Anthroposophy in the Light of Goethe’s Faust

By Rudolf Steiner, Collected Works volume 272; SteinerBooks 2014, 444 pages

Review by Herbert O. Hagens

This long-awaited publication in English of Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on Goethe’s Faust (CW 272) is most welcome. We are deeply grateful to Burley Channer for his highly readable translation from the German and to Frederick Amrine for his scholarly introduction, commentary, and extensive footnotes. The colorful front cover displays a detail from the ceiling painting of the First Goetheanum, depicting Faust contemplating the letters ICH (German for “I”, “ego”).

Actually we may well consider this volume to be an “upgrade” of the German edition: English readers are treated to an additional ten short essays and three lectures that are not contained in GA 272. A chronology of all the texts (ranging in date from 1880 to 1916) provides a much needed and very useful orientation. Most of the lectures took place in Dornach in 1915 and 1916. The talks were held in the carpentry workshop (Schreinerei) in conjunction with performances of select scenes from both Faust I and Faust II. The audience consisted of many people from various countries who were actively engaged in the construction of the First Goetheanum. During all this time the battles of World War I were raging just to the north of the Swiss border.

Let us take a look at a passage from the lecture given on September 9, 1916, entitled “Goethe’s Insights into the Secrets of Human Existence.” Here Rudolf Steiner spoke after a performance in eurythmy of the “Midnight” and “Burial” scenes from the end of Faust II. First we hear Faust speaking:

I’ve only rushed my way through life;

Ev’ry desire, I grabbed it by the hair,

What failed to satisfy got dropped,

What got away, I let it go.

I’ve only lived to crave and to achieve

And then to wish for more, and so with might

I’ve stormed my way through life, first great and mighty,

But now things go more thoughtfully and wisely.

The whole earth’s realm, I know it well enough.

Our view into the other world is blocked. (lines 11433-11442)

Here Steiner tells us that Faust, in his final moments of life, is already “half” in the physical and “half” in the spiritual world, undergoing “the panoramic review that comes over the soul at the beginning of life after death and is now slowly coming over 'Faust'…And so it goes, back and forth from one world to the other: experiencing in the spiritual, but also in the physical, because he is still clinging to his body. This is the state Faust is in when we find him. Care (the figure “Sorge” in German) still holds him to his physical body. But his task is to enter the spiritual world consciously, made conscious by the very Care that weighs him down” (pages 305-306).

This quote clearly illustrates that Steiner is interpreting what Faust is experiencing at the threshold from the anthroposophical viewpoint. But we do need to understand what Rudolf Steiner had in mind with these lectures. He claimed to his listeners that he was not giving explanations: “The reason is to show you that the human soul, by exposing itself to the artistic images that come before it in a performance of Faust, is really able to perceive something of what we can and must call the development or the actual living immersion of this soul into the spiritual worlds. The extent to which we can deepen our knowledge of Faust from the standpoint of spiritual science will permit us to develop further observations in connection with this poetic work. Faust is, after all, the expression of Goethe’s own efforts to enter the spiritual world, the expression, in other words, of the fact that at a significant turning point in modern history a mind as great as his was striving to enter the same world we are seeking access to today as we continue to deepen our knowledge of spiritual science” (April 11, 1915, page 105).

Mainstream scholars of German literature may find it difficult to accept Steiner’s unconventional “spiritual” approach to Faust but nevertheless they ought to appreciate how Steiner goes about unraveling some of the most enigmatic riddles embedded in this monumental work. It must also be mentioned that people should not expect a general introduction to Anthroposophy, as the title might suggest. Serious students of Steiner’s teachings will discover deeper insights and revelations on a variety of anthroposophical themes: Lucifer and Mephistopheles-Ahriman, the separation of the sexes, karma and reincarnation, the function of guilt, earthly and human evolution, older vs. modern paths of initiation, and in particular Goethe’s own spiritual development. The writings and lectures in 'Anthroposophy in the Light of Goethe’s 'Faust' do provide worthwhile and inspiring study material for groups and individuals who already have a basic knowledge of Anthroposophy. We can also look forward to the publication in English of the second volume of Steiner’s lectures on 'Faust' (CW 273).

It is regrettable that many folks outside of German speaking realms have little or no familiarity with Faust. But they can still benefit from Steiner’s lectures thanks to the generous wealth of commentary and footnotes. That is still no substitute for reading Goethe’s original great work of world literature. The translation of 'Faust' by Walter Arndt (Second edition, Norton, 2000) is widely recommended. Anthroposophists need to acknowledge the tremendous debt to Goethe who laid the foundation for Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual science and even his Mystery Dramas. After all, the landmark building standing on the hill overlooking Dornach is called the Goetheanum! By reading and studying Faust along with Steiner’s lectures we will be preparing ourselves to experience more fully the upcoming production of Goethe’s entire play at the Goetheanum in 2016.

Herbert Hagens has been a German instructor for more than thirty years. He teaches a course on Rudolf Steiner’s Mystery Dramas in the Anthroposophical Studies in English program at the Goetheanum. Herbert lives with his wife in Princeton, New Jersey.