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Faust, First Part

(Goethe's Faust #1)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,

Peter Salm (Translator)

3.93 · Rating details · 60,804 ratings · 1,243 reviews

Goethe’s masterpiece and perhaps the greatest work in German literature, Faust has made the legendary German alchemist one of the central myths of the Western world. Here indeed is a monumental Faust, an audacious man boldly wagering with the devil, Mephistopheles, that no magic, sensuality, experience, or knowledge can lead him to a moment he would wish to last forever. H ...more

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Paperback, German-English Edition, 327 pages

Published July 1st 1988 by Bantam Classics (first published 1808)

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Dec 28, 2013 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, literature, 19th-century, german, fiction, poetry, plays

Faust: First Part (Goethe's Faust #1), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Peter Salm (Translator)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts usually known in English as Faust, Part One and Faust, Part Two.

Faust is considered by many to be Goethe's magnum opus and the greatest work of German literature.

The principal characters of Faust Part One include:

Heinrich Faust
Mephistopheles, the Devil
Gretchen, Faust's love (short for Margarete; Goethe uses both forms)
Marthe, Gretchen's neig Faust: First Part (Goethe's Faust #1), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Peter Salm (Translator)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts usually known in English as Faust, Part One and Faust, Part Two.

Faust is considered by many to be Goethe's magnum opus and the greatest work of German literature.

The principal characters of Faust Part One include:

Heinrich Faust
Mephistopheles, the Devil
Gretchen, Faust's love (short for Margarete; Goethe uses both forms)
Marthe, Gretchen's neighbour
Valentin, Gretchen's brother
Wagner, Faust's attendant

Faust, Part One takes place in multiple settings, the first of which is Heaven. The demon Mephistopheles makes a bet with God: he says that he can lure God's favourite human being (Faust), who is striving to learn everything that can be known, away from righteous pursuits. The next scene takes place in Faust's study where Faust, despairing at the vanity of scientific, humanitarian and religious learning, turns to magic for the showering of infinite knowledge. He suspects, however, that his attempts are failing. Frustrated, he ponders suicide, but rejects it as he hears the echo of nearby Easter celebrations begin. He goes for a walk with his assistant Wagner and is followed home by a stray poodle.

In Faust's study, the poodle transforms into Mephistopheles. Faust makes an arrangement with him: Mephistopheles will do everything that Faust wants while he is here on Earth, and in exchange Faust will serve the Devil in Hell. Faust's arrangement is that if he is pleased enough with anything Mephistopheles gives him that he wants to stay in that moment forever, then he will die in that moment. ...

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز یازدهم ماه می سال 1991میلادی

بخش نخست با مقدمه‌ ای در باب بهشت آغاز می‌شود؛ خداوند بنا به خواهش شیطان به او اجازه می‌دهد، تا درستی و راستی فاوست، خدمتگزار خدا را آزمایش کند؛ مفیستوفلس، با فاوست سالخورده معامله‌ ای می‌کند؛ اگر فاوست برای یک لحظه با این معامله موافقت کند، روح از تنش پرواز خواهد کرد؛ فاوست دوباره جوان می‌شود، و با مفیستوفلس به مسافرت می‌پردازد، تا از تمام لذایذ زمینی برخوردار گردد؛ در زمین عاشق دختر ساده‌ ای به نام «مارگارت» می‌شود، سپس به او خیانت می‌کند، و مسئول سقوط و مرگ او می‌شود؛ مفیستوفلس گمان می‌کند، که روح «مارگارت» را اسیر خواهد کرد، ولی صفای عشق او نسبت به «فاوست» و خودداری او از نجات یافتن از چنگال مرگ، سبب نجات او می‌شود؛ بخش نخست نمایش به پایان می‌رسد ولی «فاوست» هنوز در دنیای شهوات و هوس‌ها، آن لحظه پر شکوه هستی را که در آرزوی به چنگ آوردنش است، نیافته است...؛

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 05/07/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

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Jun 25, 2014 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: drama, favorites

I reread Faust yesterday, and it left me wondering ... pondering ... again ... as so often!

Why don't we talk more about Gretchen? And I mean Gretchen as a subject, not as a toy to be used by Faust and Mephistopheles in their joint midlife crisis distractive game?

