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     Literature Goethe: Faust V. Some verses

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Exercise: Goethe, Faust

  V. Some verses

13) ... Das Pergament, ist das der heilige Bronnen ...

FAUST:   FAUST.
  Das Pergament, ist das der heil'ge Bronnen,
Woraus ein Trunk den Durst auf ewig stillt? Erquickung hast du nicht gewonnen,
Wenn sie dir nicht aus eigner Seele quillt.
Parchment! Is that the sacred fountain whence alone
There springs a draught that thirst for ever quells?
Refreshment? It you never will have won
If from that soul of yours it never wells.
     

This is another typical "illness" of professors, reading books like others collect stamps. Evidently everyone can read any quantity of books, the least significant included. The things change a bit, if society is paying for it, because then it has to be returned to the society that finances the reading. To return something to society, ideology has to be changed. It is not of interest what kind of influence which guy had over another or whether Columbus moved his toe before he got the right ideas. What's really interesting is the question, how to fascinate people with literature. How to teach Faust in colleges, that students find it interesting. It can't be normal that a movie like Carmen by Carlos Saura fascinated millions of people and creates a huge interest for this opera, but all the universities are not able to fascinate students for anything. But of a person that reads books, like others collect stamps, nothing great can be expected.
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