Faustus

Klinger, Friedrich Maximilian, 1752-1831Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 322K words
Chapters: 33

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Faustus by Friedrich Maximilian KlingerAuthor: Klinger, Friedrich Maximilian, 1752-1831,Language: English, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: May 14, 2008

Editor's review

Klinger's Faustus is a major work of the German Sturm und Drang period, forming an intriguing counterpart to Goethe's monumental work of the same name. Centered on the pact between Faustus and the devil, the play explores the boundaries of knowledge, desire, and redemption, in a style both vehement and philosophically rich. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, it offers readers low-cost access to a key text in German literary history, especially suited to those interested in the evolution of the Faust legend. Readers might treat it as a historical piece of the puzzle for understanding Goethe's version: Klinger's Faustus is more restless and rebellious, the dramatic conflict is blunt, and the protagonist's fate bears a distinct mark of its era. The English translation makes it accessible to English-language readers, though they should bear in mind how the translator conveys the original's style. Overall, this is a text deserving close reading by enthusiasts of literary history and comparative literature, not light entertainment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in German literary history and the Sturm und Drang movement
Comparative literature enthusiasts studying different versions of the Faust legend
English-language readers seeking classic drama through free ebooks

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light entertainment fiction and are unfamiliar with dramatic form
Readers expecting the same text as Goethe's Faust
Beginners unaccustomed to 18th-century dramatic language and English translations

Reading tips

First learn the basic framework of the Faust legend, then read this play to appreciate Klinger's distinctive treatment
Read alongside excerpts from Goethe's Faust, noting their different attitudes toward the pact and redemption
Record key turning points in the dialogues between Faustus and the devil as you read to grasp the themes
Supplement with background materials on German literary history to compensate for the period sensibility the translation may lose

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this the same work as Goethe's Faust?

No. Klinger and Goethe both drew on the Faust legend but created independent works with different plots and intellectual emphases. Klinger's version is a Sturm und Drang drama, more vehement and blunt in style; it can be read in comparison with Goethe's version but should not be treated as the same text.

Why does this book only have English version information?

This ebook is published by Project Gutenberg, and the information indicates the language is English, i.e., an English translation. The original is a German play; the English translation makes it accessible to English-language readers, but its style differs from the original, and researchers should consult the German original.

What background knowledge is needed to read this play?

A basic outline of the Faust legend and familiarity with the 18th-century German Sturm und Drang literary movement will help. Knowing that the drama of the period emphasized emotional outburst and a rebellious spirit enables a better understanding of the intensity of the characters' words and actions and the work's significance for its time.

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About the author

Klinger, Friedrich Maximilian, 1752-1831 Author · German · 1752–1831

Friedrich Maximilian Klinger (1752–1831) was a German playwright and one of the representative figures of the Sturm und Drang movement. His play Sturm und Drang gave the literary movement its name, and his works are known for intense emotion, a spirit of rebellion against the established order, and bold, unrestrained language, reflecting the younger generation's discontent with feudal constraints and rational norms. Klinger also wrote Faustus, a work based on the Faust legend, into which he infused the rebellious temperament and reflections on life of his era. Public information about the details of his life is limited, but it is clear that his writing was closely tied to the Sturm und Drang movement and influenced later German literature's emphasis on emotion and individual liberation. One of his works is held in this collection.