Bücher von J. W. von Goethe

Embark on an illuminating literary journey with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's magnum opus, "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels." This profound work unfolds the transformative odyssey of Wilhelm Meister, a young man seeking purpose and self-discovery in a rapidly changing world. Goethe's narrative mastery weaves a tapestry of Bildungsroman, blending coming-of-age elements with the rich tapestry of human experience.As Wilhelm navigates the complexities of love, art, and societal expectations, readers are drawn into a compelling exploration of the human psyche. Goethe's philosophical depth and keen insights into the human condition are evident as the narrative unfolds through the protagonist's encounters with a diverse cast of characters.The novel seamlessly intertwines Meister's apprenticeship in the world of theater with his extensive travels, creating a nuanced reflection on the interplay between art, society, and personal growth. Goethe's prose, a literary symphony of emotion and intellect, invites readers to ponder the complexities of existence."Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels" stands as a timeless masterpiece, a narrative mirror reflecting the universal quest for identity and meaning. With each page, Goethe beckons readers to join Wilhelm Meister on a profound exploration of the self, the world, and the intricate dance between the two.

The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 leveled the city of Lisbon and surrounding areas, and killed perhaps as many as 100,000 people. It came at a decisive time in the history of western thought: the melding of Faith, Philosophy, and Science into a post-enlightenment rational view of the universe. In some sense mankind had just begun to believe he had the universe figured out when the universe struck back with a tragedy so terrible in scale it could not be fit into any box of understanding. It was not predicted. It could not have been prevented. It was not rational. And it certainly could not have been the will of a benevolent God.Lisbon was only one moment in a much larger context¿industrialization was upending a pre-historic way of life, science was upending nature, and the first great republics in America and France were about to upend previously unchallenged forms of government. It was the awe, inspiration, and uncertainty of all this change that gave rise, ultimately, to Romanticism in art, literature, and music.J. W. von Goethe is, by some accounts, the father of the romantic period in literature, or at least the proto-romantic Sturm und Drang (¿Storm and Stress¿) period. And The Sorrows of Young Werther was its genesis. It was Goethe¿s first major work, an immediate sensation upon publication, and made Goethe a household name.While Voltaire parodied rationalism in Candide, Goethe transcended it with the semi-autobiographical story of Werther, a young man governed more by his emotions than his reason, whose only employment is his delight in the romantic ideals of the pastoral lives he finds in the rural town of Walheim. There he also finds Charlotte, and in her an idealized but unobtainable old-world domesticity. Werther¿s internal dialog about his growing obsession with Charlotte, and his inability to cope rationally with the fact that she is engaged töand in love with¿another man, form the bulk of the book in the form of a series of ever more intense letters to a friend.Werther¿s descent into sorrow has captivated readers for centuries, helped by Goethe¿s intensely beautiful prose (translated here by R. D. Boylan), enchanting imagery, and obvious reverence for nature and a dying past.

The Sorrows of Young Werther, a story about a young man's extreme response to unrequited love, is presented as a collection of letters written by Werther, a young artist of a sensitive and passionate temperament, to his friend Wilhelm. These give an intimate account of his stay in the fictional village of Wahlheim, whose peasants have enchanted him with their simple ways. There he meets Charlotte, a beautiful young girl who takes care of her siblings after the death of their mother. Werther falls in love with Charlotte despite knowing beforehand that she is engaged to a man named Albert, eleven years her senior. The Sorrows of Young Werther turned Goethe, previously an unknown author, into a literary celebrity almost overnight. Napoleon Bonaparte considered it one of the great works of European literature, having written a Goethe-inspired soliloquy in his youth and carried Werther with him on his campaigning to Egypt. It also started the phenomenon known as "Werther Fever," which caused young men throughout Europe to dress in the clothing style described for Werther in the novel.