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| Luis Riccardo Faléro, “The Vision of Faust” (1878) |
This is a very entertaining chapter although it has a surprising end. “A coup de theatre” as they say in French!
The chapter alludes
heavily on the “ Walpurgisnight” chapter in Goethe’s Faust.
Walpurgisnacht, the night from 30 April to 1 May, is the night
when witches are reputed to hold a large celebration on the Brocken and await the
arrival of spring.
This chapter takes place during the Carnival or
Mardi Gras evening
Also in Time it is a special chapter. HC is now
up in the mountain for 7 months. Joachim who arrived earlier in the Sanatorium
celebrates his first year.
What to expect?
Settembrini ironically warns Hans that the Mardi
Gras celebration in the Sanatorium is “magnifique”. S also makes a most cynical
remark that a lot of people now death cannot join the party. “… it is over at
half past nine…”. Ghosts will only appear after 12.
But the Narrator too
creates high expectation:
“ At this juncture….we
alone know to what these Carnival festivities eventually led…”
Settembrini our warns
Hans in the same way Mephistopheles warns Faust : “Behold bright flames…”
Murk,
of those flames the motley glare!
A merry club assembles there.
In a small circle one is not alone,
A merry club assembles there.
In a small circle one is not alone,
Soon the party is full
swing. Champagne flows and Champagne mixed
with Burgundy
Settembrini slips another
secret message of warning to Hans “But bear in mind…” again he quotes Goethe,
Faust, Walpurgis-night chapter.
“He searched his pocket
for a pencil…” The meeting Hans – Clavdia is introduced with the “pen” –
anecdote and the “Hippe” character.
“ My God…” echoes the
“My God” of the fantasy in the “Eternal Soup” chapter
A second secret note;..
“ A party to your heart’s desire…” Goethe, Faust, Walpurgis-night chapter.
“ In the Harz mountains …” setting of Goethe, Faust,
Walpurgis-night chapter.
First couples form,
there is cross-dressing, there is travesty. Frau Stohr turns into a genuine
witch with broom and all…Settembrini compares her with Baubo, the old woman who
shows her private parts.
There is comedy with
the “silent sister” and the “blue Henri”
Clavdia brushes Hans
table. With her sleeve – less dress showing her beautiful arms, she looks
divine to Hans.
Settembrini keeps
warning Hans “ ‘Tis Lilith” Adam’s second wife, the she-devil.
Again it parallels
Goethe’s Faust.
Hans is not distracted
from his fascination with Clavdia. He has to take care of the annoying
Settembrini first…
HC addresses
Settembrini with his first name Lodovico. S experiences this nearly as an
insult “ …a repulsive, barbaric practice…but it brings the pedagogue at the
same level as Hans. HC does not see S as superior anymore…
HC then shows that he
sees “through” Settembrini and shows ironically that he knows how Thomas Mann
uses the Settembrini character. “ You are a representative of something…
HC says adieu to his
pedagogue: “ To your health Lodovico…”
S cannot but comment “
Those sound like words of farewell”. S has to make place for Clavdia.
The people assemble
round the Punch bowl.
The Pig drawing game of
Behrens brings us back to the Pig analogy of Circe. “ And what Monsters were
born” Again there is a need for a
pencil. Now that he has severed his bond with Settembrini he is emboldened: he
heads direct to Clawdia. Settembrini shouts one last warning…and exits.
HC experiences his
“Hippe” – moment once again and finally speaks to Clawdia and says “Do you have
a pencil perhaps?”
Clawdia amused and in a
Mardi-Gras mood reacts amused and surprised. “You are very eager…”. She teases
HC with dangling the pen in front of his nose. HC lets himself not chased away,
on the contrary CC follows him “ as if pulled by a magnetic force”
They are left alone, (
S gone, Joachim gone )there is music. HC shows that he has been observing CC
for a long time, that he has been since a long time interested in her. “ You
are wearing a new dress…”
Their conversation in
that French “dream –speak” develops rather well, CC too had noticed HC earlier
etc etc… Everything goes well until the “killer” sentence is pronounced.
Clawdia says “I am leaving ( the Sanatorium )”. Hans is rudely awakened from his
sleep state.
The awakening is very
short. HC is lured again soon enough: “ So you will be coming back…” – he is
going to wait for her – No way he is ever to go back down to the real world !
CC reminds HC that
Joachiim is very ill.
HC asks her X- Ray
picture. CC does not have it with her. It is in her room.( important detail
wink wink )
CC asks who prevented
HC to make an earlier contact with her. She knows of course.
CC says “Morality
cannot be found in virtue but in sin”. She is a teacher too.
“ You know the
consequences Monsieur” CC teases HC by telling him the Mardi Gras Magic is
over, but Hans will not accept it and declares his love in a grand and theatrical
way.
While not totally
unreceptive, - she strokes his hair – she decides to return to her room.
“ Adieu my Carnival
Prince”, but she leaves one trailing message… “Don’t forget to return my
pencil”
And Clavdia leaves.
What a chapter, what
romance !
