Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Books

Here Goethe shares his opinions on drama, poetry, music, painting, philosophy, and prominent figures of the day.

What makes this book so much better than a mere interview is that instead of getting a load of useless answers in response to imbecilic questions, we get impromptu pearls of wisdom, straight from the master, interspersed among stretches of his daily life.

Eckermann is a master biographer here, because he's close enough to the subject to elicit candor, but not so close that he is oblivious to the subject's flaws. Furthermore, he was adept enough to get the old man to speak at length with almost no questioning at all!

I won't say any more, because words just can't do it justice.

While in graduate school in Australia I happened in a pub (which is not extraordinary in itself) and got to talking with the bar-tender. It turns out that he was a student at the Univ. of Queensland too and was getting his MA in German. I told him how much I enjoyed Nietzche, who was the focus of his thesis, and eventually we got around to Eckermann's Coversations. I told him it was one of the best books that I had ever read: so quaint and yet probing. The reader sits in the drawing room and hears the most extrodinary discussions. In this way it reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. It is so civilized that it is almost nostalgic--but far too potent for that due to the genuis involved (Eckermann's mind ain't to shabby either). The newly made friend expressed amazement that an English major happened on this book; he said that I had been the only person outside the German dept that he had met that had ever read the book, or even heard of it (and this in a much more literate country than here). This is truely a shame we agreed. Ease-drop on a better time when scholars were gentleman, and in search of the truth not some PC BS, and were enamored with ideas. Goethe's Maxims is also highly recommended--as Faust and his other better known works. A Western classic, like the subject.

I love Goethe's creative works and his scientific theories, but most of all I love this book. I travel with it, look in it for advice and conversation. As an artist Goethe was incomparable; as a scientist he was curious, alive, observant, questioning -- but as a man who lived a life with a conscious intention to make his life a work of his own mind and heart he is the master and that master is found in the pages of this book. When I need a wise friend, I turn here and find, beside the wisdom, a silly person who thought spectacles were an affectation, an attempt on the part of someone to be something he was not. . .

For those who do not know anything about Goethe at all, 'Conversations' may not be a good place to start - but for those who are a little familiar with Goethe, 'Conversations of Goethe' makes for fascinating reading.

Very rarely do we have the life of a genius so well and closely documented. This book is not a record of formal interviews; it is a record by Eckermann, Goethe's good friend, who took the trouble to write down the great man's words almost every day, it seems. The book reads like a diary of Eckermann's, filled with Goethe - there is one entry for almost every day for a few weeks, then a break, and so on.

Eckermann seems to have written down almost everything he remembered from his conversations - and some of what Goethe said here may be edifyong, some not so much; but all of it is significant for one trying to get an insight into Goethe's mind - how it worked, how he thought, how he did things - right from the grand projects down to the simple pleasures.

One comes away from this book with an "insiders glimpse" of the Goethe's mind and world - and that really helps when reading his works.

The idea of Goethe as the complete, the perfect man, the universal genius - sticks with the reader years after reading this book. We live in an age when the really good things do not matter; Goethe reminds us of all the things that can, and do matter - and those things that can refresh, change, and enliven.

Nietzsche called this "the greatest book in German there is".

J.P. Eckermann meets J.W. von Goethe, while the Great Poet is in his 70's thought still spry in mind and producing some of the world's greatest poems (West-Eastern Divan) and, of course, Part II of Faust. Eckermann is to Goethe as Boswell was to Dr. Johnson. He chronicles his conversations with the German sage, who in these wondrous pages, reveals his mind-blowing, jaw-dropping multi-disciplinary genius...the likes of which has not been known since his death...and the lack of which may be leading us all to ruin.

It is a delightful book, which unfortunately due to our provincial focus on all things in English, has very limited popular appeal. Nevertheless, I encourage any with an interest in a grander time when men discussed, without ridicule art, architecture, drama, and les belles lettres, to read Eckermann's conversations with Goethe. After learning from Eckermann about this great man, you may consider the motto, that I often invoke...What Would Goethe Do?

