Faust on Knowledge and Pain

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"Those few who gained a share of understanding, who foolishly unlocked their hearts, their pent-up feelings, and their visions to the rabble, have always ended up on the cross and pyre." --Faust (Night, Lines 590-594)

I loved this passage the first time I read it, mainly because Faust is being ultra-pessimistic in this section. He is already ranting about knowledge and how little satisfaction it gives him (well, at least the knowledge that is known, as for that which is unknown... well, that is what he is striving for), and in here he speaks further of its worthlessness. For Faust, even those who have stepped out in knowledge to speak of something do so only to receive more pain than if they had not sought or known it. All of this is pointing to a feeling of dissatisfaction with that he knows and with the world around him. (Also, interesting to note: attachment to Christianity/ Christian Doctrine...?)

P.S. I commented on Faith and Phillip's posts.

Comments

  1. Phillip VoOctober 23, 2017 at 11:54 PM

    I find the depth of the statement Faust makes here to be INSANE. I immediately think of Jesus, who ended up on the cross, was rejected just further proves the pessimistic point Faust is making here: that it doesn't how enlightened you are, how right you are, ultimately you end up how you began, as nothing.

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