Faust

Goethe’s Faust, a two-part dramatic work based on a traditional theme, and finally completed in 1831, is the epic of the European Romantic movement. Part I outlines a pact Faust makes with the devil, Mephistopheles, and encompasses the tragedy of Gretchen, whom Faust seduces. Part II reflects Goethe’s own transition from a predominantly Romantic to a wider world-view and explores more extensive themes, including the values of the Classical past, as it moves toward its resolution. The protagonist, Faust, is presented in a complex manner, and Goethe’s treatment of the subject matter raises ethical and spiritual issues that are never resolved within the drama itself.