In 'Faust', Goethe tells the gripping tale of a scholar who, disillusioned with life and knowledge, makes a fateful pact with the devil, Mephistopheles. Seeking ultimate fulfillment and transcendence, Faust embarks on a journey of desire, love, and self-discovery that spans the limits of morality. As he explores the depths of human experience, the line between good and evil blurs, leaving readers questioning the true price of ambition. Rich in philosophical and existential themes, this timeless masterpiece delves into the dark corners of the human soul. Will Faust find redemption, or is he doomed to eternal damnation?
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Published: 2015
"Das Geisterreich fühlt wohl, die Zeit ist unser Geist, die Zeit mit allem, was sie gibt, und was sie uns nimmt."
Faust Parts I & II - Goethe. A translation into English by A. S. Kline with illustrations by Eug�ne Delacroix. Goethe's two-part dramatic work, Faust, based on a traditional theme, and finally completed in 1831, is an exploration of that restless intellectual and emotional urge which found its fullest expression in the European Romantic movement, to which Goethe was an early and major contributor. Part I of the work outlines a pact Faust makes with the devil, Mephistopheles, and encompasses the tragedy of Gretchen, whom Faust seduces. Part II, developed over a long period of Goethe's later life, reflects Goethe's own transition from a predominantly Romantic to a wider world-view and explores more extensive themes, including the values of the Classical past, as it moves towards the work's resolution. The protagonist, Faust, is presented in a complex manner, and Goethe's treatment of the subject matter raises ethical and spiritual issues, many of which are not resolved within the drama itself. Goethe's stress is on Faust's striving towards the good, and on the nature of human error, rather than on the traditional Christian view of sin and redemption, and the play's opening sections and its conclusion can be seen as humanist allegory or metaphor rather than an expression of orthodox religious belief. It is left to the reader to draw their own conclusion about Faust's everyman character, and the extent to which he earns his ultimate spiritual salvation. The play had an enormous influence on later German thought and literature, and together with his lyric poetry has ensured Goethe's place among the great European writers. Published by Poetry in Translation.
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“Das Geisterreich fühlt wohl, die Zeit ist unser Geist, die Zeit mit allem, was sie gibt, und was sie uns nimmt.”
Faust
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a German poet, playwright, and novelist, widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in Western literature. His most notable works include the tragic play 'Faust,' the novel 'The Sorrows of Young Werther,' and the poetic cycle 'West-östlicher Divan.' Goethe's writing is characterized by its exploration of human emotion, nature, and the interplay between individual experience and universal themes. His style blends classicism and romanticism, reflecting a deep engagement with philosophy and art.
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