Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet, playwright, novelist, and scientist who is regarded as the greatest figure of German literature. His works span the literature of the late Enlightenment and of the Romantic movement, and his influence on German culture has been profound.

Early Life and Education

Goethe was born in 1749 in Frankfurt am Main to a wealthy family. He studied law at Leipzig and at Strasbourg.

He was influenced by the ideas of the Sturm und Drang movement and by the poetry of Shakespeare. He wrote his first play and his first collection of poems.

He published The Sorrows of Young Werther in 1774, which made him famous throughout Europe. The novel is a sentimental account of unrequited love.

The Weimar Years

Goethe was invited to the court of Weimar by the Duke Karl August in 1775. He held a series of official posts and was involved in the administration of the duchy.

He travelled to Italy in 1786 and was deeply affected by the classical art and architecture. The journey produced the Italian Journey and influenced his later style.

He lived with Christiane Vulpius and married her later. He had several children, of whom only one survived to adulthood.

The Major Works

Goethe wrote the novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and its sequel. The novels are regarded as the foundation of the German bildungsroman.

He wrote the epic poem Hermann and Dorothea and the collection Roman Elegies. The poems are classical in form and in spirit.

The play Iphigenia in Tauris and the novel Elective Affinities are among his most important works. The latter treats the theme of the conflict between nature and convention.

Faust

Faust is his masterpiece and one of the greatest works of world literature. The play is based on the legend of the scholar who makes a pact with the devil.

The first part was published in 1808 and the second part in 1832. The work treats the themes of knowledge, of desire, and of redemption.

The character of Mephistopheles is one of the great creations of the theatre. The play has been adapted and set to music by many composers.

The Scientific Work

Goethe made contributions to the study of colour and of plant morphology. His Theory of Colours was a challenge to the Newtonian account.

He argued for a holistic approach to nature and for the importance of observation. His scientific work was criticised by the scientists of his time but influenced later thinkers.

He discovered the intermaxillary bone in the human skull and proposed a theory of the metamorphosis of plants. The work contributed to the development of morphology.

The Later Life and Death

Goethe died in 1832 in Weimar at the age of eighty-two. He was buried in the ducal vault beside Schiller.

He was a prolific writer and a central figure of German culture. His conversations were recorded by his secretary Eckermann.

His works have been translated into many languages and are studied throughout the world. He is regarded as the greatest German writer.

Legacy

Goethe's influence on German literature and on European culture has been immense. The Goethe-Institut promotes the study of German language and culture throughout the world.

His works are central to the German literary canon. His ideas on science and on art continue to be studied.

He is remembered for his poetry and for his dramas. His name is associated with the classical period of German literature.

The Theatre and the Court

Goethe was appointed to the court of Weimar and directed the theatre. He was involved in the cultural life of the duchy.

He produced plays and managed the company. The theatre became a centre of the German stage.

He worked with Schiller, who was his friend and collaborator. The partnership was one of the most productive in German literature.

The Italian Journey

Goethe travelled to Italy in 1786 and stayed for nearly two years. He visited Rome, Naples, and Sicily and studied the classical art.

The journey transformed his outlook and his style. He moved from the romanticism of his youth to a classical ideal.

The Italian Journey was published many years later. It describes his impressions and his reflections on art and on life.

The Scientific Studies

Goethe studied the colour and the morphology of plants. His Theory of Colours was a challenge to the Newtonian account.

He argued for a holistic approach to nature and for the importance of observation. The work influenced the development of the philosophy of science.

He discovered the intermaxillary bone in the human skull. He proposed a theory of the metamorphosis of plants and of animals.

See also

• Sturm und Drang
• Faust