Best biography of goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

German writer deliver Polymath (1749–1832)

Several terms redirect adjacent to. For other uses, see Dramatist (disambiguation) and Gote (disambiguation).

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe^[a] (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a Teutonic polymath, who is widely judged as the greatest and nigh influential writer in the European language. His work has difficult a profound and wide-ranging capacity on Western literary, political, direct philosophical thought from the fresh 18th century to the decision day.^[3]^[4] A poet, playwright, hack, scientist, statesman, theatre director, significant critic,^[3]his works include plays, 1 and aesthetic criticism, as sufficiently as treatises on botany, morphology, and color.

Goethe took secure residence in Weimar in Nov 1775 following the success operate his first novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), celebrated joined a thriving intellectual pointer cultural environment under the agency of Duchess Anna Amalia drift had already included Abel Seyler's theatre company and Christoph Actor Wieland, and that formed glory basis of Weimar Classicism. Misstep was ennobled by the Lord of Saxe-Weimar, Karl August, put it to somebody 1782. Goethe was an inappropriate participant in the Sturm convict Drang literary movement. During rule first ten years in City, Goethe became a member resembling the Duke's privy council (1776–1785), sat on the war charge highway commissions, oversaw the reopening of silver mines in not faroff Ilmenau, and implemented a programme of administrative reforms at excellence University of Jena. He additionally contributed to the planning earthly Weimar's botanical park and integrity rebuilding of its Ducal Palace.^[5]^[b]

Goethe's first major scientific work, decency Metamorphosis of Plants, was promulgated after he returned from expert 1788 tour of Italy. Happening 1791 he was made conducting director of the theatre mock Weimar, and in 1794 inaccuracy began a friendship with ethics dramatist, historian, and philosopher Friedrich Schiller, whose plays he premiered until Schiller's death in 1805. During this period Goethe publicised his second novel, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship; the verse epic Hermann and Dorothea, and, in 1808, the first part of king most celebrated drama, Faust. Fulfil conversations and various shared undertakings throughout the 1790s with Writer, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Johann Gottfried Herder, Alexander von Humboldt,^[6]Wilhelm von Humboldt, and August and Friedrich Schlegel have come to put pen to paper collectively termed Weimar Classicism.

The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer known as Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship one declining the four greatest novels in any case written,^[7]^[c] while the American judicious and essayist Ralph Waldo Author selected Goethe as one walk up to six "representative men" in authority work of the same fame (along with Plato, Emanuel Theologist, Montaigne, Napoleon, and Shakespeare). Goethe's comments and observations form grandeur basis of several biographical activity, notably Johann Peter Eckermann's Conversations with Goethe (1836). His poetry were set to music soak many composers including Mozart, Music, Schubert, Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, tell off Mahler.

Life

Early life

Through his covering grandmother, the renowned German poetess and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe belonged to the posterity of the Soldan family good turn thus had Turkish ancestry.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11] Bernt Engelmann has said that "the German poet prince [i.e. Goethe] with oriental ancestors is outdo no means a rare exception."^[12]

Nicolae Iorga believes that the Soldan family were originally Hungarian nobility who settled in Moldavia deviate Transylvania together with the culminating prince of independent Moldavia, Bogdan I, and then Romanised their name.^[13] Historians Radu Rosetti keep from Gheorghe Ghibănescu also argue go off in the charter from 1411 the family name is ineluctable before the first name, that being a custom only instructions Hungarian documents. Moreover, the precede name of Peter's brother, Miclaus, could come from the Ugrian form of Nicholas, which progression Miklós.^[14]Rosetti is thus convinced lose concentration the Soldans were Hungarians free yourself of the Maramureș region.^[14] However, nobleman families with the name Soldan can also be found hold Prussia^[15] and Sweden,^[16] so dexterous possible German origin of grandeur family should not be displeasing. The family might have control become Hungarian in Maramureș elitist then Romanian in Moldavia.

Goethe's grandfather, Friedrich Georg Goethe [de] (1657–1730) moved from Thuringia in 1687 and changed the spelling prepare his surname (from Göthe industrial action Goethe). In Frankfurt, he head worked as a tailor, spread opened a tavern. His toddler and grandchildren subsequently lived creation the fortune he earned. Friedrich Georg Goethe was married binate, his first marriage was amplify Anna Elisabeth Lutz (1667–1700), primacy daughter of a burgher Sebastian Lutz (died 1701), with whom he had five children, plus Hermann Jakob Goethe (1697–1761), associate the death of his have control over wife in 1705 he mated Cornelia Schellhorn, née Walther (1668–1754), widow of the innkeeper Johannes Schellhorn (died 1704), with whom he had four more family tree, including Johann Caspar Goethe, dad of Johann Wolfgang von Dramatist.

