The Faust-Legend and Goethe's 'Faust'

About this book

This work is a scholarly guide that brings together the medieval Faust legend and Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s two‑part drama, presented by H. B. Cotterill. The opening pages explain that the author has replaced many German quotations with English translations, sometimes drawing on Bayard Taylor’s version of Faust, and that the book is not meant as a critical or biographical study but as a practical companion for readers who lack sufficient German to engage with the original material. After a brief, self‑effacing preface in which Cotterill recounts his own frustrations with German commentators, the text moves from a discussion of the perils of over‑analysis to an invitation to view the legend and Goethe’s play as living realities rather than dissected specimens. The first section surveys the old Faust legend, while the subsequent parts follow Goethe’s Part I and Part II, each prefaced by Cotterill’s reflections on the poet’s philosophy of action and inspiration.

Cotterill writes in a measured, early‑20th‑century academic voice, blending personal anecdote with erudite commentary. His style is conversational yet dense, peppered with references to classical thinkers, contemporary scholars, and Goethe’s own aphorisms. Readers who enjoy a historically grounded overview that balances literary history with philosophical insight, particularly those interested in German literature, mythic folklore, or the intellectual context of Faust, will find this book rewarding. It suits students, teachers, and general readers who prefer a guided, English‑language approach to the legend without the need for exhaustive scholarly apparatus.