Doctor Faustus

Thomas Mann's Doctor Faustus, a pivotal work of twentieth-century literature, explores the life of Adrian Leverkühn, a solitary composer whose artistic journey mirrors the trajectory of German society in the early 1900s. The novel delves into themes of musical modernism, the intricate relationship between creativity and intellect, and the perils of irrationalism, all set against the cultural and political backdrop leading to the rise of Nazism and the devastation of the Second World War.

This new English translation by Ritchie Robertson, Emeritus Schwarz-Taylor Professor of German, provides fresh access to Mann's complex narrative. Accompanied by extensive notes and an introduction, Robertson's work illuminates the novel's profound engagement with the Faust legend, the composer's tragic pact, and its allegorical critique of modern bourgeois life, offering readers a deeper understanding of one of Mann's most ambitious and symbolic masterpieces.