Goethe's Faust Part 2

[Boblloyd91]

So I recently was reading Faust. I highly enjoyed the first part, and found the ending at the prison very poignant. I was excited to get into the second part, and began in earnest, however I was immediately bogged down and found it extremely difficult to comprehend what was going on. Even though I have a good dictionary and can access Wikipedia through my app to see who the mythological characters were that Mephistopheles was interacting with, I struggled to recognize a discernible plot. It almost seemed to me that there were extremely thick layers of symbolism that interfered with the reading experience for me (don't get me wrong, I enjoy symbolism, metaphors and allegory in a story).

I did some research and guess this is a fairly common complaint. I was curious if anyone else here has read all of Faust, and if so, did you get anything out of the second part?

[Danik 2016]

Last year I had to revise a Portuguese edition of the whole Faust and I read Faust II for the first time. It is indeed very different from the first part and even the Germans read it rarely today unless they are scholars.
I agree with you about the thick layers of symbolism. Maybe one of the most obvious interpretations points to Goethes life at the court of Weimar.
I also think that Goethe didn´t want to be taken seriously all the time. I wonder if in Faust II he didn´t sometimes play with the symbols in an illusionist fashion like his character Mephistopheles?

[Boblloyd91]

Last year I had to revise a Portuguese edition of the whole Faust and I read Faust II for the first time. It is indeed very different from the first part and even the Germans read it rarely today unless they are scholars.
I agree with you about the thick layers of symbolism. Maybe one of the most obvious interpretations points to Goethes life at the court of Weimar.
I also think that Goethe didn´t want to be taken seriously all the time. I wonder if in Faust II he didn´t sometimes play with the symbols in an illusionist fashion like his character Mephistopheles?

That's an interesting insight! I wonder that too. I think it would make sense as one of the themes I'm picking up on is the futility of only seeking earthly wisdom, as the constant acquisition of it led him (Faust) to find deeper fulfillment through his diabolical pact with Mephistopheles. The one theme that I found that was interesting is how he was very intent in the second part to obtain Helen of Troy, and there seems to be a longing for the "ideal feminine". Oh well maybe when I get smarter and revisit this work I'll get more out of it!

[Danik 2016]

Yes , I think so too. One thing to bear in mind is that Goethe was nearly 80 when he finished the second part of the Faust. His eartly life must have been as fulfilling as any man could wish:he was the greatest writer and poet of Germany and one of the greatest of the world; a man of the German middle class he made his way and a political career among the nobility of Weimar; he fell in love inumerous times (I counted 15 women but there must be some off record too); besides being a pioneer in the arts he made some interesting scientific discoveries; he had notable frienships; he travelled...And he had children although only one son survived. Yet Faust II left me with the feeling that happiness is an illusion, only eternity matters.
If you want to echange more impressions on the book you are welcome!