Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (also Mephisto, Mephistophilus, Mephist) is a name given to one of the chief demons in European literary traditions. The name is frequently used as an alternative form of Satan or the Devil. However, because the name Mephistopheles evolved during the Renaissance, Mephistopheles makes no appearance in the Bible. Rather, Mephistopheles appears in various literary works which tell the tale of the legendary Faustus, a man who sells his soul to the Devil. This legend has also inspired the western culture's literary classic Faust by giant German writer and humanist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Mephistopheles is known throughout the book as a 'fallen angel' himself, as he clearly states to Faustus. He also tries to get higher up the social hierarchy to God's level but is thrown out of heaven to hell.
One notable reference to this fable is found in the commencement of Bertrand Russell's essay "A Free Man's Worship", which has as a central theme a callous, omnipotent creator, who creates man for his play. The Italian composer Arrigo Boito wrote an opera, Mefistofele, based on the myth of Mephistopheles; it was first performed in Milan in 1868.
The meaning, if any, of the name "Mephistopheles" is unknown, although the historical evidence suggests that it was invented by the anonymous author of the German chapbook that made the Faust story famous. Many attempts have been made to construct etymologies from Greek or Hebrew, but with no plausible results.
