Goethe: The Tragedy of Faust

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German pronunciation: [ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfɡaŋ fɔn ˈɡøːtə], 28 August 1749 -- 22 March 1832) was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long poem of modern European literature.His other well-known literary works include his numerous poems, the Bildungsroman Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, and the epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.
Goethe was one of the key figures of German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; this movement coincides with Enlightenment, Sentimentalism (Empfindsamkeit), Sturm und Drang and Romanticism. The author of the scientific text Theory of Colours, his influential ideas on plant and animal morphology and homology were extended and developed by 19th century naturalists including Charles Darwin. He also served at length as the Privy Councilor of the duchy of Saxe-Weimar.
In politics Goethe was conservative. At the time of the French Revolution, he thought the enthusiasm of the students and professors to be a perversion of their energy and remained skeptical of the ability of the masses to govern. Likewise, he "did not oppose the War of Liberation waged by the German states against Napoleon, but remained aloof from the patriotic efforts to unite the various parts of Germany into one nation; he advocated instead the maintenance of small principalities ruled by benevolent despots."
Goethe's influence spread across Europe, and for the next century his works were a major source of inspiration in music, drama, poetry and philosophy. Early in his career, however, he wondered whether painting might be his true vocation; late in his life, he expressed the expectation that he would ultimately be remembered above all for his work on color.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts: Faust. Der Tragödie erster Teil (translated as: Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy) and Faust. Der Tragödie zweiter Teil (Faust: The Second Part of the Tragedy). Although rarely staged in its entirety, it is the play with the largest audience numbers on German-language stages. Faust is Goethe's most famous work and considered by many to be one of the greatest works of German literature.
Goethe completed a preliminary version of Part One in 1806. The 1808 publication was followed by the revised 1828--29 edition, which was the last to be edited by Goethe himself. Prior to these appeared a partial printing in 1790 of Faust, a Fragment. The earliest forms of the work, known as the Urfaust, were developed between 1772 and 1775; however, the details of that development are no longer entirely clear.
Goethe finished writing Faust Part Two in 1831. In contrast to Faust Part One, the focus here is no longer on the soul of Faust, which has been sold to the devil, but rather on social phenomena such as psychology, history and politics, in addition to mystical and philosophical topics. The second part formed the principal occupation of Goethe's last years. It appeared only posthumously in 1832.
Faust: The Second Part of the Tragedy (German: ''Faust. Der Tragödie zweiter Teil'') is the second part of Goethe's Faust. It was published in 1832, the year of Goethe's death. Because of its complexity in form and content, it is usually not read in German schools, although the first part commonly is. It can be seen as one of the most difficult works of German literature, requiring an extensive knowledge of Greek mythology. Only part of Faust I is directly related to the legend, which goes back at least to the beginning of 16th century (thus is older than Marlowe's play). The "Gretchen"-plot, although now the most widely known episode of the Faust legend, was of Goethe's own invention. In Faust II, the legend of Johann Faust (at least in a version of the 18th century, which came to Goethe's attention) already contained Faust's marriage with Helen and an encounter with an Emperor. But certainly Goethe deals with the legendary material very freely in both parts.
This audio collection contains a treasury of 100 classic books and includes info on the life and times of the author, the theme of the book, the characters, the story outline, a concise yet detailed abridgement of the story and a discussion of the values that make each book one of the great classical works of literature.
© ''IntelliQuest World's 100 Greatest Books'' 1995
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

[@azathothic]

You got mail.You got mail.

[@LunaLu-00]

"happiness comes from working in the service of one's talents and one's world"

[@horationelson57]

The things one fortuitously comes across --The instant expert series--wonderful listening pleasure. Thank you for sharing

[@lokombiano2007]

thanks for uploading this, it's really useful

[@TheFreek009]

thank you very much this had immensely aid my understanding of goethe faust

[@gjergjipapa4063]

This helped me alooot with my asignment . Thank u so much man!

[@Lelouch458]

This was beautiful

[@liloou30]

Thank you very much, wonderful !

[@mgpoirot]

Wonderful Listenes to it fully

[@parthoghosh9999]

Good narration. Explained very well. Listened during lockdown at Kolkata

[@hashimbajwahashimbajwa424]

بہت عمدہ

[@jamesroach8841]

In the first place, Faust is predominantly comic as a whole, and tragic only by the tradition Goethe subverts. In the second place, he is not a philosopher, but a literary artist and a sage, which is not at all the same thing, but something much better.

[@friedrichschopenhauer2900]

He was that as well as a philosopher and scientist. Granted, that's not how I'd have expected him to be introduced here.

[@pedrocastelo7100]

Cool, brother...

[@ChroniclesofaDC]

I cried and cried. Thank you, most resonating...

[@robertarmitage6996]

This is the first time I have noticed that Metisopholes, in his debunking attitude, can be compared to the Fool in "King Lear". Both display cynicism under the cloak of comedy. It would be interesting to know if Lear's fool was an inspiration for Metisopholes.

[@user-ec8rm9hr8q]

Good video

[@as4873]

Did anyone notice the striking facial resemblance between Goethe and Bernie Madoff?

[@otimemmanuel953]

Thankyou

[@Deutschlehrer53]

I love this version. Thanks. Does anyone know of an English language version of the second part? Does this Eric Masters one have a second part of the tragedy version? (I know there is part two, as this audio file is in two parts, but they are both part one, if that makes sense!)

[@jamesroach8841]

+Ralph Doane The best version I know of is by Stuart Atkins, who translated both parts, and is probably still available in a single volume. I read it about every 6 months or so, and especially enjoy the scandalously spectacular Pt II.

[@Deutschlehrer53]

Thanks, James. But is that available as an audio file? I'll try googling it.

[@emayfrit]

Does anyone know how in the world does Faust rhyme so well in english? It seems this should not be so for a German literary work, or am I mistaken that it was written in German? I just got the Amazon Audible dramatized version of Faust, and it is quite spectacular, abridged, nevertheless at four hours run time.

[@CharlesDickens99]

I am looking for an edition of Faust which contains both English and German versions side by side, hopefully on opposing pages, in order to improve my German. Can anyone recommend a suitable edition or publisher?

[@yaddayadda82]

I highly recommend the translation by Walter Kaufmann which contains the German with it. It's the only version I know which maintains the meter and rhyme scheme of the original almost perfectly with very few changes. All other translations I've seen do not keep the structure anywhere close to the original. It does omit the second third and fourth acts of the second part however.

[@LenHummelChannel]

A titanic masterpiece of soaring genius.

.I am Bowls Göthe. My heart is my fist.

[@ednachiclana6410]

wow. I fell asleep... but this is important

[@leonardohernandez9804]

Do you think Faust falls into as a hero or villain?

[@mpcc2022]

Human all too human.

[@mauriciochanes435]

I didn't feel like reading the boring book, THANK YOU!

[@luvababes]

[@8265]

In the original story Faust is dragged to Hell!

[@joe77andino]

Have you considered my servant " Job" Shit I meant Faust lol 😂

[@hydraelectricblue]

Lol Job on steroids. Still beautiful and enchanting , much more so than the book in the Bible.

[@mgpoirot]

I'm so bad at typing on my phone

[@zerge69]

MG P mee tu

[@onlytoon2312]

Please check your inbox.

[@gokulpnair]

Good to know about his interest in GOD consciousness.

[@friedrichschopenhauer2900]

Obnoxious.