Bayard Taylor's translation of Faust, Part 1, published in 1870, undertakes the ambitious task of reproducing Goethe's original metres in English. Taylor's preface reveals a deliberate method: he sought to avoid the 'lowering of the tone through the use of words which are literal, but not equivalent,' a critique he applied to earlier translations. The result is a version that foregrounds rhythmical fidelity, evident in the varied verse forms—from Faust's brooding monologues to the raucous songs of Auerbach's Cellar.

Harry Clarke's illustrations, included in this edition, add a visual layer of grotesque and ornate detail, complementing the text's shifts between philosophical gravity and supernatural mischief. The excerpts show Mephistopheles as a master of trickery, conjuring wine from a wooden table and leading revellers into a hallucinatory grape harvest, only to vanish as they grope each other's noses.

Metrical Fidelity and Lyrical Range

Taylor's commitment to 'original metres' shapes the entire translation. In the preface, he notes that earlier versions lacked 'lyrical fire and fluency,' a gap he aimed to fill. The excerpts demonstrate this: Faust's opening monologue uses a solemn, measured rhythm, while the drinking song in Auerbach's Cellar shifts to a boisterous, irregular beat. Mephistopheles' incantation—'Grapes the vine-stem bears, / Horns the he-goat wears!'—employs a rhyming couplet that mimics a folk charm, contrasting with the scholarly blank verse of Faust's study. This variety is not decorative; it mirrors the play's structural alternation between high tragedy and low comedy. Taylor's choice to preserve these shifts means the English reader experiences the same tonal whiplash as Goethe's audience, from Faust's existential despair to the revellers' 'cannibalic jolly.'

Mephistopheles as Stage Manager of Illusion

In Auerbach's Cellar, Mephistopheles orchestrates a sequence of illusions that expose the thin line between wonder and humiliation. He bores holes in a table, plugs them with wax, and commands wine to flow—'Only believe there's a miracle here!'—but the miracle turns violent when spilled wine becomes 'Hell-fire.' The revellers, initially delighted, draw knives and attack. Mephistopheles then recites a spell: 'False word and form of air, / Change place, and sense ensnare!' causing each man to mistake another's nose for a grape. The scene ends with them disoriented, asking 'What happened?' while Mephistopheles and Faust slip away. This episode showcases Mephistopheles' power not as raw force but as manipulation of perception: he creates a temporary reality that collapses into farce, leaving his victims both amused and angry. The pattern recurs throughout the excerpts—he charms away fire, vanishes, and reappears at will, always controlling the stage.

Contrasting Settings: Study, Street, and Cellar

The excerpts move between three distinct locales, each with its own tone. Faust's study (Scene I) is a space of intellectual torment, where he laments his fruitless scholarship. The street scenes (VII, IX) introduce Margaret and a more intimate, lyrical register. But Auerbach's Cellar (Scene V) plunges into a tavern world of crude humor and collective drunkenness. The revellers' dialogue is coarse: Siebel demands 'sweetest' wine, Brander declares 'Champagne shall be my wine,' and they sing of feeling 'cannibalic jolly.' Mephistopheles adapts his speech to each setting—solemn in the study, sardonic in the cellar. This contrast is structural: the play juxtaposes Faust's lofty ambitions with base reality, and the cellar scene provides a grotesque counterpoint to the philosophical prologues. The illustrations by Harry Clarke likely heighten this contrast, as his style is known for eerie, detailed depictions of the supernatural and the macabre.

Readers approaching this edition should attend to the interplay between Taylor's metrical choices and the dramatic shifts in register. The translation rewards attention to verse form: a change from iambic pentameter to trochaic song often signals a change in mood or power dynamic. Clarke's illustrations, while not excerpted here, are integral to the reading experience, offering a visual interpretation that aligns with the text's gothic and folkloric elements. This edition is best read with an ear for rhythm and an eye for the sudden, unsettling turns that define Goethe's Faust.