WITCH’S
KITCHEN
from FAUST by GOETHE
After
Auerbach's Cellar where Mephistopheles. has failed to interest Faust
in that particular sort of low life we find him taking Faust to the
realm of the witch's kitchen. On the one hand this serves a plot
function as Faust, the oldish scholar, is to be regenerated to such a
degree that a young woman (Margaret/Gretchen) can fall for him. On
the other hand these fantastic scenes (like
the Witch's Kitchen and later Walpurgis Night)
have a sort of symbolic role to play in Goethe's overall view of
life. Without getting too theoretical and dogmatic, I think it is
fair to say that they have something to do with the "night"
side of human nature- the subconscious, sexual and other instinctive
drives and sometimes irrationality. It is notable that the witch's
brew is a sort of parody of the alchemist's ideal of the
"philosopher's stone" or even the eternal life of the
spirit
as spoken of in Christianity and other religions. Not only does it
take thirty years off Faust's life, but it strengthens the erotic
instincts in him with which Mephistopheles hopes to snare him- "...
there soon will be/ A Helen in each girl you see,"
WITCH’S
KITCHEN
ON A LOW HEARTH A BIG KETTLE STANDS OVER A FIRE. IN
THE STEAM THAT RISES FROM IT VARIOUS SHAPES REVEAL THEMSELVES. A
FEMALE MONKEY SITS BY THE KETTLE SKIMMING IT AND MAKING SURE IT
DOESN’T OVERFLOW. THE MALE MONKEY , WITH THE LITTLE ONES, SITS
NEAR HER, WARMING HIMSELF. THE WALLS AND CEILINGS ARE DECORATED WITH
THE STRANGEST IMPLEMENTS OF WITCHCRAFT.
FAUST AND
MEPHISTOPHELES ENTER
FAUST
I’ve set against this
mad-brewed magic thing!
You pledge I’ll be restored now in
This
chaos of insanity?
Do I desire help from this old wife?
Shall
her froth-slopping cookery
Take thirty years from off my life?
I'm
lost if you have nothing with more merit.
All hope's already
vanishing.
But hasn’t nature or some noble spirit
Come up
with balm or some such thing?
MEPHISTOPHELES
You’re
talking sense once more. Now look,
One way is naturally
rejuvenating;
But it is written in a different book,
A curious
chapter for your taking.
FAUST
I’d like to know
it.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Good!
A means that needs no gold
Or quacks or sorcery- just go,
Get
out there in the field and fold
And start to learn to dig and
hoe.
And hold yourself and your thoughts in
A sphere thus
strictly limiting;
There live with beasts as beast, don’t feel
it as a loss
To dress the fields you harvest with your
dung!
Believe, the best way known is this,
For eighty years
you’ll keep quite young!
FAUST
I am not used to that
and I can’t bring myself
To take a spade in hand for health.
A
narrow life like that is not my style.
MEPHISTOPHELES
So
we still need the witch’s wiles.
FAUST
But why this
old wife? Don’t you think
That you yourself could brew the
drink?
MEPHISTOPHELES
A splendid pastime! I could
make
A thousand bridges in the time it takes.
Not only science,
skill and art,
But also patience plays a part.
A quiet spirit
works for years- this course
Gives time to give the fermentation
force.
And all that goes into the brew;
Quite wonderful things
they are! I own
The devil taught her how, that’s true,
But he
can’t make it all alone.
NOTICING THE ANIMALS
It
seems your mistress isn’t home.
ANIMALS
At
banquet,
Out from home,
Through chimney alone.
MEPHISTOPHELES
How
long’s she normally outdoors?
ANIMALS
As
long as we shall warm our paws.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(TO FAUST)
How
do you find these tender beasts?
FAUST
I’ve
never seen anything more ridiculous.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Oh,
no, a little chat like this
Is
just the thing that I like best.
TO THE ANIMALS
Explain
to me, cursed puppet group,
What
are you stirring in that stew?
ANIMALS
We’re
cooking thinned-out beggar’s soup.
MEPHISTOPHELES
You
will have many for that brew.
MALE
MONKEY (APPROACHING MEPHISTOPHELES
AND
FAWNING)
O let the dice roll,
And give me the gold
And
let me win all!
How bad in our place,
Much gold would
increase
My wit now as well!
MEPHISTOPHELES
This
ape would prize his luck could he
Just
get into the lottery!
MEANWHILE
THE YOUNG MONKEYS HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH A BALL WHICH THEY NOW ROLL
FORWARD
MALE
MONKEY
The
world's like this;
Goes
up and down,
Rolls
endlessly;
It
rings like glass-
Breaks
easily!
Has
hollow sound.
Here
it shines lightly,
And
here more brightly:
Alive
am I!
Dear
son, I say,
Stay
right away!
You
needs must die!
It’s
made of clay,
Its
pieces fly.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(POINTING)
So why the sieve?
MALE MONKEY (GETTING IT
DOWN)
Were
you a thief,
I’d
know it straight away.
HE
RUNS TO THE FEMALE MONKEY AND LETS HER LOOK THROUGH IT
Look
through it, be brief,
You
know who’s the thief,
Don’t
you, but dare not say?
