Faust is a tragic play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in which a scholar sells his soul to the Devil in order to achieve instant gratification and knowledge. Faust begins with an introductory soliloquy that leads into the Prologue in Heaven. Mephistopheles appears to sing about how he will soon arrive at Faust’s doorstep to tempt him. Faust, meanwhile, is celebrating the marriage of his daughter, Gretchen (Gertrude in Marlowe’s play) to Johann (Hans). However, one of Faust’s students Johann looks for an opportunity to escape his wedding night with no consequences.
Mephistopheles attempts to prompt Faust into worshiping him rather than the Lord God. After this point, each act can be read on its own (though they are mostly linked) and I will just tell you what happens in them: The First Act begins by telling us that Mephistopheles has become fond of Faust during their time together while he was under a delusion about what life would be like if it were filled with instant gratification and knowledge. He is now trying to convince Faust that this is possible through magic and necromancy (which Mephistopheles will teach him).
Faust becomes very interested once he realizes that all this can be learned in a matter of days. The scene changes to Gretchen who has just given birth to her son, Valentin. She then begins to tell her Mother about how Johann left her on their wedding night for another woman, leaving the baby behind. Johann’s Father arrives at the house with Johann under his arm looking for money so he can run away again. But Johann’s Father isn’t too pleased with Johann because he bailed out on his own family instead of helping them support Valentin for two whole years while Gretchen was alone with the baby.
Johann’s Father is even less pleased when Johann, seeing he can’t get any money, suggests that they go down to the Faust’s house where Johann will ask for Gretchen’s hand in marriage again. Johann’s Father doesn’t think Johann has a chance because of Valentin but Johann says he knows someone who does anyway – Mephistopheles. The Second Act shows us what happened while Faust was away from his abode in his study reading in an effort to absorb all knowledge into himself at once. Mephistopheles appears in full disguise as “Doctor Marianus” which is just a Latinized version of “Mephistopheles” (which isn’t too clever on Goethe’s part).
He approaches the house of a sick man who he is told has been having strange dreams about his illness. The man asks Mephistopheles to help him die dignified so that he can join his wife in Heaven instead of descending into Hell. Mephistopheles obliges but makes sure to take away the man’s money first before doing it. Then Johann arrives for his appointment with Gretchen only to find out that she has gone away for awhile, leaving Faust’s house empty and Johann feeling sorry for himself. Johann goes off to see if he can find another woman while Mephistopheles passes by where Gretchen has ended up at her Mother’s house.
Mephistopheles tries to convince Gretchen to sleep with him but Gretchen is turned off by his mannerisms and evilness. Johann comes along at this point but doesn’t know what to do now that he’s found her. Faust arrives home briefly, wanting Johann to buy him some tobacco, but Johann has no money because Mephistopheles tricked Johann into spending it all on wine instead of giving it to Valentin so Johann could go away with the woman he had gotten pregnant (we learn who she is now), Gretchen’s best friend. So Johann decides instead to buy Faust tobacco using the Devil’s gold which will lead to Johann’s death in the following act.
The Third Act begins by telling us that Johann has died for reasons unknown (he was supposed to be carrying the devilish tobacco Johann bought him). Faust is upset because Johann did not return at all over the couple days following the scene in the Second Act. Heinrich, Johann’s best friend who was with Johann when he died comes by to see if Faust needs any servants since Johann has left his household in shambles. Faust asks Heinrich to summon up Johann’s spirit to find out why Johann didn’t come back and tell Gretchen not to worry about him.
Johann isn’t too pleased about being summoned even though he doesn’t have much choice in the matter. He tells them that Mephistopheles came for him while he was playing cards with two men, grabbed Johann by the neck, brought Johann into Hell where devils were lining up on either side of Johann and then Johann was thrown into a cauldron of fire. Johann tells his friends that he can’t stay long because Mephistopheles won’t let Johann leave and Johann wants to take Faust’s place. Faust is not amused and does what he can to make Johann leave faster by kicking Heinrich out, telling him they’ll work the following day.
Johann tries to convince Faust not to kick him out or else Johann will be stuck there for all eternity as a servant in Hell. Faust tries calling up Mephistopheles who gets annoyed at being summoned so frequently but comes anyway because it would be useless trying to resist now that Johann’s soul has been “pledged” as payment for the tobacco. Mephistopheles agrees to Johann’s wishes and Johann tells Faust he can’t be happier until Johann has Gretchen in Hell with him. Johann leaves and Faust gets angry at Mephistopheles for bringing Johann there just so Johann could get into Hell to take over Faust’s position.
Mephistopheles then takes Faust to a flea market where all sorts of auctioning is going on such as the selling of spices, souls instead of letters of credit, and souls in place of coins. After they leave there, Mephistopheles brings them to the office where people who have sold their souls sit around when they aren’t enjoying themselves in Hell. There they see kings, dukes, princes, counts and many other dignitaries but it’s the sight of one man, Johann’s successor that shocks Faust. He is none other than the Johann who Johann said should take over for him in the following scene.
Mephistopheles introduces them to each other and Johann has a good amount of fear in his eyes when he sees Faust there. Johann wants to leave but Mephistopheles tells Johann not to worry about it because once someone sells their soul they can’t be tried by Hell or anyone else for any sins committed while on Earth since the soul no longer belongs to God nor the devil. Johann tries convincing Faust that he should take back what he did since Johann obviously doesn’t deserve this punishment but Faust instead offers Johann all his money if only Johann will sign away his contract with Mephistopheles and Johann gets extremely excited.
Johann goes to sign his contract quickly but Faust stops Johann and tells Johann he’s only doing this because Johann made a fool out of Faust by tricking him into signing the contract for Johann’s sake when Johann could’ve just asked for it himself in the first place. Johann agrees to leave Hell with Faust but Mephistopheles convinces Johann that he should stay where he is since Johann will be much happier in Hell than with Faust who would just use Johann as nothing more than a slave.