It is in his cosmopolitanism that Goethe could never fully embrace the Greeks. In his version of "Iphigenia in Tauris" Iphigenia wins the Scythian king's blessing to return to Greece, and convinces Pylades & Orestes to leave the idol be. Quite a contrast to the Hellenocentric original!
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Personally, what I find most appealing in Goethe is his metaphysical outlook, which shines through in all his work, but especially Faust;
"A part of the same power that would
Forever work for evil, yet forever creates good.
...
This awkward world, this object, this obstruction,
Resists all my best efforts at destruction.
Whatever harm I do it seems,
Quite unaffected by my nihilistic schemes.
Flood, fire or earthquake, storm—whatever I can send
To ravage land or sea, they calm down in the end.
And that accursed brood of man and beast—
That rabble I can't cope with in the least.
I've buried millions in my time, but then
They breed and multiply—I have to start again!
So it goes on, it drives you to despair;
In water, in the earth and in the air,
A dry, a moist, a cold or warm environment,
A thousand geminating seeds are sown.
If fire were not my native element
There would be nothing left to call my own."
Here, and in his studies of plants, Goethe prefigures, and directly inspires, the Darwinism to come later in the Century. Ernst Haeckel, Darwin's German protégé, was raised on Weimar Classicism and practically modelled his life on Goethe.
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I wonder if Herder was the inspiration for the envious Antonio?
Great essay, thank you. I have read Werther and Italian Journey but will take on the rest. Do you have a recommendation for a book that contains his thoughts on Shakespeare?
Thanks! You can probably find his speech from when he was 20, and articles he wrote for journals on the subject. He talks about Shakespeare with Eckermann a fair bit, and Shakespeare is a major topic in Wilhelm Meister.
Do you recommend Ludwig’s bio of Goethe?
Unfortunately I have not read it, no idea if it is worth reading.
It is in his cosmopolitanism that Goethe could never fully embrace the Greeks. In his version of "Iphigenia in Tauris" Iphigenia wins the Scythian king's blessing to return to Greece, and convinces Pylades & Orestes to leave the idol be. Quite a contrast to the Hellenocentric original!
<hr>
Personally, what I find most appealing in Goethe is his metaphysical outlook, which shines through in all his work, but especially Faust;
"A part of the same power that would
Forever work for evil, yet forever creates good.
...
This awkward world, this object, this obstruction,
Resists all my best efforts at destruction.
Whatever harm I do it seems,
Quite unaffected by my nihilistic schemes.
Flood, fire or earthquake, storm—whatever I can send
To ravage land or sea, they calm down in the end.
And that accursed brood of man and beast—
That rabble I can't cope with in the least.
I've buried millions in my time, but then
They breed and multiply—I have to start again!
So it goes on, it drives you to despair;
In water, in the earth and in the air,
A dry, a moist, a cold or warm environment,
A thousand geminating seeds are sown.
If fire were not my native element
There would be nothing left to call my own."
Here, and in his studies of plants, Goethe prefigures, and directly inspires, the Darwinism to come later in the Century. Ernst Haeckel, Darwin's German protégé, was raised on Weimar Classicism and practically modelled his life on Goethe.
<hr>
I wonder if Herder was the inspiration for the envious Antonio?
Ah, the dividers didn't work!
Great essay, thank you. I have read Werther and Italian Journey but will take on the rest. Do you have a recommendation for a book that contains his thoughts on Shakespeare?
Thanks! You can probably find his speech from when he was 20, and articles he wrote for journals on the subject. He talks about Shakespeare with Eckermann a fair bit, and Shakespeare is a major topic in Wilhelm Meister.