Why don't we talk more about the amazing achievements of the modern world, in which a brother like Valentin wouldn't get to call his sister a whore for having a lover? Why don't we talk more about the bliss of choice? Gretchen today coul ...more

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Mar 15, 2010 Stephen rated it really liked it

Shelves: poetry-plays-and-essays, easton-press, horror-classic, audiobook, 1800s, classics-european, angels-demons-heaven-hell, classics

First impression: Goethe could write his tuckus off. Rarely have I encountered prose that commingles in such bounty the trifecta of being, at once, gorgeous to the eye, imbued with passion and saturated with depth and meaning. Faust has all three and I was pulled into the seductive narrative from the momentous opening (wonderfully titled “Prologue from Heaven”) through the final dramatic climax.

I must briefly pause here to add a qualifier to my comments which relate to the version I experie ...more

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Aug 23, 2016 James rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-written-pre-20th-century, 1-fiction

I read Johann Goethe's Faust in English and partially in German during a college course many years ago. It had a huge impact on me as a person and me as a writer. Due to it being somewhat "out there," I held back a full 5 rating; however, I cannot stress how much this book makes you think. Beware, it's a little heavy on the literary side, but it's still worth a read, even if you just read the first portion. That said, 4 out of 5 stars...

Detailed Review(about 1/3 of a paper I wrote about it a few I read Johann Goethe's Faust in English and partially in German during a college course many years ago. It had a huge impact on me as a person and me as a writer. Due to it being somewhat "out there," I held back a full 5 rating; however, I cannot stress how much this book makes you think. Beware, it's a little heavy on the literary side, but it's still worth a read, even if you just read the first portion. That said, 4 out of 5 stars...

Detailed Review(about 1/3 of a paper I wrote about it a few years ago)
When I first picked up Goethe’s famous masterpiece Faust, I was hesitant about reading it. I read Goethe’s work while lying on my bed a few hours before I went to sleep. My room was quiet because everyone else was already asleep. I was able to read and consciously take in the contents of the work. I generally don’t like to be told what literature to read; however, after reading through the Prologue in Heaven, I was intrigued by the plot of Faust. As I began reading the first part, I was a bit disturbed by the fact that it was not in prose, but that it was in poetical verse. I have never been a great fan of poetry as a genre of literature. Thus I had mixed feelings when it came to reading Goethe’s famous literary work Faust from the beginning.

I wanted to learn something from the story, as I do from all literature. Authors don’t just write for ‘no’ reason; they wish to accomplish something. I then strove to understand the reasons for the literary work’s existence. When I skimmed Faust for the first time, I tried to read it for pleasure, but it was a little too hard. I needed to stop and understand what as going on in each scene. However, I soon realized that I was able to place myself inside the text in several different ways. It was at this point that Faust actually appealed to me; I saw myself in the novel as the character of Faust, fighting against the devilish Mephistopheles. I have always struggled with wanting everything from material things to the admiration of others. As a man of flesh and blood, I naturally want great intelligence, power and love. I have always wanted to be number one - a perfectionist - just like Faust.

So, while I was reading Faust, I was truly reading a biography of my own life, albeit on a much larger scale. I too have lost some faith in my religion, and I wonder if I will be saved; however, unlike Faust, at the time I read it, I had yet to want someone as much as he wanted Margaret (Gretchen). Maybe if I were under the devil’s spells like Faust was, I would have fallen just as hard for the woman. I do have the addictive personality that would lead me in the same direction as Faust. With all of this in mind, I read through the novel as though I were Faust. I took on his persona, argued with Mephistopheles, and wished that I had never been born in the end of the work. It is not easy to live a life completely free from the clutches of evil. When you are hopeless and in despair, you need help. Often, humans are not strong enough to recognize from whom they are getting help. Faust enabled me to foresee what would happen to me if I were subject to the devil’s influence.

Faust is a man worthy of my admiration. All throughout the book, both Faust and the actions he sought fascinated me. Like I said before, I felt as though I was reading or watching a movie of my own life. It was as though a dream had come true where I was able to align myself with the devil. The fears that I have in reality weren’t present enough in my dreams to stop myself from associating with some Mephistophelean devil. I was able to see what would happen if I took on the persona of evil incarnate turned into man. Faust enabled me to have an out of body experience where I could see what would happen to me if I became what I have always been curious about becoming: A devil-influenced man.