In "Goethe, Nietzsche, and Wagner: Their Spinozian Epics of Love and Power," T. K. Seung develops his novel theory of Spinozian epics as first presented in his book "Nietzsche's Epic of the Soul" (2006), which contains an ingenious reading of "Thus spoke Zarathustra" as a Faustian and Spinozian epic of the soul. In a comparative examination of the thematic content of Goethe's "Faust," Nietzsche's "Zarathustra," and Wagner's "Ring," Seung elucidates how the understanding of Spinoza's pantheistic naturalism, its inspirational background and influences on European philosophy and literature, is indispensable for the understanding of the development and conditions of modern times. The book is the culmination of a life long study of the Faustian roots of Western culture. The first step was taken in his study of Dante's "Divine Comedy" as an epic of the Trinity as presented in "The Fragile Leaves of the Sibyl: Dante's Master Plan" (1962). In "Cultural Thematics: The Formation of the Faustian Ethos" (1976), he showed how the 13th and 14th centuries, in European philosophy and literature, constitute the formative period in the transition of the medieval outlook of Dante's epic to the Faustian view of the Renaissance. The theory was further substantiated in "Semiotics and Thematics in Hermeneutics" (1982) and "Intuition and Construction: The Foundation Normative Theory" (1993). Now, with his latest books on the Spinozian epics, Seung brings further clearness to the complex development and conditions of modern times.

My special interest in Dr. T. K. Seung's contribution to our knowledge of Nietzsche's intellectual debt to Wagner, "Goethe, Nietzsche, and Wagner: Their Spinozan Epics of Love and Power", follows from my own extensive research into Wagner's intellectual debt to the atheist German philosopher, Ludwig Feuerbach, whose works have much in common with Nietzche's mature philosophic writings, and anticipated them by decades. I am currently completing a book entitled "The Wound That Will Never Heal" which will consider Wagner's debt to Feuerbach in great depth. My special interest in Dr. Seung's remarkable and intriguing study follows also from the fact that Dr. Seung discusses my original research in the concluding chapter of his book, which traces the influence of Wagner's "The Ring of the Nibelung" upon Nietzche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra".

From the earliest days of my research I recognized that Wagner had had a considerable influence on Nietzsche's philosophic writings, and I recorded my observations casually in the margins of my various books by Nietzsche, but I have not yet systematically examined this influence. Furthermore, of all Nietzsche's works I have always found "Thus Spake Zarathustra" the least useful for my purposes, not because it lacks value, but because it is the most ambiguous of Nietzsche's works. Since it it difficult to ascertain with certainty what any given passage from this allegorical work means, it is therefore exceedingly difficult to say anything definitive about the degree of Wagner's influence.

Dr. Seung's book has been a huge boost to this endeavor. He has so extensively cross-referenced conceptually related passages in Nietzsche's text, and so thoroughly cross-referenced these passages in turn with related passages from Nietzsche's other books, that he is able to grasp the allegorical logic at work in what Seung describes as Nietzsche's "parody" of Wagner's "Ring". And this of course has only been possible because Dr. Seung, unlike most Nietzsche scholars, has also studied Wagner's "Ring" text in depth, and with the respect which alone can bring its secrets into view. Dr. Seung has discovered numerous links between the two works which I had not anticipated. His study is a major contribution to our knowledge of Nietzsche's intellectual dependence on Wagner.

A key reason that Wagner's influence on Nietzsche's writings has been so little examined by scholars in the past, is that Nietzscheans as a whole have tended to denigrate Wagner's status as a thinker, thanks among other things to Wagner's very turgid prose style, and to his anti-Semitism. They have often drawn the conclusion, without adequate ground, that because of these disadvantages Wagner's writings (and even his artworks) lack sufficient philosophic coherence and integrity to be worthy of Nietzsche's (and therefore our) respect. However, contemporary research is demonstrating that Wagner, (particularly in his "Ring", understood of course as an allegory, not literally), has produced artworks of astonishing philosophic unity and force.

