The World's Wife - Mrs Faust by Ruby's Padlets ♥

Faust

140071 — 2014-09-21 14:42:10 UTC

Dr Faustus is a German legend. It's about a man that wants to gain as much knowledge as possible, that he is willing to sell his soul to the devil. He makes a deal with Mephistopheles to gain knowledge within 24 years, but once those years were up he was dragged down to Hell.

Structure

140071 — 2014-09-21 14:44:00 UTC

There are fifteen stanzas, each one including nine lines with internal rhyme. This regular structure is typical of the character, Faust, who was a compulsive list maker.

Analysis of 'Mrs Faust'

140071 — 2014-09-21 14:45:12 UTC

"First things first". This creates a conversational tone, as if Mrs Faust is speaking directly to the reader. She says "I married Faust." in a very direct manner despite, throughout the poem, she becomes a very indecisive woman. This creates character development, and shows how Faust's actions are affecting his wife.

Woman in control?

2014-09-21 14:47:09 UTC

The sentence structure is full of ellipsis, caesuras, commas and dashes. It is very short and fragmented.

─ Brief, ‘masculine’ style. Short sentences.

─ She is in control. “I married Faust” “Hers. His” and not the other way round

Original version reference...

2014-09-21 14:48:57 UTC

Perhaps there is reference to Mephistopheles’ visit? “Cigar smoke, hellish, not allowed”. Also connotes decadence and perhaps ‘forbidden’ nature of things bargained. (Faust’s soul).

2014-09-21 14:50:15 UTC

Faust has a crude, sexual nature. “Next thing, the world, as Faust said, spread its legs”. They both love materialistic things. “Fast cars/ a boat with sails/ a second home in Wales/ Computers, mobile phones” “Faust lit a fat Havana in the sun”

─ Faust doesn't love her. She doesn't seem to love him. “I grew to love the lifestyle, / not the life. / He grew to love the kudos, / not the wife.”

2014-09-21 14:52:24 UTC

2014-09-21 14:52:49 UTC

Sympathetic character?

2014-09-21 14:53:24 UTC

Mrs Faust believes Faust was intelligent, “Clever, cunning, callous bastard”, yet he goes to hell and she reaps all benefit from his success. She shows herself to be as calculating and ‘soulless’ as him. Was she in control the whole time? There is still an aspect of collaboration between them, when she “keeps his secret still”. In some ways she is still in league with him.

140071 — 2014-09-21 14:55:52 UTC

140071 — 2014-09-21 14:58:50 UTC