Throughout the work of Faust by Goethe, I was able to live experiences vicariously. Faust enabled me to try things that I only dreamed about trying. I really felt as though I were reading a novel about myself. I think that this is why the Faustian theme has persisted throughout time; men (and women) everywhere have struggled within themselves fighting between good and evil to achieve their goals and desires. I am no different.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators. ...more

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Aug 10, 2016 E. G. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: translated, 5-star, goethe, germany-prussia, plays, own

Preface & Notes
Chronology
Introduction
Translator's Note
The Writing of 'Faust'
Further Reading

--Faust, Part I

Notes ...more

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Aug 09, 2015 Norah Una Sumner rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, fantasy, philosophy, 3-star-read, for-school, read-in-serbian-bos-cro, adult, drama-llama

A summary:

Faust: I WANT TO EXPERIENCE EVERY HUMAN EMOTION,I WANT TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL FOUR ELEMENTS,I WANT TO FEEL THE PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD!

Mephistopheles: Yeah,sure thing bro,but before you do that I want to take you to this weird pub,hook you up with a minor whom you'll knock up & make you attend a completely pointless annual witch ball.Sounds good?

Faust: You had me at "hook up with a minor",bro. ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 Greta rated it liked it

Shelves: classics

Faust is probably the most world known German poetry and translated in different languages, but can poetry be translated in a different language without loosing it‘s character and purpose?

Per definition poetry is literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm.

I had a look at a englisch translation and depending on the translator, the writing still might have some r ...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Manuel Antão rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2004

If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.

To Plug the Mighty Hole Withal: "Faust - First Part" by Goethe

(original review, 2004)

I’m planning on spending a few weeks on Goethe’s Faust in multiple translations and as much of the German as I can manage, supplemented by hundreds of pages of notes and commentary.

I first read the book while in high school in the totally un-annotated Bayard Taylor translation from Modern Library – one of the texts I’m currently reading. I’m still pret ...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Jonfaith rated it liked it · review of another edition

Dear friend, all theory is gray, and green the golden tree of life.

What else to say? Towering as an archetype, akin to Hamlet, the Inferno and White Whale -- this tale of pact has been absorbed into a our cultural bones, like an isotope. It is more telling to consider that I listened to Tavener while reading this. I recently gave Pandora a spin but found that I owned more Schnittke than was afforded by my"station" but if I leave such, will I miss those Penn Station ads?

I will say that I should'v ...more

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Sep 25, 2015 poncho rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2015

Faust by Goethe was the very first book (apart from textbooks, of course) I ever put my hands on. It was assigned to me when I was in middle school for my Spanish class. I know it's a German play, but the teacher was encouraging us to read by asking the whole classroom to donate a book for the course, put it in a box with the others and then randomly pick up one of them each month — now that I think of it, the teacher should have payed more attention to the books we brought, since I don't think ...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Jimmy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

There's something discomforting about the vague moral convictions of Goethe's Faust character. One would assume, that even a scholar living in Goethe's time would find the typical preoccupations of Christian morality somewhat boring, if not basically delusional and overzealous. After all, the cacophony of self-doubt racing through his mind is not initially brought on by anything that resembles religious guilt. He's a man plagued by the hermetic stuffiness of a lifestyle of perpetual deep thought There's something discomforting about the vague moral convictions of Goethe's Faust character. One would assume, that even a scholar living in Goethe's time would find the typical preoccupations of Christian morality somewhat boring, if not basically delusional and overzealous. After all, the cacophony of self-doubt racing through his mind is not initially brought on by anything that resembles religious guilt. He's a man plagued by the hermetic stuffiness of a lifestyle of perpetual deep thought. All of his forced questions about the complexity of the universe have not been adequately revealed to him in the immense amount of reading and study that he has undertaken throughout the course of his life. Something is missing. In the opening soliloquy he desperately gropes out loud in an attempt to locate the source of his emptiness. He intones ...

"What theatre! Oh, but nothing more.
Where can I grasp you, never-ending Nature?
Breasts, where? You founts of all of life,
That earth and heaven hang upon love
And where the parched soul craves to be,
You flow, you give to drink, but not to me."

