Between Book of Job and Goethe’s Faust : the man put to the test

Abstract

The text analyses the relationship between the Book of Job and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust. Both works explore themes such as faith, redemption and human frailty, through the relationship between humanity and the divine.
In the Book of Job, the protagonist is tested by his faith and loyalty to God, despite adversity. In Faust, the protagonist is tempted by the devil to give in to earthly pleasures and succumb to sin. Despite the differences, the works have in common the existence of a dialogue between God and the Devil, and the idea of an agreement between Good and Evil to test or tempt the characters. In Faust, the search for the Absolute is a central theme, reflecting the human aspiration for something greater, transcendent and eternal. The duality of the human soul, represented in the relationship between Faust and Mephistopheles, reveals the complexity and contradic- tions present in this quest.

While Job starts from a prosperous situation and faces misfortune, Faust is initially trapped in theoretical knowledge and is led to worldly pleasures. Although the trials are different, both stories explore the nature of faith and the relationship between God and man.
Despite the differences, the works share the idea that God judges, but his motives and actions are different. While in Faust God allows the trials to guide the search for redemption, in the Book of Job He tests the character’s faith and strengthens his relationship with her through suffering.