Please read the three opening scenes of Faust, Part One (“Dedication,” “Prelude in the Theater,” and “Prologue in Heaven”) and answer the following questions.
1. In “Dedication,” who is speaking? To whom does he speak? What question does he ask? (Note: this is a challenging verse! Don’t worry if you don’t understand it well.)
2. “Prelude in the Theater”: summarize briefly what each character says about the theater (3-5 sentences per character). Which of the three characters “wins” the debate? What is the function of this scene?
3. “Prologue in Heaven”: How do the Archangels describe the Lord? What are the terms of the bet between the Lord and Mephistopheles? Describe the relationship between the Lord and Mephistopheles.
4. Why does the play start 3 times (“Dedication,” “Prelude in the Theater,” “Prologue in Heaven”) before it starts (the scene “Night”)? Why not just start with the scene “Night”? (Here I am asking you to speculate.)
Requirements: 1000
Answer preview
Faust is a play written by Goethe that is divided in two parts. The first part introduced three scenes that takes place in multiple settings. The aim of having different scenes before the “night” plot unravels is to distance the viewers from a close involvement with the characters. It is because they represent a symbol of the drama yet to unfold. Goethe, introduces “Dedication”, “Prelude in the theater” and the Prologue in Heaven” as part one to remind the readers that a play is not only based on the written word but the poet’s art.
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