Includes an introduction to the life of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and includes notes on principla characters, summaries and commentaries, and more.

Originally published in 1965, this study examines the concealed meanings in the second part of Faust, often considered obscure. It is of value not only to students of literature but also comparative religions, as it deals with Goethe’s knowledge of ancient myths, mysteries and Hellenistic religions. It is of value too, to those interested in alchemy as it traces the many alchemical references in Faust. The book gives a psychological interpretation of elements of Goethe’s personal life and work, which succeeds in making the man and the veiled references in his most profound work accessible to the modern reader.

The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is an Elizabethan tragedy by Christopher Marlowe, based on German stories about the title character Faust, that was first performed sometime between 1588 and Marlowe's death in 1593. Two different versions of the play were published in the Jacobean era, several years later.The powerful effect of early productions of the play is indicated by the legends that quickly accrued around them-that actual devils once appeared on the stage during a performance, "to the great amazement of both the actors and spectators", a sight that was said to have driven some spectators mad.