Mephistopheles (Gounod's Faust)

Mephistopheles in Gounod's "Faust" is a cunning demon who offers Faust, a scholar seeking meaning and power, a pact: his soul in exchange for magical knowledge and pleasures. Portrayed as charming and witty, Mephistopheles serves as both a tempter and a mirror to human desire, embodying the temptations of the devil in the story. His role explores themes of temptation, morality, and the consequences of seeking forbidden knowledge, making him a complex character who challenges Faust's pursuits and moral decisions.