Of course, much of this monologue does hint at the power that God might potentially have to grant this wish, but Goethe is ambiguous at best. In the beginning it's difficult to tell whether Faust harbors any faith in God. The question of God's abilities and/or existence is a concern of Faust's, but his frustrations and lamentations seem more bestial and secular in tone. Faust desires some sort of ineffable experience; he desires a base inflammation of the senses, most importantly of his own passion for life. It could be argued that Mephistopheles appears essentially because Faust desires to lose himself in sublime sinfulness. God might only show up to suggest that his mortal frustrations and complex questions can in fact be answered, but only by one book. More importantly, if it were for the grace of God's true presence in Faust's existence, his questions would abate under the reverent awe of his own faith. It's obviously not there.

It's at this point that Mephistopheles appears, offering what any average mortal would desire in the throes of their own suffering, brought on by an overwhelming abundance of probing, difficult questions; namely the earthly pleasures of amorous love. To be clear, Gretchen's character is offered to Faust to appease the longings of his heart more than that of his loins. Having the position and immortal power that Mephistopheles does, he understands that Faust will be more than willing to accept his wager. But, as most critics suggest, Mephistopheles also knows that a character such as Faust, despite not really being a man of faith, will ruin such an immediate route to happiness. Naturally, Gretchen detects the way in which this internal struggle of Faust's causes him to be so distant. Not only that, but she distrusts Mephistopheles, and is committed to God.

There is a clunky and somewhat fragmented quality to the way that Goethe presents many of the difficult concerns of Faust and his wager with Mephistopheles. Initially, he is so troubled, merely by the thought that all of his worldly academic efforts are made in vain. His frustration with the futility of his effort to enlighten himself and to better understand the beautiful complexity of the world, reaches a sort of peak, at which point he loses faith in virtually everything. At first amused by the idea of the very appearance of Mephistopheles, he's eventually perplexed by how effortlessly he can access the very happiness which he could hardly even give a name to. Is he, in this sense, troubled once again by the knowledge that he possesses, the knowledge of the disappointing outcome of his temporary pleasures? One could almost draw a parallel to Nietzsche's description of the existential frustration that cripples Shakespeare's Hamlet from acting on his anger due to the knowledge that he has of the awful situation occurring around him.

To an atheist, especially an academic one, virtually all of this might sound a little silly. The reality of the situation is that Mephistopheles is actually quite fun. As he says in response to Faust's question of who Mephistopheles is, "A part of the power who wills evil always but always works the good." He perplexes Faust by presenting himself as a merely a part of a duality that constitutes peoples paradoxical understanding of the wholeness of God. This might sound confusing to some, but what he's doing is mockingly suggesting to Faust that his attachment to traditional notions of sin and goodliness is ridiculous. Toward the end, Faust ignorantly insists that the wager is destined to end in despair and disappointment. Mephistopheles, already aware of how seemingly full of disappointment most mortal situations might appeal to human beings, basically has a little fun with Faust's misguided convictions of goodness. So then is this a tragedy? Toward the end of the first part of Goethe's morally confusing masterpiece, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that there is anything tragic about the fate of Faust.

...more

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Mar 19, 2014 Christopher rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, drama, fiction, german, 19th-century

Not since watching Breaking Bad have I been so enthralled by a man's descent into depravity. ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Michael Finocchiaro rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, german-19th-c, favorites, fiction

Goethe's Faust, particularly the first part is one of the monuments of western literature. The characters of Mephisto, Faust and Margarite and unforgettable. It has, of course inspired operas from Berlioz to Busoni and books writers such as Thomas Mann. It was actually adapted from an earlier version by Christopher Marlowe but Goethe's version is even more sinister and lifelike. a Must! ...more

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May 18, 2010 Duffy Pratt rated it it was ok

Who knew that this book, one of the most famous in literature, was actually two separate works that seem only slightly related? I certainly didn't. The first part is a fairly ordinary play that gets dunked in profundity through the inclusion of Mephistopheles. There are only a few main characters here, and there wasn't much depth to any of them. I've heard that the German is tremendously good, but it's impossible for me to judge. I switched back and forth in this part between two different trans Who knew that this book, one of the most famous in literature, was actually two separate works that seem only slightly related? I certainly didn't. The first part is a fairly ordinary play that gets dunked in profundity through the inclusion of Mephistopheles. There are only a few main characters here, and there wasn't much depth to any of them. I've heard that the German is tremendously good, but it's impossible for me to judge. I switched back and forth in this part between two different translations. I liked the free kindle version better than my Oxford edition, but I wasn't really taken in with the language of either, except in some small parts. On its own, I have to say that I enjoyed the first part.

