Jeremy Burlingame Essays - Literature, Fiction, Goethes Faust

Jeremy Burlingame Jeremy Burlingame The hero that never was In Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe builds a dramatic poem around the strengths and weaknesses of a man who under a personalized definition of a hero fails miserably. A hero is someone that humanity models themselves and their actions after, someone who can be revered by the masses as an individual of great morality and strength, a man or woman that never sacrifices his beliefs under adversity. Therefore, through his immoral actions and his unwillingness to respect others rights and privileges, Faust is determined to be a man of un heroic proportions. It is seen early in the poem, that Faust has very strong beliefs and a tight moral code that is deeply rooted in his quest for knowledge. Sitting in his den, Faust describes his areas of instruction, "I have, alas, studied philosophy, jurisprudence and medicine, too, and, worst of all, theology with keen endeavor, through and through..." It is obvious that through his studies he has va lued deep and critical thinking, however with the help of Mephisto, he would disregard his values and pursue the pleasures of the flesh. Faust's impending downward spiral reveals the greed that both Mephisto and Faust share. Mephisto's greed is evident in the hope that he will overcome Faust's morality and thus be victorious in his wager with God; also because he is the devil and that is what he does. For Faust, greed emerges because of his desire to attain physical pleasures and therefore become whole in mind, body and spirit. Faust's goal to become the ?berminche is an understandable desire, however, the means at which he strives for those ends are irresponsible and unjust. It is through this greed that Faust with the help of Mephisto exploit others in the pursuit of Faust's earthly desires. Enter innocent Gretchen, a poor lower class young woman who experiences the impossible, love. Under Mephisto's magical potion, Faust becomes intoxicated with passion and controlled by his hor mones. It is under this spell that he approaches the "beautiful" Gretchen, however, the feeling of passion is not mutual between the two. Faust realizes then, that his simple looks and personality will not attract Gretchen, rather Faust must deceive and manipulate this woman in order to possess her. Thus, Faust turns to Mephisto for help in his quest for Gretchen, "Get me that girl, and don't ask why?"(257) Mephisto replies with a quote that establishes the nature at which Faust will pursue Gretchen with, "We'd waste our time storming and running; we have to have recourse to cunning."(261) It is from this point in the story that Faust declines into a state of immorality and irresponsibility; a level he will remain at for the majority of the story. Faust's immorality emerges from the idealization that despite harming others, there are not any consequences to his actions. The harm in combining Faust and Mephisto is that their actions become dangerous and deadly. Faust becomes an unstoppable, Napoleonic figure, when his irresponsibility is mixed with Mephisto's lethal power. Gretchen is Faust's first victim, before her death she was responsible for three deaths; ultimately she is imprisoned because of Faust's influence upon her. Faust's desire for progress and reformation in society led to the deaths of his second set of victims, an elderly couple. Thus, Mephisto burns them out, a result that Faust had not asked for specifically, but an action which served the purpose and was almost as detrimental as what Faust had intended for them, to move them out of their home. This action against the elderly is analogous to any other parts of the story in which Faust commits an illegal or immoral act to heighten himself in his own eyes. It is obvious then that Faust is a criminal, a man who abuses the rights of others to gain spiritual and financial freedom for himself. A criminal is a personn that should neither be rewarded or idealized for his actions against society . The only endeavor that Faust does in order to save himself, is to feel apologetic and remorseful for his immoral and self-serving actions, and is therefore allowed into heaven, an ending to the story which is unreal

A Free Essay Sample to Help You Make Use of It

A Free Essay Sample to Help You Make Use of ItThe Extended Essay Sample is a free report that covers writing samples, the writing process, brainstorming techniques, story/character development, and information, language, and composition skills. If you're just starting out in writing or looking to learn some new tricks, then this sample is for you. If you've already started writing, or don't really know how to write your first essay, then this can be a good primer for you.The interactive sample is written using Microsoft Word and contains lots of illustrations and screenshots. You can also download a free digital college textbook for use in creating this sample. The questions and answers that appear on the screen are all the same as what you'll find on the actual sample essay, so you won't have to worry about re-reading them, or spending your valuable time looking for solutions. They're simply included for your convenience.You may be thinking that all this involves is using a Word doc ument for your Extended Essay Sample. Well, no, it's actually more than that. Even though this is an easy 'paper work' document that you can customize in a number of ways, it contains advice on grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, structure, and more.The free articles are not only helpful in understanding the fundamentals of writing, but they are also a great tool for marketing or advertising, and can help you build up your writing skills. This free product is just like your standard business or informational articles that you find on the internet. The only difference is that it is written in English, by a professional writer, and you are able to customize it to fit your needs.The free sample includes not only online help but video tutorials, and links to paid resources. There are many samples and videos online, and you can find them for free. Once you're ready to get started, just go to one of the websites and begin browsing the different topics covered. You'll find articles that will teach you how to write, and all the necessary information you need to help you with writing a better essay.It's also recommended that you first brush up on your grammar and write your essay according to the guidelines. With this free 'essay sample,' you're given guidelines and sample problems, so you'll know how to do things properly. After learning how to handle different types of essays, you'll be well on your way to a greater degree of success. This will prepare you for other free resources that are available.The material you receive from this free course will be very helpful. Since you can customize it to your own needs, you can easily create your own unique resources or choose to purchase a professional version. Whatever you choose, this is just one step away from having your own free essay on the web.Free means that it is completely accessible and totally free. After purchasing the items on this free resource, you'll be ready to publish your own free eBook with more comp rehensive information.