Diavoli capitalisti. Le interpretazioni marxiste del Faust di Goethe

Abstract

This paper wants to summarise the most relevant marxist readings of Goethe’s Faust, starting with the reading of Marx himself. This will be followed by the more systematic analysis of Lukács, Cases and Berman. All of these readings stem from the interpretation of Faust as the economic history of humanity, which narrates the birth of capitalism, and considers Faust and Mephisto as capitalistic entrepreneurs. Similarities and differences between the readings of the three critics will be analysed and discussed in the paper.