May 6, 2021
Scott and Karl begin their two-part discussion of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust.
Faust is highly successful and well-read yet dissatisfied with his life. As the now-legend goes, this leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for forbidden knowledge.
The duo talks about the relationship between good and evil, what function this tension serves, and what it implies about Faust and human nature. Scott says, "Evil does seem to be an active force that is personified."
Scott and Karl are reading from Walter Kaufmann's translation which provides the original German text and its English counterpart on facing pages of the book. Tune in to learn more about the greatest work in German literature.
Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.