A key reason for this is that, at the time Wagner wrote the libretto for his "Ring" (roughly 1848-1852), he was hugely under the influence of the German atheist philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach. Since Feuerbach in turn looked to the Jewish philosopher Spinoza as his mentor, Wagner fell heir to the Spinozan outlook through Feuerbach's influence. Having extensively researched Feuerbach's, Nietzsche's, and Wagner's key writings, it is clear to me that Nietzsche was hugely influenced by Feuerbach directly (and not merely as transmitted by Wagner to Nietzsche), yet an examination of Nietzsche's texts has so far not turned up any tribute to Feuerbach's influence. This is fruitful ground for another book.

Dr. Seung's book is also a momentous contribution to a renaissance in Wagner studies predicated on our growing consciousness of the philsosophic sophistication of his opera and music-drama librettos, which grants Wagner the respect due a serious thinker, a respect denied him by most scholars up until the present day. My own research into Wagner's "Ring" libretto provides what I believe is persuasive evidence, extensive in scope and intensive in depth, that it is a far more elaborate and sophisticated sublimation of Feuerbach's philosophy into poetic allegory than has previously been suspected. To this extent I believe my own work will complement Dr. Seung's contribution.

I therefore strongly recommend Dr. Seung's original study to anybody wishing to examine, in depth, the remarkably fruitful intellectual exchange between Friedrich Nietzsche and his onetime mentor (and subsequent nemesis), Richard Wagner.

This book offers a fascinating reading of three of the most important works of modern literature. The suggestion that their heroes are all attempting the same spiritual feat is stunning and should be of interest to anyone concerned with modern intellectual history and philosophy.

Seung argues that Goethe's Faust, Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and Wagner's Ring of the Niebelung are all epics cast within a Spinozan worldview, which takes the entire world to be a single substance. In each case, the conflict on which each epic are two modern desires: that of the modern individual for power and self-sufficiency and the desire to overcome alienation from nature. These desires are antithetical, and in each case, the epic presents the resolution of the conflict as arising only from love. In other words, the resolution is consistent with Spinoza's worldview, which recognizes that the individual is real only as a part of a larger whole.

Among the striking features of Seung's reading are the following claims:

1. Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Ring of the Niebelung are both parodies of Faust. All three portray the transformation from a striving individualistic hero to a higher self that recognizes his oneness with the entirety of nature.

2. The idea of the superman is important not only in Nietzsche's Zarathustra, but also in Faust and the Ring cycle.

3. Faust can be understood entirely naturalistically. Faust's redemption is a projection of a psychodrama; it does not occur in the afterlife, but just before his death. The eternal feminine is the communal self, or higher self, not a transcendent force. Redemption involves the unification of the communal self with the individual self (the striving self that has motivated Faust throughout the play).

4. The Spinozan epics respond to the modern historical situation, in which the medieval Christian worldview is dead, but Renaissance individualism has led to an untenable situation.

5. Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a parody of Wagner's Ring, with the four books of Zarathustra corresponding to the four operas of the Ring cycle. The connections are shown in considerable detail.

Thomas Seung has argued that we can study key works of philosophy and art in terms of recurring cultural themes that these works try to navigate. In this fascinating book, he ties together three key thinkers-- Goethe, Nietzsche, and Wagner-- in terms of the ideas of a fourth-- Benedict Spinoza. Each of the three, Seung argues, tries to explain the puzzles of human existence in terms of Spinoza's pantheistic naturalism, the notion that we are all part of a larger, living Nature that transcends human optimism and pessimism, and is beyond human conceptions of good or evil. To prove his thesis, Seung offers close and often surprising readings of these three thinkers, and he takes us on a whirlwind tour of Greek, Mediaeval Christian, and German Romantic ideas, with the ideas and arguments flying so quickly there is barely time to catch one's breath. In the process he produces new interpretations of Faust, Thus Spoke Zarathustra and The Ring Cycle that are as illuminating as they are daring. This is a truly amazing synthesis of a vast array of literatures and ideas. Anyone interested in these thinkers will find this book a stimulating read.

This book is an ideal introduction to Goethe, perhaps a better place to start even than Faust (passages from which are included here). Poems from each period of Goethe's creative life are presented, starting with the youthful romantic and progessing through the elder mystic. All the most famous poems are here, many of which are or should be known to every German speaker. The poems are presented in German with simple English prose renderings below, so the ideal reader is one with a year or two of German, who will enjoy the originals with the help of a non-poetic translation.

