The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-29
Brandes Eliminates Goethe's Ideals,
Especially the Character Of Faust

gushing the two parts of Faust"
has much to say, strongly emphasizing
certain facts as follows:
Notwithstanding Goethe's very late
declarations to Eckerman and others
that the second part of Faust had
been planned and thought out during
half a century at least, it appears that
in his younger days he considered
what We now term the first part OF
Faust as n whole by itself. 1t IL not
until the years 1797-ls01 that the plan
dawns for such a continuation. There
Is nothing In the original labor on the
subject that indicates there was any
thought TO continue il.
"lf in the Roman Elegies' Goethe
gave his italian woman character the
antique name of Faustina, there now
rose before his vision another mis-
tress with "a name still more celebrated
IN olden days. This was the figure
mat ne wished to supply his rejuve-
mated Faust. To be completed the
Gothic hero, Faust. To reach his true
development. his cultural height. like
Goethe himself had to be Joined to
antiquity. Already here Marlowe, the
1olk literature and the German tradi-
'ioh gave him the clue. Faust then
con)ures up from the neither world the
woman who Is the personifcation OF
antlqultys understanding of beauty,
iieiena' and makes her his mistress.
VI what Importance was not this
s'lsht conceit Of the Renaissance period
u ooethe! How this Helena became
s~shhpolcal Tor his idealism developed
tnroushout a generation. When
'~retchen, the little Gothic girl. was
ueau her place could be taken worth
ny only by the very queen OF beauty
oil the old Hellas. one who in ber nor.
sonalty represented the ideal for Tho
ane oi which Goethe nov stood alone
- W "hlch he would remain true.
Gnu somewhat before he gathers to-
s.'"er an MS power in returning 10
raus' he produces in 1885 the
'hiru act of the poem and stamns I,
as d complete whole with the worry
%SIKhincant title Of Helena, and which
vas later eliminated.
Some critics who, while possess-
ing important qualifications for ,boir
."N nave at the same time boon
,aeNihs IN one important faculty
nave specified Goethe's lack ~
power oil reproducing the world around
him' This ability. which devoIorod
more n more as the years went ~,
mace the art OF his old age impression
" uegree that his youth had
never known and caused him To unf,. Il
.ate a new and astonishing origlnaIi,v
MS Dwan' forms the connection ui,h
ms new lyric style. ye, 4, g.
IN the second part Of Faust nc coc,ha
employs II by untiring. connectIy. labor
between 1927 and lS31-tha, is sro,,
NE SeNehty-elghth TO his eighty-second
year-that the new style pene,ro,es
rms style points back 10 no ~anrl,or
one as TltFan's style in his ola 400
points to his youth. or as Bee,boven,s
Ninth symphony leads back 10 ,ha
earlier symphonies.
what here fascinates is the artistic
wording by the use OF which Goe,bo
wants To reproduce all sens,tio,
nearing, from the fa.ntest sound 10 ,he
ro.hng thunder; sight. in all the
ShadIng OF var egated Coloratiou no :,
carefully had searched through. the
naming, the sparkling, the shining. III,
giaring. that which ripples n noa,.
In light, that which vAhrates and GIN.
mers; smell, in all It's varieties q,
fresh air, aroma, refreshing Fragrance,
irritating vapor. right down t. H.,
vcriost stencil.
Brandes describes interestingly III,
relationship that existed between In,
author Of Faust ana Lord Byron