Goethe: Faust
Dr. Theresa Thompson
English 2130
Fall 2009
Spirits of the Romantic Movement
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Individualism 
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Poetry is a subset of verse
Poetry is usually more
imaginative, and has a
more intricate structure of
patterns, symbols,
metaphors, etc.
Prose: anything written or
spoken that is not verse.
Drama: can rely on verse,
prose, or both.
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Faust relies on rhymed verse.
Inaccessible desires Insatiable appetites
Sturm und Drang (Storm and
Stress).
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Life of imagination more real
than material world (Blake,
Rousseau) Imagination asl authority (Blake,
Rousseau)
Passion greater than Reason.
(Rousseau, Goethe)
Nature corresponds to an inner
or spiritual world* Infinite Longing (Goethe) 
Verse: any rhythmical or
metrical composition.
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Innocence as a virtue (Blake)
Rebellion against the role of
reason in the Enlightenment
(Rousseau);
Non-directive ideas about
education (Rousseau)
Terms
Imagination
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Celebration of
Childhood 
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Self-revelation Poet as prophet/ the importance
of spiritual autobiography (Blake,
Rousseau)
Romantic Lyric—the speaker
closely connected to the poet’s
own experience
a revolt against literary
conventions--particularly ideas of
the unities
Stressed a return to “nature”
“cult of genius”
Romantic Hero: Genius figure,
usually male, incapable of
satisfaction, constantly striving
for things beyond human reach.
Satan & Prometheus as
prototypes.
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Reckless, doomed and
dangerous.
Mysteriously brooding, bitter,
northern loner.
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J.W. Van Goethe
(1749-1832)
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An important figure in
Romanticism.
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Imagination: supreme mental faculty
Nature: sublime
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Burke (1776) linked beauty to the
finite and the sublime to the infinite.
Myth & Symbolism: correlate to
nature’s emblematic language
without one-to-one aspect of
allegory.
Goethe spent 60 years writing
Faust.
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Began ~1770 and completed in 1832,
just before his death.
Part I published in 1808.
The Myth of Faust
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Original Myth
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Faust was a wandering conjuror
presumed to live in Germany ~14881541.
Faust was an intellectual who sold his
soul to increase his own power.
Faust fears death.
Goethe’s Faust: Very different
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“Prologue in Heaven” reconfigures
Faust myth using the Book of Job.
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Mephistopheles, like Satan in Job,
obtains permission to try to effect the
ruin of Faust's soul. (682)
“Lord” is confidant that
Mephistopheles will fail & Faustus
will not lose his soul. (683)
Prologue anticipates the conclusion
in Part II--we won’t be reading Part II.
Delacroix: “Faust
& Mephistopheles”
Leit Motifs: dominant patterns
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Romantic Hero’s Infinite
Longing
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Macrocosm v. Microcosm (686,
715, 752-753)
Infinite v. Finite
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Strives after the unattainable (684,
690, 712)
Mysterious, brooding loner (709,
750)
Two souls struggle in his breast
(700)
Resurrection v. rebirth (692, 705,
717, 720)
Love v. lust (743)
Sublime Nature (infinite) v. art /
magic (685, 699, 716, 748)
Bonds / rules / law / contracts
(711, 713)
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Drama
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Drama: usually a literary work intended for performance
before an audience.
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Poetic Drama (i.e. Faust)
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No narrator or narrative structure.
Reliance on Characters, Setting, & Dialogue to communicate
meaning.
Drama written entirely in verse.
Meant to be performed publicly.
Closet Drama
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often written in verse.
meant to be read not performed.
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