The name of the greatest German poet Goethe (1749–1832) belongs to the best names that humanity is proud of. The tragedy "Faust" occupies a central place in his work and belongs to the masterpieces of world literature. Its translation was carried out by one of the best Russian poets of the 19th century, Afanasy Fet. From childhood, on his mother's side, Fet was closely associated with the German language and German culture, with the aesthetic and philosophical views of I.V. Goethe and G. Hegel. Literary critic Apollon Grigoriev wrote: "Goethe primarily educated Mr. Fet's poetry; The intelligent student owes to the influence of the great old teacher both the internal merits and the remarkable success of his poems, and, finally, the very isolation of his place in Russian literature.