Marlowes quest - LICH {*spoilers*}

[Faceman]

No they don't
Balthasar is from Romeo and Juliet
Christopher Marlowe was an English poet in the 16th century
Vongoethe derives from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who along with Friedrich Schiller is considered the greatest German poet. Schiller and Goethe are for the German language what Shakespeare is for the English, classic. "Faust" (in two parts) is Goethes main opus and often (unrightfully IMHO) considered the most important part of German literature.
The main persons IN Faust are:
Faust/Dr. Faustus
Mephisto (the devil)
Gretchen (Faust's girl)

[Raistlin Majere]

Mephisto is also in Diablo 2...(bet no-one knew that [img]smile.gif[/img] )

[Faceman]

Originally posted by Raistlin Majere: Mephisto is also in Diablo 2...(bet no-one knew that [img]smile.gif[/img] )

Mephisto is (in common speak) a synonym for the devil like Baal/Bhaal (also in Diablo II and in Baldur's Gate of course) or Lucifer are.
Baal I believe is from the Bible. It's another god people pray to instead of Jahwe until Elijah shows them that Jahwe is the true god by calling upon him to show them a wonder (something along these lines).
Mephistopheles (he, who does not love the light) is a name that evolved during the Renaissance and was probably spotted first in the legend of Dr. Faustus (on which Goethe's play is based). He is never mentioned in the Bible but also a common name for the devil nowadays, though originally only a demon.

[ 11-03-2003, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Faceman ]

[Link]

Sorry, you're right Faceman [img]smile.gif[/img]

I knew "Faust" was an opus by Goethe, but I thought Marlowe was someone who was a character in that book. I apparently thought wrong.

Another name for 'the devil' is Beelzebub: the lord of the flies.

[Pirengle]

Originally posted by Link: I knew "Faust" was an opus by Goethe, but I thought Marlowe was someone who was a character in that book. I apparently thought wrong.

Christopher Marlowe wrote a play called "Dr. Faustus" where a man basically sells his soul to Beelzebub for superior knowledge and Beelzebub's service. Von Goethe revamps this play about 200 years later, adds a love interest, and calls the musical/opera "Faust."

[Faceman]

Originally posted by Pirengle: quote: Originally posted by Link: I knew "Faust" was an opus by Goethe, but I thought Marlowe was someone who was a character in that book. I apparently thought wrong.

Christopher Marlowe wrote a play called "Dr. Faustus" where a man basically sells his soul to Beelzebub for superior knowledge and Beelzebub's service. Von Goethe revamps this play about 200 years later, adds a love interest, and calls the musical/opera "Faust." [/QUOTE]Goethe's Faust is NOT an opera/musical. It's a dramatic play.
Dr. Faustus was a real guy living 1480-1540. After his mysterious death a lot of stories were told about him throughout the 16th century which are published in an anthology in 1587.
This book was translated to English in 1588. Christopher Marlowe wrote a play based on it (Premiere 1608). Goethe (you don't say von Goethe in German) uses the theme in the late 18th and early 19th century writing his "Urfaust" and later on the famous "Faust" (Part I premiered in 1829 though the book had been published long before). During that time several others also wrote plays and books about Faust. He was probably very "in".
There were at least three operas written and with Goethe's Fuast becoming more and more famous a lot of famous composers based songs on "Faust" and wrote music for it. However AFAIK there never was an opera intended or approved by Goethe which used his lyrics.

[masteraleph]

Interesting, Faceman- I hadn't remembered that Marlowe wrote Dr Faustus so late in his career (died in the early 1590s in a tavern fight).

Faust/Faustus is indeed a very popular character though, possibly because his tragedy is a fairly universal theme.

Incidentally, there are a number of names for the big guy in hell...Bhaal/Baal is based on one of the gods (canaanite I believe) around ancient Israel, Elijah proves that God is more powerful by pouring water all over a sacrifice, then standing back and letting it burst into flame and spontaneously combust. Mephistopholes, Beelzebub (lit. Lord of Flies), Satan (pronounced Sah-tahn in the original hebrew) and Asmodeus, as well as Lucifer, are all versions off the top of my head. Not unsurprisingly, D&D steals most of these names- Satan isn't in, but we all know who Bhaal is; Mephistopholes and Beelzebub are lords of the 7th and 8th level of Baator, while Asmodeus/Lucier is the leader of the Devils (the lords of darkness thread is still floating around somewhere). A lot of this stuff is also in Dante's Inferno.

[Pirengle]

Stuff on Faust: literary and musical.

Basically, to sort it all out, the Faust legend has been floating around since the 15th-16th century. Marlowe wrote "The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus," aka "Dr. Faustus" in 1604, and I think it was his last published work before his death. Von Goethe writes "Faust" based off Marlowe's play and a few other sources, and his work is published in 1833. Gounod writes an operetta based off von Goethe's work, titled "Faust", and it premeires in 1859. (Liszt also writes "A Faust Symphony" published in 1854, but undergoes constant revision from 1857-1861.)

Thanks to Faceman who pushed me to check my facts.

[Userunfriendly]

Originally posted by Faceman: No they don't Balthasar is from Romeo and Juliet Christopher Marlowe was an English poet in the 16th century Vongoethe derives from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who along with Friedrich Schiller is considered the greatest German poet. Schiller and Goethe are for the German language what Shakespeare is for the English, classic. "Faust" (in two parts) is Goethes main opus and often (unrightfully IMHO) considered the most important part of German literature. The main persons IN Faust are: Faust/Dr. Faustus Mephisto (the devil) Gretchen (Faust's girl)

and

Balthazar is one of the 3 magi(wise men from the east, magi is an honorific from zoroasterism....) who found the infant jesus and gave him presents of gold, frankensense and myrr...