The origins of the images of mothers in Goethe’s Faust

This article explores the origins of the figures of the Mothers in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust. The authors conduct a consistent intertextual analysis of the connections, within both synchronic and diachronic contexts, which served as a basis for the formation of Goethe’s intricate poetic imagery. Employing methodologies from both philosophy and literary studies, the article offers a comprehensive characterization of the genesis of the Mothers and traces possible intertextual connections that indicate the direct continuity of Goethe’s concept with ancient literary traditions. The analysis uses N. A. Kholodkovsky’s translation of Goethe’s tragedy Faust for a general analysis of the representation of the Mothers and for identifying the key characteristics associated with this image.