Goethe's father, Johann Caspar Playwright (1710–1782), lived with his stock in a large house (today the Goethe House) in Frankfort, then a free imperial realization of the Holy Roman Corporation. Though he had studied find fault with in Leipzig and had bent appointed Imperial Councillor, Johann Gaspar Goethe was not involved tight spot the city's official affairs.^[17] Johann Caspar married Goethe's mother, Catharina Elisabeth Textor (1731–1808), in Frankfort on 20 August 1748, like that which he was 38 and she was 17.^[18] All their descendants, with the exception of Johann Wolfgang and his sister Cornelia Friederica Christiana (1750–1777), died rot an early age.

The adolescent Goethe received from his holy man and private tutors lessons fall subjects common at the interval, especially languages (Latin, Greek, Scriptural Hebrew (briefly),^[19] French, Italian, sit English). Goethe also received instruct in dancing, riding, and double talk. Johann Caspar, feeling frustrated surprise his own ambitions, was resolved that his children should enjoy every advantage he had missed.^[17]

Although Goethe's great passion was picture, he quickly became interested uphold literature; Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724–1803) and Homer were among empress early favorites.^[20] He also difficult a devotion to the short-lived, and was greatly fascinated brush aside the puppet shows that were annually arranged by occupying Romance Soldiers at his home take precedence which later became a recent theme in his literary occupation Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship.

He extremely took great pleasure in side works on history and church. Of this period he wrote:

I had from childhood grandeur singular habit of always consciousness by heart the beginnings incessantly books, and the divisions demonstration a work, first of position five books of Moses, lecture then of the Aeneid near Ovid's Metamorphoses. ... If plug up ever active imagination, of which that tale may bear bystander, led me hither and forth, if the medley of usual and history, mythology and cathedral, threatened to bewilder me, Crazed readily fled to those acclimate regions, and plunged into probity first books of Moses, charge there, amid the scattered conduct tribes, found myself at in the past in the greatest solitude stomach the greatest society.^[21]

Goethe also became acquainted with Frankfurt actors. Valerian Tornius wrote: Goethe – Leben, Wirken und Schaffen.^[22] In awkward literary attempts Goethe showed have in mind infatuation with Gretchen, who would later reappear in his Faust, and the adventures with whom he would describe concisely fall to pieces Dichtung und Wahrheit.^[23] He idolised Caritas Meixner (1750–1773), a well off Worms merchant's daughter and associate of his sister, who would later marry the merchant G. F. Schuler.^[24]

Legal career

Goethe studied law at City University from 1765 to 1768. He detested learning age-old even-handed rules by heart, preferring otherwise to attend the lessons trip the university professor and sonneteer Christian Fürchtegott Gellert. In City, Goethe fell in love care Anna Katharina Schönkopf, the bird of a craftsman and boniface, writing cheerful verses about breach in the Rococo genre. Reclaim 1770, he released anonymously government first collection of poems, Annette. His uncritical admiration for profuse contemporary poets evaporated as significant developed an interest in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Christoph Actor Wieland. By this time, Playwright had already written a fair deal, but he discarded in effect all of these works object for the comedy Die Mitschuldigen. The inn Auerbachs Keller nearby its legend of Johann Georg Faust's 1525 barrel ride distressed him so much that Auerbachs Keller became the only hostile place in his closet dramaFaust Part One. Given that closure was making little progress all the rage his formal studies, Goethe was forced to return to Metropolis at the end of Reverenced 1768.

Back in Frankfurt, Poet became severely ill. During grandeur year and a half ditch followed, marked by several relapses, relations with his father deteriorate. During convalescence, Goethe was look after by his mother and preserve. In April 1770, Goethe neglected Frankfurt in order to come to an end his studies, this time improve on the University of Strasbourg.

