Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Goethe's Faust is one of those rare classics that you feel good about reading and that you actually enjoy reading--well, I did anyway, to the point where my husband was laughing at my eagerness to "go snuggle up with some Faust" as he put it. An accurate observation. But that doesn't mean this is an easy read. I had the good fortune to get my hands on an outstanding edition translated by Walter Kaufmann, who through a mix of rigorous work and sheer genius managed to impart the rhyme, rhythm, and meaning of the original into English version. The edition is laid out with the German text on the left page, and the English on the facing right, so that that I could read the German and let my eyes flick over to the English side during the denser, more poetic sections to make sure I hadn't missed anything important.
I think most of us have encountered some version of the old "sold my soul to the devil" trope, but how many of us know the original story (ok, there were many versions of Faust/Faustus before Goethe put his spin on it, but still)? This isn't as dull or tragic a "tragedy" as most of us have somehow been led to believe. The story and language are earthy and funny, especially the devil-incarnate Mephistopheles who can draw wine from a table. The titular Faust himself is naive and silly and dangerously ambitious, but his love for Gretchen is touchingly real, if misguided, and you just want it to work out, knowing there's no way it can... But I think what surprised me most about Faust is the moral ambiguity in this story about making deals with devils, which on the surface sounds (morally) pretty cut and dry (I hear Marlowe's version adheres to more Church-approved messages). Goethe himself was not a religious man, and it's clear from the choices he makes as a writer that, in his view, good and evil are messily intertwined.
I can't recommend this book and this edition highly enough.
**I should mention that this translator included all of Part One, and judiciously chose to summarize most of the more rambling and esoteric Part Two: only Acts 1 and 5 appear in full, and from the introductory explanations, I think it was a wise choice.**
I think most of us have encountered some version of the old "sold my soul to the devil" trope, but how many of us know the original story (ok, there were many versions of Faust/Faustus before Goethe put his spin on it, but still)? This isn't as dull or tragic a "tragedy" as most of us have somehow been led to believe. The story and language are earthy and funny, especially the devil-incarnate Mephistopheles who can draw wine from a table. The titular Faust himself is naive and silly and dangerously ambitious, but his love for Gretchen is touchingly real, if misguided, and you just want it to work out, knowing there's no way it can... But I think what surprised me most about Faust is the moral ambiguity in this story about making deals with devils, which on the surface sounds (morally) pretty cut and dry (I hear Marlowe's version adheres to more Church-approved messages). Goethe himself was not a religious man, and it's clear from the choices he makes as a writer that, in his view, good and evil are messily intertwined.
I can't recommend this book and this edition highly enough.
**I should mention that this translator included all of Part One, and judiciously chose to summarize most of the more rambling and esoteric Part Two: only Acts 1 and 5 appear in full, and from the introductory explanations, I think it was a wise choice.**
Poslouchala jsem jako audioknihu, spoustu mi toho unikalo, nedoporučuju! Těším se, že si to sama přečtu ještě jednou nebo to konečně uvidím na divadle.
medium-paced
Lúcifer e Deus discutem a infelicidade do homem. Ao longo desta discussão, Deus lembrou o nome do Doutor Fausto(O personagem de Fausto é baseado em uma figura histórica chamada Johann Georg Faust, um alquimista, astrólogo e adivinho do século XVI, a quem foram atribuídos poderes das trevas e conexões com o diabo) a quem reputava comprometido servidor, mas a quem lúcifer via apenas como um médico já velho e que amargurado pela vida por não ter todo o conhecimento que gostaria de ter.
Mefistófeles faz uma aposta com Deus dizendo que conseguiria corromper o Doutorzinho, que só era bonzinho porque ainda não fora tentado… Tal como a história de Jó no velho testamento observe: "E disse o Senhor a Satanás: “Observaste tu a meu servo Jó? Homem íntegro e reto, temente a Deus, e que se desvia do mal. Então respondeu Satanás ao Senhor, e disse: porventura teme Jó a Deus debalde? Porventura tu não cercaste de sebe, a ele, e a sua casa, e a tudo quanto tem? Mas estende a tua mão, e toca-lhe em tudo quanto tem, e verás se não blasfema contra ti na tua face.
