Méphistophélès

Summary

Dominique Pagani approaches Mephistopheles through Goethe's Faust, above all as a figure of negativity. He often takes up the way the character presents himself, "I am the one who denies": the devil is denial, nothingness understood as the act of annihilating12. This negative is nonetheless necessary. In his view, "God is fond of Mephistopheles"3 and wants him as man's restless companion, a spirit that is diabolical in the positive sense and keeps man from wallowing in habit45. He also sees in him the embodiment of temptation, unable to satisfy man: Mephistopheles cries out in spite when Faust finds his goal67. He recalls the episode in which Mephistopheles brings Helen back to life with a stroke of his wand, and the one in which he complains that everything is going badly on earth. He cites several times the warning against despising science and reason, which Goethe puts in Mephistopheles' mouth. On one occasion he first attributes the line to the character, then corrects himself. Finally, he calls German honesty a Mephistophelean talent.

1. 1#8 Harnessed to confinitude17 May 2020 · 30:01
2. 2Birth and carnage: the Massacre of the Innocents22 Dec 2023 · 1:17:07
3. 3Tonight, we repoliticise (part 2)31 Mar 2018 · 1:08:24
4. 4#9.18 Twilight of the Gods, or from repetition to liberation3 Apr 2021 · 43:06
5. 5I am not who you think I am: the elusive identity4 Jan 2024 · 46:58
6. 6#10.7 “Postmodern” eco-petty-Nazism: Plato's Gorgias23 Dec 2021 · 1:48:22
7. 7Worldliness in Clouscard: the clash of worlds?9 Jul 2023 · 1:08:26

Summary produced automatically from 16 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.