C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis

Friday, February 28, 2014

Alternate Ending to Goethe's "Faust"

In the city for which Faust strode to help.
Enter Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles- As the years have passed, your heart,
Now great for the people has grown
But in it is the part
That shall be mine at dawn.
That promise made long ago
Shall haunt you eternally
As you live a dying life, Oh!
How I shall gloat at your pain-filled cry.
Heaven cannot save you now,
They will not even try
For as you bound your life to mine,
You severed any eternal tie.
Enter Goethe, walking with a cane, but visible healthy otherwise.
Mephistopheles aside- Ah, here you are,
The man who signed his life with blood
To gain my help in travels far
And help humanities sickly brood.
To Faust- The growing light
You’ll notice my friend.
Your life will soon become
The tale sung by many a bard.
Faust- Aye, how this day I have dreaded
As I have seen thy true spirit.
The gleam of fires roasting dead
Reflect in eyes and heart.
And now I would go out
And say “long farewell”
To the men who stand about
Waiting for me by the city well.
Faust goes to the door-   My friends and neighbors,
Tomorrow I leave
On long and arduous travels.
Of my departure, do not grieve;
‘Tis a journey begun in ages past.
So now, I do with heavy heart
Now full with love thou gave me fast
Do say farewell here as we part.
End scene
Mephistopheles is pacing by a tall rock at the base of a mountain.
Mephistopheles- Today my covenant is filled
He cannot run or hide.
The eyes of hell are on him fixed
That he may with them abide.
To think that me he sought to defeat,
Such brings laughter as a pulsing heat.
When one the Devil plans to cheat,
     At his own game he will be beat.
Enter Faust, looking grim, but determined.
My friend, you have remembered
Our insignificant little pact!
Indeed I am delighted
To have you forever as my guest!
Faust- Do not mock me foul fiend-
I know your heart is wicked through.
You have served me, given me aid,
And now, my soul belongs to you.
The rock opens.
Ah, I hear the drums of hell
As heathens dancing round the fire
Beat themselves and clang their bells
To try to gain celestial ear!
Regrets to me now don’t cease
Of my youthful deviance from
The teaching of the parish priest,
And commune with one to damn.
Oh, it burns, Ah, it wrenches
All the good of my heart from me-
Laying bare all my sins
And wretched thoughts and deeds!
Heaven save me- nay, dare I not
Call on powers so rejected
As I fall, by my own will caught
In the tangled web of sin.
Devils enter from the rocky pit.
Head Demon- Master, we have dreamed of this night
And waited anxiously for this morn!
For even now on Easter day,
Day of our eternal toll,
Hell gains by man’s own will
One who cannot, as He has done,
Defeat our flaming brands
We twist and burn within his soul!
Now you come with us, wretched mortal.
No power will save you now!
For you have learned a right good moral,
Do not make the Devil bow,
For he will make you suffer.
Through flattery and gain
Will he tear your heart asunder-
Foolish mortal, bear your pain!
Exit Faust, carried screaming into the pit by the devils.
Enter Angel from the rising sun-
Mephistopheles- What think you now, you horrid being,
I have conquered you once more!
Cheating man of life eternal,
Dragging him to the planet core.
Dare you laugh at your own disgrace?
Immortal beings, you and I-
Tell me at what you make such noise,
For I see only mocking face!
Angel- With every word you say,
Every deed you do,
Heaven’s time grows closer
To the battle you will lose.

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