Recurrents: The Story of Faust Through History

Recurrents: The Story of Faust Through History
By selling his soul to the Devil, Faust gains access to esoteric knowledge. A detail from “Faust,” circa 1652, by Rembrandt. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Public Domain
Stephen Oles
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In the rich tapestry of Western civilization, certain themes and stories keep recurring. They mark our culture’s continuity as each generation finds new meaning in them.

From the Middle Ages to the present, the legend of Faust has never gone away. It speaks to people in every time and place. Why? Perhaps because each of us faces the same choice: to live for worldly rewards like money, pleasure, or fame, or to dedicate ourselves to higher, more selfless goals.

Stephen Oles
Stephen Oles
Author
Stephen Oles has worked as an inner city school teacher, a writer, actor, singer, and a playwright. His plays have been performed in London, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Long Beach, California. He lives in Seattle and is currently working on his second novel.
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