Pope Adrian Leverkühn

The Pope is the epitome of spiritual beginnings and the paucity of theoretical knowledge. The first meeting with Adrian will not make the proper impression. He is too absorbed in the drill of his rival Bruno, forcing him to go down the stairs on all fours.

The character of Pope Adrian is distinguished by arrogance and excessive pride, which does not adorn the priest. According to Goethe, these features are inherent in almost all servants of the Catholic Church of the Middle Ages. In his daily life, the Pope uses a mass of manuscripts, except for the Bible, to properly carry out the ceremony.

He threatens to be excommunicated for his least disobedience, showing off his power to the congregation. He could condemn or save the sinner, which allows him to set conditions for the salvation of the soul. Pope believes in purgatory as a real place for cleansing from sins and vices. Monks worship Adrian by resorting to the ritual of exorcism regarding Faust.

The Pope’s behavior seems both ridiculous and illogical, casting doubt on the religion itself. Political farsightedness is alien to him because he refuses to recognize the independence of the German emperor. When Bruno reminds him of the previous will of his predecessor, Adrian proposes arguments about his wrongfulness and own infallibility. Pope considers himself the vicar of God on earth, that’s why he cannot be mistaken.

His confidence in the choosiness causes irritation in the audience, so the spectator frankly rejoices at the sight of his torment. In addition to the comedy effect, this character is designed to show the hierarchy of priorities in the Faust’s nature and expose some stereotypes of the era. The rivalry between Adrian and Bruno personifies frequent schisms within the Catholic Church, which makes it an institution, not a source of creed.