Goethe reached heights, etheral and primordial, that other poets have reached but no one seems to just be able to linger there at will and take a stroll like he did. No poet is as thorough, myriad, piercing, and beautiful in observation about being, or the human condition and its relation to all things, as Goethe.

This is a dual language work. It is a rich selection of the poetry of one of the Western tradition's greatest poets. The German original is on the page in poetry, and below in smaller print is the English translation. I believe that only a person who knows German well can truly appreciate the greatness of Goethe's poetry. The English translations do not pretend to be poetry, and do not sound like it. They are made in a somewhat archaic, stilted language.
I select one poem as an example a poem called ' Autumn Mood'. The translation reads as follows: ' More lushly green, you leaves on the vine trellis, grow here up my window!More thickly swell, twin berries, and ripen more quickly to more lustrous fullness!The parting gleam of your mother the sun broods over your birth; the sweet sky's fecund bounty suspires around you; the kindly moon breathes cooling magic upon you, and ah1these eyes bedew you with the full-flowing tears of love that eternally gives life."
This despite the exclamation points does not ' sound' in English
as it must in the original.

David Luke's edition of selected verse by Goethe provides the original German text and an English translation (usually in prose, though an exception is made in the case of "Nicolai on Werther's Grave," p. 27). This allows the reader who may not be fully conversant with German, or for whom it may be a bit rusty, to savor the word music of Goethe's original text. Significant excerpts from "Faust" appear, as well as a good cross-section of the other verse of this important world poet.

I'm not a student or a scholar, I'm just a huge fan of Goethe, and he's not very prominent in America. There are two volumes out and a third planned for the biography...my recommendation is get a background in Goethe first. Werther, then Faust, Wilhem Meister, Egmont, Ellective Affinities, I also highly highly highly reccommend Goethe's conversations with Eckermann. Nietzshce called it the best book in the German languange and I have to agree. In other words, develop a taste for Goethe, then Boyle's biography will be an engrossing exploration of genius. It's not just the story of Goethe, it's a battle of enlightenment vs. romanticism, idealism vs. realism, Goethe vs. the world and Goethe vs. himself. The ideas here are bigger than the story. I'm at a loss as to how this biography was actually written. It's a major accomplishment to finish it, an even bigger one to understand it, an absolute triumph for Boyle in writing it.

This book is undoubtedly the best book on Goethe available in English. Boyle's descriptions of Weimar and Jena bring the late 18th and early 19th century to life. After reading the book, I had a much better grasp on Goethe and his contemporaries. I recommend the book highly to anyone seriously interested in understanding German literature. My one complaint is that the book is almost too unwieldly to read in bed. It also took several months to digest. (But well worth the effort!)

Oof! Be prepared to read this book at a snail's pace or lightly many times over. I don't believe I have ever read anything quite like it: multidimensional scholarship raised to another level. Nearly two centuries separate Goethe from us, but this work throws a bridge across time.

Russian Symbolism seems to be a peculiar literary movement at first glance. But Russian Symbolists inherited very much from German romantics. I'm also a student of Russian Symbolism, especially of Ivanov's heritage, like the author. I was captivated by this book. This fascinating book has become for me a model of my research (especially the chapter 10 is splendid!): a "mirror" of what I think about Ivanov. An excellent book both for specialists and for simple literature lovers.

A trenchant investigation of an essential subject. Rarely have I encountered such a profound treatment of this highly intriguing subject. The book is a must for anyone interested in German-Russian literary relations.

Russian Symbolism seems to be a peculiar literary movement at first glance. But Russian Symbolists inherited very much from German romantics. I'm also a student of Russian Symbolism, especially of Ivanov's heritage, like the author. I was captivated by this book. This fascinating book has become for me a model of my research (especially the chapter 10 is splendid!): a "mirror" of what I think about Ivanov. An excellent book both for specialists and for simple literature lovers.

This is a bi-lingual edition of selected poetry of Goethe. Since I can read a little German I very much appreciate the German texts. But I was surprised to read that there had been an earlier edition which supplied only literal prose versions of the poems, which I would much prefer. Goethe is untranslatable and the efforts of translators to provide "poetical" translations invariably results in drivel, as well as misrepresenting the original texts, and this book is no exception. In short, better than nothing, but not much better.

