THE ROLE OF EASTERN MOTIFS IN GOETHE’S FAUST

Abstract

This article presents a scholarly analysis of the role and significance of motifs characteristic of Eastern philosophy and literature in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragedy Faust. The study examines Sufi concepts inherent in Eastern thought, including the human aspiration toward spiritual perfection, the struggle against the nafs (ego), and the process of spiritual purification. These ideas are analyzed in correlation with the intellectual heritage of Eastern thinkers such as Jalal ad-Din Rumi, Hafez, and Saʿdi. Particular attention is paid to Goethe’s profound interest in Eastern literature and philosophy, highlighting the ideological affinity between Faust and his poetic cycle West–Eastern Divan, composed under the influence of Hafez’s works. The article argues that Eastern philosophical and mystical elements play a crucial role in shaping the ethical and metaphysical framework of Faust, positioning the tragedy as a literary bridge between Eastern and Western intellectual traditions.