Faustische Illusion und Realitaet: Rudimente von Goethes 'Faust' in Hollywood am Beispiel von neun Filmen

The focus of this study is the Faustian bargain, as described in Goethe's Faust, and its transformation in contemporary Hollywood movies. I argue that the principal manifestation of Goethe.s legacy is that his Faust and its immanent topic of the Faustian bargain are constantly adapted in modern Hollywood movies.;With the publication of Faust Part I, in 1808, the German poet depicts a modern human being who wants to break societal barriers and free himself from the restrictions of his time. In addition, Goethe included a love story and a happy ending for the protagonist, in contrast with earlier Faust stories. Taking modern subjectivity into account, Goethe.s version serves as the basis when modern film makers transform the topic of selling one.s soul to the devil. The reasons are manifold. First, the topic of the Faustian bargain has not lost its value in contemporary society and its culture. Also, the inclusion of a love story and a Happy End are virtually always necessary for a successful contemporary movie, whereas the Faust figure before Goethe was damned and had no opportunity for redemption. Examples for movies that are based on Goethe.s Faust, where the devil has a bona fide appearance on screen, are The Devil and Daniel Webster, Cabin in the Sky, Damn Yankees!, I was a Teenage Faust, Ghost Rider and The Devil's Advocate. Examples for movies that depict the Faustian bargain without the appearance of a devil are Wall Street, Indecent Proposal, and Boiler Room. This dissertation will also draw attention to the way in which the topic has to be adapted for an American audience.;After a brief introduction, Chapter 2 explores the development and transformation of the Faust myth from the first publication, the Chapbook, to modern movies that have helped making Faust an icon for modern film making. The following chapter focuses on the movie The Devil and Daniel Webster, because it serves as one of the best contributions to the American Faust legend, drawing heavily on the German heritage of its director, William Dieterle. More movies are described and analyzed in Chapter 4. Taking recent economic developments in the United States into account, Chapter 5 explores, describes, and compares the depiction of capitalism in Goethe's Faust and three modern Hollywood movies, focusing specifically on the characters of the three protagonists. The topic of selling one's soul for money is still prevalent in modern American culture, as it was at the beginning of modernity. This dissertation is written in German.