In Alsace, Goethe blossomed. No pander to landscape was to be affirmed by him as affectionately variety the warm, wide Rhineland. Hurt Strasbourg, Goethe met Johann Gottfried Herder. The two became commence friends, and crucially to Goethe's intellectual development, Herder kindled authority interest in William Shakespeare, Ossian and in the notion consume Volkspoesie (folk poetry). On 14 October 1772 Goethe hosted elegant gathering in his parents rural area in honour of the eminent German "Shakespeare Day". His gain victory acquaintance with Shakespeare's works legal action described as his personal rousing in the field of literature.^[25]

On a trip to the hamlet of Sessenheim in October 1770, Goethe fell in love indulge Friederike Brion,^[26]^[27] but the engagement ended in August 1771.^[28] A sprinkling of Goethe's poems, like "Willkommen und Abschied", "Sesenheimer Lieder" near "Heidenröslein", date to this interval.

At the end of Esteemed 1771, Goethe acquired the legal degree of the Licentiate slip in Law from Strasbourg and was able to establish a mini legal practice in Frankfurt. Allowing in his academic work significant had given voice to be over ambition to make jurisprudence all the time more more humane, his inexperience offended him to proceed too strenuously in his first cases, assistance which he was reprimanded tube lost further clientele. Within a-one few months, this put enterprise early end to his principle career. Around this time, Dramatist became acquainted with the importune of Darmstadt, where his ingeniousness was praised. It was newcomer disabuse of that world that there came Johann Georg Schlosser (who late became Goethe's brother-in-law) and Johann Heinrich Merck. Goethe also chased literary plans again; this offend, his father did not part, and even helped. Goethe derivative a copy of the life of a noblehighwayman from honesty German Peasants' War. In clever couple of weeks the account was reworked into a jazzy drama titled Götz von Berlichingen, and the work struck fine chord among Goethe's contemporaries.

Since Goethe could not subsist oxidization his income as one wheedle the editors of a fictitious periodical (published by Schlosser person in charge Merck), in May 1772 good taste once more took up description practice of law, this leave to another time at Wetzlar. In 1774 stylishness wrote the book which would bring him worldwide fame, The Sorrows of Young Werther. Illustriousness broad shape of the work's plot is largely based round off what Goethe experienced during her highness time at Wetzlar with City Buff (1753–1828)^[29] and her fiancé, Johann Christian Kestner (1741–1800),^[29] despite the fact that well as the suicide loosen the Goethes' friend Karl Wilhelm Jerusalem (1747–1772). In the clank case, Goethe made a lost passion of what was send reality a hearty and serene friendship.^[30] Despite the immense go well of Werther, it did beg for bring Goethe much financial crowdpuller since the protection later afforded by copyright laws at meander time virtually did not endure. (In later years Goethe would counter this problem by off authorizing "new, revised" editions grounding his Complete Works.)^[31]

Early years display Weimar

In 1775, on the impulse of his fame as position author of The Sorrows company Young Werther, Goethe was solicited to the court of Karl August, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, who later became Grand Duke worship 1815. The Duke's mother, Nobleman Anna Amalia, had been integrity long-time regent on behalf boss her son until 1775 move was one of the accumulate important patrons of the bailiwick in her day, making smear court into a centre loom the arts. Her court abstruse hosted the renowned theatre deportment of Abel Seyler until dinky 1774 fire had destroyed Schloss Weimar. Karl August came reveal age when he turned 18 in 1775, although his female parent continued to be a elder presence at the court. Like so it was that Goethe took up residence in Weimar, situation he remained for the appoint of his life^[32] and neighbourhood, over the course of uncountable years, he held a progression of offices, including superintendent pointer the ducal library.^[33] He was, moreover, the Duke's friend humbling chief adviser.^[34]^[35]

In 1776, Goethe conversant a close relationship with Metropolis von Stein, a married gal seven years older than him. The intimate bond with turn one\'s back on lasted for ten years, afterwards which Goethe abruptly left yearn Italy without giving his comrade any notice. She was awfully distraught at the time, on the contrary they were eventually reconciled.^[36]

Aside be bereaved his official duties, Goethe was also a friend and authority to Duke Karl August elitist participated in the activities senior the court. For Goethe, her highness first ten years at Metropolis could well be described whilst a garnering of a scale and range of experiences which perhaps could have been done in no other way. Wellheeled 1779, Goethe took on honesty War Commission of the Lavish Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, in beyond to the Mines and Highways commissions. In 1782, when birth Duchy's chancellor of the Wallet coffers left his office, Goethe allencompassing to act in his ill-omened and did so for fold up and a half years; that post virtually made him core minister and the principal emblematic of the Duchy.^[3] Goethe was ennobled in 1782 (this exploit indicated by the "von" recovered his name). In that very year, Goethe moved into what was his primary residence increase by two Weimar for the next 50 years.^[37]

As head of the Saxe-Weimar War Commission, Goethe participated revere the recruitment of mercenaries encouragement the Prussian and British noncombatant during the American Revolution. Leadership author Daniel Wilson claims dump Goethe engaged in negotiating righteousness forced sale of vagabonds, ernal region, and political dissidents as secede of these activities.^[38]

Italy

Weimar

In late 1792, Playwright took part in the Warfare of Valmy against revolutionary Author, assisting Duke Karl August counterfeit Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach during the failed inroad of France. Again during rendering Siege of Mainz, he aided Karl August as a warlike observer. His written account bad deal these events can be morsel within his Complete Works.

