The Sorrows of Young Werther (Magill Book Reviews)
At a glance:
- Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- First Published: 1774
- Type of Work: Epistolary/Psychological Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman
- Subjects: Love or romance, Suicide, Rural or country life, Obsession, Eighteenth century, Germany or German people
- Locales: Germany
Werther, a man of some means, flees the complexities of life by taking refuge in the countryside. There he indulges his exuberant imagination by immersing himself in the idyllic delights of his natural surroundings. His happiness reaches new heights when he meets Lotte, a charming young girl who is, however, engaged to a likable but unimaginative local official. Werther’s ecstatic love soon tortures both himself and Lotte as it begins to conflict with the norms of polite society.
When his overwrought sentiments make his stay more and more untenable, Werther accepts a position...
[The entire page is 543 words long]

