Name____________________________
Inspiration for “The Devil and Tom Walker”
Date________
Mrs. Hardt
Johann Faust (yō'hän foust)
16th C. learned German doctor who
traveled widely, performed magical feats,
and died under mysterious circumstances.
According to legend, he had sold his soul
to the devil in exchange for youth,
knowledge, and magical power.
Washington Irving
“The Devil and Tom Walker” is a short story by Washington Irving that first appeared in his 1824
collection of stories and sketches Tales of a Traveller. The story is about a man who sold his soul to the
devil in order to obtain wealth. He later regretted this decision when he had to suffer the consequences.
Both the trade with the devil and the regret suffered by Tom Walker afterward cause this story to be
compared to Johann Wolfgang Goethe's drama Faust, which was written in Germany a few decades
previously.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's (gur-tuh) Faust
(1749-1832) Romantic author who wrote perhaps the most famous Faustian legend.
Goethe's Faust is a hybrid between a play and an extended poem. The two part "closet drama" is epic in
scope. It gathers together references from Christian, medieval, Roman, eastern and Hellenic (classic
Greek) poetry, philosophy and literature. He enlarged upon an old Christian legend, adding the element of
love and the saving power of woman, and gave the story a philosophical treatment.
*closet drama: a play that is not intended to be performed onstage, but read by a
solitary reader or, sometimes, out loud in a small group.
The legend of Faust was an obsession of Goethe's. Although by no means a constant pursuit, the
composition and refinement of his own version of the legend occupied him for over sixty years!! The
final version, not completely published until after his death, is recognized as a great work of German
literature.
The story concerns the fate of Faust in his quest for the true essence of life. Frustrated with learning and
the limits to his knowledge and power, he attracts the attention of the Devil (represented by
Mephistopheles), with whom Faust makes a deal to serve him until the moment that Faust attains the
zenith of human happiness, at which point Mephistopheles may take his soul. Goethe's Faust is pleased
with the deal, as he believes the moment will never come.
In the first part, Mephistopheles leads Faust through experiences that culminate in a lustful and
destructive relationship with an innocent and nubile (sexually attractive) woman named Gretchen.
Gretchen and her family are destroyed by Mephistopheles' deceptions and Faust's desires and actions. The
story ends in tragedy as Gretchen is saved and Faust is left in shame.
The second part begins with the spirits of the earth forgiving Faust (and the rest of mankind) and
progresses into rich allegorical poetry (allegory = a story where the characters and events represent or
symbolize ideas and concepts outside the story). Faust and his devil pass through the world of politics and
the world of the classical gods, and meet with Helen of Troy (the personification of beauty). Finally,
having succeeded in taming the very forces of war and nature, Faust experiences a single moment of
happiness.
The devil Mephistopheles, trying to grab Faust's soul when he dies, is frustrated as the Lord intervenes –
recognizing the value of Faust's unending striving.
Goethe’s Influence
The tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical works, such as those by Christopher
Marlowe, Thomas Mann, Hector Berlioz, Franz Liszt, Oscar Wilde, Charles Gounod, and Washington
Irving.
Goethe's Faust was the source material for at least two successful operas: Faust by Charles Gounod and
Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito; and major works for soloists, chorus and orchestra such as the "dramatic
legend" The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust and
the second part of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8.
Discussion/Comprehension Qs
1. Who was Johann Faust?
2. Summarize Goethe’s legend of Faust, including both parts and the ending.
3. Why is Goethe’s tale significant in the canon (collection) of Faustian works?
4. Predict how “The Devil and Tom Walker” will end based on this reading.