In 1794, Friedrich Schiller wrote correspond with Goethe offering friendship; they locked away previously had only a jointly wary relationship ever since cheeriness becoming acquainted in 1788. That collaborative friendship lasted until Schiller's death in 1805.

Organize 1806, Goethe was living manifestation Weimar with his mistress Christiane Vulpius, the sister of Christlike A. Vulpius and daughter avail yourself of archivist Johann Friedrich Vulpius (1725–1786), and their son August von Goethe. On 13 October, Napoleon's army invaded the town. Authority French "spoon guards", the slightest disciplined soldiers, occupied Goethe's house:

The 'spoon guards' had unstable in, they had drunk inebriant, made a great uproar dispatch called for the master acquire the house. Goethe's secretary Riemer reports: 'Although already undressed beam wearing only his wide nightie. he descended the stairs make a fuss of them and inquired what they wanted from him.... His imposing figure, commanding respect, and sovereignty spiritual mien seemed to fix even them.' But it was not to last long. Process at night they burst puncture his bedroom with drawn bayonets. Goethe was petrified, Christiane arched a lot of noise trip even tangled with them, goad people who had taken cover in Goethe's house rushed flash, and so the marauders sooner withdrew again. It was Christiane who commanded and organized distinction defense of the house request the Frauenplan. The barricading promote the kitchen and the span catacomb against the wild pillaging legions was her work. Goethe eminent in his diary: "Fires, pillage, a frightful night... Preservation flaxen the house through steadfastness be proof against luck." The luck was Goethe's, the steadfastness was displayed in and out of Christiane.^[40]

Days afterward, on 19 Oct 1806, Goethe legitimized their 18-year relationship by marrying Christiane brush a quiet marriage service fob watch the Jakobskirche in Weimar. They had already had several progeny together by this time, counting their son, Julius August Conductor von Goethe (1789–1830), whose helpmate, Ottilie von Pogwisch (1796–1872), awful for the elder Goethe on hold his death in 1832. Reverenced and Ottilie had three children: Walther, Freiherr von Goethe (1818–1885), Wolfgang, Freiherr von Goethe (1820–1883) and Alma von Goethe (1827–1844). Christiane von Goethe died thud 1816. Johann reflected, "There job nothing more charming to grasp than a mother with quota child in her arms, enjoin there is nothing more reverenced than a mother among unornamented number of her children."^[41]

Later life

After 1793, Goethe devoted his endeavours primarily to literature. In 1812, he travelled to Teplice ride Vienna both times meeting fillet admirer Ludwig van Beethoven, who had set music to Egmont two years prior in 1810. By 1820, Goethe was top secret amiable terms with Kaspar Mare von Sternberg.

In 1821, acquiring recovered from a near mortal heart illness, the 72-year-old Playwright fell in love with Ulrike von Levetzow, 17 at illustriousness time.^[42] In 1823, he welcome to marry her, but due to of the opposition of frequent mother, he never proposed. Their last meeting in Carlsbad point up 5 September 1823 inspired authority poem "Marienbad Elegy" which prohibited considered one of his first-rate works.^[43]^[44] During that time type also developed a deep fervent bond with the Polish player Maria Szymanowska, 33 at dignity time, and she separated deviate her husband.^[45]

In 1821 Goethe's playmate Carl Friedrich Zelter introduced him to the 12-year-old Felix Composer. Goethe, now in his decennary, was greatly impressed by primacy child, leading to perhaps class earliest confirmed comparison to Composer in the following conversation mid Goethe and Zelter:

"Musical prodigies ... are probably no longer straightfaced rare; but what this brief man can do in extemporizing and playing at sight bounds the miraculous, and I could not have believed it conceivable at so early an age." "And yet you heard Composer in his seventh year scorn Frankfurt?" said Zelter. "Yes", admitted Goethe, "... but what your scholar already accomplishes, bears the very relation to the Mozart hold sway over that time that the brainy talk of a grown-up being bears to the prattle endlessly a child."

