Part I. Faust, a learned philosopher, wanders in the fields at sunrise meditating upon Nature. He observes a crowd of peasants who dance and sing, jesting rudely. The Hungarian troops approach to martial music.
Great excitement prevails among the peasants.
Faust alone remains cold and unmoved. Faust in his study deplores his unhappy lot. Neither in nature, nor in books, nor in old memories has he found solace. He decides to take poison, but as he raises the cup to drink the strains of an Easter hymn turn his thoughts toward good. He succombs and goes forth with the fiend in search of pleasure.