Undisputedly a canonical work, Goethe's Faust is also the key to understanding its author, one of European civilization's most complex figures. Written over several decades, the work spans both Goethe's life and an age of enormous social, political, philosophical, and artistic change -- even revolution. In this volume, Goethe scholars and experts from North America and Europe explore a range of the major aspects of this fascinating work, aiming to offer a cutting-edge guide to the reader and scholar. Topics discussed include an analysis of the figure of Faust; the role of the Devil in the drama; the function of the feminine figures; the meaning of the 'Mothers' scene; the character of Helena; the question of salvation in the work; the philosophical issues and scientific themes in the work; the texture of Goethe's language; the utopian aspects of Faust and the Wilhelm Meister novels, the diachronic and synchronic dimensions of the text; and, finally, reflections on translating Goethe's text and on the play in performance.
Paul Bishop teaches German language and literature at the University of Glasgow.