Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (August 28, 1749 - March 22, 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, who is considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era. Though Goethe is considered a Romantic writer there is debate that his play Faust (1829) falls within Gothic literature because of the many Gothic elements found throughout.
