"Mrs Faust" appears in Carol Ann Duffy's collection The World's Wife (1999), which features monologues from the perspective of overlooked or invented female figures in myth, history, and literature. In this poem, Duffy imagines that Faust—a character from German folklore who makes a pact with the Devil—has a wife who's as clever and greedy as he is. Mrs. Faust's monologue charts the history of their cynical marriage, from their meeting as ambitious students through their "lifestyle" as a modern power couple. Though she's excluded from Faust's infamous deal—which grants him infinite wealth, knowledge, and pleasure in exchange for his soul—she gets the best of their partnership in the end. A modern satire of a famous medieval legend, Duffy's poem illustrates how savvy women in a patriarchal world often outplay men at their own ruthless games.
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First things first— ...
... up, hitched up,
got a mortgage ...
... bathrobes. Hers. His.
We worked. We ...
... was as bad.
I grew to ...
... not the wife.
He went to ...
... therapy, colonic irrigation.
And Faust would ...
... meet panthers, feast.
He wanted more. ...
... laugh aloud.
Next thing, the ...
... Chairman. Owner. Lord.
Enough? ...
... on the Sun.
Then backed a ...
... like-minded Bo Peep.
As for me, ...
... returned, enlightened.
Turned 40, celibate, ...
... went home.
Faust was in. ...
... the Devil's boy.
He's on his ...
... sold my soul.
At this, I ...
... down to Hell.
Oh, well. ...
... to me.
C'est la vie. ...
... I got well.
I keep Faust’s ...
... soul to sell.
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
The Poem Aloud — Listen to a reading of "Mrs Faust."
A Conversation with the Poet — Watch a discussion between two former UK and U.S. Poets Laureate: Carol Ann Duffy and the late Philip Levine.
"Mrs Faust" with Intro — The poet reads "Mrs Faust" with a brief introduction (20:20), as well as other poems from The World's Wife.
On Faust — Learn more about the legendary figure who inspired Duffy's poem.
The Poet's Life and Career — Read a brief biography of Carol Ann Duffy at the Poetry Foundation.