TITLE:  The Sorrows of Young Werther and Selected Writings

AUTHOR:  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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DESCRIPTION:

The Sorrows of Young Werther (German: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers) is a loosely autobiographical epistolary novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  First published in 1774, it reappeared as a revised edition in 1787.  It was one of the most important novels in the Sturm und Drang period in German literature, and influenced the later Romantic movement.  Goethe, aged 24 at the time, finished Werther in five-and-a-half weeks of intensive writing in January–March 1774. The book's publication instantly placed the author among the foremost international literary celebrities, and was among the best known of his works.  This classically tragic story is one of unrequited love. 

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REVIEW:

I was expecting a romance novel stuffed full of sentimental drivel. And there was a lot of maudlin fluff, but also a bit of philosophy and psychological drama, which is heightened by the epistolary format. Werther has a rather "interesting" method of revenge (if you can call it that), if nothing else. There were also interesting insights into 18th century German life, especially for that rising class of people between the peasants and the nobility. The writing was so descriptively poetic and beautiful, especially when it comes to describing nature. I'm quite happy to put up with Werther's self-indulgent saccharine thoughts just to read Goethe go on about cabbages and trees. I liked this book a great deal more than most of the novels by Jane Austen.

The Signet edition comes with other writing relating to the Sorrows of Young Werther, as well as two charming fairy tales written by Goethe, and an introduction that summarizes the influence of this novel on literate public at the time and literature in general.

I wanted to read this 18^th century publishing phenomenon because of History Bites, a slightly crazy show that liked to imagine what history would have been like if television had been around. It did an episode on Goethe where a bunch of impressionable youths were dressing up in Werther’s blue coat and yellow vest like kids today might dress up like Harry Potter (it aired back when Harry Potter was still relatively new and really popular). There was probably some other stuff in that episode but I don’t really remember it.

So I was curious, but as usual I didn’t get around to it for a while. And then because of the subject matter, I set it aside because I really didn’t need a depressing read at the time. It wasn’t quite as bad as I feared in that department, but I also didn’t have much sympathy for Werther beyond recognizing that he was really depressed and needed a lot more help than he got. I felt bad for him but I also didn’t really enjoy reading his letters. I probably would have had more sympathy if he hadn’t subscribed so strongly to the Romantic movement or what would develop into the Romantic movement.

I’m labelling it “A hard book” for the summer book bingo, partly due to the subject matter and partly because I found my mind wandering during several of Werther’s romantic effusions (in the sense of the romanticism of nature etc and not necessarily about Charlotte).

I did like these quotes: 

The human race is a monotonous thing. Most people work most of the time in order to live, and the little freedom they have left over frightens them so, that they will do anything to get rid of it. Oh, the regimentation of mankind! (p12)

 

 I could lead the best, the happiest life if I wasn’t a fool. (p49)

- Yep.

 

"Wilhelm, what is the world to our hearts without love? What is a magic-lantern without light? You have but to kindle the flame within, and the brightest figures shine on the white wall; and, if love only show us fleeting shadows, we are yet happy, when, like mere children, we behold them, and are transported with the splendid phantoms."

The Sorrows of Young Werther by J.W. von Goethe

Vorlesung aus Goethes Werther by Wilhelm Amberg (German, 1822­–1899)

Classic, beautiful book that made me love it and hate it. Werther can look so arrogant when he talks and express about some people he met along the story, but we can’t help to like him and sympathize his sorrows when he falls in love with Lotte and realises that he could never be with her, she would never love him and she was engaged with Albert, a character that, even when he tries, he cannot hate. 

Even when his character is described as someone with nothing but kindness in her heart, I didn’t like Charlotte. I think she’s selfish because even knowing that Werther loves her and she not, she doesn’t do anything to avoid this infatuation, on contrary, every time he tries to forget her, she acted in an ambiguos way, giving him illusions that made him think he had a chance with her.

Another reason that made me love the book was that we can’t help to love our Werther and suffer with and for him. It is impossible not to feel identificated with the way he feels, his feelings are so intense and strong. Who hasn’t suffered for love like that? Who hasn’t felt a love so special, so strong for someone?

A Highly recommended book, even when the reading might seem slow and even dense in some parts, it made us see through our protagonist the beauty with which we see the world when we’re in love and the pains and sorrows we feel when we know is unrequited.