Pentheus, Pwyll and Pan Twardowski: Fairly Faustian

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(Marguerite's garden in Gounod's "Faust," set design by Édouard Desplechin. (1859))

Christopher Marlowe based his "Dr. Faustus" on Germany's Faust legend, which was in turn inspired by Johann Georg Faust's reputation.

And on J. G. Faust's abrupt death in 1520, give or take a few decades.

Someone or something wrung Faust's neck. Or he didn't survive an alchemical laboratory explosion. Stories agree that he died abruptly, but vary on details.

J. G. Faust had been a Renaissance con man of sorts, presenting himself as an alchemist, astrologer and magician. His reputation grew after his unpleasant death, inspiring a slew of chapbooks, plays, operas, ballets and video games.

Gounod's "Faust" was an early Faustian opera, and I'm wandering off-topic.1

Or maybe not so much....

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

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