Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Faust Parts I & II

1 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Faust Parts I & II A. S. Kline 2003 All Rights Reserved This work may be freely reproduced, stored, and transmitted, electronically or otherwise, for any non-commercial purpose. Contents part I: Dedication .. 5 part I: Prelude On 6 part I: Prologue In 14 part I Scene I: 19 part I Scene II: In Front Of The City-Gate .. 35 part I Scene III: The Study .. 51 part I Scene IV: The Study .. 64 part I Scene V: Auerbach s Cellar in Leipzig .. 87 part I Scene VI: The Witches Kitchen .. 105 part I Scene VII: A Street .. 119 part I Scene VIII: Evening,.. 123 part I Scene IX: 129 part I Scene X: The Neighbour s 132 part I Scene XI: The Street .. 142 part I Scene XII: The Garden .. 145 part I Scene XIII: An Arbour in the 153 part I Scene XIV: Forest and Cavern.

2 155 part I Scene XV: Gretchen s 161 part I Scene XVI: Martha s 163 part I Scene XVII: At The Fountain .. 170 part I Scene XVIII: A Tower .. 173 part I Scene XIX: 175 part I Scene XX: The Cathedral .. 183 part I Scene XXI: Walpurgis Night .. 186 part I Scene XXII: A Walpurgis Night s Dream .. 203 part I Scene XXIII: Gloomy Day .. 212 part I Scene XXIV: Night .. 215 part I Scene XXV: A 216 part II Act I Scene I: A Pleasant 227 part II Act I Scene II: The Emperor s Castle: The Throne 231 part II Act I Scene III: A Spacious Hall with Adjoining Rooms .. 243 part II Act I Scene IV: A Pleasure Garden in the Morning 277 part II Act I Scene V: A Gloomy 286 part II Act I Scene VI: Brilliantly Lit 293 part II Act I Scene VII: The Hall of the Knights, Dimly 297 part II Act II Scene I: A High-Arched, Narrow, Gothic 308 part II Act II Scene II: A 318 part II Act II Scene III: Classical Walpurgis 327 part II Act II Scene IV: On The Upper Peneus 350 part II Act II Scene V: Rocky Coves in the Aegean 372 part II Act II Scene VI: The Telchines of 383 part II Act III Scene I: Before the Palace of Menelaus in 392 part II Act III Scene II: The Inner Court of The 418 part II Act IV Scene I: High 453 part II Act IV Scene II: On the 466 part II Act IV Scene III.

3 The Rival Emperor s Tent .. 484 part II Act V Scene I: Open 496 part II Act V Scene II: In the Little 499 part II Act V Scene III: The Palace .. 501 part II Act V Scene IV: Dead of 507 part II Act V Scene V: 511 part II Act V Scene VI: The Great Outer Court of the Palace .. 517 part II Act V Scene VII: Mountain Gorges, Forest, Rock, Desert .. 530 part I: Dedication Again you show yourselves, you wavering Forms, Revealed, as you once were, to clouded vision. Shall I attempt to hold you fast once more? Heart s willing still to suffer that illusion? You crowd so near! Well then, you shall endure, 5 And rouse me, from your mist and cloud s confusion: My spirit feels so young again: it s shaken By magic breezes that your breathings waken.

4 You bring with you the sight of joyful days, And many a loved shade rises to the eye: 10 And like some other half-forgotten phrase, First Love returns, and Friendship too is nigh: Pain is renewed, and sorrow: all the ways, Life wanders in its labyrinthine flight, Naming the good, those that Fate has robbed 15 Of lovely hours, those slipped from me and lost. They can no longer hear this latest song, Spirits, to whom I gave my early singing: That kindly crowd itself is now long gone, Alas, it dies away, that first loud ringing! 20 I bring my verses to the unknown throng, My heart s made anxious even by their clapping, And those besides delighted by my verse, If they still live, are scattered through the Earth.

5 I feel a long and unresolved desire 25 For that serene and solemn land of ghosts: It quivers now, like an Aeolian lyre, My stuttering verse, with its uncertain notes, A shudder takes me: tear on tear, entire, The firm heart feels weakened and remote: 30 What I possess seems far away from me, And what is gone becomes reality. part I: Prelude On Stage (Director, Dramatist, Comedian) Director You two, who ve often stood by me, In times of need, when trouble s breaking, Say what success our undertaking 35 Will meet with, then, in Germany? I d rather like the crowd to enjoy it, Since they live and let live, truly.

6 The stage is set, the boards complete, And they await our festivity. 40 They re seated already, eyebrows raised, Calmly hoping they ll be amazed. I know how to make the people happy: But I ve never been so embarrassed: not That they ve been used to the best, you see, 45 Yet they ve all read such a dreadful lot. How can we make it all seem fresh and new, Weighty, but entertaining too? I d love to see a joyful crowd, that s certain, When the waves drive them to our place, 50 And with tremendous and repeated surging, Squeeze them through the narrow gate of grace: In the light of day they re there already, Pushing, till they ve reached the window, As if they re at the baker s, starving, nearly 55 Breaking their necks: just for a ticket.

7 Oh! Only poets can work this miracle on men So various: the day is yours, my friend! Dramatist O, don t speak to me of that varied crew, The sight of whom makes inspiration fade. 60 Veil, from me, the surging multitude, Whose whirling will drives us everyway. No, some heavenly silence lead me to, Where for the poet alone pure joy s at play: Where Love and Friendship too grace our hearts, 65 Created and inspired by heavenly arts. Ah! What springs here from our deepest being, What the shy trembling lips in speaking meant, Now falling awry, and now perhaps succeeding, Is swallowed in the fierce Moment s violence. 70 Often, when the first years are done, unseeing, It appears at last, complete, in deepest sense. What dazzles is a Momentary act: What s true is left for posterity, intact.

8 Comedian Don t speak about posterity to me! 75 If I went on about posterity, Where would you get your worldly fun? Folk want it, and they ll still have some. The presence of a fine young man Is nice, I think, for everyone. 80 Who, comfortably, shares his wit, And to their moods takes no exception: He ll make himself a greater hit, And win a more secure reception. Be brave, and show them what you ve got, 85 Have Fantasy with all her chorus, yes, Mind, Reason, Passion, Tears, the lot, But don t you leave out Foolishness.

9 Director Make sure, above all, plenty s happening there! They come to look, and then they want to stare. 90 Spin endlessly before their faces, So the people gape amazed, You ve won them by your many paces, You ll be the man most praised. The mass are only moved by things en masse, 95 Each one, himself, will choose the bit he needs: Who brings a lot, brings something that will pass: And everyone goes home contentedly. You ll give a piece, why then give it them in pieces! With such a stew you re destined for success. 100 Easy to serve, it s as easy to invent. What use to bring them your complete intent? The Public will soon pick at what you ve dressed. Dramatist You don t see how badly such work will do! How little it suits the genuine creator!

10 105 Already, I see, it s a principle with you. The finest master is a sloppy worker. Director Such a reproach leaves me unmoved: The man who seeks to be approved, Must stick to the best tools for it, 110 Think, soft wood s the best to split, And have a look for whom you write! See, this is one that boredom drives, Another s from some overloaded table, Or, worst of all, he s one arrives, 115 Like most, fresh from the daily paper. They rush here mindlessly, as to a Masque, And curiosity inspires their hurry: The ladies bring themselves, and in their best, Come and play their Parts and ask no fee. 120 What dream of yours is this, exalted verse? Doesn t a full house make you happy? Have a good look at your patrons first! One half are coarse, the rest are chilly.