Books: Goethe`s Faust Revisited

(Drivebycuriosity) - When I studied economics a great while ago I did not care much about classic literature. But there was one exception: Goethe`s Faust. My friends and I were fascinated by Faust´s thirst for knowledge (Wissensdurst). Goethe`s Faust helped to develop and to shape the German language, "Deutsch". And there is a lot wisdom there, which are now German proverbs. At least for the elders, the pre-TiKToK-YouTube crowd.

Especially two paragraphs inspired us. Unfortunately the elegance and melody of Goethe`s words can not be adequately translated in English. I tried the translations by Bayard Taylor  (in brackets below amazon). But they are pedestrian and destroy the power of Goethe`s Deutsch, partly because the interpreter tried to find his own rhymes.  

Faust: "Habe nun, ach! Philosophie, Juristerei und Medizin, Und leider auch Theologie Durchaus studiert mit heißem Bemühen, Da steh ich nun, ich armer Tor, Und bin so klug als wie zuvor".

("I`ve studied now Philosophy - And Jurisprudence, Mewdicine, - And even, alas! Theology, - From end to end, with labor keen; And here, poor fool!. with all my lore, I stand,no wise than before") 

Wagner: "Mit Eifer haber ich mich der Studien beflissen. Zwar weiß ich viel, doch möcht ich alles wissen". 

("Most zealously I seek for erudition. Much do I know - but to know all is my ambition). 

Below I use my own translations, without rhymes. 

"Ein Kerl, der spekuliert, Ist wie ein Tier, auf dürrer Heide Von einem bösen Geist im Kreis herumgeführt, und rings umher liegt schöne grüne Weide" 

(A fellow who speculates, is like an animal, on barren heathland, that is lead around by an evil spirit, and all around is nice and green meadow)

"Die Masse könnt ihr nur durch Masse zwingen"

( You can only forces the masses by masses) 

"Wer vieles bringt, wird manchem etwas bringen"

(Those how offer plenty, will give anybody something) 

"Es irrt der Mensch solang er strebt"

(Humans are wrong as long they aspire) 

"Zwei Seelen wohnen, ach in meiner Brust. Die eine will sich von der anderen trennen"

(Two souls live in my breast. On wants to seperate from the other) 

"Was du erebt von deinen Vätern hast, Erwirb es, um es zu besitzen".

(What you have inherited from your ancestors, acquire it to own it) 

"Was man schwarz auf weiß besitzt, Kann man getrost nach Hause tragen"

(What one owns black of white, can be carried home confidently) 

"Grau, teurer Freund, ist alle Theorie"

(Grey, my friedn, is all theory)

Mephistophes: "Ich bin der Geist, der stets verneint". 

(I am the spirit/mind who always negates) 

"Wer darf das Kind beim rechten Namen nennen? Die töricht genug ihr volles Herz nicht wahrten, dem Pöbel ihr Gefühl, ihr Schauen offenbart, Hat man von je gekreuzigt und verbrannt."

(Who may call the child´s name? Those who were silly enough not to keep secret, and revealed their opinion to the mob, got crucified and burnt all the times)

"Nichts Besseres weiß ich mir an Sonn- und Feiertagen; als ein Gespräch von Krieg und Kriegsgeschrei, Wenn hinten, weit, in der Türkei, Die Völker auf einander schlagen, Man steht am Fenster, trinkt sein Gläschen aus; Dann kehrt man abends froh nach Haus, Und segnt Fried`und Friedenszeiten". 

(There is nothing better on Sundays & holidays than the talk about war & war noise, when behind, far away, in Turkey, the peoples are beating each other, one stands at the wind, emptyin g the glas, than receive happoy a home, and blessed peace and peacetimes).

And finally a funny contradiction mixture of delight and horror: 

"Was faßt mich für ein Wonnegraus" .

(neologism, can not be translated) 

 

 

 As much as I enjoyed Faust I, I disliked Faust II. The second drama is about 30% longer than part one. Unfortunately the text didn`t age well. It is written for the audience of the early 19th century - the time of the Romantics. Faust II is way too melodramatic and too long. It reads like absurd theater and turns into a horror story. There are too many references to Greek characters, dramas and legends like Troy & Helena, which might have been important for the audience of the 19th. 

And the end - sorry, Dear Goethe - is pure kitsch. But the poet genius might have intended a farce and a parody. Anyway, Faust I is worth to reread and to study it ( amazon).