E disse o Senhor a Satanás: Eis que tudo quanto ele tem está na tua mão; somente contra ele não estenda a tua mão. E Satanás saiu da presença do Senhor.”
E assim lúcifer manda mefistófeles(o diabo) descer à terra disfarçado de homem para tentar Fausto. Oferece-lhe todos os prazeres do mundo, tenta de todo modo satisfazê-lo “Obrigo-me a servi-lo em tudo e à risca enquanto vivo for, e obedecer-lhe aos acenos até, sem cansar nunca.”
Fausto faz um pacto com mefistófeles dizendo que depois dele ter gozado de todos os prazeres e deleites do mundo chegasse uma hora que ele dissesse” Oh, pára! És tão formoso!”sua alma iria pertencer ao demônio. Quem será que vencerá esta aposta? Fausto encontra a vida de emoção que tanto queria, mas no meio do caminho encontra uma jovem e bela mulher chamada Margarida, qual será sua reação?
Esta peça de Goethe é uma obra-prima. O poeta trabalhou por mais de 60 anos nas várias edições que saíram.
Mefistófeles faz uma aposta com Deus dizendo que conseguiria corromper o Doutorzinho, que só era bonzinho porque ainda não fora tentado… Tal como a história de Jó no velho testamento observe: "E disse o Senhor a Satanás: “Observaste tu a meu servo Jó? Homem íntegro e reto, temente a Deus, e que se desvia do mal. Então respondeu Satanás ao Senhor, e disse: porventura teme Jó a Deus debalde? Porventura tu não cercaste de sebe, a ele, e a sua casa, e a tudo quanto tem? Mas estende a tua mão, e toca-lhe em tudo quanto tem, e verás se não blasfema contra ti na tua face.
E disse o Senhor a Satanás: Eis que tudo quanto ele tem está na tua mão; somente contra ele não estenda a tua mão. E Satanás saiu da presença do Senhor.”
E assim lúcifer manda mefistófeles(o diabo) descer à terra disfarçado de homem para tentar Fausto. Oferece-lhe todos os prazeres do mundo, tenta de todo modo satisfazê-lo “Obrigo-me a servi-lo em tudo e à risca enquanto vivo for, e obedecer-lhe aos acenos até, sem cansar nunca.”
Fausto faz um pacto com mefistófeles dizendo que depois dele ter gozado de todos os prazeres e deleites do mundo chegasse uma hora que ele dissesse” Oh, pára! És tão formoso!”sua alma iria pertencer ao demônio. Quem será que vencerá esta aposta? Fausto encontra a vida de emoção que tanto queria, mas no meio do caminho encontra uma jovem e bela mulher chamada Margarida, qual será sua reação?
Esta peça de Goethe é uma obra-prima. O poeta trabalhou por mais de 60 anos nas várias edições que saíram.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a trip.. and now I just feel extremely stupid cause I feel like a lot of stuff went right over my head lol. I'm really grateful for the notes and commentary in this edition though, they helped me grasp a lot of the symbolism and meanings behind a lot of parts.
Did I have a lot of fun reading this? Yes. Did I love it? Maybe not. I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about it. I really appreciate all the historical, literary and mythological references that Goethe put in here (even though as I said, some went right over my head), and how he was alternating writing-styles, at first I wasn't really paying attention to why the rhyme was changing, but I was impressed when I noticed and understood why it was happening.
Did I have a lot of fun reading this? Yes. Did I love it? Maybe not. I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about it. I really appreciate all the historical, literary and mythological references that Goethe put in here (even though as I said, some went right over my head), and how he was alternating writing-styles, at first I wasn't really paying attention to why the rhyme was changing, but I was impressed when I noticed and understood why it was happening.
Didn't like it, it may be because of the translation or maybe just because I read it between other books
I am glad I read Sorrows of young Werther first, else I would have misunderstood this amazing poetic philosopher. He’s right up the alley of Hume, Kant and Kafka for me. The beauty of this poem/ play/ story is that it tickles everyone, be it comically, philosophically or irritably (if you are too uptight