by Oscar Wellington

Created on: June 12, 2009

To start, my favorite literary character of all time would have to be Mephistopheles from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Faust". The devil from this epic piece is probably one of the most likeable villains in all of classical German literature. Humorous and sly, cunning and wicked, he has a razor wit and serves not as the ultimate demonic evil-doer but as a being who is full of life. He impersonates several characters in various scenes and even dresses up as Faust himself, hilariously lecturing a student on the best profession to study.

Mephistopheles's relationship and interactions with Faust alone make this piece worth reading, often ending with Faust being dissatisfied and Mephistopheles providing comedic relief. For instance, after Faust sells his soul, Mephistopheles takes him to a tavern where he plays tricks on several drunks. After an enjoyable scene where Mephistopheles has his fun, Faust complains that he is bored and wants to move on.

While Faust is busy sulking and being moody in his study, Mephistopheles just wants to experience all that the world has to offer, even if it means dragging Faust with him. For example, Mephistopheles convinces Faust to visit a "Walpurgis Night", or worshipping of the devil and other gods atop the highest Harz mountains. Thousands of witches and wizards gather, and it turns into a massive orgy of sorts while Faust sits in the corner and complains.

Throughout this piece, one has to constantly be reminded that Mephistopheles is supposed to represent a large antagonist to Faust (after all, Mephisto is the "devil" who coerced him into selling his soul). Yet due to Mephistopheles's dialogues and actions, he often has a larger amount of fans than Faust. A simply brilliant and well-rounded character, I cannot do him justice without page after page of literary analysis.

Another favorite literary character of mine is Gulliver from Johnathan Swyft's Gulliver's Travels. While Gulliver represents a gullible fool, there is something about him that has always marveled me. Maybe it is the fact that he travels to the different lands with varied and fantastic experiences, and yet, he remains the exact same fellow. I could also be fond of him because never gives up, despite all of his misfortunes.

Or, perhaps I am simply at a loss. After all, Gulliver has many faults. He ultimately has a lack of purpose and human emotion during his trip, often remaining passive in anything that befalls him on his quest. Moreover, therein lies another

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