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Lesson 1 (from Dedication, Prelude on the Stage, and Prologue in Heaven)

Objective

Dedication, Prelude on the Stage, and Prologue in Heaven

"Faust" is the classic tale of a man who sells his soul to the devil. The titular character, a lifelong scholar and intellectual, has realized that his studies have given him neither fame, wealth, or basic social interactions. Enter Mephistopheles, who offers to give Faust all of that and more, including the love of a young girl named Gretchen. However, in his "Dedication," Goethe shows distinct personality traits that are wholly unlike his creation, Faust. In Goethe's introduction, he dedicates his work, career, fame, and wealth to the memories of his lost loved ones. In this manner, Goethe could be considered the anti-Faust, a man whose lifelong work and studies have not hindered his abilities to obtain that which Faust so desperately craves: the fame, the fortune, and the friends and family. This lesson will discuss Goethe's...

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