In his most challenging work to date, Czech playwright Vaclav Havel has given the Faust legend a provocative twist. His setting is 'the Institute, ' whose mission is to combat the 'irrational tendencies' in society through its scientific work. Personal and professional relationships at this 'lighthouse of truthful knowledge' are a tissue of lies and sycophancy in which all concerned willingly collude.
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Text: English, Czech (translation)
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enter Agent, Stinky Feet And All.,
By
This review is from: Temptation (Havel, Vaclav) (Paperback)
I kind of love this play. It is Faust transferred into an institutional scientific Communist world with highlights of bizarre people and behavior. Like an expression of the freakish in symbolic response to the popularity of the irrational Havel makes Faust into Faustka, a scientist from The Institute who is curious about black magic. But he must be secretive, and must tread lightly when Fistula (read: Mephistopheles) arrives, stinky fungal feet and all. Does Fistula want to pass on the dark arts, or is he a menace from The State? Then there is the whaky contingent at The Institute, full of syncophantry, overt homosexuality and ass-kissing, they are all as one, their intentions to merely appease the concrete gods of the state.
Beyond that, beyond Faustka as a man condemned to play the fool, what with his curiosities and according lies, and Fistula as a supremely unpleasant agent of evil, this also is about the uninterested and essentially corrupt soul of Communism. Much repect to Havel too, activist, prisoner, president, artist.
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First Sentence:
One of the rooms of the scientific Institute where FOUSTKA is employed. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
interim left Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Doctor Foustka New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
One of the rooms of the scientific Institute where FOUSTKA is employed. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
interim left Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Doctor Foustka New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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