Manifestations of Faustian Bargain in literature from 16th Century to present

Thursdays, 11 a.m. beginning March 5

— from Jens Kruse —

The term “Faustian Bargain” has recently gained increased currency in newspapers and magazines. Somehow journalists and writers seem to feel a need to resort to that concept as they try to report on what they observe in the world around them. So it might be useful to explore the origins and the meaning(s) of that term and concept by reading and discussing at least some of the texts that have shaped and reshaped the Faust legend over the last five centuries or so.

I plan to offer a course in which we will read, roughly in the order of their composition and/or original publication, the following texts:

  • Marlowe, Doctor Faustus: With The English Faust Book
    (Hackett Classics)
  • Goethe, Faust I and II. Oxford World’s Classics.
  • Klaus Mann, Mephisto (New York: Random House [Penguin],
    1977).
  • Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master & Margarita (New York: Penguin,
    2001)
  • Thomas Mann, Dr. Faustus. The Life of the German Composer Adrian Leverkühn As Told by a Friend (New York: Vintage, 1999).

Starting on March 5, the course will probably have 11 weekly meetings of 90 minutes on Thursdays from 11-12:30 in the Community Room of the Orcas Island Library.

You may enroll by signing up at the Orcas Island Library, or by sending an email to jkruse@wellesley.edu. Because of the seating capacity of the Community Room there is an enrollment cap of 18. The course fee (for copying costs and an eventual donation to the Library) is $40.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

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