Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Faust: Parts I & II  By  cover art

Faust: Parts I & II

By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Narrated by: Philippe Duquenoy
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Faust has long been considered one of the most important works of European literature ever published. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe began writing Faust in the 1770s while still a young man, spending most of his adult life on the project. Faust was finally finished almost 50 years later, near the end of his life.

Faust is a philosophical drama full of humor, satire, and tragedy. In Part 1, the demon Mephistopheles makes a bet with God that he can lure Faust from the path of good. Faust is in the middle of a personal crisis when he is visited by the demon. Mephistopheles successfully lures Faust into putting his soul on the line for a chance at true happiness but the deal only leads to tragedy.

In Part 2, the tragedy has faded and Faust now finds himself on a new path of adventure as he strives to redeem himself and is eventually released from his evil pact with the demon.

Public Domain (P)2018 Take 2 Studios

What listeners say about Faust: Parts I & II

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    63
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    59
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    54
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Performance

After listening to the other samples I decided to give this version a shot. I was definitely not disappointed in the least bit as Mr. Duquenoy put on a masterful performance throughout the entire book. Another deciding factor, both parts of the poem/play are included in this version, many of the other books seem to only include the first part.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

37 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

english is to german...

...as great is to good when it comes to Faust. I expected some challenges with the German to English translation as Faust is a poetic work...and I could sense that this was not originally written in English. Seeing as I cannot read German, I have to admit that this translation did not disappoint - I really enjoyed it. As for the audiobook aspect of it - I was tempted to down the book less than 30mins into it and get a printed copy. It was difficult to follow. Then it dawned on me - Faust was not meant to be read, it was meant to be heard (seen actually - as a play). So hearing it grew on me. It is still difficult to follow and I had to strain my imagination but it was worth it.

Faust is a story that one should cover a couple of times. This was my first pass and I need at least another two to get out of it what I was hoping to. Part I sets the bar really high, and Part II frustrated me at times - but it combines in an epic tale without which Part I would be half-baked.

As for the narration - I think it was expertly done but for something as challenging as Faust, I expected a slightly more diversified reading style - perhaps multiple actors / narrators with different styles for Faust and Mephistopheles at least. I listen to many books at 1.5x or even 2x speed, but Faust is something that should be listened to at 0.75x or perhaps even 0.5x. I needed it slower with more deliberate pauses. There's a lot to take in, a lot to visualise and imagine, a lot to digest and for that the narration was a bit too challenging for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A hard work, made more difficult by the production

This is hard stuff. I will continue to search for a better production. I like the Bayard Taylor translation. The rhyming scheme transcends the speakers, so perhaps that is why the producer thought he could get away with a single voice. That single voice, though, also speaks the name of the character, and having destroyed the rhythm with that, proceeds to recite the lines in a voice that does not vary between characters. There are lots of characters. Even bugs have something to say. This would require a big cast or a very skillful actor, like Ian McKellen or Juliet Stevenson. Failing that, the result is sing-song and tedious.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Simply Spectacular!!

Faust is one of those thought provoking classics that depicts how our actions have consequences. The narrator really did an incredible job in his performance of this book… his voice was a pleasure to listen to. Great book to add to your collection!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Faust

Although no doubt this awesome epic, I had no clue what was being said the whole time 🙈😓, between the old English and never ending poem, I found myself completely and utterly lost🧐

To no discredit to the translation and the undertaking of this 🤥. However, I find I don’t enjoy 10 hour poems nor 5 minute ones, I managed to get 10 minutes in waiting for the devil 😈 to enter (feeling as if 10 minutes was 10 hours) the scene only to realize that he already made the deal🤝!!!!

This book may be delightful for literature, poetic, and overachieving folk, although I would love to listen to words I never have used or will for the next 10 hours, I will just wait for a modern version with common language of this day and age to be produced with light poems for my simple mind 🤭.🤘🏾

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

How can you even attempt to write a "review" of such a universal masterpice?

By just stating what seem so obvious; The fact that this is one of the best books ever and truly a masterpiece, probably it can compel somebody to read it or listen to it. It has so many insights in to the nature of the human being and the desire to be selfish, the need to know and the product of all the forces fighting inside an individual that want to follow his / her true nature , even against themself, the heart and mind always will produce good if the search is honest.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Concise

Reader phrased well. Translator portrayed well. Author knew all was well. Faust went not to Hell. And the enemy is naught but a worthless fool who carves out attention from those foolish enough to believe themselves worthless.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

CAUTION

did not realize this is a play. entire book in rhym. i want my money back...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Worst narration of a book yet

I hated the narration of Faust so much that I abandoned it about 5 scenes into the work. Having read this book many years ago, I was looking forward to experiencing it as an audiobook. What's the problem? The reader has the wrong accent and no dramatic sense. It borders on robotic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is incredible

Alright so I have good news and bad news the good news is. This is an insane undertaking, I couldn’t believe that this was going to be an actual poem. I was mistaken this is a ten hour poem that rhymes and make a wonderful coherent story. The bad news is. I learned that I personally prefer my stories not be told in rhyme. But that is a personal preference, if you’re a person who enjoys poetry I don’t think you’re gonna find anything better than this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful