Doctor Faustus lived between approximately 1480 and 1539; to this day he remains the embodiment of humanity in striving for knowledge and pleasure, yet failing in these aims. This account by Gustav Schwab (born 1792 Stuttgart, died 1850 Stuttgart) is based on the original book of folktales, published by an unknown author in Frankfurt in 1587, to which episodes have continually been added over the years. Folktales of Doctor Faustus soon became one of the most successful works of German literature, and inspired the greatest poets and thinkers, above all Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. For centuries, the book has remained a thrilling read, and hardly anyone is immune to its impact.