About
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a major German writer and thinker. Born in Frankfurt, he achieved European fame with 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' (1774), a foundational work of Sturm und Drang. His masterpiece, the poetic drama 'Faust', is considered one of the greatest works of world literature. He also made significant contributions to botany and optics with his scientific studies. As a privy councillor in Weimar from 1776, he collaborated with Schiller to define Weimar Classicism. His vast oeuvre, spanning all genres, has profoundly influenced Western culture.
Major works
- Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (1774)epistolary novel
- Faust. Eine Tragödie (1808)poetic drama
- Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (1796)Bildungsroman
- Die Wahlverwandtschaften (1809)novel
- West-östlicher Divan (1819)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1774Publication of The Sorrows of Young Werther, bringing him European fame.
- 1782Ennobled, he received the title 'von'.
- 1832Posthumous publication of the second part of Faust.
Themes
The search for meaning and the humaLove and passionNature and sciencePersonal development and educationThe conflict between ideal and real
Sources: klassik-stiftung.de · frankfurt.de · getty.edu