Dr. Faust
6 famous historical figures who may never have existed
History sometimes makes fun of people. The lack of reliable information about the heroes of ancient legends and the habit of ancient chroniclers to repeat these legends, gave rise to a lot of pseudo-historical personalities that look “just like the real thing.” Modern mass culture has completed this process, adding them purely human traits and making the main characters of works of art. Unfortunately, the question of whether king Arthur, Robin hood, and many other popular heroes actually existed remains debatable today.
Lao Tzu
The famous ancient Chinese philosopher left behind a convincing cultural heritage, becoming the founder of Taoism. In the religious and philosophical teaching of most Taoist schools Lao Tzu is traditionally revered as a deity. Continue reading
Who was the real prototype of Dr. Faust, and why in the XVI century believed that he sold his soul to the devil
The story of the alchemist and the scientist who sold his soul to the devil is known all over the world. Despite the obviously mystical motives, Dr. Faust has a real prototype, who lived in the XVI century. It is not known whether he has a relationship with otherworldly forces, but the glory of the warlock and necromancer he received during his lifetime. In fact, at the time of writing the famous tragedy of Goethe, this character was already popular throughout Europe.
The life of the real doctor Faust is described in many literary works, it was the basis for folk legends, so it is very difficult to distinguish from these materials a rational grain today. Continue reading
