Page "Faust" Paragraph 7

During the term of the bargain, Faust makes use of Mephistopheles in various ways.

In many versions of the story, particularly Goethe's drama, Mephistopheles helps him to seduce a beautiful and innocent girl, usually named Gretchen, whose life is ultimately destroyed.

However, Gretchen's innocence saves her in the end, and she enters Heaven.

In Goethe's rendition, Faust is saved by God's grace via his constant striving — in combination with Gretchen's pleadings with God in the form of the Eternal Feminine.

However, in the early tales, Faust is irrevocably corrupted and believes his sins cannot be forgiven ; when the term ends, the Devil carries him off to Hell.