The legend of Dr. Faustus: Truth depends on who you ask.

Faust, etching, Rembrandt van Rijn

The figure of Faustus is both fact and fancy.

The legendary figure of Dr. Faust has fascinated philosophers, theologians, spectators and audience members for centuries.    

According to ancient lore Faust was a traveling fortune-teller and wizard.

A learned man, he may have taught in the universities of his era, ultimately living in Cologne.

Contemporary scholars depicted him as a charlatan, unscrupulous, yet hard evidence on his life is lacking; and they may just have been jealous.

Whispered stories of supernatural powers helped create the legend of Faust in his own lifetime, (1480?-1540?).

One tradition has it that Faust was a respected, prominent citizen living under the patronage and protection of the Archbishop of Cologne. Alchemy and magic were not that far removed from sorcery and witchcraft in the minds of the common people; any kind of knowledge was suspicious.

Doctor Faust may have been employed by the Archbishop to get a psychological edge on his enemies. The Renaissance was in full swing thanks to Gutenberg’s printing press.

This helped to spread revolutionary new ideas, yet it was also a time of great ignorance and superstition.

One widely held folk belief at the time was the notion that the Jews, in league with Satan, had conspired to crucify Jesus. It coloured public opinion.

Faust the man may have been a victim of anti-Semitism, or who knows, he may have been a genuinely rotten fellow. It is possible he was Jewish, yet it is a known fact that both Martin Luther and Melancthon believed him to be in cahoots with the Devil.

The “Historia von Dr. Johann Fasuten,” (1787) was published in Frankfurt. In this compilation of tales, Faust makes a deal with Mephistopheles, who grants him magic, knowledge and power, but only for twenty-four years. After which, his soul belongs to the devil…Eventually Faust repents having “bartered his soul for illusory knowledge and pleasure.” Well, we all have to grow up some time, eh?

This collection of legend and fact appeared in English verse in 1587 and German verse in 1588, and was released in French and English prose versions in 1592.

Marlowe.

Playwright Phillip Marlowe produced a “Tragedy of Dr. Faustus” in 1589. But it is the great poetic drama ”Faust” (written and re-written between 1808 and 1832) by J.W. von Goethe, which is the best known to the world. In his version Faust is not damned, because he genuinely desires to expand the boundaries of knowledge.

Possibly von Goethe thought a person could play poker with the Devil – and win.

Goethe’s story became the definitive version; later writers did not tamper with his outcome. Other classic works include the dramatic epic “Faust” (1835) by Nicholaus Lenau; Heinrich Heini’s ballad of the same title appearing in 1851 and “Doktor Faustus” (1948) by Thomas Mann.

The average person on the street might tend to identify Faust as “The man who sold his soul to the Devil.”

Thomas Mann. Portrait by Carl van Vechten

They say history is a generally agreed upon thing. That really depends who you ask.

End 

Author's Note: my short sexual memoir 'The Note' is now free on Smashwords. here is my profile, below that is the link for the book. Use coupon code SSW75 on checkout. Offer ends July 31/13.

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/iCooper

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315026

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> Ian

                                                                                                                    

A little sponsorship.

Jenson Button for Prime Minister. Photo by Ryan Bayona.

Dear editor;

Sometimes, when the cost seems a little too much to bear; you might need some sponsorship.  If the trend towards privatization is to be successful, it must be employed across the board.

Sammy’s Police Services, Achmed’s Fire Protection (2004) Ltd; Bob and Doug’s Welfare Office. Hank’s Jail, Acme Hospitals Inc., RJR-Macdonald Cancer Clinics, Timmy’s Soup Kitchen. (Poor people could drive through in their 4X4’s.)  McDonald’s Elementary Schools. Coca-Cola emblazoned on the tail fins of CF-18’s.

Bids for cabinet positions are now being tendered. And they’ll be wearing Nascar-type coveralls splattered with sponsor’s patches.

“Join the Intel/Pentium Navy and see the world.”

Oh, yeah, eh, I hear the Royal Bank/Kia Canada/NAPA Auto Parts/ Gov.Can.Com Legislative Session will be running this spring. Looks like we got us a game. How can you tell when a politician is lying?

Their lips move.

And what if smart bombs demand better contractual conditions? Chrome tail fins and a racing stripe, a retirement plan? It’s the least we can do for them, if they agree to carry our corporate logo.  Hey: a new career path might open up: ‘Unexploded Bomb Negotiator.’

“Hey, little buddy…you know you want to do this…it’s your destiny…of course you’re scared…who wouldn’t be…”

If all them little drone aircraft attempt to bargain collectively for bigger engines, higher octane fuel; let’s label them “terrorists” and shoot ‘em down ourselves. We created ‘em, you know.

Don’t ask what you can do for your country. Just go to Disneyland, spend lotsa money. War is heck, eh?

But if we can consume stuff faster than everyone else, we win.  And we had a lot of spare bombs laying around gathering dust. No good to anyone.  But I have other worries, too.

Remember that Canadian cabinet minister, boasted to the microphones, “We broke the secret Afghan code!” (This was some time ago. –ed.)

It’s called, ‘Sanskrit,’ buddy. Here, this stone tablet holds an important clue. Take it firmly in both hands and whack! Yourself in the freaking head with it. Now  promise me you’ll never, ever, ever tell anyone you broke the secret code…if you can remember.

It wouldn’t confuse most of us if the cop cars had ‘Labatt’s’ or ‘Frank’s Red-Hot Sauce’ painted on the doors and hood.

“Hey! I put that sh** on everything.”

(Promise you won’t monkey with the restrictor plate. That’s cheatin’.) Guess if we wanted to save money real bad, we could always try a little harder. There are lots of ways to save money. Put a couple pounds more air pressure in the tires.

Clean some of the useless junk out of the vehicle.  There’s never any air in the spare so why carry it around?

When you search someone’s vehicle, keep all the winning tabs – you know, like…winning tabs…?

Someone said they didn’t want to fight over oil. I got an idea. Why don’t we fight over something sensible…like religion?

Like that Noah guy coming down the mountain: “I bring to you direct from God Himself these Fifteen (Kersmash!) Oops! I mean Ten Commandments…”

It caused a big controversy at the time.

End

The Note. Ian Cooper.

by Ian Cooper.

The literary erotic novelette entitled ‘The Note’ is based on some experiences that happened to me many years ago. It’s not really autobiographical in nature because of all the changes made to the basic story line, and in fact things up ended a lot differently in my case.

Devlin, whose last name is never given in the story, is young, he’s a long ways away from home, and he’s lonely and inexperienced. He kills a lot of time driving around or drinking in his room. He seems a bit immature. These bits are autobiographical.

This was a fun story to write. And it’s true: there was a place where I lived and worked, some interesting things happened, and I still think about that place today. I still refer back to those experiences, those people, that particular time and place in my life, and yes, back to a time when I was young. My whole life lay ahead of me and it seemed the world was my oyster.

It seems to me that no fear equates with no experience. Perhaps that’s the difference. As we get older we’re less likely to take those risks, and perhaps to seek those joys which are the province of the young, and those with not much to lose and possibly everything to gain.

There is no beating the optimism of youth. It’s true I made some mistakes, pretty much the same ones Devlin made.

Those experiences helped me to become who I am today and perhaps it is wise to keep that in perspective.