About this title: 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. Here, in "Faust," "Part 1," the tremendous versatility of Goethe's genius creates some of the most beautiful passages in literature. Here too we experience Goethe's characteristic humor, the excitement and eroticism of the ...
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Description: Acceptable. 1962-Paperback----Used-Acceptable-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Anchor
Date Published: 1962-12-04
ISBN-13:9780385031141ISBN:0385031149
Description: New. New Book. There is slight time wear. Otherwise looks new. Free tracking # included! International buyers are welcome. We ship every business day. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! read more
Edition: Later Printing
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Anchor Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1961
ISBN-13:9780385031141ISBN:0385031149
Description: Fair. Has creases and edgewear, and black dots on last page of book, some discoloration of the pages. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Anchor Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1961
ISBN-13:9780385031141ISBN:0385031149
Description: Very Good. 5 1/2 x 8. 1990 printing. In very good, clean condition. Translated and with an Introduction by Walter Kaufmann. Bilingual Verse edition with German on left page and English on right page. With line references. Includes Prelude in the Theater, Part I and Part II of Faust. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Anchor
Date Published: 1962
ISBN-13:9780385031141ISBN:0385031149
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Doubleday
Date Published: 1961-06-01
ISBN-13:9780385031141ISBN:0385031149
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780385031141. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: General Books
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781459096486ISBN:1459096487
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 5.98 by 9 inches. This book is printed on demand [allow 1-2 weeks for printing]. (00174 pages) lang=english accessory: no accessory (Paperback ) read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: General Books
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780217215220ISBN:021721522X
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 5.98 by 9 inches. This book is printed on demand [allow 1-2 weeks for printing]. (00270 pages) lang=english accessory: no accessory (Paperback ) read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: BiblioLife
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781116150339ISBN:1116150336
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 4.99 by 8 inches. This book is printed on demand [allow 1-2 weeks for printing]. (00264 pages) lang=english accessory: no accessory (Paperback ) read more
"Faust part I is the easier to read and shorter of the two parts, but it is not the better. It follows the ur-Faust tradition in which Faust makes a bargain with the devil in exchange for knowledge. The David Luke translation is not recommended. It maintains Goethe's rhyme scheme from the original at the expense of Goethe's meaning, which is subtle and usually profound. Find a blank verse translation that strives for accuracy of content. You don't miss out on much by giving up end-rhymes. If anyone could recommend a translation matching this description, I'd appreciate it greatly."
"My review: Faust is the classic tale of man's introspection in his pursuit of life, where great wisdom brings greater bruden. Finished in 1832, this 'closet drama' has a gothic style with all advantages of Elizabethan inspiration from the likes of Shakespeare and every scientific, religious, philosophical, achaeological... engineering down to the kitchen sink available to him. Really--if you're the type who likes to look into your authors, Goethe is a fascinating genius of a man. Like most people with a story to be told, he projects himself into the shoes of Faust quite fluently.
To keep my synposis brief, Heinrich Faust is a dying breed among the world's professions: the alchemist--a scientist of worldly metals and unworldly essences, forever searching for the universal and complete truth. In the beginning, god and Mephistopholes (Satan) are chatting before the pearly gates about the weakness of mortals and eventually their challenging opinions come to a bet against the soul of Faust. God Believes that Faust, although capable of unwholesome things, being a creature of several sciences, will know his soul's purity before his end, and so Satan sets out to tempt him. Some introductions follow of how inconsolable Faust has become of late, to the point that he sends an understudy away to take his own life, but he is stopped and so Satan and Faust meet. Faust, being the scholar that he is, eventually agrees to Satan's promise but on an oath agreeing that only if Faust should attain a moment so blissful that he wished it would last forever would Satan have his soul. Now, on to the slightly more interesting stuff.
Faust is divided into two parts. For those of you who really like to look into an author's work, this is a diamond mine for you. Looking at Goethe's life will reveal deep personal connection, but even on the surface this division on plots sets the stage for parallelisms between Faust's life, painstakingly placed enigmas between two lovers Faust has and their reasons for failed fatherhood. Although there were not as many conflicts/arguments of spirituality, philosophy, or even sinful knowledge as I would have liked, I think the neutrality is a design of enjoyment.
Like most pieces of the great art (har har, it's an alchemy pun!) Faust is written in in more rhyme/meter than it is prose; because the piece is written and translated beyond the period of nominative pronouns like thy and thou, this makes the reading flow like textual ambrosia for even the most modernized reader. That being said, it is a very long imbibe in two parts. I strongly recommend this book to anyone of its intended religious audience as well as anyone who can just enjoy a good smart-read."
"I figured it was about time I got around to actually reading this, considering how much I love so many things that have been derived from it, but it ain't an easy read... not because of the challenging quality of the text (I wish), but because so much of it is just incredibly freaking pointless and extraneous... there are all these random chorus bits with huge casts of inexplicable extras that I just keep picturing as lame musical productions, and every time I get to another one I just want to cry. Or stop reading. Even with about 3/4 of the text removed, it would still probably be lamer than I thought it would be. Oh well. Sorry, Goaty, I'll stick to yer followers instead."
"Though it relies heavily on christian paraphenalia throughout (the tale of Faust being much older than Goethe), I wouldn't say the intent of it is christian. Goethe updates this legend by setting it against the backdrop of his contemporary times- the enlightenment era. Thus the play uses the themes of damnation and redemption, but addresses issues of learning, academics, and striving versus earthly pleasures and sensuality.
Mephistopheles, the devil's avatar, is much more interesting as a character than Faust. Rather than an unrelenting tempter, he seems almost passive in Faust's self-destruction; it is even Faust who suggests the pact originally. It seems Faust was already bent on evil, and he simply uses the devil to accomplish his aims. There are also hints that the devil is just as unhappy as faust, though he hides it, but for different reasons ("misery loves company" he remarks).
It is fascinating for its variety of poetic forms. It has bits of bar-room songs, meditations on life, a hallucinogenic "Walpurgisnacht dream sequence," a play-within-a-play, etc. Though it deals with heavy themes, there's levity to be found, and it can often be quite funny. Is it a tragedy? A morality tale? A retelling of Job? I don't think there's coherence to finally find, I think it flies apart and can't keep itself straight. The ending is unsatisfactory. But these are all reasons I found it interesting; its strength is in Goethe's poetic beauty, which this translation manages to convey."
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