Faust: Ein Gedicht

work by Lenau

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

Nikolaus Lenau's Faust: Ein Gedicht is a poem inspired by the legend of Faust, a historical figure who supposedly sold his soul to the devil for knowledge and power. Lenau's version, published in 1836 and revised in 1840, is derivative of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's famous work. In Lenau's poem, Faust grapples with an absurd existence devoid of absolute values, reflecting Lenau's own feelings of despair and dissatisfaction. This theme of confronting a meaningless life, a core element of Lenau's personal struggles with mental illness, sets his interpretation apart.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Nikolaus Lenau
Lenau’s Faust: Ein Gedicht (published 1836, revised 1840) is noticeably derivative of Goethe’s, but Lenau’s version has Faust confronting an absurd life that is devoid of any absolute values, the same position in which Lenau felt himself to be. Lenau’s lifelong mental illness resulted in a…
Read More
Lenau’s Faust: Ein Gedicht (published 1836, revised 1840) is noticeably derivative of Goethe’s, but Lenau’s version has Faust confronting an absurd life that is devoid of any absolute values, the same position in which Lenau felt himself to be. Lenau’s lifelong mental illness resulted in a…
Read More