The second part is unlike anything I've ever read. If I didn't know that it had been invented in my lifetime, I'd swear that Goethe got himself into some very, very fine LSD. It's very weird, jumps all over the place, and gives the impression that anything, no matter how fantastical, could be made to occur. It feels like it could never be produced as a play. There are way too many speakers -- I hesitate to call any of them characters. In this second part, a mood might start talking, or a mythological creature, or an inanimate object, or anything at all for that matter. And I have no idea how, if staged, anyone would know which "character" was speaking at any time. (Unless, like in a childrens play, Thales or Speed-Booty, wore a placard saying who he was.)

The stage directions can be just as dumbfounding. At one point, one direction says: "To the younger members of the audience who did not applaud." Now how exactly is one supposed to pull that direction off in a manner that is at all intelligible? What if the entire audience applauded? It is one of the stranger directions I've ever seen in a play, and it made me think that Goethe may have been over a hundred years ahead of his time. Or maybe he just realized that this was a "play" that would only ever be read, and he was just having some fun with the directions.

Ultimately, this work is a long piece of lyric poetry, and I'm willing to accept that in German it is remarkably great poetry. I suppose that people who don't speak English might have just as hard a time figuring out what's so great about Shakespeare, and that makes me sad. But, reading Proust made me decide to learn French. I never felt anything like that tug towards German while reading Faust. ...more

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Oct 12, 2007 Sophia rated it it was amazing

Goethe’s Faust is a novel rich in metaphor, elaborate verse, imagery, depth, and meaning that not only employs symbolic characters and scenes, but also through such literary techniques weaves its main philosophy of striving and experience as mankind’s rightful path.

Ironically, Faust reveals his disapproval for books as a true source of knowledge in understanding the world; we must turn to life and living, and experience instead. I call this ironic because while he denounces books, Faust is a bo ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 Ivana Books Are Magic rated it liked it

I did like the first part more than the second one, but I must admit that I prefer the Marlowe's version. I suppose that is a very plain way of putting it, but there it is. I do see why Goethe's Faust is a classic. It is a highly praised book and deserving so. It is in many ways a timeless work, but it is not one of my favourite ones. Personally, I couldn't connect with this work of art on a deeper level.

Faust is known for the power of its language. Some of it might be lost in translation, I ca I did like the first part more than the second one, but I must admit that I prefer the Marlowe's version. I suppose that is a very plain way of putting it, but there it is. I do see why Goethe's Faust is a classic. It is a highly praised book and deserving so. It is in many ways a timeless work, but it is not one of my favourite ones. Personally, I couldn't connect with this work of art on a deeper level.

Faust is known for the power of its language. Some of it might be lost in translation, I cannot be the judge of that. I read this book in translation, I had to. I don't read in German and I doubt I will ever learn the language. The full brilliance of original verse will probably remain lost to me. However, even in translation Goethe's Faust has great poetic power. That's definitely my favourite thing about Faust. The first part of Faust has some amazingly beautiful verses!

Potent and beautiful verses are always something to be admired. I wish that I could say that I was as impressed by the content as I was with the form, but I cannot. The story is too abstract, it is quite high paced at times and yet not in a way I like, sometimes it is confusing. It seemed to me that Faust does not have the dept I was looking for in it. Perhaps I just didn't know how to find it. Still, it wasn't as meaningful and layered as I would except for this type of writing. Moreover, the character of Faust was not clear to me, I felt nothing for him, I had no sense of his character development. I didn't like the ending much, either.

There were some really meaningful lines here and there, yet I did not have that sense of a great and tragic soul- there was something almost mediocre about this Faust. In addition, the dialogues between him and Mephistopheles were not as witty as I expected. I do not mind the fact that this is a hybrid between a play and an extended poem. Neither do I have anything against the literary period it was written in. It's simply that I think it could be better.

