Faust - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Title:

Faust

Author:

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Year:

1808

Country:

German

Themes:

The desire for the unattainable

The discontent that humans can experience

The struggle to resist evil forces in the universe

Synopsis:

The story of a German scholar who makes a deal with the devil in an attempt to find fulfillment.

The Return of Martin Guerre - Natalie Zemon Davis

Title:

The Return of Martin Guerre

Author:

Natalie Zemon Davis

Year:

1983

Country:

America

Themes:

The good that can come of malicious intentions.

The changes that take place after a person is gone

The importance of a person’s name

Synopsis:

The story of a mysterious imposter assuming the role of a French peasant, and the return of the actual man.

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway

Title:

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Author:

Ernest Hemingway

Year:

1940

Country:

America

Themes:

Focusing on the task at hand as a way to deal with grief

Contemplating suicide as an alternative to further suffering

The comfort of making plans even when they may become impossible

Synopsis:

The story of an American soldier fighting in the Spanish Civil War on a mission to blow up a bridge.

Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare

Title:

Julius Caesar

Author:

William Shakespeare

Year:

1623

Country:

England

Themes:

The conflicting obligations one must choose between

The question of whether or not the ends can justify the means

The importance of perception in an ethical issue

Synopsis:

The dramatized story of the assassination of Julius Caesar.