Goethe and Romanticism
Goethe, as per the traditional German assessment, was more of a classical author, than a Romantic author. In the words of Smith (2009), “to students of German literature, it is so obvious that Goethe was un-romantic and anti-Romantic that they seldom bother to say so” (71). As per this viewpoint, his works are seen as having been influenced by diverse literary movements, i.e. Weimar Classicism and Storm and Stress. This is a viewpoint that ought to be questioned – particularly after placing his works and writings in the Romantic Movement context. This discussion argues that undeniable parallels exist between the Romanticism credo and Goethe’s works and ideology. In so doing, references will be made to Goethe’s best known works which include, but are not limited to, The Sorrows of Young Werther.
Admittedly, the debate pitting classicism against Romanticism in Goethe’s works may have been inspired (at least partly) by Goethe himself. According to Richards (2002), Goethe once made a statement to the effect that: “the classical I call healthy and the Romantic sick… Most of the new poetry is not Romantic because it is new, but because it is weak, sickly, and ill, and the old is not classical because it is old, but because it is strong, fresh, cheerful, and healthy” (458). This is essentially aesthetic dualism whereby the Romantic and Classical appear...
Russian writers like Pushkin, Lermontov and Turgenev experienced with the symbols of Romanticism as they inevitably reached the remotest literary fecund corners of the continent. Turgenev lived in Europe for a while, at the very heart of Romanticism and his translated literary works received the acclaim of the critics and were welcomed by the public as well, showing him as an artist who became an integral part of the
He accomplishes similar sentiments in "The Stars are Mansions Built by Nature's Hands," where the vivid details pull the reader into the poem and you feel at one with nature. John Constable showed the same type of attention to detail to gather the appreciation for nature and its beauty. In the "Hay Wain" painting, Constable gives a stark detail of what the area really looked like and instilled great detail
All of the styles inspired by the Romantic current can be clearly traced from the Formalist point-of-view, as they had in common the use of image itself, leaving meaning and content to a secondary design. In the poetry and literature world, the Romantic period was a chance to explore the inner feelings of the artist, the development of his own soul and thoughts, where the author is the hero of the
Wolf Schubert Goethe It is often useful to compare artists within certain styles and forms in order to gain a greater understanding of those artists. Judging and comparing art is a beneficial method in determining what is good and acceptable within the academic standards of music and art. Three such artists deserving of such a comparisons and evaluations compose the theme of this essay. Essentially, the purpose of this essay is
Her list includes the following: culture / Nature reason / Nature male/female mind/body ( Nature) master/slave reason/matter (physicality) rationality/animality ( Nature) human / Nature (non-human) civilised/primitive ( Nature) production/reproduction ( Nature) self/other At first glance, this list seems to capture the basic groupings and gender associations that are at work in Mary Shelley's novel. The Creature exemplifies animality, primitiveness, and physicality, whereas Victor represents the forces of civilization, rational production, and culture. Victor is part of a happy family
Individuals and Society Romanticism was not only a literary movement that emphasized tragedy but it was the one that praised the misfits and gave them the cult status that we may associate with people like Marilyn Mason today. In those days, being a social misfit was in vogue or so it appeared from some very well-known novels including the Sorrows of Young Werther, Frankenstein and Black Elk Speaks. All these books
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