Faust is a tragic play written by Goethe and known as one of Germany’s greatest literature works. Part one consists of the story of a young man named Heinrich Faust, who is coerced into serving the devil Mephistopheles in hell in exchange for anything Faust wishes for on Earth. Faust falls in love with a woman named Gretchen, who with Mephistopheles help, he seduces and has a child with. Gretchen’s brother challenges Faust to a duel and dies by the hands of Faust and Mephistopheles. Gretchen drowns her illegitimate child and is sent to jail, where Faust tries to save her. She however, does not wish to leave. Faust Part 2 shifts away from focusing on Faust’s soul and sets him on a different journey that later redeems his soul.
Faust Part 2 appeared posthumously in 1832. The Faust plays were not produced often but drew massive crowds. Both are considered incredible feats of literary work and continue to influence literature today.
