Odysseus, Parzival, and Faust

This essay takes 'charismatic representation' as the category that makes the three figures of the title comparable. It argues that each of the works creates exemplarity in the main characters by projecting their strength, desirability and destinies into the supernatural, at least to the point where a contest with the supernatural is an option, which ends inevitably in higher reconciliation. After defining 'charismatic representation,' it focuses on the elements that best illustrate that mode and that best invite comparison of the three works: the fantastic, the rise of the hero, and defiance of the gods.