Dedication
The poet-speaker, offering his work as first-fruits to his father.
Festus
Protagonist reflecting on love, doubt, and the human condition.
Proem
The mortal hero whose heart and mind are emblemed throughout the poem, representing the 'world-man' and a chance soul chosen by God.
I
Identified as the youth Lucifer seeks to tempt; chosen by Heaven and hallowed by the Holy Ghost.
II
Festus expresses weariness with life and a desire for transcendence, agreeing to accompany Lucifer while maintaining his love for God.
III
Festus meditates on nature, questions the afterlife, and expresses despair over love and existence.
IV
Festus passionately defends the beauty of Earth and humanity, questioning the fairness of eternal punishment and expressing a desire to love and be loved.
V
Festus is melancholic and introspective, expressing weariness with earthly existence and a longing for spiritual purity. He reveals his ability to see angels and personified forces like Life, Death, and Immortality.
VI
Festus rejects both God and Lucifer, seeking to remake himself and break free from their influence.
VII
Engages in theological debate with Lucifer, expressing doubt about human worth and the soul's destiny, then leads a prayer for societal and spiritual reform.
VIII
Rides with Lucifer across the world, expressing awe at nature, love for England and America, and a desire for freedom.
Chapter IX
Expresses fatigue with life and worldly pleasures, reflecting on the transient nature of joy and the futility of earthly pursuits.
Festus in the Fiery Center of Earth
Festus stands in awe of the fiery center, reflecting on the transient nature of all things and his yearning for Heaven.
XI
Festus leads a worship service in a ruined temple, offering a symbolic sacrifice and expressing his devotion.
XII
Expresses weariness with worldly affairs and a desire for spiritual transcendence; agrees to Lucifer's plan for a temporary separation of spirit and body.
XIII
Expresses desire for Eternity and Heaven; is told he still bears earthly discontent.
XIV
Expresses love for Earth's storms and struggles; feels burdened by sin; resolves to be good; receives Angela's promise of prayer.
XV
Crowns Helen as queen, expresses profound love, and later reflects on dreams and the stars.
XVI
Questions the necessity of death and resolves to preserve his heart and nature for God.
XVII
Festus hears the harmonies of Heaven and yearns for spiritual renewal; he questions God's justice and struggles with doubt.
XVIII
Ascends to Heaven, sees God, learns he is the last man, and engages in deep theological reflection on fate and morality.
XIX
Explains his spiritual powers and communion with angels and demons to Helen.
XX
Engages in philosophical dialogue with Helen and the Student, reflecting on love, poetry, and his poet friend's work.
XXI
Briefly appears at the end, reflecting on honor as his strongest passion and his intention to visit Hell.
XXII
Questions the nature of space, time, and God; expresses love for earthly things; recounts a dream of judgment.
XXIII
Festus questions Lucifer about the nature of Hell and redemption, witnesses the Son of God's offer of salvation, and observes the repentance and restoration of a fallen spirit.
XXIV
Describes his cosmic vision to Clara, including God's speech to the spheres and Earth's rebellion.
XXV
Festus stands on the Sun, achieving a clear vision of the soul's cycle and the relationship between the divine and human. He laments the departure of the spirits and resolves to return to earth.
XXVI
Festus declares his love for Elissa with intense passion, but also expresses despair and a sense of doomed fate. He struggles with the idea of parting and offers himself as a sacrifice.
Chapter XXVII
Festus arrives too late to see Elissa alive and renounces Lucifer in grief and anger.
XXVIII
Expresses weariness with life, longing for death, and a desire for purity before God. Rejects Lucifer's offer of power.
XXIX
Festus prays fervently for a sign of his unity with God, expresses his desire for power for others' good, and repents of his sins after the Angel's reassurance.
The Throne of the World and the Judgment of Souls
Throned as world monarch, Festus asserts his divine rule but is haunted by mortality and the death of Clara, wrestling with despair and the silence of God.
XXXII
Festus converses with angels and saints, reflects on the perfected earth, and agrees to explore the hidden regions with the Archangel.
XXXIII
Forgives Lucifer and prays for mercy at judgment.
XXXIV
Present on earth as the angel delivers the tidings of the Son's coming and the battle.
XXXVI
Saved by the Son of God and welcomed into Heaven, expresses gratitude and is reunited with loved ones.
L'Envoi
The poet-speaker, now dead to the world but living through his work, reflecting on his suffering and inspiration.
