Exorcising the Devil from Thomas Mann's "Doktor Faustus"

Through an analysis of the musical and literary works interpolated into Doktor Faustus, I argue that Thomas Mann's composer Adrian Leverkühn never signed a demonic pact and thus that his life and music do not stand in an allegorical relationship to German history. Rather, Serenus Zeitblom, Adrian's friend and biographer, demonizes his friend because his love for Adrian was unreturned. I demonstrate how Mann's narrative structure encourages readers to challenge Serenus's narrative while at the same time drawing them emotionally towards his characters. In this seemingly contradictory dynamic I reveal the novel's political nature-readers are encouraged to respond with empathy for those who are suffering and to doubt the myths and demonic narratives that contribute to the cultural context of fascist politics.