The Life and Works of Goethe: with Sketches of His Age and Contemporaries

Characteristics of the man to be traced in the moral lineaments of

the child.. Characteristics of Goethe.

His seriousness, formality and rationality.

Goethe commences his collegiate life at Leipsic. Wearies of logic

and jurisprudence. - Appearance in society. — Acquaintance with

Frau Böhme. Literary society at the table d'hôte of Herr

Schönkopf. — Falls in love with Anna Katharina Schönkopf.

Description of Goethe in Horn's letters to Moors. — Composition

of Die Laune des Verliebten.' Works of Goethe an embod-

iment of his experiences. Pranks and extravagances with

Behrisch. Composition of The Fellow Sinners'

Subjective and objective intellects. Antagonism between the ideal

and the real.

crete tendency in his works. -Comparison of Goethe with Shake-

speare. Moral toleration

- Objective character of Goethe's genius.

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Goethe's reception at home. - Letters to Käthchen Schönkopf.

Marriage of Käthchen with Dr. Kanne.. Unpleasant relations

with his father. Sudies in alchemy.- Religion more prom-

inently in his thoughts. Passing affection for Charity Meix-

ner

CHAPTER V.

STRASBURG.

Goethe proceeds to Strasburg university. — Description of his per-

son.-

- Strasburg cathedral. General progress. — Disgust at the

- Ominous pic-

'Système de la Nature.' - Raphael's cartoons.

tures exhibited to Marie Antoinette.. Goethe's French verses.-

Mystical metaphysical studies. Early tendency towards Nature-

worship. Giordana Bruno.- Notes on Bayle's criticism. — Re-

markable comment on a chapter in Fabricius.- Improvement in

his demeanor. Increased circle of friends. First meeting and

friendship with Stilling. - Friendship with Franz Lerse. - Con-

Two love poems. ·

quers his irritability and sensitiveness.

Dancing at Strasburg.-Story of Emilia and Lucinda, the dancing-

master's daughters

CHAPTER VI.

HIERDER AND FREDERIKA.

opinion of Goethe. His influence. Strange introduction of

Goethe to the Brion family. Frederika. - Goethe's letter. -

Affection of Goethe and Frederika. - Goethe obtains his doctor's

degree. Frederika's visit to Strasburg. Effect of Shakespeare

on Germany. Goethe's oration on Shakespeare. His tractate

on German architecture. — Parting with Frederika

Goethe's reception by his father. Commencement of the Storm

Goethe's reluctance to appear in print. -

and Stress period. ·

His anguish at having renounced Frederika. -

Reasons why he

Johann Heinrich

did not marry her. - Antagonism between domesticity and

genius. Egoism of genius. Hard work.

Merck. The Frankfurter Gelehrten Anzeigen.

Three versions of 'Götz.' Goethe's own account of the composition.

Character of Gottfried with the Iron Hand. · Battle for indi-

vidual liberty in the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries compared.

-'Götz' a dramatic chronicle, not a drama. Singularly un-

Shakespearian in construction, in the presentation of character,

and in the language.. -The first-born of the romantic school..

Its injurious influence on dramatic art. Its originality denied by

Hegel.. 'Götz' a marvellous work

Description of

Meagre account of Wetzlar in Goethe's Autobiography. The

imperial court of justice, a German chancery. The Teutsche

Haus.- The Round Table and its knights.

Goethe by Kestner.

His acquaintance with Gotter. Con-

nection with the Gottingen school. - Moral contest between indi-

viduals and government. - Literary and philosophic insurrection

- Kestner's engage-

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CHAPTER IV.

PREPARATIONS FOR WERTHER.

Goethe interrogates fate whether he should become an artist..
Maximiliane von Laroche. - Excursion with Merck.

Frankfurt. Re-writing Gotz von Berlichingen.'

Studies at

- Successful

publication of 'Götz.' — Amusing offer of a bookseller.- Unrest

and extravagancies of the age. General want of faith. - Letters

to Kestner and Charlotte.- Coquetting with suicide. -Suicide of

Jerusalem.-State of Goethe's mind. Marriage of Charlotte to

Kestner.-Marriage of Cornelia. - Goethe meditates a drama on

Mahomet. — Marriage of Maximiliane Laroche with Brentano.

Dangerous intimacy. - Publication of Gotter, Helden und Wie-

land.'- First acquaintance with Karl August.—Composition of

Kestner's narrative of Jerusalem's suicide.-

Character of Werther.

Sensation at Wetzlar.

Distinction between Werther and

Goethe. - Wretched English translation of Werther.'— Sim-

plicity of the structure of the book.—Its prodigious effect.

Objections of Lessing. - Parody by Nicolai.— Nicolai at Wer-

ther's grave.Enthusiasm of Zimmermann and Kotzebue.

"Indignation of Kestner and Charlotte.

Goethe obtains their

Goethe's contemporaries. — Idealism the dominant characteristic of

German literature. — Comparison of Greek and Christian Art.

Legend of Tannhäuser and Legend of Phryne.—Nature deified ·

by the Greek, and diabolized by the Christian. Contrast be-

tween early Greek and early Christian art.

Realism the domi-

nant characteristic of the Greek mind, and Idealism of the

Christian..

Idealism carried furthest by German art. Ger-

man belief in witches and wizards. — Struggle between Idealism
and Realism. — Predominance of Realism in the Romantic epoch.
-Its strong manifestation in the Nibelungen Lied. Contrast
between national song or Volkspoesie, and poetic art Kuntspoesie.