At one point of reading Faust I was even bored, so I tried imagining it on the stage- in my mind it worked. I wonder what it would really look like on stage. I know it is a popular play, despite the fact that it was written as a closet drama. Although it is quite long, I do not really see it as a closet drama. In my opinion the best part of the Faust is the poetry, the form, the language- in that aspect the play is a complete success. The content didn't impress me as such. At times Faust was great, at times boring, I don't know how to put it any other way. I expected more. ...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Darwin8u rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

Sitting on the shelf with the children of Homer, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton and Coleridge, Goethe's Faust is amazing in its poetry and depth. There are parts of this play/poem which seem to capture the whole drama of Man's fall and redemption within a single rhyming couplet. David Constantine's translation modernizes this amazing piece of High German lit, but George Madison Priest's translation seems, at least to me, to have a more seductive flow and more tempting poetry. ...more

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Apr 16, 2018 Chris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: soul-shakers-favourite-fiction

What a tragedy! How beautifully, subtly crafted. This was one of the most heart wrenching books I've read in a long time. ...more

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Mar 03, 2018 Olivia-Savannah rated it liked it

This was assigned reading for university.

I was quite confused and disconnected from the play as I read it. Although I did understand and could follow what was happening, I was lost as to the relevance of the play. I did not enjoy reading it.

But then I continued on to analysing the play and studying it - and there was where I discovered its worth, the themes it discusses and could appreciate the wit and aim of the play more. But it still couldn't be counted as an enjoyable or very enlightening ...more

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Dec 01, 2016 shakespeareandspice rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-n-fantasy, drama-n-poetry, classics, translated

Boy…this is very dramatic, isn’t it?

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Jul 24, 2014 Michael rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: flawless-then-flawed, murder-weapons, where-have-you-been, bedrock

Philosophy, blasphemy, sorcery, seduction, murder and orgy–oh my!

So at the roaring loam of time
I weave the godhead’s living garment.

I didn’t have the kind of education in which this book was required reading - not that I ever really bothered to read whatever was required anyway. And failing to remember “Goethe” in answer to an IQ question 10 years ago has ever since bothered me to some degree or another. But if such things were in the works to ensure that when I did read this book I would be mos ...more

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Jan 30, 2015 Sookie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: translated, literary-fiction

Tricksters make this world...

Lord to Mephisto: "And never come but finding fault always? Never a thing on earth gives you content?"

The first conversation between the Lord and Mephisto begins with Mephisto's discontentment towards people in earth. He cannot understand the disparity between humans. The discontentment isn't really a discontentment but inability to accept the things the way they are. Isn't that ambition all about? He doesn't say that out loud but its given to him as an answer by the ...more

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Feb 16, 2020 Wiebke (1book1review) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

Kinda grateful I didn't read this in school. I would have hated it and probably not understood the writing as well as now. I actually really enjoyed the writing a lot more than I had thought I would.
On the other hand I kinda miss reading this slow as you do in school and discuss different sections on the way. I tend to not go beyond my own ideas and understanding when I read a book on my own.

I also need to say a few words on the audiobook I listened to, Jürgen Fritsche does an amazing job at nar ...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Michelle rated it it was ok

Shelves: big-lipped-alligator, not-so-classic-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book--play?--has ADD. Seriously.
We start in heaven, with Mephistopheles making some sort of vague deal with God to try and get a Doctor Faust damned. They say that this Faust is some sort of a Job, even though we then cut to him despairing enough to contemplate suicide--and he hasn't even met Mephistopheles yet! The demon then turns into a poodle--seriously-follows him in from a brief walk, and ends up making a deal with him. I'm not really sure about the deal because they throw in all so This book--play?--has ADD. Seriously.
We start in heaven, with Mephistopheles making some sort of vague deal with God to try and get a Doctor Faust damned. They say that this Faust is some sort of a Job, even though we then cut to him despairing enough to contemplate suicide--and he hasn't even met Mephistopheles yet! The demon then turns into a poodle--seriously-follows him in from a brief walk, and ends up making a deal with him. I'm not really sure about the deal because they throw in all sorts of confusing asides about "you can take me to Hell in the hour I wish for that hour to last longer" or something. It ends up being just when his natural lifespan ends, he goes straight to hell. Mephistopheles finds him a girl to seduce whose name is either Gretchen or Margareta--apparently Gretchen is a shortening of the name, but nobody told me that, and I never would have guessed--and then he leaves to go cavort with witches and fairies. When he comes back, she's in jail for having killed her mother and his baby. She wants to die, and Mephistopheles hauls Faust off as the jailers come. Why? Wouldn't Faust's death now mean he goes straight to hell? End Part One.
Part Two opens with a pastoral scene of fairies doing vague things. This is the literary version of Bambi's mother's death. We bounce around with various kings fighting, and then the story turns into an Iliad fanfic, pairing up Helen of Troy with Faust. She dies. Faust gets old and dies, then the angels come and swipe him out of Mephistopheles's grasp. No, they don't really explain this. It might be because he "strove," but if that's it, then what we have is a mess of works righteousness--and what's more, these good actions that saved him were not shown!
This book is crazy. I read that it took Goethe sixty years on-and-off to write, and it looks as if he didn't bother to go over what he'd written before. The plot halts for long stretches, characters we've never met before spout a few lines as their introduction and leave, and Faust himself is often left in the dust. There's one particularly long section in which we follow a homunculus and philosopher around, without even Mephistopheles to pretend this has anything to do with the rest of the story. Random bits of mythology are injected whenever possible, whether it makes any sense or not.
Maybe other versions of Faust are better, I don't know. If it had stopped at Part One, it would have worked, but it didn't. I only read this because Faust was in The Band Wagon. The Band Wagon is awesome. Go watch that instead. ...more

