Reading Notes W6: Goethe & Blake, Part A

Faust

• The three archangels (Gabriel, Michael, Raphael) and Mephistopheles greet The Lord - 103
• After Mephisto finished rambling and complaining, The Lord said "Is that all you do, accuse eternally? Is nothing ever right for you down there, sir?" to which Mephisto replies "No, nothing, Lord-- all's just as bad as ever" - 104
• The Lord challenges Mephisto to try and lead Faust "upon the downward curse" and says "A good man still knows which way is the right one." Mephisto is confident he can do that - 104
• "How very decent of a Lord Celestial to talk man to man with the Devil of all people" said Mephisto. - 105
• Faust expresses regret for having studied philosophy, law, and medicine - 105
• Faust claims to not be afraid of Hell or the Devil - 105
• Faust had no money or possessions. He also claims he can teach anyone how to be better - 106
• Faust requests the spirits to announce themselves if they hear him, since he believes he feels their presence. He opens the book and sees the sign of the Macrocosm. Faust asks if he himself is a god. -107
• He flips the pages and sees the sign of the Spirit of Earth. He acknowledges it has a different effect on him. He asks the spirit to reveal itself -108
• The spirit reveals itself and Faust calls it unbearable. The spirit said "I come at your bidding and you're struck dumb!" - 108
• Faust calls himself the spirit's "equal" - 109
• The spirit claims Faust is only equal to his idea of the spirit, not the spirit itself. The spirit vanishes.  - 109
• Wagner appears and says he wants to master the art of Greek tragedy - 109
• Wagner loves serious conversations. He would gladly stay up and discuss with Faust if it weren't for the fact that it is Easter Sunday in the morning - 111
• "Such fellows keep their hopes up by forever busying themselves with trivialities" said Faust - 111
• Faust begins to monologue - 111
• Faust believes he's the image of God and will soon behold the mirror of Eternal Truth - 111
• The Chorus of Angels say Christ is arisen - 114
• Wagner says going for a walk with Faust is a treat for his mind - 119
• "A lovely dream!-- and meanwhile it grows dark" said Faust after describing the world he could see - 122

Songs of Innocence

1) Introduction (334): The piper has a moment with himself. He visualized a child on a cloud and spoke with him. He shared fun moments playing music with the child. He then decided that he needed to write down his songs so that he may share his happiness with others.

2) The Lamb (335): He speaks to a lamb and ponders the thought of whether or not the lamb knows or could even comprehend its creator. Excited with his religion, he cheerfully informs the lamb that Christ is the one who made both of them: child and lamb.

3) The Little Black Boy (335-6): The boy is aware of racism and what it's like to be treated differently based on the color of his skin. His mom taught him to have faith in God. Once they're in heaven with God, everyone will love each other and there will be no more discrimination. The boy will show kindness to others because he believes they will all love each other once they're all with God.

4) Holy Thursday (336): The children sing with the fullest of their hearts. Even if their audience doesn't necessarily seem important, they continue to sing. Should someone in their audience be an angel, they wouldn't want to drive them away.

5) The Chimney Sweeper (337): The boys who have been sold by their fathers to become chimney sweepers experience a lot of misery. Despite all of this though, they are pure at heart and have faith in God. God is their inspiration to have hope. They'll simply continue to do their jobs and everything will be okay in the end.

Songs of Experience

1) Introduction (337-8): There seems to be a sense of giving up present. The speaker tries to bring back a sense of hope by reminding his audience of the beauty that the Earth has to offer.

2) Earth's Answer (338-9): The Earth feels unappreciated. People take nature's beauty for granted. The Earth views God as being selfish for having created people who don't take the time to appreciate nature.

3) The Tyger (339): Animals like tigers can't appreciate nature. They're ferocious and there seems to not be a reason why. The speaker questions what sky could have created the fire in their eyes. The beauty of the starlight shines down and the tiger can't appreciate it as the speaker can. He questions why God might have created a creature so different than man.

4) The Sick Rose (339-40): The speaker addresses the fact that life as beautiful as that of a rose can die. He feels as if there's a cruel force that loves to spread death and ruin beauty & joy.

5) London (340): He witnesses chimney sweeping children express their misery with tears. Harlots infect parents with a venereal disease leading to the infant being inflicted with neonatal blindness. He's seeing happiness be denied all around him and it pains him to see it all.

6) The Chimney Sweeper (340-1): The chimney sweepers sing songs about their sadness. The chimney sweeper wonders why his innocent smile was rewarded with a job that will most likely kill him, all so that his parents can be happy. Heaven is a dream that the parents can have at the cost of their child's happiness when they sell them and have them become chimney sweepers.

7) Mock on, Mock on, Voltaire, Rosseau (341): He seems to be mocking notable figures such as Voltaire, Democritus, and Newton who push for the advance of science since he feels they mock those who have faith in God.

8) And Did Those Feet (341): He desires a return to the old days. He wants society to abandon its industrial ways and return to a time where everyone worshiped God.

Blake, William. "Songs of Innocence." The Norton Anthology World Literature, edited by Martin Puchner, Third Edition, vol. D, W. W. Norton 2012, pp. 330-341

Goethe, Johann Wolfang Von. "Faust." The Norton Anthology World Literature, edited by Martin Puchner, Third Edition, vol. D, W. W. Norton 2012, pp. 99-122