Faust

6b Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Translated from the German by Lord Francis Leveson Gower. London: John Murray, Albemarle-Street, 1825. In two Volumes. Second Edition. 

Notes

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet, novelist, playwright, philosopher, and statesman, widely regarded as one of the greatest literary figures in European history. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Goethe became a leading voice of the Sturm und Drang literary movement before helping shape Weimar Classicism, which emphasized artistic harmony, humanism, and classical ideals. His early novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) brought him international fame, while his later works, particularly Faust, established his reputation as a literary genius. Goethe's intellectual pursuits extended far beyond literature, encompassing botany, anatomy, color theory, and natural philosophy, reflecting his lifelong fascination with the relationship between humanity, nature, and knowledge. His writing profoundly influenced Romanticism and modern European thought, securing his place among the most important authors of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Goethe's Faust is one of the most celebrated works of German literature, drawing upon the centuries-old legend of a scholar who bargains with the Devil in pursuit of limitless knowledge and worldly experience. The tragedy follows Heinrich Faust, a disillusioned intellectual who enters into a pact with the cunning demon Mephistopheles, setting in motion a profound exploration of ambition, temptation, love, morality, and the human desire for fulfillment. Goethe worked on the story for much of his life, publishing Faust: Part One in 1808, while Part Two appeared posthumously in 1832. Blending elements of folklore, philosophy, religion, and Romantic literature, the work examines the conflict between earthly desires and spiritual aspirations. Its tragic love story involving the innocent Gretchen remains among its most memorable episodes. Widely translated and adapted for opera, theater, and other artistic forms, Faust has become a cornerstone of world literature, celebrated for its psychological depth, poetic brilliance, and enduring questions about the nature of human existence.

This second english edition of Goethe's Faust represents an important early chapter in the introduction of German Romantic literature to English-speaking audiences. Translated by Lord Francis Leveson Gower, whose English rendering first appeared in 1823, the edition emerged during a period of growing British fascination with German philosophy, folklore, and dramatic poetry. Published during Goethe's lifetime, it reflects the early efforts to bring his complex poetic masterpiece to readers beyond Germany, decades before the work achieved its enduring international reputation. 

Description

Deep navy calfskin leather with gilt embossed boarders to each board. Red leather labels to spine with gilt lettering and gilt ornamentation in each of the compartments. Marbled endpapers. Ownership bookplate to interior boards. Some subtle foxing throughout. Very fine condition.