16th Century Faust Goethe's Faust is a timeless play that took Goethe his entire life to complete. It was first published in 1808, but the play itself does not specify the time period in which it is set. Goethe uses clues to guide the reader in discovering things for themselves. After reading the play, one can use Goethe's subtle allusions to conclude that Faust takes place in the 16th century and during the Reformation. The first allusion that Goethe gives to the reader comes after the prologue, in the first scene of the play. In this scene, Faust is alone in his office and complains about the limits of his knowledge. He begins to talk about the lack of knowledge of the people in power and the lack of morality of these people. Without this morality, these people fear neither the devil nor hell. “I know perhaps better than all these idiots, these doctors, teachers, civil servants and priests, not to be hampered by scruples or doubts, and not to fear hell or its demons” (366-369). This questioning of authority, particularly religious authority, is a defining characteristic of the Reformation. Martin Luther went...