A Knight at Charles' Court

A Knight at Charles' Court is a personage who is quite skeptical of Doctor Faust’s abilities. He does not want to believe in magic, relying on reason and life experience. The scientist gives him horns in response to his frequent stinging remarks.

On the pages of the tragedy, Goethe calls the knight Benvolio. The latter is trying to avenge Faust for humiliation, hoping to kill him. Despite the apparent injustice, the viewer does not feel regret for this character. This is exactly the case when the reward found its hero.

When Faust brings to life the spirit of Alexander of Macedon, trying to surprise the emperor, Benvolio sarcastically notices that the court is dealing with an ordinary magician. He openly mocks the scholar, stating that if the Doctor succeeds in this trick, he will turn into a deer.

As soon as Faust achieves success in the announced presentation, small horns appear on Benvolio's head as a tribute to the mad talents of the scientist. This is a punishment for disbelief and narrow horizons inherent in most bureaucrats. The emperor receives food for amusements, admiring a new animal.

The Knight’s pride does not allow him to accept own defeat. He falls ill with the idea of ​​killing the peasant, gathering around him powerful friends who are ready to aid him in any event. Naturally, the mere mortal loses the battle to the sorcerer Faust, receiving another set of horns as a reminder of his arrogance.

The introduction of the Knight’s image in the plot enables viewers to distract from the drama and find comic, even in such complex intrigues. In addition, the satire sobers the listener, forcing him to turn to rationality, not magic tricks. This character emphasizes the correctness of the path chosen by the Doctor. Although the punishment of Faust looks cruel, Goethe chooses the mentioned way to reprove ignorance.