groups. During the alloted final exam period, students will present their projects or research results to the class.

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Faust home - Syllabus - Course Description - Materials - Grades - Links German home