Faust lesen, Faust verstehen by Gernot Böhme (review)

What does it mean to read Faust and to understand it? In the preface to his collection of short essays dealing with Goethe's masterpiece, the philosopher Gernot Böhme laments the fact that Gymnasium students no longer study the seminal text and that most Germans are familiar not with Faust but rather with its various adaptations for theater, film, and television. Recalling the late arrival of the play on stage, Böhme maintains that Goethe intended the text for communal reading rather than theatrical performance and notes that staging part 2 in its entirety has long challenged directors and audiences alike. While students may not learn the classics like they used to and reading literature aloud has been superseded by other social activities, two aspects of Faust are timeless. Part 2 is long and complex, and Faust remains an exceptional piece of world literature, as Böhme rightfully argues.

Böhme's study may be short at less than seventy pages, yet it does not shy away from the grand scope of parts 1 and 2. In fact, he contends that the scholar's tragedy, which he describes as "die Tragödie des Wissens oder besser des Wissenwollens," connects both parts (8). In close readings he analyzes Faust and Margarete/Gretchen, explores the pact with the devil, investigates the role of the four elements, and reflects on Faust and familiar sayings. The author balances detailed textual analyses with larger topics such as alchemy, nature, science, and technology. Throughout the study he presents Faust in a broad philosophical light, for instance, when he writes: "die Tragödie des Faust [ist] nicht nur die Tragödie des immer Strebenden und Wissenwollenden, sondern des Menschen überhaupt" (10). By approaching Faust through different philosophical lenses, Böhme attempts to make Goethe's human tragedy accessible to a larger audience.

In the first chapter, he argues that the desire for knowledge is central and extends throughout both parts of the text. Faust's "Wissensgewinnung beginnt nun bereits mit der Gretchengeschichte, sie führt dann Faust durch die große Welt, das heißt die Welt der Gesellschaft, der Politik, der Ökonomie und sie endet schließlich im technischen Großprojekt der Naturbeherrschung" (14). The author follows Faust through different scientific eras, from the ancient to the modern, and concludes that the failure of his ambitious project at the end of part 2 reflects not only the goals, but also the limitations of Francis Bacon's vision of science and technology. In the second chapter, he turns to the Margarete/Gretchen figure and argues that we should read her tragedy "als die Geschichte leiblicher Erfahrung von Gefühlen" (25). Böhme argues against viewing her simply as a naïve girl. Rather, he interprets her as a young woman with life experiences and a developed sense of self. He focuses on "die Anmutungen, die Margarete aus Physiognomien und Atmosphären erfährt" on the one hand, and "die Dynamik ihrer Befindlichkeiten," on the other (26). Böhme concludes that Margarete is a tragic figure displaying complex inner turmoil throughout the text.

Chapter 4 bridges the gap between parts 1 and 2. Here the author revisits Faust's pact with Mephisto through the figure of Helena, who represents "das Glück der Erfüllung als reine Präsenzerfahrung" (43). "Ihr Glück," he continues, "ist das Glück, da zu sein" (43). Faust, in contrast, does not experience "das konkrete Dasein, das für Helena so entscheidend ist, sondern eher die Lücke im Dasein, der Ausstieg" (44). If this sounds metaphysical, it is. And for those interested in following Böhme's philosophical leads, there are plenty of references to his own works dealing with a broad spectrum of philosophical topics as well as Faust. Chapter 4 closes with a reflection on "das philosophische Verständnis des Augenblicks," which references Parmenides, Aristotle, Descartes, Bergson, Heidegger, and Derrida (45). The centrality of the Augenblick in both Faust's pact...