About
Friedrich Hölderlin (1770-1843) was a German poet, playwright, and novelist, regarded as one of the greatest lyric poets in the German language. Born in Lauffen am Neckar, he studied theology at the University of Tübingen, where he befriended Hegel and Schelling. Destined for the Lutheran ministry, he instead became a private tutor. His love for Susette Gontard, immortalized as Diotima, inspired his epistolary novel 'Hyperion' and many poems. He translated Sophocles and blended Greek forms with Christian themes. After a mental breakdown in 1802, he spent the last thirty-six years of his life in a tower in Tübingen. Rediscovered in the 20th century, he influenced Nietzsche, Rilke, and Heidegger.
* 1770-03-20 — † 1843-06-07
Major works
- Hyperion (1797-1799)epistolary novel
- Der Tod des Empedoklestragedy
- Brod und Weinelegy
- Patmoshymn
- Antigone (1804)translation
Key milestones
- 1788-1793Studied at the theological seminary of the University of Tübingen, where he befriended Hegel and Schelling.
- 1795-1798Tutor in the household of banker J.F. Gontard in Frankfurt; fell in love with Susette Gontard, his 'Diotima'.
- 1802Suffered a mental breakdown (probably schizophrenia); after institutionalization, he spent the last 36 years of his life in a tower in Tübingen.
Themes
Nature and landscapeLove and lossGreek antiquitySpirituality and religionIdentity and madness
Sources: britannica.com · rep.routledge.com