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Part One

Main article: Faust Part One

The principal characters of Faust Part One include:

* Heinrich Faust, a scholar, sometimes said to be based on the real life of Johann Georg Faust, or on Jakob Bidermann's dramatized account of the Legend of the Doctor of Paris, Cenodoxus
* Mephistopheles, a Devil
* Gretchen, Faust's love (short for Margaret; Goethe uses both forms)
* Marthe, Gretchen’s neighbor
* Valentin, Gretchen’s brother
* Wagner, Faust's famulus

Faust Part One is a complex story. It takes place in multiple settings, the first of which is heaven. Mephistopheles makes a bet with God: he says that he can deflect God's favorite human being (Faust), who is striving to learn everything that can be known, away from righteous pursuits. The next scene takes place in Faust's study where Faust, despairing at the vanity of scientific, humanitarian and religious learning, turns to magic for the showering of infinite knowledge. He suspects, however, that his attempts are failing. Frustrated, he ponders suicide, but rejects it as he hears the echo of nearby Easter celebrations begin. He goes for a walk with his assistant Wagner and is followed home by a stray poodle.

In Faust’s study, the poodle transforms into the devil. Faust makes an arrangement with the devil: the devil will do everything that Faust wants while he is here on earth, and in exchange Faust will serve the devil in hell. Faust's arrangement is that if during the time while Mephistopheles is serving Faust, Faust is so pleased with anything the devil gives him that he wants to stay in that moment forever, he will die in that instant.

After the Devil wants Faust to sign the pact with blood, Faust complains that the devil does not trust Faust's word of honor. In the end, Mephisto wins the argument, and Faust signs the contract with...