Faust

Famous quotes

• What dazzles, for the Moment spends its spirit:
  What’s genuine, shall Posterity inherit.

  Prelude at the Theatre, spoken by PoetIn context

  • Art
  • Fame

• Age childish makes, they say, but ’tis not true;
  We’re only genuine children still, in Age’s season!

  Prelude at the Theatre, spoken by Merry-AndrewIn context

  • Age

• The words you’ve bandied are sufficient;
  ’Tis deeds that I prefer to see:

  Prelude at the Theatre, spoken by ManagerIn context

  • Talking
  • Work

• While Man’s desires and aspirations stir,
  He cannot choose but err.

  Prologue in Heaven, spoken by The LordIn context

  • Failure
  • Motivation & Goals

• A good man, through obscurest aspiration,
  Has still an instinct of the one true way.

  Prologue in Heaven, spoken by The LordIn context

  • Character
  • Good & Evil

• I’ve studied now Philosophy
  And Jurisprudence, Medicine,⁠—
  And even, alas! Theology,⁠—
  From end to end, with labor keen;
  And here, poor fool! with all my lore
  I stand, no wiser than before:

  Scene I, spoken by FaustIn context

  • Knowledge
  • Wisdom

• What from your fathers’ heritage is lent,
  Earn it anew, to really possess it!

  Scene I, spoken by FaustIn context

  • Family
  • Work

• Two souls, alas! reside within my breast,
  And each withdraws from, and repels, its brother.

  Scene II, spoken by FaustIn context

  • Character
  • Emotion

• Part of that Power, not understood,
  Which always wills the Bad, and always works the Good.

  Scene III, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Good & Evil

• I am the Spirit that Denies!
  And justly so: for all things, from the Void
  Called forth, deserve to be destroyed:
  ’Twere better, then, were naught created.

  Scene III, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Good & Evil

• When thus I hail the Moment flying:
  “Ah, still delay⁠—thou art so fair!”
  Then bind me in thy bonds undying,
  My final ruin then declare!

  Scene IV, spoken by FaustIn context

  • Happiness
  • Time

• Blood is a juice of rarest quality.

  Scene IV, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

• All rights and laws are still transmitted
  Like an eternal sickness of the race,⁠—
  From generation unto generation fitted,
  And shifted round from place to place.

  Scene IV, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Laws

• For just where fails the comprehension,
  A word steps promptly in as deputy.

  Scene IV, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Knowledge
  • Talking

• My worthy friend, gray are all theories,
  And green alone Life’s golden tree.

  Scene IV, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Experience
  • Ideas

• Man usually believes, if only words he hears,
  That also with them goes material for thinking!

  Scene VI, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Talking
  • Thinking

• I would myself unto the Devil deliver,
  If I were not a Devil myself!

  Scene IX, spoken by MephistophelesIn context

  • Comedy

• My peace is gone,
  My heart is sore:
  I never shall find it,
  Ah, nevermore!

  Scene XVIn context

  • Emotion
  • Love

• Feeling is all in all:
  The Name is sound and smoke,
  Obscuring Heaven’s clear glow.

  Scene XVI, spoken by FaustIn context

  • Emotion
  • God

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