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Sep 12, 2013 Sans rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: school-stuff, wake-me-up-when-its-over, how-about-no, not-my-cuppa

WARNING!!!!! THIS REVIEW APPARENTLY CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!! PLEASE TURN BACK NOW TO SPARE YOURSELF THE TRAUMA FROM ALL OF THESE SPOILERS!!!!!!

I'M SERIOUS, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T READ THIS. MY WRIST WAS PROPERLY SLAPPED DUE TO THE SPOILERS I LET LOOSE IN THIS REVIEW.

FOR GOD'S SAKE, THINK OF THE CHILDREN AND TURN BACK WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!!!

ARE YOU SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO READ THIS REVIEW, CHOCKED FULL OF SPOILERS??

WELL THEN, BE IT ON YOUR OWN HEAD. I DID TRY TO WARN YOU.

DON'T COME CRYING TO ME ...more

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Oct 08, 2019 linda rated it it was ok

Shelves: classics, own-a-copy, 2019-reads

yep, i have the same reason to be here as everyone else; this was assigned reading in high school and probably will be for a very long time to come just as many generations had to read this before.

and, to be honest, this wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. surely, there was a lot of confusion, nonsense (seriously, what was this witch ball and especially the play after that about?? some shakespeare reference???), weird witches and singing ghosts.

but i really have to give goethe credit for a ...more

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Feb 08, 2020 AB rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: german, some-of-my-favorites

What is Faust?

To me, there is no answer to that question. Faust evades description and assignment. It is many things at once: pure poetry, closet play, classical tragedy, and even comedy. It is irreverent to its own material, changing in focus and mood at whim. Goethe shamelessly cuts into the most dramatic moments of the Gretchen tragedy to include completely spurious epigrams. At a glance, the wager between Faust and Mephistopheles seems almost tacked on to the parts dealing with his relati What is Faust?

To me, there is no answer to that question. Faust evades description and assignment. It is many things at once: pure poetry, closet play, classical tragedy, and even comedy. It is irreverent to its own material, changing in focus and mood at whim. Goethe shamelessly cuts into the most dramatic moments of the Gretchen tragedy to include completely spurious epigrams. At a glance, the wager between Faust and Mephistopheles seems almost tacked on to the parts dealing with his relationship with Gretchen and vice versa. That being said, there is a continuity to it all. Although rough, it flows and some semblance can be gleaned of the entire work. Like Mephistopheles claim that he is “a part of that power which eternally wills evil and eternally works good” this work inhabits a bizarre and incompatible duality. It is both complete and fragmentary.

Above everything else, the amazingly poetic sections and the very gripping tragedy of Gretchen, it is this fragmentary nature that I find most enjoyable. I’ve often enjoyed the concept of leaving something incomplete. No statue of Michelangelo, not even the Pieta, has ever touched me in the same way as his incomplete Slaves. David, perfect in its Vitruvian proportions, is so distant and inhuman it touches me as an allegory given an alien human shape. The incomplete Slave, still half buried in the rough marble, speaks to me of perfect humanity. It’s the artist forever in motion, forever on the cusp of completing something. The process is still underway. The thoughts of the artist are still visible. That over the top polish is not yet applied. At any point, the artist could pick his tools back up and continue on. The moment of hesitation, of thought is still visible.

