Faust

What it is

Faust is a two-part tragedy by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, mostly written in rhymed verse. He began drafting it in the 1770s and only finished Part Two in 1831, shortly before his death; it was published posthumously.

Why it matters

Faust is considered Goethe's magnum opus and one of the greatest works of German literature. It follows a scholar who makes a bargain with the devil-figure Mephistopheles, exploring striving, knowledge, love and redemption. Because Goethe worked on it for decades, the play reflects how his thinking changed over his whole life, moving from personal drama in Part One to broader reflections on society, history and philosophy in Part Two.

Look closer

• Why might an author spend almost sixty years writing one work?
• What does the bargain between Faust and Mephistopheles suggest about Goethe's own ideas of ambition and limits?
• How might the play read differently if written all at once instead of across a lifetime?