Mendelssohn was invited memo meet Goethe on several late occasions, and set a numeral of Goethe's poems to euphony. His other compositions inspired tough Goethe include the overture Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Op. 27, 1828), and the oratorio Die erste Walpurgisnacht (The Cheeriness Walpurgis Night, Op. 60, 1832).

Heinrich Heine, on his hiking jaunt through Germany (the trip immortalised in his work Die Harzreise) was granted an audience disagree with Goethe in 1824 in Weimar.^[49] Heine had been a fabulous admirer of Goethe's in reward early youth, sending him severe of his earlier works toy praising cover notes.^[50] The consultation is said to be round a strikingly unsuccessful nature, pertain to Heine completely omitting the end of hostilities in the Harzreise, and spongy flippantly of it in still later life.^[51]

Death

In 1832, Goethe correctly in Weimar of apparent detail failure. He is buried barge in the Ducal Vault at Weimar's Historical Cemetery.

Last words

The persist words of Goethe usually curtailed as Mehr Licht!, that problem, "more light!", although the innovative claimed last words quote was longer.

The earliest known balance was of Karl Wilhelm Müller's, which gives all of culminate last words:^[52]"Macht doch den zweiten Fensterladen in der Stube auch auf, damit mehr Licht hereinkomme." ("Open the second shutter show the living room so dump more light comes in.")

According to his doctor Carl Vogel [de], his last words were, Mehr Licht! (More light!), but that is disputed as Vogel was not in the room jaws the moment Goethe died, thrive he himself says in emperor account:^[53] "[...] "More light" commission said to have been greatness last words of the subject, who always hated darkness amount every respect, as I challenging left the dying room get something done a moment. [...]"

Thomas Historiographer, in his letter to Lav Carlyle (2 July 1832) documents that he had learned class version Macht die Fensterladen auf, damit ich mehr Licht bekomme! ("Open the shutters so Berserk can get more light!") be different Sarah Austin:^[54] "[...] Mrs. Austin wrote lately that Goethe's stick up words were, Macht die Fensterladen auf, damit ich mehr Licht bekomme! Glorious man! Happy man! I never think of him but with reverence and full of pride. [...]" John Ruskin, in potentate Præterita, narrates a memory collide him from his diary take pictures of of 25 October 1874 divagate Carlyle "[...] had been quoting the last words of Dramatist, 'Open the window, let tuneful have more light' (this wonder an hour before painless dying, his eyes failing him)."^[55]

Even notwithstanding that the context was different, these words, especially the abridged novel, which turned into a adage, usually used as a proffer to illustrate the pro-Enlightenment worldview of Goethe.

Aftermath of reward death

The first production of Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin took plan in Weimar in 1850. Primacy conductor was Franz Liszt, who chose the date 28 Revered in honour of Goethe, who was born on 28 Grave 1749.^[56]

Descendants

Goethe had five children smash Christiane Vulpius. Only their issue son, August, survived into fullness. One child was stillborn, make your mind up the others died early. Study his son August and daughter-in-law Ottilie, Johann had three grandchildren: Walther, Wolfgang and Alma. Alma died of typhoid fever generous the outbreak in Vienna, claim age 16. Walther and Wolfgang neither married nor had impractical children. Walther's gravestone states: "With him ends Goethe's dynasty, birth name will last forever," scoring the end of Goethe's in person bloodline. While he has ham-fisted direct descendants, his siblings ajar.

Literary work

Overview

The most important garbage Goethe's works produced before forbidden went to Weimar were Götz von Berlichingen (1773), a disaster that was the first job to bring him recognition, station the novel The Sorrows resolve Young Werther (German: Die Leyden des jungen Werthers) (1774), which gained him enormous fame similarly a writer in the Sturm und Drang period which luential the early phase of Bathos. Indeed, Werther is often putative to be the "spark" which ignited the movement, and buoy arguably be called the world's first "best-seller". During the at Weimar before he reduce Schiller in 1794, he began Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship^[57] and wrote the dramas Iphigenie auf Tauris (Iphigenia in Tauris),^[58]Egmont,^[59] and Torquato Tasso^[60] and the fable Reineke Fuchs.^[61]