Faust: Part One gave me a similar feeling to what I felt when I saw the Slaves. I really commend David Luke for going into such detail on the three separate periods of composition and what each period entailed. David Luke really shined a light on this book that I feel thankful for. That such a long period of time had passed, and so much had changed but also been left the same brought this feeling of being both complete and incomplete to a new height for me.

I come out of this book with probably the most confounded thoughts I have had in a while. That "central to the Western Canon" idea has always been readily apparent to me. I could immediately see, even if I personally did not enjoy it, why a book is held in such esteem. Goethe dismantled that notion of apparentness that I had been clinging to. Its perfect in its paradoxical condition. Its something that I feel inherently drawn back to. A reread will definitely be occurring in the near future. ...more

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Nov 24, 2019 Sara Jovanovic rated it it was ok

When I was reading Ulysses, I thought Circe chapter was crazy and wondered why Joyce immersed himself as much into creating that play like chapter. Older plays aren't as dramatic, are they? But now I understand why. Because this was insane.

I debated for so long during my reading time whether to give this one or two stars. At the end, I decided it was worth two. It isn't the worst book I've ever read, but I definitely didn't enjoyed it. So what exactly made me raise my rating? I have to say that When I was reading Ulysses, I thought Circe chapter was crazy and wondered why Joyce immersed himself as much into creating that play like chapter. Older plays aren't as dramatic, are they? But now I understand why. Because this was insane.

I debated for so long during my reading time whether to give this one or two stars. At the end, I decided it was worth two. It isn't the worst book I've ever read, but I definitely didn't enjoyed it. So what exactly made me raise my rating? I have to say that Mephistopheles is one of the best characters I came across in a while. Besides being unexceptionally funny and making the play worth finishing, he actually made me interested in debating the deeper meaning of the book, so I can't wait until we start analyzing it in school. I also adore reading about bargaining your soul with the devil, so that aspect really stood out to me.

The things that happen plot wise range from Faust wanting to experience every possible human emotion (hence giving his soul to Mephisto), the two of them acting like best buddies and going to weird pubs, witch's lair, witch convention. There they get in fights, talk trash and waste time. Oh, and also Mephisto helps Faust hook up with a minor (view spoiler) (Although I don't know if happenings from classics can be considered spoilers. Our literature teacher obviously thinks they can't, since she always spoils them for us.) And Mephisto is being funny and arguing with people so that is nice.

I heard the second part is even more insane than this one and "accidentally" read the whole synopsis of the book so I can't see myself reading it, like, ever. It's a shame since I love Greek mythology and it's full of Greek mythology. But it's kind of a continuation of this so, umm, no. I'll pass. And what's the point if at the end (view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 28, 2011 aPriL does feral sometimes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: literary

Brilliant. Cannot be read fast and cannot be read once. Definitely stopped me with cold shivers when the genius of the writing surprised me at my first reading. I had no idea if what was possible in writing until I started reading the Great Books. If the play of smart writing rings a bell within you, you have to read a good version of this.

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Feb 02, 2019 Mistie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This beautiful translation of this amazing book is a must read. It is a thought provoking cautionary tale that I cannot wait to discuss with the group of women I am reading it with. Now to see if part two is as good.

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
summary/review	1	7	Jan 16, 2017 08:51AM
Best Modern Version of Faust	1	40	Jun 07, 2014 07:34AM
Classic Literature - Pretentious or Valid?	21	290	Jun 07, 2014 07:22AM
Gothic Literature: Faust, by Goethe Part one (i-XXV)	16	79	Mar 11, 2014 05:33AM
Brain Pain: Discussion - Week Four - Faust Part Two - p. 135 - 240	3	11	Mar 03, 2013 01:27AM
Brain Pain: Discussion - Week Three - Faust Part Two - p. 135 - 240	7	7	Mar 03, 2013 01:06AM
Brain Pain: Discussion - Week Two - Faust Part One - p. 63 - 133	27	30	Feb 18, 2013 04:29PM

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About Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer. George Eliot called him "Germany's greatest man of letters... and the last true polymath to walk the earth." Goethe's works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe's magnum opus, lauded as one of the peaks of world literature, is the two-part drama Faust. Goethe's other well-known literary works include h ...more