Faust

Faust is a two-part dramatic work by the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, written in German over more than sixty years of his life, with Faust, Part One published in 1808 and Faust, Part Two appearing posthumously in 1832. Structured as a closet drama, meant primarily to be read rather than staged in full, and written largely in verse, the work reworks the German legend of the scholar Faust, who sells his soul to the demon Mephistopheles in exchange for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure, drawing together references from Christian, medieval, classical and eastern literature and philosophy across its sprawling two-part structure. Where earlier versions of the Faust legend, including Christopher Marlowe's play, condemn their protagonist to damnation, Goethe's version allows Faust ultimate redemption through what the text calls his constant striving, an ending regarded as central to the work's philosophical and theological significance. Considered Goethe's magnum opus, Faust is regarded as one of the greatest works of German literature.