Disclaimer

I’m fanboying Goethe a lot here even though I dislike his writing. You might think that’s contradictory but I feel the same about Tolkien. A genius author does not qualify because of the words they write but because of the story they tell.

Faust

I read this book in school and I thought Goethe was absolutely mad for writing such a weird piece of literature. Most of the time is spent in literature class analyzing the different characters, when in reality the only real important character is Faust. As time went on I realised it really is a weird piece of literature but the plot outlines one of most interesting struggles that I’m sure Goethe was also facing. The thing about Faust and really why the plot is such a masterpiece is that unbelievable struggle between Faust’s craving for transcendence and his inherent humanity. He wants to achieve godlike knowledge and is actually fully ready to give up all of his human aspects, believing that he could resist any temptations standing in his way. He - of course - is unable to and his life ends up a complete mess. This novel is Goethe’s ultimate manifestation and although it is far from a biography, it still displays - on an emotional layer - what has probably been a big part of his life.

Goethe’s struggles

Now I don’t actually know a lot about Goethe’s life but I know two things are probably true: Goethe was an absolute genius and he was incredibly emotional and passionate. I belive that these two factors alone are enough to drive a man crazy. The genius, on the one hand gives you this unbelievable capability of achieving almost anything you set your mind to. There is absolutely a certain dedication to any and every craft, a dedication that is increased by a passionate mind. On the other hand, passion and emotion makes us human. It tempts us with illogical actions, it makes us weak, it opens the door for failure. There is nothing that a genius like Goethe must have hated more than falling victim to his human nature - it is simply not up to his standards. However, what Goethe must have despised himself for even more is failing other people. Gretchen, the innocent girl that Faust never meant any harm to, has a fate much worse than Faust himself. The whole plot is an absolute masterpiece and it’s all about Faust’s inherent struggle.

The moral

The question that arises is quite a hard one: How do you avoid falling into those pitfalls that Faust fell into? Now to say it right away: I don’t think Goethe knows. He does not give any further inside in what is correct and what is incorrect. However, he does outline what may follow after giving in to our human nature too much. Walpurgis night gives an insight into this. He also suggests that it is not possible to achieve the transcendence that Faust yearns for, implying that human nature will always be stronger.

Blessed are those who will never know

There is a fine line between genius and insanity. Goethe was probably both and I don’t think he ever truly overcame it in his lifetime. A deeply troubled soul, manifesting his biggest struggle in a novel that will never be forgotten. A true beauty that will be appreciated for generations by all the Fausts that have been and are yet to come. Many authors have manifested some aspects of their life with their work but noone has ever given a deeper inside than Goethe. Truly a genius.