Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play. It was published in two parts: Faust: der Tragodie erster Teil (translated as: Faust: The Tragedy Part One) and Faust: der Tragodie zweiter Teil (Faust: The Tragedy Part Two). The play is a closet drama, meaning that it is meant to be read rather than performed. It is Goethe's most famous work and considered by many to be one of the greatest works of German literature."