Contests with the devil in literature?
February 26, 2010 11:54 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for names of books where people enter into a contest with the devil, and lose. Other than Faust, and The Master and Margarita, what other examples can you think of?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_based_on_Faust
Though not on that list, The Little Mermaid is my favorite example (the original, not the Disney)
posted by brainmouse at 12:00 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Though not on that list, The Little Mermaid is my favorite example (the original, not the Disney)
posted by brainmouse at 12:00 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
If winning the contest becomes an option, do check out Johannes Cabal the Necromancer
posted by Palerale at 12:02 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Palerale at 12:02 PM on February 26, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
Wikipedia's list of deals with the devil in popular culture might be helpful
posted by sallybrown at 12:04 PM on February 26, 2010
Wikipedia's list of deals with the devil in popular culture might be helpful
posted by sallybrown at 12:04 PM on February 26, 2010
One of my favorite movies, Phantom of the Paradise.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:05 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:05 PM on February 26, 2010
For a little twist on the idea, Klaus Mann's Mephisto.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:08 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:08 PM on February 26, 2010
For more than a little twist, and a really fun movie, The Band Wagon is a fantastic musical with the premise being a director who wants to make a "pretentious retelling of Faust."
posted by deacon_blues at 12:14 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by deacon_blues at 12:14 PM on February 26, 2010
I haven't read it so I don't know if it's any good but...
Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg (1978) - The movie Angel Heart was based on this book.
posted by Babblesort at 12:18 PM on February 26, 2010
Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg (1978) - The movie Angel Heart was based on this book.
posted by Babblesort at 12:18 PM on February 26, 2010
Seconding Johannes Cabal. Definitely the most worthwhile reboot or different take on the concept that I've seen. I was utterly and completely engrossed by Page 3.
posted by bunnycup at 12:37 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by bunnycup at 12:37 PM on February 26, 2010
For the 'tween boy sport enthusiast in your life, I remember liking On the Devil's Court when I was in junior high. I would think it's campy and dated, but it gets surprisingly good reviews on Amazon.
posted by partylarry at 12:40 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by partylarry at 12:40 PM on February 26, 2010
I'm not sure that Danel Webster, Dorian Gray, or even Faust can be described as having lost their contests with the devil, as the OP specifies in his question.
Is losing the battle important? I mean, things didn't really turn out the way Faust planned, but I don't think you can say he lost a contest with the devil.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:30 PM on February 26, 2010
Is losing the battle important? I mean, things didn't really turn out the way Faust planned, but I don't think you can say he lost a contest with the devil.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:30 PM on February 26, 2010
I'm not sure that Danel Webster, Dorian Gray, or even Faust can be described as having lost their contests with the devil
Daniel Webster definitely prevailed against the Devil, so he doesn't belong on this list.
Faust prevailed in Goethe's telling (his soul wasn't damned), but there are so many versions of that story with radically different endings that he should stay.
Dorian Gray I would probably leave just because there's no real redemption; I've always assumed that, since Dorian got what he wanted, the Devil did, too.
posted by coolguymichael at 1:56 PM on February 26, 2010
Daniel Webster definitely prevailed against the Devil, so he doesn't belong on this list.
Faust prevailed in Goethe's telling (his soul wasn't damned), but there are so many versions of that story with radically different endings that he should stay.
Dorian Gray I would probably leave just because there's no real redemption; I've always assumed that, since Dorian got what he wanted, the Devil did, too.
posted by coolguymichael at 1:56 PM on February 26, 2010
Blood Meridian, sort of.
And, IIRC, there's an interesting variation in Faulkner's The Hamlet: Flem Snopes bargains his soul in a contest with the devil; the devil wins the contest but then discovers Flem never had a soul to begin with; and Flem assumes the throne of Hell as the devil is cast down into its depths.
posted by newmoistness at 2:11 PM on February 26, 2010
And, IIRC, there's an interesting variation in Faulkner's The Hamlet: Flem Snopes bargains his soul in a contest with the devil; the devil wins the contest but then discovers Flem never had a soul to begin with; and Flem assumes the throne of Hell as the devil is cast down into its depths.
posted by newmoistness at 2:11 PM on February 26, 2010
Histoire du soldat, The Soldier's Tale, a contest with the Devil NOT based on Faust. A Russian folk-tale set to music by Stravinsky.
posted by Schmucko at 2:29 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Schmucko at 2:29 PM on February 26, 2010
Response by poster: Wow, thanks everybody!
posted by MisterCoffeeWithAnAutomaticDrip at 3:15 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by MisterCoffeeWithAnAutomaticDrip at 3:15 PM on February 26, 2010
James Robertson's awesome The Testament of Gideon Mack offers up some great twists on this theme. And one of its major precursors, James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner.
posted by thomas j wise at 3:36 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by thomas j wise at 3:36 PM on February 26, 2010
Just as a reference point, you might want to take a look at C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.
posted by SLC Mom at 4:15 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by SLC Mom at 4:15 PM on February 26, 2010
the Devil and Homer Simpson should qualify, though the ending might seem slightly.... mmm, ambiguous on the ulimate score there
posted by Redhush at 4:47 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Redhush at 4:47 PM on February 26, 2010
Rosemary's Baby, kind of. Someone loses, at least...
posted by sentient at 7:37 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by sentient at 7:37 PM on February 26, 2010
Truman Capote wrote a gem of a short story called Master Misery that might fit your theme.
posted by Paris Elk at 9:11 AM on February 27, 2010
posted by Paris Elk at 9:11 AM on February 27, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by deacon_blues at 11:57 AM on February 26, 2010