A Companion to Goethe's Faust: Parts I and II(Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture)

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, thediachronic and synchronic dimensions of the text; and, finally, reflections on translating Goethe's text and on the play in performance. Contributors: Ritchie Robertson, Martin Swales, Alberto Destro, Osman Durrani, Ellis Dye, John R. Williams, Anthony Phelan, Franziska Schößler, Peter D. Smith, Cyrus Hamlin, R.H. Stephenson, David Luke, Robert David McDonald Paul Bishop is William Jacks Chair of Modern Languages at the University ofGlasgow.

Table of Contents:
Literary techniques and aesthetic texture - Introduction: Reading Faust Today - Paul Bishop The characterisation of Faust in parts I & II - Literary Techniques and Aesthetic Texture in Faust - Ritchie Robertson The character of the devil - The Character and Characterization of Faust - Martin Swales Helena: The opposition of medieval and classical worlds - The Guilty Hero, or the Tragic Salvation of Faust - Alberto Destro The problem of the Mothers - The Character and Qualities of Mephistopheles - Osman Durrani Philosophical issues in parts I & II - Figurations of the Feminine in Goethe's Faust - Ellis Dye - DECEASED IN 2017 The Uses of Tradition: The diachronic dimension - The Problem of the Mothers - John R. Williams Translating Faust: A personal view - The Classical and the Medieval in Faust II - Anthony Phelan The Feminine in Faust - Progressive and Restorative Utopia in Faust II and Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre - Franziska Schößler The Use of Mythological Motifs in Faust - "Was die Welt im Innersten zusammenhält": Scientific Themes in Goethe's Faust - Peter Smith Goethe's Faust and the Philosophers - Cyrus Hamlin The Diachronic Solidity of Goethe's Faust - R.H. Stephenson Translating Faust: A Personal Statement - F.D. Luke Faust: The Play in Production - Robert David MacDonald

About the Author :
Paul Bishop is Professor of German and Head of Department of German at the University of Glasgow. Paul Bishop is Professor of German and Head of Department of German at the University of Glasgow.

Review :
Each essay presents an interesting aspect of Faust research, and the volume as a whole can be used as a very informative reference work. ...as a coherent, accessible, often masterful introduction to a vast and complex work, this volume fulfills its promise....There is, without question, an awe-inspiring critical sovereignty and breadth in this book.