Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have little to say about the play itself. Many consider Goethe the greatest German writer and Faust his masterwork. 300 years old and we are still reading and learning from it. It is an excellent read.
I am inspired to write this review because of Walter Kaufmann's excellent and (to read reviews) misunderstood translation. Kauffman's intentions are stated clearly in his introduction. Meter and rhyme are preserved as much as possible, and all the text that is translated (all of part one and sections of part two) is done exactingly without one line added or removed. Kaufmann's goal was to 1> re-create the rhythmic drive of Goethe's wit, 2> create a *readable* translation not just for the scholar but for the reader as well, 3> provide an exacting translation that avoids the embellishments of prior translations.
It should go without saying that any translation that doubles the length of a speech or replaces subtle humor with flowery speech is a poor one.
Kaufmann, unlike many other translators, has both the knowledge of German and an appreciation for cultural context to reach all of those goals. While this translation might not be the best for scholars (since much of Part Two is trimmed), it is the best translation for *readers*.
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The best translation of Faust available, this volume provides the original German text and its English counterpart on facing pages. Walter Kaufmann's translation conveys the poetic beauty and rhythm as well as the complex depth of Goethe's language. Includes Part One and selections from Part Two.
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