This new, bilingual selection of Goethe's poetry is very good. The editor and translator, David Luke, has brought together one volume of some of Goethe's best. Luke presents the poems in chronological order, allowing the reader to follow the development of Goethe's genius over his long and fruitful career.

This volume includes 100 of Goethe's best and most famous, including "An den Mond," an early poem and one of my personal favorites, and extensive selections from Goethe's masterpiece, Faust. The selection is very broad--you're sure to find something you like in this one.

The only real flaw is easily overlooked... if you speak German. The book is bilingual--Goethe's originals face translations by Luke, the book's editor. Luke's translations are good, but not great. He strains the meaning and accuracy in an effort at rhyme and meter. Sometimes it works; many times it doesn't. I'd still recommend this book to people who don't speak German, but with the reservation that the English translations pale in comparison to the originals.

All in all, though, a very good book--money well-spent.

Highly recommended.

The creative linguistic force of this master flows with particular resonance, because of his genius, whose mind like an admirable labyrinth of livings, experiences, prodigality, mythic inspiration seem to gather in just a man the strength and voices of thousand poets; from the stormy and wild sketch to the instinctively breath to the most polished small jewel; from the funny idea to the most concentrated vital wisdom.

Goethe' s poems will always reign among the most notable works of the universal literature; almost fifteen hundred pages, that describe since the spring to the winter stages of the existence of this multidimensional human being; where we may contemplate the grandness and the smallness of the universe even in its most ultimate details.

Every time we reread his chained Prometheus, we will feel how the long expected cry of freedom waited for so many centuries until to find the adequate poet, capable to carve in relief, with unquestionable ardor, the majestic rage expressed as the last frontier of the epic effort.

Hermann Hesse affirmed that Goethe was the greatest German poet in the last two centuries. So, don't miss these jewels out your invaluable library. They are a must-have.

An absolutely fascinating read, at a level suitable for both professional scientists and academics but easily accessible to the layperson as well. This is essential reading for anyone with an interest in holism, holistic science and the limits of science. Bortoft provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of Johan Wolfgang von Goethe's approach to science, clearly showing the contemporary relevance of his entirely different way of coming to an understanding of the natural world. He underpins this analysis by his own philosophical research on the relationship between the whole and its parts.

In our daily thinking we tend to be stuck in what Bortoft calls analytic consciousness, through which we try to understand the phenomena in our world by analysing them into parts and then building them up again from those parts. In this way, the whole becomes an entity, which stands alone, albeit constituted from its parts. Goethe's way of science, however, draws on a very different conception of the whole, as being intimately entwined with its parts, in such a way that, in a sense, the whole comes into being through the parts, while at the same time the parts come into being through the whole. We can only really understand this by experiencing it and drawing on our intuitive mode of consciousness.

Bortoft shows how Goethe dwelled in the phenomena he studied to such degree that he was able to understand these phenomena, without needing to explain them. Moreover, Bortoft does an excellent job at showing how this mode of science is objective in the exact same way as conventional science is objective, in that it is verifiable by others, but dependant on a shared way of seeing the world.

Having read many parts of the book over again, I am in awe of the wholeness of this work, in the Goethean sense, so that each section forms both a part of the whole, but at the same time contains the entire work within itself. Once read as a whole, each section brings to life again the entire work, revealing each time new aspects and helping me to think afresh, with thought-provoking ideas. Striking in all this is how Bortoft has managed to bring the entire subject to life by showing so clearly how Goethe's science comes into being.

The relevance and importance of this work will no doubt increase over the years.

No praise is adequate for this book with its strong unsentimental philosophical approach tempered with a relaxed style and exceptionally clear explanations of the material. It opens up a completely new way of viewing and doing science one not easily acceptable to a rigid interpretaion as it stands today. Very broad in its scope discussing very deeply the idea of world view, it is an essential read for any scientist even applied mathematicians such as myself. Unlike other books in the same vein eg metaphysical etc, in whose domain it does not belong, there are no fantastical explanations with no grounding but rather well researched arguments in favour of an almost a Socratic perspective, refering here to Socrates's character and life rather than Plato's use of him in his arguments. Recommended for all open minded readers and those who would like to have theirs opened.

