Mr. Faust

Arthur Davison FickeProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 128K words
Chapters: 13

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.Mr. Faust by Arthur Davison FickeAuthor: Ficke, Arthur Davison, 1883-1945,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Feb 25, 2008

Editor's review

Mr. Faust is a verse work by the American poet Arthur Davison Ficke based on the Faust legend, a public-domain eBook in the American literature category. Its value lies not in retelling the old tale of the bargain but in reexamining, through poetic language, the tension between knowledge, desire, and cost; it suits readers interested in how the Faust motif has been transformed in English-language poetry. As an early public-domain text released by Project Gutenberg, it preserves the original typography and language habits, so readers can sense the distinctive voice with which an early twentieth-century American poet handled a classic European subject. Its strengths are its manageable length and concise language; it works well as supplementary reading for comparative literature or English and American poetry courses, and also for close reading in segments during a commute or other short intervals. Note that this is a verse work rather than a novel: the narrative advances through imagery and monologue, and first-time readers may need to slow down. Overall, it is better read with questions in mind than as leisure reading in pursuit of plot excitement.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the evolution of the Faust motif in English-language poetry
English and American literature students who need a public-domain verse text as course supplementary reading
Literary enthusiasts who enjoy short verse drama and are willing to read imagery and monologue slowly
Those who want to see how an early twentieth-century American poet handled a classic European subject

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a full-length Faust narrative or a plot-driven novel
First-time readers unaccustomed to verse texts who prefer plain prose narrative
Beginners who need modern annotations and a detailed introductory guide

Reading tips

First learn the basic framework of Goethe's Faust, then read this poem against it to compare how the motif is handled differently.
Read stanza by stanza; after each stanza, summarize the speaker's core demand in one sentence.
Keep pen and paper to note recurring images and keywords, then look back at how they change after finishing.
Read alongside other public-domain poems on the same subject to compare how different authors write about the bargain and its cost.

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 book a novel or poetry?

It is a verse work by Arthur Davison Ficke based on the Faust legend; the narrative advances through imagery, monologue, and lines of verse rather than through the continuous plot of a prose novel. It should be read at the pace of poetry, and one should not expect chapter-by-chapter plot development.

Can I read it without having read Goethe's Faust?

You can, but knowing beforehand the basic framework of Faust's bargain with the devil will noticeably lower the barrier to understanding. If you are entirely unfamiliar with the motif, it is advisable to read a brief overview of the Faust legend first and then enter the text, which will help you grasp the key points of the poetic adaptation more quickly.

What is special about this edition?

This edition comes from Project Gutenberg and is a public-domain eBook that preserves the original language habits and typography, without detailed annotations or an introduction added by a modern editor. It is suitable for reading as a primary text, but if background explanation is needed, other sources must be consulted.

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About the author

Arthur Davison Ficke Author · American · 1883–1945

Arthur Davison Ficke (1883–1945) was an American poet, playwright, and student of Japanese art. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1883 and died in Hudson, New York, in 1945. His poetry is known for its traditional meter, with careful attention to rhythm and formal discipline. In Spectra: A Book of Poetic Experiments, written with Witter Bynner under the pen name Anne Knish, he parodied the modernist experiments of the day, an episode that remains a curious and entertaining moment in American poetry. He also wrote Chats on Japanese Prints, which reflects a sustained interest in and appreciation of Japanese printmaking, while his play Mr. Faust engages with the classic Faust theme. Three of his works are held in the collection; public information is limited, and further details of his life and work remain to be examined.