To say that Von Geothe’s version of Faust was an easy read and easily understood would be a straight up lie. However, it can be inferred that one of question being asked by Von Goethe is Does love really conquer all?
On the surface, it seems like the life of Faust is simply a tragic story. However, Von Goethe uses the story to show the crippling effect that extreme love and devotion to one thing can have on an individual’s life. Faust’s first love is learning and it is to which he initially dedicates a chuck of his life to. His devotion to knowledge leads to him being locked up in dark rooms or libraries for long periods of time. Faust has limited contact with others beyond his students and his assistant Wagner. Learning takes over his life to the point where he barely goes out even into the sun. This unhealthy way of living becomes a danger to his well-being and overall sanity. The devotion of obtaining knowledge entraps him in a world where all the matters is becoming an expert in a subject(s). The members of this community are limited in their definition of happiness and cannot even enjoy other things in life beyond books. The love of knowledge and the devotion to acquiring knowledge leaves him unhappy and restless.
When he meets and falls in love with Gretchen, it believed that Faust will finally be complete and happy. However, his devotion to this love proves fatal and disastrous. He becomes so consumed with her that he devotes all his effort into spending time with her. In order to avoid interruptions, he provides a sleeping portion to be administered to Gretchen mother. She is accidently overdosed and dies. Also his love for Gretchen leads to a pregnancy which in the end destroys her life. She is imprisoned and finally loses her mind after her child is taken from her. It is not his love for her which is at fault but rather his complete devotion to her. Just like he spent all his time acquiring knowledge at the risk of his own health, he puts all his efforts into spending time with Gretchen. He does not associate with others expect her.
Von Goethe wants to caution his audience and preach the need for balance in love and devotion. Devotion is necessary in attaining goals and maintaining relationship however it is best done in moderation. Also a degree of love for one thing or person should not overshadow that of others. But rather to achieve balance, other people or things should also be given attention to.
I like your interpretation of the Faust story in regard to the concepts of balance and moderation and find myself agreeing with many of them. Many times these kinds of imbalances cannot be predicted, but if they fail to come under one's control, they can have disastrous consequences, like in Faust. This reminds me very strongly of The Phantom of the Opera. The eponymous Phantom has a horrific facial deformity that forces him to live underground constantly in the deepest cellars of an opera house, out of the reach of the general public who constantly humiliate him. When he first hears a young orphan girl (Christine Daae) singing, he becomes smitten with her, an affection that soon turns into devotion and then complete obsession, even after she becomes involved with Raoul, an aristocrat. The imbalance that the Phantom imparts--chasing after Christine and even trying multiple times to kill Raoul--ends up destroying his own life as well as permanently scarring Christine's and Raoul's. Like in Faust, this story explores the concept of imbalance and the havoc that they can cause if unchecked--and it's interesting how both stories arguably end up most affecting a beautiful young woman.
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