Introduction Summary

Walter Kaufmann is a noted German translator and philosopher. Kaufmann is most well known for his translations and insights into the work of Friedrich Nietzsche, a fellow German. As a philosopher, Kaufmann has written a great deal on the topics of religion, existentialism and related topics. Kaufmann's 1965 translation of Hegel's work was touted as one of his finest achievements to date. In addition to work on existentialism, Christianity, Judaism, death, morality and related topics, Kaufmann is also noted for his focus on philosophy and literature, which is where Faust comes into play.

Kaufmann is known for being painstaking and meticulous. The Introduction is sixty-two pages long, giving the reader an idea of Kaufmann's dedication. At times the information in the introduction, while important to the life of Goethe, is academic and often extraneous. It is important, however, to recognize that this particular work...