MEPHISTOPHELES
(NEARING THE FIRE)
What
of this pot?
MALE
AND FEMALE
The stupid clot!
He knows not the pot,
He
knows not the kettle!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Rude, beastly
pair!
THE MALE MONKEY
Now sit in big chair,
Take
duster and settle!
HE FORCES MEPHISTOPHELES TO SIT
FAUST
(WHO
DURING THIS TIME HAS BEEN STANDING BEFORE A MIRROR, NOW STEPPING
CLOSER TO IT, NOW STEPPING AWAY AGAIN)
What do I see? What
sight in heaven's gleam
Is shown within this magic mirror's
sheen!
O, love, lend me your swiftest, wide-winged power
And
guide me to her presence now!
But if I don’t stay put; yes, if I
dare
To venture near, if I persist,
She starts to vanish in a
mist-
A woman’s fairest image there!
Yet could it be? Could
woman be so fair?
In this reclining figure do I see
The
quintessential heavenly?
Could such a one be found on
earth?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Of course, if a god has struggled
six full days
And at the end sings his own praise,
He’s
brought some clever thing to birth.
So gaze till filled up for
this while;
I’ve ways to find a small pearl of your own,
And
happy’s he who sees fair fortune smile,
And as her bridegroom
leads her home.
FAUST IS STILL GAZING INTO THE MIRROR.
MEPHISTOPHELES STRETCHES OUT IN THE ARMCHAIR
AND,
PLAYING WITH THE DUSTER, CONTINUES SPEAKING
Well,
here I sit, a king enthroned. Indeed,
I
have the sceptre here, the crown is all I need.
THE
ANIMALS (WHO SO FAR HAVE BEEN MAKING STRANGE MOVEMENTS AROUND ONE
ANOTHER, BRING MEPHISTOPHELES A CROWN WITH GREAT CLAMOURING)
O
just be so good,
With
sweat and blood,
This
crown now to lime!
(THEY
TAKE THE CROWN CLUMSILY, BREAKING IT IN TWO. THEN THEY JUMP AROUND
WITH THE PIECES.)
It’s
done now, let be.
We
chatter and see,
We
hear and we rhyme-
FAUST
(AT THE MIRROR)
O
grief! I'm sure I'll lose my mind.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(POINTING TO THE ANIMALS)
My
head is nearly reeling at their sports.
ANIMALS
And
if we have luck,
And
if our rhymes tuck,
Why-
then we have thoughts!
FAUST
(AS ABOVE)
My
heart is starting to catch flame!
Oh,
let us flee from here at once!
MEPHISTOPHELES
(AS IN ABOVE POSITION)
As
poets, one thing they can claim:
Theirs
is a very candid stance.
THE
KETTLE CAULDRON THAT THE FEMALE MONKEY TO LOOK AFTER, SENDS A GREAT
FLAME BLAZING UP THE CHIMNEY. THE WITCH COMES DOWN THROUGH THE FLAME
WITH A DREADFUL SHRIEKS
THE
WITCH
Ow!
Ow! Ow! Ow!
You
damned, fool beast, you cursed, old sow!
Neglecting
the pot, you’ve singed your mistress now!
Damned
beastly pair!
NOTICING
MEPHISTOPHELES AND FAUST
What
have we here?
Why
are you here?
What
do you want?
How’s
it you came?
The
pain of flame
Upon
your frame!
SHE
DIPS THE SKIMMING SPOON INTO THE KETTLE AND SPLATTERS FLAME TOWARDS
FAUST, MEPHISTOPHELES AND THE CREATURES. THE ANIMALS WHIMPER.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(REVERSING
THE BRUSH HE HOLDS IN HIS HAND, SMASHING INTO THE GLASSES AND POTS)
In
two! In two!
There
lies the brew!
There
lies the glass!
Just
fun, a farce,
The
beat, hag-arse,
To
melodies from you.
HE
CONTINUES WHILE THE WITCH RETREATS IN RAGE AND HORROR
You
know me now? Monster! Skeleton!
Do
you now know your master and your lord?
What’s
stopping me from striking on,
And
smashing you and all your monkey horde?
Is
my red coat not honoured in this place?
Do
you not see my rooster feather? Shame!
Or
have I covered up my face?
And
do I have to give my name?
THE
WITCH
My
lord, forgive me my rough hello!
I
see no horse hoof down below,
And
your two ravens, where are they?
MEPHISTOPHELES
This
once no further blame, for I
Admit
that quite some time’s gone by
Since
we last met. Since that far day
All
things have had a lick of culture’s brew,
Likewise
the devil you once knew.
Yes,
that old Nordic phantom is no more;
Do
you see horn, or tail, or claw?
And
as regards the foot, which I still need to use,
It
would give folk the wrong idea,
Therefore
I have employed, as do so many youths,
False
calves for many a good year.
THE
WITCH
I
lose my sense and reason here,
To
see my squire Satan now once more !
MEPHISTOPHELES
No
woman, no; that name just brings me pain!
THE
WITCH
But
why, what has it done to you?
MEPHISTOPHELES
It’s
long been stuff of fable, though I'm sure
That
humans are no better off. It's true
The
evil one has gone, but evil ones remain.
So
call me baron now and everything is fine.
I
am a cavalier, like other cavaliers;
And
don’t you dare to doubt my noble line.
See,
this is how my coat of arms appears!
HE
MAKES AN INDECENT GESTURE
THE
WITCH (LAUGHING IMMODERATELY)
Ha,
ha! That is your style, fine sir!
You’re
just the rogue you ever were.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Learn
this, my friend! Without a hitch,
This
is the way to get around a witch.
THE
WITCH
Now gentlemen, what can I do for you?
MEPHISTOPHELES
A
good glass of your well-known brew!
Please make it of your oldest
too;
The years just multiply its power.
THE WITCH
Most
gladly! Here I have a bit,
That I occasionally sip,
That has no
longer the slightest stink;
I’ll gladly give you a small glass
now.
SOFTLY
But if, quite unprepared, this man should
take a drink,
He will, as you well know, not live more than an
hour.
MEPHISTOPHELES
He is a friend, who’ll feel the
benefit it weaves;
I wish to grant the best your brewing gives.
So
draw your circle, speak your spell,
And then give him a good
glass full!
THE WITCH WITH STRANGE GESTURES, DRAWS A CIRCLE
AND PLACES WONDEROUS THINGS IN IT. MEANWHILE THE GLASSES START TO
RING, THE KETTLES START TO RESOUND, MAKING MUSIC. AT LAST SHE
FETCHES A GREAT BOOK, PLACES THE MONKEYS IN THE CIRCLE IN SUCH A WAY
THAT THEY MAKE HER LECTERN AND HOLD THE TORCH FOR HER. SHE BECKONS
FAUST TO STEP INSIDE WITH HER.
FAUST
No- tell me, where’s
all this lead? This throng
Of frenzied gestures, mad carry-on?
A
most disgusting fraud- such stuff
Is known to me and hated
well-enough.
MEPHISTOPHELES
What rot! It’s just a
laugh- don’t fuss.
Don’t be so stiff, severe and strict!
She
must, like a doctor, have some hocus-pocus
So you can feel the
fullest benefit.
HE FORCES FAUST TO STEP INTO THE CIRCLE
THE
WITCH (STARTING TO RECITE OUT OF THE BOOK WITH GREAT EMPHASIS)
You
must see then!
From One make Ten,
Let Two go, when
Three’s
made alike-
You’re rich all right.
Then lose the four!
From
five and six,
So says the witch,
Make Seven and Eight,
It’s
finished straight:
And Nine is One,
And Ten is None.
That is
the witches’ one-times-one.
FAUST
I think the old
crone speaks in fever.
MEPHISTOPHELES
It’s
still, my friend, nowhere near over;
I
know it well, thus babbles the whole book;
I
spent some many hours upon this jewel-
A
stream of contradiction looks
As
arcane to the wise as to the greatest fool.
his
art is old and new, friend. See-
It was the fashion through the
ages,
Through three and one and one and three,
To spread not
truth but error’s stages.
And so some chat, teach
undisturbed;
For who would tangle with such fools?
For mostly
people think, if they just hear a word,
That it must let them form
some thought as well.
THE WITCH (CONTINUING)
The
science with
High power is
From all the world concealed.
He
who thinks not
Receives the lot,
Not trying it’s
revealed.
FAUST
Why
does she pile the nonsense higher?
I
feel as though my head is breaking.
I
think I hear a whole mad choir,
A
hundred thousand idiots speaking.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Enough,
oh worthy Sibyl, enough!
Bring
on your drink, swift-fill the cup
Right
to the very brim now- such
Won’t
harm my friend at all. For he
Is
one of many a degree,
Who
has already gulped down much.
THE
WITCH, WITH MUCH CEREMONY, POURS THE DRINK INTO A CUP, FROM WHICH, AS
FAUST LIFTS IT TO HIS MOUTH, A SLIGHT FLAME SHOOTS FORTH
MEPHISTOPHELES
Straight
down with it! Keep on, go to!
It’ll
give your heart much joy. Be game!
The
devil’s bosom buddy, you
Should
not shy from a little flame.
THE
WITCH BREAKS THE CIRCLE. FAUST STEPS OUT
MEPHISTOPHELES
Now
get out fast! You must not rest!
THE
WITCH
And
may this potion do you good.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(TO THE WITCH)
If
I can favour any small request,
Just
tell me at Walpurgis, if you would.
THE
WITCH
Here
is a song. If it’s sung now and then
You’ll
sense a special, good effect.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(TO FAUST)
Come
quickly, let me lead; we won’t neglect
To
make you sweat and so direct
The
potion’s force inside and out again.
In
time I’ll teach the prize of noble idleness,
And
soon you’ll sense with deepest, inner bliss
How
Cupid stirs himself and springs this way and that.
FAUST
Once
more just let me glance at that reflection!
That
image was so beautiful!
MEPHISTOPHELES
No!
You’ll soon see that woman of perfection,
Alive
before your eyes in full.
SOFTLY
And
with this drink in you, there soon will be
A
Helen in each girl you see.
