Mephistopheles

Several spellings of the name are known: Mephistopheles , Mephostophilis , Mephistopheies , Mephistophilus , Mephistos . The name Mephistopheles is possibly a Hebrew. origin - from mefits - destroyer and tofel - a liar ^[3] . It does not appear in the Bible. Most likely, it appeared in the Renaissance, since then it has been used as an alternative to the frightening words “ Satan ” or “ devil ”. According to another version, the name comes from the Greek μή ( mḗ , negation), φῶς ( phō̃s , light) and φιλις ("philis", loving), i.e. not loving light ^[4] .

The appearance of Mephistopheles has quite pronounced features, due to which the expressions "Mephistopheles appearance", "Mephistopheles profile", "Mephistopheles beard" , etc., are even used.

These are sharp angular features, a sharp nose, cheekbones, goatee goatee.

Due to the large number of popular opera productions on the theme of Faust in the 19th century, the performers of Mephistopheles roles, in which they were made up approximately the same, this appearance turned out to be quite “by ear”.

There was something Mephistophelean in Samuel Spade's face: a long bony pointed chin, constantly raised corners of the lips, a deep triangular notch of the nostrils, eyebrows flashing over two folds, from which a hooked nose protruded, and wedges of short light brown hair between large bald patches . His brown eyes were ordinary, and not slanting, as was to be expected. ( Dashil Hammett . The Maltese Falcon )

The performance of Chaliapin was very memorable. Sold postcards with images of singers. It was the opera presentation of the devil's appearance that partly influenced Bulgakov when creating the appearance of Woland in “The Master and Margarita ” .

Mefistopheles carnival costume - scarlet tights, cloak and witty hat.

• In the Trans-Siberian Orchestra project Beethoven’s Last Night, Mephistopheles appears in the classic, sinister image of a devil-deceiver and, in the story, tries to take hold of the soul of Ludwig van Beethoven and all his music. The part of Mephistopheles in the rock opera was performed by the ex-vocalist of the American rock band Savatage John Oliva .
• Mephistopheles is one of the main characters in The Avantasia's The Scarecrow , The Wicked Symphony, and Angel of Babylon albums. Here he acts as a cynical demon-tempter, with whom the protagonist-composer makes a deal. The part of Mephistopheles on all three albums was performed by the Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande .
• On the albums of Epica and The Black Halo of the American power metal band Kamelot , the plot of which was largely based on Faust , the demon Mephisto appears among the characters. His part was performed by Kamelot vocalist Roy Khan (on Epica ) and vocalist of the black metal symphonic group Dimmu Borgir Shagrat (on The Black Halo).

Opera

For a more detailed list of musical works see: Faust, Johann

In operas, the part of Mephistopheles, as a rule, was played by a low male voice ( bass , baritone ). The expression "Mephistopheles laughter" or "Mephistopheles chuckle" was formed precisely because of this - an artistic accented, opera performance made us remember this satanic laughter.

Mephistopheles’s most famous aria is the couplets “ Satan rules there / People die for metal ” from Charles Faunot ’s opera Faust (Le veau d'or est toujours debout) .

• Ludwig Spur : Faust (Opera, 1818)
• Hector Berlioz : The Damnation of Faust (Oratorio, 1845-46)
• Robert Schumann : Scenes from Goethe's Faust (Szenen aus Goethe's Faust) for voice, choir and orchestra, 1844-1853
• Charles Gounod : Faust (Opera, 1859)
• Arrigo Boyto : Mefistofele (Opera, 1868)
• Ferruccio Busoni : Doktor Faust (Opera, 1916-25)
• Sergei Prokofiev : Fiery Angel (Opera, 1927-55)

Folklore and fiction from different countries and peoples often used the motive for concluding an alliance between the demon - the spirit of evil and man. Sometimes poets were attracted by the story of the “fall”, “expulsion from paradise” of the biblical Satan, sometimes - his rebellion against God ( J. Milton , J. G. Byron , M. Yu. Lermontov ). There were farces close to folklore sources, the devil was given the place of a mischievous person, a funny deceiver who often got into trouble . It is in this role that Mephistopheles appears more often. In the philosophical tragedy of I.V. Goethe , who rethought the motives of the German folk legend, Mephistopheles is a companion of Faust. The image of Mephistopheles was addressed by A.S. Pushkin .

Mephistopheles - to hell with F. M. Dostoevsky (“ The Brothers Karamazov ”) and Thomas Mann (“ Doctor Faustus ”) - the embodiment of moral nihilism . Mephistopheles - Woland and his retinue M. Bulgakov (“The Master and Margarita ”) - grotesque evil spirits, exposers punishing vices.

For more details see: Faust, Johann

Mephisto is a popular cult villain in the Marvel comic book universe .

Artwork

• The legend of Dr. Faust. Ed. prepared by V. M. Zhirmunsky, M. - L., 1958;
• Lakshin V., Roman M. Bulgakova “The Master and Margarita”, “New World”, 1968, No. 6;
• Milner M., Le diable dans la littérature française, t. 1-2, P., 1960;
• Kretzenbacher L., Teufelsbündner und Faustgestalten im Abendlande, Klagenfurt, 1968.

The Russian Diamond Fund has a gold nugget called Mephistopheles , named because of its unique resemblance to the character.

The image of Mephistopheles is present in the works of such artists as Eugene Delacroix , Mikhail Vrubel and others.

Sculptures

The bas-relief of the demon Mephistopheles was depicted on the facade of the historic Lishnevsky house on Lakhtinskaya street in St. Petersburg . In the afternoon of August 27, 2015, he was shot down with a sledgehammer by an unknown vandal. Responsibility for the action with the destruction of the bas-relief of Mephistopheles took over the organization "Cossacks of St. Petersburg" ^[5] .

• 1896 - Devil's Castle
• 1897 - Faust and Marguerite / Faust et Marguerite - a film by Georges Méliès
• 1897 - Cabinet of Mephistopheles / Le Cabinet de Méphistophélès - a film by Georges Méliès
• 1903 - The Death of Faust / La damnation de Faust - a film by Georges Méliès
• 1911 - Faust - Cecil Hepworth film
• 1919 - Faust (Russia)
• 1926 - Faust - Emil Jannings
• 1950 - The Beauty of the Devil / La Beauté du diable - Gerard Philippe and Michelle Simon
• 1967 - Doctor Faustus (film) / Doctor Faustus
• 1969 - Faust (USSR) - Yuri Yakovlev
• 1979 - Star cruiser "Galaxy" (1978) (directed by Daniel Heller ) - (scenes. Glen Larson ) - (ep 15-16 Earl Iblis / (Mephistopheles) ) - Patrick McNee, Smoke Rocker m / f (USSR) - voiced by Vsevolod Larionov .
• 1979 - Smoke Rocker
• 1981 - Mephisto (dir. Istvan Szabo ) - Klaus Maria Brandauer - Hendrick Höfgen
• 1994 - Lesson Faust / Lekce Faust
• 2007 - Ghost Rider / Ghost Rider - Peter Fonda
• 2011 - Faust (dir. Alexander Sokurov ) - Anton Adasinsky
• 2011 - anime Blue Exorcist / Blue exorcist (dir. Tensai Okamura) - Mephisto
• 2012 - Ghost Rider 2 / Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - Kiaran Hinds

• Trickster

• Mephistopheles // Big Encyclopedic Dictionary / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1993 .-- S. 802 . - ISBN 5-85270-015-0 .

• Eliade M. Mephistopheles and Androgyne