ii. The Faust Tradition
The relationship of Doctor Faustus to the Faust tradition is not necessarily immediately obvious. What characteristics make Leverkühn a Faust figure and what events in the plot resemble those of other Faust stories? Critics have declared the Faust legend to be both peculiarly German in nature and a foundational “myth of modern individualism” (Ian Watt). What stance does Thomas Mann take on this question?
Readers unfamiliar with the myth can find a summary in chapter 5, “A Brief History of the Faust Theme.” I also examine some of the more peculiar aspects of Mann’s treatment in chapter 11, “Illness and Redemption.”