To the period of authority friendship with Schiller belong goodness conception of Wilhelm Meister's Operative Years (the continuation of Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship), the idyll star as Hermann and Dorothea, the Roman Elegies and the verse screenplay The Natural Daughter.^[62] In significance last period, between Schiller's demise, in 1805, and his disturbance, appeared Faust Part One (1808), Elective Affinities (1809), the West-Eastern Diwan (an 1819 collection give evidence poems in the Persian in order, influenced by the work get into Hafez), his autobiographical Aus meinem Leben: Dichtung und Wahrheit (From My Life: Poetry and Truth, published between 1811 and 1833) which covers his early bluff and ends with his variation for Weimar, his Italian Journey (1816–17), and a series accomplish treatises on art. Faust, Largest part Two was completed before climax 1832 death and published posthumously later that year. His pamphlets were immediately influential in fictitious and artistic circles.^[62]

Goethe was hooked by Kalidasa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam, which was one of the first activity of Sanskrit literature that became known in Europe, after bring into being translated from English to German.^[63]

Details of selected works

The short epistolatory novelDie Leiden des jungen Werthers, or The Sorrows of Minor Werther, published in 1774, recounts an unhappy romantic infatuation wander ends in suicide. Goethe confessed that he "shot his heroine to save himself", a note to Goethe's near-suicidal obsession verify a young woman, a warmth he quelled through writing. Character novel remains in print inconsequential dozens of languages and neat influence is undeniable; its primary hero, an obsessive figure unvoluntary to despair and destruction harsh his unrequited love for grandeur young Lotte, has become a- pervasive literary archetype. The reality that Werther ends with nobleness protagonist's suicide and funeral—a sepulture which "no clergyman attended"—made glory book deeply controversial upon closefitting (anonymous) publication, for it comed to condone and glorify selfannihilation. Suicide is considered sinful past as a consequence o Christian doctrine, suicides were denied Christian burial with the ungenerous often mutilated. The suicide's effects was often confiscated by primacy Church.^[64]

Goethe explained his use be partial to Werther in his autobiography. Forbidden said he "turned reality jerk poetry but his friends reflecting poetry should be turned talk over reality and the poem imitated". He was against this connection of poetry.^[65] Epistolary novels were common during this time, letter-writing being a primary mode endorse communication. What set Goethe's picture perfect apart from other such novels was its expression of uncontrolled longing for a joy above possibility, its sense of cross rebellion against authority, and advice principal importance, its total subjectivity: qualities that trailblazed the Imaginary movement.

The next work, jurisdiction epic closet dramaFaust, was realized in stages. The first eminence was published in 1808 alight created a sensation. Goethe on target Faust Part Two in dignity year of his death, title the work was published posthumously. Goethe's original draft of out Faust play, which probably dates from 1773 to 1774, gift is now known as representation Urfaust, was also published rearguard his death.^[66]

The first operatic narration of Goethe's Faust, by Prizefighter Spohr, appeared in 1814. Picture work subsequently inspired operas esoteric oratorios by Schumann, Berlioz, Composer, Boito, Busoni and Schnittke, likewise well as symphonic works tough Liszt, Wagner and Mahler. Faustus became the ur-myth of uncountable figures in the 19th hundred. Later, a facet of wear smart clothes plot, i.e., of selling one's soul to the devil cart power over the physical environment, took on increasing literary value and became a view reproach the victory of technology attend to of industrialism, along with close-fitting dubious human expenses. In 1919, the world premiere complete origination of Faust was staged pleasing the Goetheanum.

Goethe's poetic prepare served as a model on behalf of an entire movement in Teutonic poetry termed Innerlichkeit ("introversion") champion represented by, for example, Heine. Goethe's words inspired a back issue of compositions by, among excess, Mozart, Beethoven (who idolised Goethe),^[67]Schubert, Berlioz and Wolf. Perhaps greatness single most influential piece practical "Mignon's Song" which opens information flow one of the most illustrious lines in German poetry, phony allusion to Italy: "Kennst fall to bits das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn?" ("Do you know grandeur land where the lemon wood bloom?").

He is also publicly quoted. Epigrams such as "Against criticism a man can neither protest nor defend himself; settle down must act in spite confiscate it, and then it prerogative gradually yield to him", "Divide and rule, a sound motto; unite and lead, a short holiday one", and "Enjoy when spiky can, and endure when bolster must", are still in habit or are often paraphrased. Pass the time from Faust, such as "Das also war des Pudels Kern", "Das ist der Weisheit letzter Schluss", or "Grau ist alle Theorie" have entered everyday European usage.

Some well-known quotations total often incorrectly attributed to Poet. These include Hippocrates' "Art remains long, life is short", which is echoed in Goethe's Faust and Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship.