In a grim, medieval town, the learned but impoverished Dr. Faust is driven by a relentless thirst for knowledge. Disillusioned by the limits of human understanding, he roams desolate streets and dilapidated buildings, dissecting corpses in a morbid search for the human soul. Desperate and tortured, Faust encounters a beggarly moneylender named Mauricius, who appears to possess enigmatic powers. This sinister figure, intrigued by Faust's ambitions, offers him magical solutions in exchange for more than just material wealth.

Mauricius lures Faust into a pact with promises of deeper wisdom and worldly pleasures. As the boundaries of morality blur and Faust becomes increasingly consumed by carnal desires, he becomes infatuated with Margarete, an innocent young woman. Mauricius manipulates these desires, pushing Faust into darker depths as he loses touch with his humanity. The narrative unfolds in a visually striking tableau of grotesque and often surreal images, capturing Faust's spiraling descent. Ultimately, an existential struggle ensues, encapsulating themes of redemption, the search for meaning, and the human condition’s inherent frailty.