Faust - A Tragedy in Two Parts and the Urfaust (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

ISBN 10: 1840221151 / ISBN 13: 9781840221152

Published by Wordsworth Editions, 1999

About this Item

Based on the fable of a man who traded his soul for superhuman powers and knowledge, this text became the life work of Germany's greatest poet, Goethe. It is the dramatic poem that charts the life of a deeply flawed individual and his fight against despair and the nihilism of the Mephistopheles. Translator(s): Williams, John R. Series Editor(s): Griffith, Tom. Series: Wordsworth Classics of World Literature. Num Pages: 496 pages. BIC Classification: DCF; DD. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 215 x 127 x 27. Weight in Grams: 312. 1999. paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # 9781840221152

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Faust - A Tragedy in Two Parts and the Urfaust (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)
• Publisher: Wordsworth Editions
• Publication Date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1840221151
• ISBN 13: 9781840221152
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Goethe's Faust is a classic of European literature. Based on the fable of the man who traded his soul for superhuman powers and knowledge, it became the life's work of Germany's greatest poet. Beginning with an intriguing wager between God and Satan, it charts the life of a deeply flawed individual, his struggle against the nihilism of his diabolical companion Mephistopheles. Part One presents Faust's pact with the Devil and the harrowing tragedy of his love affair with the young Gretchen. Part Two shows Faust's experience in the world of public affairs, including his encounter with Helen of Troy, the emblem of classical beauty and culture. The whole is a symbolic and panoramic commentary on the human condition and on modern European history and civilisation. This new translation of both parts of Faust preserves the poetic character of the original, its tragic pathos and hilarious comedy. In addition, John Williams has translated the Urfaust, a fascinating glimpse into the young Goethe's imagination, and a selection from the draft scenarios for the Walpurgis Night witches' sabbath - material so ribald and blasphemous that Goethe did not dare publish it.