Faust cover

Faust

Rating 4.5
Word count
163K words
Chapters
36
ISBN
9787532752607

Tags

Summary

Faust is Goethe's masterpiece: a verse tragedy drawn from a sixteenth-century folk legend and the monumental work into which he poured his life's devotion. It depicts its protagonist Faust's painful lifelong quest for truth, reflects the whole history of Europe from the Renaissance to the early nineteenth century, and reveals the ceaseless struggle between the two forces of light and darkness, progress and backwardness, science and superstition. Through Faust's aspirations and pursuits, Goethe expresses his own lofty and beautiful ideals for humanity's future. The work comprises a series of narrative poems, lyrical poems, drama, opera, and ballet, and touches on theology, mythology, philosophy, science, aesthetics, literature, music, and political economy.

Editor's review

Faust is not only the monumental work on which Goethe labored for nearly sixty years, but also a summit of German and indeed world literature. This verse drama, with its grand structure, profound philosophical thought, and magnificent imagination, tells the legendary story of the erudite Faust, who makes a pact with the devil Mephistopheles, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly experience. This edition from Shanghai Translation Publishing House is translated by the renowned translator Qian Chunqi; his rendering is faithful to the verse rhythm and philosophical depth of the original while remaining elegant and fluent in Chinese, and is widely recognized as one of the authoritative translations in the Chinese-speaking world.

As an editor, I believe the value of this book goes far beyond the parable of a 'bargain between soul and devil.' It is an encyclopedia distilling Europe's spiritual exploration since the Renaissance, bringing together a vast panorama of myth, philosophy, science, politics, and love. Through Faust's ceaseless striving, Goethe probes deeply into the meaning of life, the limits of knowledge, the bounds of desire, and the highest ideal of the human spirit: unremitting self-improvement. Reading Faust—especially Goethe's final grant of salvation to Faust through creative labor 'opening up territory for humanity's freedom'—can lift us beyond a narrow concern with personal gain and loss and lead us to ask what constitutes a truly fulfilling and worthwhile life. Mr. Qian Chunqi's translation includes detailed notes and commentaries that effectively help readers bridge the gaps of culture and era and delve into this treasure house of thought.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Deep readers with a strong interest in European classical literature and philosophical thought
  • Literature lovers eager to appreciate the artistic charm of verse drama and the essence of German literature
  • Thinkers seeking answers to questions of life's meaning and spiritual dilemmas that transcend their era
  • Readers with some reading experience who are not afraid to tackle grand narratives and complex texts

Not a good fit for

  • Readers looking for light entertainment or fast-paced reading
  • Complete beginners unfamiliar with Western cultural background and classical literary forms

Reading tips

  1. On a first reading, focus on Part One, which has stronger dramatic conflict and a more concentrated story, making it easier to enter.
  2. Make good use of the translation's notes and introduction to understand the mythological allusions, historical background, and philosophical metaphors behind the story—this is key to understanding the book.
  3. Don't feel you must understand everything at once; treat it as a mine to be revisited at different stages of life, where new insights often emerge.

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 译本序
  3. 献诗
  4. 舞台序幕
  5. 天上序曲
  6. 悲剧 第一部
  7. 第一场 夜
  8. 第二场 城门外
  9. 第三场 书斋
  10. 第四场 书斋
  11. 第五场 莱比锡奥艾尔巴赫地下酒室
  12. 第六场 魔女的丹房
  13. 第七场 街道
  14. 第八场 傍晚
  15. 第九场 散步路
  16. 第十场 邻妇之家
  17. 第十一场 街道
  18. 第十二场 庭园
  19. 第十三场 园亭
  20. 第十四场 森林和山洞
  21. 第十五场 格蕾辛的住房
  22. 第十六场 玛尔太的庭园
  23. 第十七场 井边
  24. 第十八场 城墙里巷
  25. 第十九场 夜
  26. 第二十场 教堂
  27. 第二十一场 瓦尔普吉斯之夜
  28. 第二十二场 阴暗的日子
  29. 第二十三场 夜
  30. 第二十四场 牢狱
  31. 悲剧 第二部
  32. 第一幕
  33. 第二幕
  34. 第三幕
  35. 第四幕
  36. 第五幕

FAQ

Is Faust very difficult to read?
It does have a certain barrier to entry. It blends poetry, drama, and philosophical discourse and involves a great many cultural allusions. Choose an edition with detailed notes (such as this one), be patient, and start with the plot, gradually working deeper into its intellectual content.
What are the features of this edition?
This edition is translated by the veteran translator Qian Chunqi, using mainly literal translation supplemented by free translation, preserving to the greatest extent the verse form and intellectual substance of the original. The volume includes a long introductory essay, detailed notes, and textual notes, making it highly scholarly and helpful—very suitable for readers who wish to study the work seriously.
Is the ending of Faust's story a tragedy?
From the perspective of traditional drama, it is not a simple tragedy. Although the journey is full of suffering and error, Goethe ultimately gives Faust a redemptive ending. Its core idea is that 'whoever strives unceasingly will be saved,' emphasizing the supreme value of action and creation; it is therefore more a spiritual epic of humanity imbued with light and hope.

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About the author

Johann Goethe is a highly influential writer in the history of German literature. Publicly available information about the details of his life is limited, yet his works alone are enough to establish his standing. The library holds three of his works, including Faust and The Sorrows of Young Werther, commonly classified under foreign literature and world classics. The Sorrows of Young Werther, written in epistolary form, depicts the conflict between personal emotion and social pressure in sincere language and once struck a wide chord with readers; Faust, in the form of a poetic drama, explores themes such as the pursuit of knowledge, desire, and redemption, with a grand structure and strong speculative character. Goethe's writing combines lyricism with philosophical reflection and elevates individual experience into universal observation of human nature, leaving a profound influence on later literary creation.

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