Goethe's Faust

Characters in ancient tragedies had clear defined roles. There were heroes and villains, who did not stray from their archetype. These stories and perhaps all others are reflective of the level of complexity of the societies their authors lived in. For example, Goethe’s Faust, a “modern tragedy,” is reflective of a society during a paradigm shift: science is taking the place of religion in terms of providing guidance and people are left with more questions than answers about their place in the universe. From this unsettling climate, the modern condition arises. The author suggests that the modern protagonist, unsettled and conflicted, is not doomed; he can find a resolution to his pain in one way, acceptance. In Faust, the main character’s inner conflict over pursuing secular or spiritual knowledge appears to be unresolved as he constantly strives for more, however Faust’s continued striving signals an actual acceptance of his situation in life as he embraces who he is as a person. By his death near the end of the tragedy, Faust has completed his journey of self-discovery on earth and is finally able to receive a degree of satisfaction.
Faust’s inner conflict is characterized by the fact that his years of studying subjects like medicine and law have yet to bring him much joy and satisfaction. He laments to his assistant Wagner, “Two souls…reside …show more content…
All aspects of a person, the virtues and the vices, must be explored and accepted in order to find satisfaction. Having pure faith in God or living a pure life is not ultimately what saves people. Goethe explains that accepting that you will always want more out of life is a very difficult, but valid way to be happy. Faust’s inner struggle, which defines him as the modern man, never ends in the story. It is only the way he copes with it that evolves and