Faust Part I Author:J. Goethe; translated by C. F. MacIntyre Goethe said that all his works were 'one long confession,' and certainly into _Faust_, on which he worked sixty years, he welded his own search for the meaning of his existence and of the soul. From the wager between God and Mephistopheles and the pact Faustus makes with the latter--that this genial, urbane devil could have his soul if Faust bec... more »ame satisfied with any experience or knowledge Mephistopheles could show him--the drama unfolds in scenes that are human and compelling, that hold the reader by their despair and ecstasy, their tender love, passionate desire and wisdom, but also by their gaiety, humor and irony. As Faust proceeds with his devilish guide, it is his striving for understanding that becomes important, not the attainment, and in fact that is what saves him in the end.« less