“Und das Genie es will gleich obenaus”. Plutarchs Einfluss auf Goethes Darstellung vom Sitz der Seele und deren Aufstieg aus Fausts Körper

The influence of the Greek philosopher on Goethe’s tragedy can be seen in several aspects. Of particular interest are the use of the terms “Psyche” and “Genie”, the tripartite conception of man, the idea of double death and the concept of entelechy. However, Plutarch’s influence is most evident in the image of Faust’s genius, which “obenaus will”. The aim of this article is to offer a new interpretation of the adverb “obenaus”: Faust’s soul, it is argued here, is in the process of leaving the body through the crown of the head and not – as the poet’s sources of inspiration considered so far claim – through the mouth.