Faust

When man petitions the heavens, is it God or the devil who answers? This question, central to the human experience, is the driving force behind Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s seminal 1806 play, Faust. Based loosely on the facts and dramatized retellings of 15th century alchemist, astrologer, and magician Johann Georg Faust, the play follows Faust’s search for limitless understanding and wisdom through magical means outside the realms of science and religion. The devil, keen to prove to God that he can lead one his servants away from righteous pursuits, presents himself to Faust as the enigmatic Mephistopheles and offers him a bargain: He will serve Faust in life, but in return Faust must serve him in death. Goethe, not satisfied with joining in the long tradition of ‘deal with the devil’ stories, augments his telling by arriving at the distinctly modern conclusion that “He who strives on and lives to strive / Can earn redemption still.” In the end, Faust is not punished for his drive to know more but rewarded for his unwavering spirit even in the face of hardship, horror, and the knowledge that no single moment can bring eternal bliss. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, and statesman. As the central figure of Weimar Classicism and the Sturm und Drang movement, Goethe is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential writer in the history of the German language. His magnum opus, Faust, was composed over a span of sixty years and stands as a monumental masterpiece of world literature.

Preface 9 Preliminary 13 Dramatis PersonÆ 53 Dedication 55 Prelude at the Theatre 57 Prologue in Heaven 65 Faust Part I 71 Act I Scene I, Scene II, Scene III 71 Act II Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V,  Scene VI, Scene VII 88 Act III Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V,  Scene VI, Scene VII, Scene VIII 138 Act IV Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V,  Scene VI, Scene VII, Scene VIII, Scene IX 189 Act V Scene I, Scene II, Scene III, Scene IV, Scene V 227 Faust—Selections from Part II (1832) 265 Act the First 265 Act the Second 281 Act the Third 300 Act the Fourth 314 Act the Fifth 330 Notes 353