
Loosely Connected With Part One And The German Legend Of Faust, Part Two Is A Dramatic Epic Rather Than A Strictly Constructed Drama. It Is Conceived As An Act Of Homage To Classical Greek Culture And Inspired Above All By The World Of Story-telling And Myth At The Heart Of The Greek Tradition, As Well As Owing Some Of Its Material To The Arabian Nights Tales. The Restless And Ruthless Hero, Advised By His Cynical Demon-companion Mephistopheles, Visits Classical Greece I Search Of The Beautiful Helen Of Troy. Returning To Modern Times, He Seeks To Crown His Career By Gaining Control Of The Elements, And At His Death Is Carried Up Into The Unkown Regions, Still In Pursuit Of The `eternal Feminine'. David Luke's Translation Of Part One Won The European Poetry Translation Prize. Here He Again Imitates The Varied Verse-forms Of The Original, And Provides A Highly Readable - And Actable - Translation, Supported By An Introduction, Full Notes, And An Index Of Classical Mythology. About The Series: For Over 100 Years Oxford World's Classics Has Made Available The Widest Range Of Literature From Around The Globe. Each Affordable Volume Reflects Oxford's Commitment To Scholarship, Providing The Most Accurate Text Plus A Wealth Of Other Valuable Features, Including Expert Introductions By Leading Authorities, Helpful Notes To Clarify The Text, Up-to-date Bibliographies For Further Study, And Much More.
Faust seeks to transcend human limitations by engaging with the grand scale of history, myth, and the pursuit of the ideal. Accompanied by the cynical Mephistopheles, Faust moves through a series of expansive, loosely connected episodes that shift from the imperial court to the realm of classical antiquity. His objective is to capture the essence of beauty through the figure of Helen of Troy and eventually to master the natural world through human endeavor. The narrative framework functions as a sprawling dramatic epic, utilizing diverse verse forms to explore the tension between earthly ambition and spiritual salvation. The protagonist faces the logical constraints of a world where magic and reality blur, forcing him to confront the consequences of his pact with the demonic.
Discussion often centers on the shift in tone and structure compared to the first part of the work, noting its transition into a more symbolic and philosophical epic. Readers frequently highlight the density of the classical allusions and the ambitious scope of the narrative as both a challenge and a reward. Critics often debate the effectiveness of the episodic pacing, which prioritizes thematic exploration over linear plot progression. The work is widely recognized for its linguistic complexity and its role as a capstone to the author's career, inviting ongoing analysis of its allegorical layers.
Page Count:
400
Publication Date:
2008-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191029289
ISBN-13:
9780191029288
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