I don't know when I will have the chance to sing this books praises with more details, so here I will just say the following:

This book is a masterpiece on several fronts. Here we have the best articulation yet as to why modern science must reject the healing tonic which lives in Goethe's approach. Here we have the best articulation yet of how an alternative approach to science is possible- one that is systematic and exact, yet open and participative with nature.

The methodology presented in this book is epistemologically sound, unlike the on-looker/representational epistemology that modern natural science is necessarily bound to.

This book shows us how to begin taking a step in a beautiful, true and necessary direction. more later

When I read through the introduction, I was surprised to find out that this work was the result of a lifetime's endeavor - because it's relatively short. While authors these days churn out 600 page books on a yearly basis, this man wrote over the course of his life. The writing is very different from modern day authors such as Steven King, in that detail is only applied to objects sparingly, where as S.King's books tend to delve into details at will.

This is, to my mind, the best existing English translation of Faust. Luke's verse is ingenious, it flows beautifully, and -- above all -- it rhymes! Non-rhyming translations can never capture Goethe's extraordinary poetry. Other ryhming efforts are typically awkward and unnatural. Luke's introduction is also highly illuminating -- scholarly, but accessible. If you want to get as close to the original as is possible in English, read this version.

Looking at some reviews by other reviewers, I realized that not everybody has heard of Faust or of Goethe, and I was pretty shocked.

The first part of what I'm saying is about this translation. As Luke so graphically showed in his "Translator's introduction", there are many things that pull at the translator's central agenda: rhyme, metre, primary meaning, nuance, and so on, and the translator has to achieve a balance. Among the translations I've read and from snippets of what I've seen of other translations, Wayne's translation has the most smooth-flowing, elegant rhyme I've seen.

As positives for this translation: The elegance is unparallelled; the wit is sparkling; the metre is almost flawless; the deviation from Goethe is usually acceptable; and there is never, repeat, never, an obvious rhyme-holder word.

As negatives for this translation: There is in a few cases too much of deviation from the original; Wayne at times infuses his own interpretation and character into the work; and the English, though just perfect for, say, a 1950's speaker in England (and those of us used to that kind of word-flow), may be distracting for Americans in 2000.

An example of the latter: "What depth of chanting, whence the blissful tone / That lames my lifting of the fatal glass?" This is pretty representative: if "lames my lifting" does not sound pretentious or obscure, and if the elegance of it strikes you, Wayne's translation is the one for you. If on the other hand, "lames my lifting" sounds straight out of a mediaeval scroll (as I believe is the case with many Americans), then look elsewhere for a translation you will enjoy (read: Luke).

Another, more involved example is in the final lines of Faust II: Wayne translates "Das unbeschreibliche / Hier ists getan" as "Here the ineffable / Wins life through love". Now that, of course is hardly a translation; but it fits in with Wayne's scheme of things - and that IS the point; Wayne has his "scheme of things", which you may or may not like.

The second part of what I'm writing is about Faust itself, the Masterwork: as any German will tell you, Faust is one of the centrepieces of literature, and it is worthwhile learning German JUST to read Faust. Each person comes away from "Faust" having found that that he/she was looking for. Every person is reflected in Faust; "Faust" is the ultimate story of Man. What tempts us, what keeps us, what draws us on, what tears us, what defines us, what lies in store for us - it is all there. "Faust" is a journey everyone should undertake. There is nothing controversial here - no "God", no "Hellfire", nothing but Goethe's straightforward but not blunt, sensitive but not compromised, philosophical but not dreamy, analysis of the human situation. "Faust" is the Master thinker Goethe's sincere attempt at looking at it all; and it does not fall visibly short of the task.

Part I should be read by everyone; Part II is not strictly a sequel, but in many ways is, as Wayne shows in his Introduction. Part II requires some knowledge of Greek Mythology; and does in many ways "complete the story". Only, it goes way beyond that.

