Doctor Faustus Thomas Mann Summary

It contains lengthy discussions about music musical instruments composers ancient and modern techniques for creating musical works.

Doctor faustus thomas mann summary. The life of the german composer adrian leverkühn told by a friend. Thomas mann reveals to the reader the history of music the nature of creativity the problem of genius. Doctor faustus is an intellectual philosophical musical novel. Thomas mann s last great novel first published in 1947 and now rendered into english by acclaimed translator john e.

Doctor faustus doctor faustus a well respected german scholar grows dissatisfied with the limits of traditional forms of knowledge logic medicine law and religion and decides that he wants to learn to practice magic. The story is thought to have its earliest roots in the new testament story of the magician simon magus acts 8 9 24. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Leverkühn is born in 1885 near the fictional town of kaisersaschern germany.

Doctor faustus is the story of the rise and fall of adrian leverkühn and it is told through the eyes of his friend serenus zeitblom who narrates the tale as a reminiscence undertaken in the 1940s. In the play the successful doctor faustus becomes dissatisfied with his studies of medicine law and religion and makes a pact with the devil he sells his soul in exchange for 24 years of absolute power. Written by anastasia melnyk. Doctor faustus is a german novel written by thomas mann begun in 1943 and published in 1947 as doktor faustus.

About doctor faustus the faust legend had its inception during the medieval period in europe and has since become one of the world s most famous and oft handled myths. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. Friday 28 august 2009 00 00 thomas mann s doktor faustus is a work of exile written in the us 1943 1947 a bold and sometimes terrifying retelling of the faust legend through the life of a. Woods is a modern reworking of the faust legend in which germany sells its soul to the devil.

The life of the german composer adrian leverkühn is told by his friend a doctor of philosophy serenus zeitblom. Das leben des deutschen tonsetzers adrian leverkühn erzählt von einem freunde doctor faustus. Of course faustus immediately begins to regret his decision but lucifer keeps him occupied with magic and various cheap tricks.