Point of View

The point of view used in Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is third person omniscient. This is particularly accurate when setting and religious views and discourse are of great importance to the story. Third person allows Goethe to give the reader great insight into the sights and sounds encountered by each character.

Goethe's descriptions of Germany, its people and the living conditions of the area are expressed well and allow the reader to see and understand the vast difference in the classes, religious values and varied personalities in the story. For example, a first person point of view could not equally represent Faust and Gretchen as their backgrounds are worlds apart and often completely foreign to each other.

It is also important to be able to observe the actions of those unseen, such as the Lord, Mater Gloriosa, the angels, and the disembodied spirits. It...