This work is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Western Literature. Goethe initially conceived in 1797 but finished only a few months before his death in 1832. It contains his essential message to the world. The work is considered more philosophical and poetic than dramatic, and is rarely staged. Among the problems I have with it are the line- by - line poetry. Wayne's translation may be one of the finest( I am in no position to judge) but it does not read to me as if great poetry. Goethe is said to be for German be as Dante for Italian, and Pushkin for Russian the one who most completely defines the literary language. Supposedly the nuances and tones of Faust are an encyclopedia of human mood and disposition. As a reader of this work I did not get this. I also did not find in the work sympathetic characters or a story that could be made much sense of . I found a strange mythology, a Walpurgisnacht, a panoply of mythical beings who do not arouse human sympathy.
And this brings me to Faust himself, who without Gretchen( dead in part one) comes in the end to a certain form of redemption. This redemption through working for the common good ( as opposed to selfishly seeking his own pleasures and power as Faust has all along) is the great wisdom of the end. The Faust who errs and continues to try , who persists is rewarded for his persistence and salvation will be his. 'For he whose strivings never cease / Is ours for his redeeming.'In the words of Goethe as quoted in the introduction to this volume " In these lines the key to Faust's salvation is contained. in Faust himself there is an activity mounting ever higher and purer to the end,and from above eternal love which helps him in his need. All this is completely in harmony with our religious conceptions,according to which we enter bliss, not by our own strength alone, but by the divine grace vouchsafed to us.' p.11
Goethe is that rare exception the so- called ' happy genius' and he grants to his much tormented hero and in some sense alter ego, ' Faust' the happy ending of salvation.
Perhaps the reader of this work who has persisted in reading it from beginning to end should also be given a bit of 'salvation' for his effort. For in my case anyway the pleasure in the reading all along , was not that great.

Looking at some reviews by other reviewers, I realized that not everybody has heard of Faust or of Goethe, and I was pretty shocked.

The first part of what I'm saying is about this translation. As Luke so graphically showed in his "Translator's introduction", there are many things that pull at the translator's central agenda: rhyme, metre, primary meaning, nuance, and so on, and the translator has to achieve a balance. Among the translations I've read and from snippets of what I've seen of other translations, Luke's translation is the most accurate of the ones I've read, in many ways. In other words, the compromises that Luke himself details have been executed here with near-perfection.

It comes down to what you like. Luke's translation is the closest among all attempts so far to being dubbed a "universal" tranlslation. But just as we cannot have a universal programming language, we cannot have a translation that will please everybody.

The positive for this translation is of course the extraordinary faithfulness to the original while maintaining rhyme. The negatives are what one would expect; the translation does not read smoothly on the line level. To clarify, a line carries over to the next line in too many cases to make for a "smooth read". An example:

"Refreshment! It's your own soul that must pour / It through you, if it's to be anything."

This "pour it" example siuation occurs too often, and is jarring for those who "grew up" with Arndt's or Wayne's translations.

The second part of what I'm writing is about Faust itself, the Masterwork: as any German will tell you, Faust is one of the centrepieces of literature, and it is worthwhile learning German JUST to read Faust. Each person comes away from "Faust" having found that that he/she was looking for. Every person is reflected in Faust; "Faust" is the ultimate story of Man. What tempts us, what keeps us, what draws us on, what tears us, what defines us, what lies in store for us - it is all there. "Faust" is a journey everyone should undertake. There is nothing controversial here - no "God", no "Hellfire", nothing but Goethe's straightforward but not blunt, sensitive but not compromised, philosophical but not dreamy, analysis of the human situation. "Faust" is the Master thinker Goethe's sincere attempt at looking at it all; and it does not fall visibly short of the task.

Part I should be read by everyone; Part II is not strictly a sequel, but in many ways is, as Wayne shows in his Introduction. Part II requires some knowledge of Greek Mythology; and does in many ways "complete the story". Only, it goes way beyond that.

The previous review is clear about the value of this translation. Knowing a bit of German, I can say that this translation does use shapes instead of forms for Gestalten. the real value of the work beyond the translation, however, especially for first time readers, is found in the notes made by David Luke. These notes are helpful for the historical context, allusions to Goethe's personal life and work, and allusions to philosophy, literature, and more ... all essential to understanding the work.