Date of Award
Spring 5-21-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
English
First Advisor
Karen Greenspan
Second Advisor
April Bernard
Abstract
How is the “deal with the devil” is portrayed in contemporary films? This essay compares how the original Faustian deal informs modern-day portrayals. Thus, I examine how devils were first represented in early works such as The Faustbuch, Mary of Nijmegen, and Goethe’s Faustus. These depictions and their historical context provide the basis for my research. I compare these works to the films, Rosemary’s Baby, Wall Street, and Sweet Smell of Sucess. In the mentioned films, the main characters make deals with a devil or demon for wealth, success, or fame. I explore how the Faustian character of each film is established and develops, how the deal with the devil is presented, and what constitutes damnation. I compare modern films to their predecessors to uncover what themes and ideas are important to society today.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Elmquist, Jaclyn, "The Faustian Deal: What is Good and Evil?" (2022). English Honors Theses. 67.
https://creativematter.skidmore.edu/eng_stu_schol/67
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