Classical Tales of Deals with the Devil

[RavenSinger]

Not exactyl a "deal with the Devil" but a story that comes to mind is "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs. This is more about "be careful what you wish for...", which is along the same lines as Faust. Also, there is the American modern folktale/urban myth about Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil to be able to play the guitar better than anyone else at a deserted crossroads in the rural South.

Just a few cents worth,
RS

 

[WayneLigon]

The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving

Indeed, Twilight Zone has several classic Deal With the Devil stories. 'Escape Clause' is one of the best of that type.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Oh, then there's the episode of The Simpsons where Homer sells his soul for a donut. Ironically, the devil is Ned Flanders.[/url]

on the topic of evil disguising as good, the most memorable for me was Breath of fire 2. I haven't trusted organized religion since

 

[The Lost Muse]

Dear Jürgen,

How can you forget your Goethe? FAUST

There's also Marlowe's take on it in The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus

 

[TheAuldGrump]

The Devil and Daniel Webster has long passed into the public domain - It can be found online here. One of my favorite stories when I was a pup.

The Auld Grump

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

People, people, people...a classic American tale of a deal with the devil is the story of Robert Johnson.

The blues legend is responsible for creating or popularizing a lot of the Delta blues styles that survive today...and did so while playing chords very few people can- the man had hands like tarantulas...

As the legend goes, he was drawn to play the blues, but had little talent. He dropped out of sight for a while after being ridiculed, and then resurfaced, recording 29 songs- most of which are considered blues classics. While the songs could be considered as derivative in certain ways, his guitar work was phenomenal, dwarfing many of his contemporaries.

The songs were so good that his rivals began to say he went down to the crossroads to make a deal with the devil in order to learn how to play the blues so well he'd become a legend.

Shortly after his triumphant re-emergence, he was poisoned and died.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/delta/blues/people/robert_johnson.htm

 

[papastebu]

I don't know if this counts, but The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is about the Devil and his motivations.

 

[Huw]

How about Rumpelstiltskin? He's the devil in all but name (which is, admittedly, an important part of the plot).

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Also, there is the American modern folktale/urban myth about Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil to be able to play the guitar better than anyone else at a deserted crossroads in the rural South.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_(1986_film)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I loved that movie- I'm glad you brought it up.

Ry Cooder's slide electric guitar work on there is stellar, as is Vai's stuff from "Choppin' Heads"

Unfortunately, for some reason they cut the meat of Vai's work from the soundtrack... :\

FWIW, since Robert Johnson died in 1938, you can fictionalize the story pretty much without fear.