Faust: A Tragedy, Part IGoethe is the most famous German author, and the poetic drama Faust, Part I (1808) is his best-known work, one that stands in the company of other leading canonical works of European literature such as Dante’s Inferno and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This is the first new translation into English since David Constantine’s 2005 version. Why another translation when there are several currently in print? To invoke Goethe’s own authority when speaking of his favorite author, Shakespeare, Goethe asserts that so much has already been said about the poet-dramatist “that it would seem there’s nothing left to say,” but adds, “yet it is the peculiar attribute of the spirit that it constantly motivates the spirit.” Goethe’s great dramatic poem continues to speak to us in new ways as we and our world continually change, and thus a new or updated translation is always necessary to bring to light Faust’s almost inexhaustible, mysterious, and enchanting poetic and cultural power. Eugene Stelzig’s new translation renders the text of the play in clear and crisp English for a contemporary undergraduate audience while at the same time maintaining its leading poetic features, including the use of rhyme. Published by Bucknell University Press. Distributed worldwide by Rutgers University Press. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Faust Part I | 33 |
Acknowledgments | 217 |
Explanatory Notes | 219 |
Further Reading | 229 |
Contemporary English Translations of Faust Part I | 231 |
Common terms and phrases
already appears beautiful beginning blood breast bring century child circle comes course dear death deep desire devil diferent divine don’t door dream drink early earth enters eternal eyes faust fear feel feet fellow fire flame force frosch German girl give Goethe Goethe’s Gretchen hand happy head hear heart Heaven hold human It’s Italy lead leave light live look Lord magic margaret martha matter mean Mephisto mephistopheles mother moved Nature never night once play poet poor pretty scene seek seems sense siebel single sings song soon soul sound spirit stand step student sure sweet tell There’s things thought translation turn University voice What’s whole wine witch you’re young