The Sorrows of Young Werther

[Behemoth]

I recently finished reading this and just wondered what other people thought of the work? I found Goethe's language and imagery to be beautiful and very moving, and I thought his characters were sympathetically portrayed. I've not read any of his other works but Young Werther has certainly inspired me to try. Other thoughts?

[Turk]

It's quite romantic and cliche story. It has a lot of similiarities with Eastern love stories, though in Eastern stories platonic love turns to love of God. A lover finds the highest level of love in the personality of God. But Werther prefers to kill himself.

I personally didn't like it when i've finished it. But in it's time it was very popular story across Europe, even in China they were painting Werther's sorrow on porcelain bowls.

[Behemoth]

It's quite romantic and cliche story. It has a lot of similiarities with Eastern love stories, though in Eastern stories platonic love turns to love of God. A lover finds the highest level of love in the personality of God. But Werther prefers to kill himself.

I personally didn't like it when i've finished it. But in it's time it was very popular story across Europe, even in China they were painting Werther's sorrow on porcelain bowls.

Wow, that's a really interesting take on the story. I hadn't considered it in this light. Thanks

[Dark Star]

It was my first reading of Goethe's work so it has special significance to me (I considered Faust but decided to start on something of a lighter scale) while it's an early work it certainly contained much picturesque beauty within the words and -- I'll admit this may be due to the story hitting a bit close to home due to my own psychological issues and past relationships troubles -- but a few of Werther's letters near the end had me in tears as everything transitioned from utter beauty to going completely awry. I found that the ending was very well portrayed, too.

[bazarov]

Very nice book with only possible ending; Werther's dead. The think I don't like, is his accusation on them.

[JBI]

I wouldn't exactly call it Cliché since Goethe pretty much was the starting block of German Romanticism, thereby being a pioneer in his field.

[ivanhoe1146]

It seems like there was a poem by Goethe on this site last week, or at least fairly recently, could anyone tell me the name of it? I can't remember what it was, but it was cool. Anyway, thanks.

[Logos]

We have many poems by Goethe on the site, you can read them here
http://www.online-literature.com/goethe/

[ivanhoe1146]

Thanks Logos.

[kiki1982]

I wouldn't exactly call it Cliché since Goethe pretty much was the starting block of German Romanticism, thereby being a pioneer in his field.

We think it is cliché now, but not all that time ago. You see, Goethe was the first to make that kind of story, that has now become very cliché...

He, together with Schiller, was the first to actually take emotions into account. Before that there was only classical poetry/theatre play/prose: very much retained by rules. For example the Sonnet (8 lines in a certain scheme of rhyme and then 6 lines in a certain scheme), or in the theatre: unity of time, location and action (Molière)... It didn't give a lot of freedom to the writer... Goethe's generation went back to the hot times of the Shakespearian stage: violence, spectacular scenes, a lot of different places etc Of course, as it got extremer it became increasingly more difficult to play those plays. And they were abbandoned. The emotions were also rather too extreme and so this early romantic period of 'Sturm und Drang' (lit. 'storm and stress') went over in the Biedermeier period (very romantic as we see it now: idyllic, quiet, secluded...)
Further more writers were usually of noble birth (Byron), as writing as a profession was not profitable. Goethe and his fellows were the first people who were not of noble birth and who could live from writing. Of course after that some got a nobility title... , but on the whole they stayed true to their bourgeois ways. That's why, in most of the books/plays etc the main character is a bourgeois and not a nobleman.

I just started reading it again, 7 years after my first time. I went to study German in university so I had to read it. I liked it for its poetry and wonderful language in German. Many people think German an ugly language, but it is so beautiful!! Certainly when you read this... See I can't stop .

If you like Goethe, Behemoth, you certainly have to try Schiller. He wrote some great plays and poetry... One of which Beethoven based his 9th Symphony on (Ode an die Freude (Ode to Joy)).

[Lote-Tree]

I have finally managed to read "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It is simply devastating! Anyone with an artistic temperament and with the ability to feel deeply will surely will agree with this.

Was suicide of Werther a noble act - and act that says - My life has no meaning without love or is it an act of a unbalanced human being? Was his death a vain glorious act, an act of a selfish individual? or his act was an act of courage?

What say you?

[barbara0207]

Good thread, Lote! (And good you're back! )

I've read Werther several times, and although it's been a long time ago, I think I remember the impression I got.

To me, Werther is, as you say, 'unbalanced', an unstable young soul who is overwhelmed by his strong feelings.

It is very important to take into account the time when the novel was written. It is called 'Sturm und Drang' in German (sometimes rendered as 'Storm and Stress' in English). Young people, especially the literary-minded and intellectuals, thought that strong emotions had to be felt and expressed. You can see that all over the novel and also in Schiller's plays, for example. Werther seems to overdo it somehow, and in the end he cannot stop himself. He dies for his 'cause', love, just as he would have died for any other cause had it taken hold of his mind.

That is why I think the terms 'vainglorious', 'selfish' or 'courage' do not really apply here. There are traces of them, maybe, but they are not the main thing.

Let's see what the other litnetters think.

(BTW, why did you put that in 'Chat'?) *Edit* I see someone has moved it while I was answering.

[Lote-Tree]

Good thread, Lote! (And good you're back! )

Thanks Barbara. Happy to be back :-)

He dies for his 'cause', love, just as he would have died for any other cause had it taken hold of his mind.

Perhaps. Was love a "cause" - was it not that feelings was so deep that he was no longer endure them or without love this endurance was meaningless anyway?

(BTW, why did you put that in 'Chat'?) *Edit* I see someone has moved it while I was answering.

I wanted to discuss the nature of suicide as an noble act as oppose to discussing Goethe's literature. It's the theme I am interested :-)

Does his suicide has any meaning?

[barbara0207]

Was love a "cause" - was it not that feelings was so deep that he was no longer endure them or without love this endurance was meaningless anyway?

Yes, you are right. Love is the one noble cause in his life and as it must remain unfulfilled the only way he sees is to kill himself.

I wanted to discuss the nature of suicide as an noble act as oppose to discussing Goethe's literature. It's the theme I am interested :-)

Does his suicide has any meaning?

You should have told Mod beforehand. Come to think of it, there is already a suicide thread in the 'Chat' area. Do you want to continue there?

[Lote-Tree]

You should have told Mod beforehand. Come to think of it, there is already a suicide thread in the 'Chat' area. Do you want to continue there?

Ah OK. Thanks. I shall pursue it there