Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Childhood & Early Life
Goethe was born on August 28, 1749inFree Imperial City of Frankfurt of the Holy Roman Empire to Johann Caspar Goethe and Catharina Elisabeth Goethe. All the siblings of Goethe died at an early age except his sister Cornelia Friederike Christiana, born in 1750. His father and some private tutors used to give Goethe lessons on all the common subjects, with special emphasis on languages. Apart from these, he also learned dancing, riding and fencing. Goethe carried a constant dislike towards the Roman Catholic Church and he characterized its history as a “hotchpotch of fallacy and violence”. Since childhood, Goethe was very much passionate about drawing but acquired interest in literature while growing up. Theater and puppet shows also greatly attracted Goethe.
Legal Career
From 1765-1768, Goethe studied law in Leipzig. He hated learning age-old judicial rule and had liking towards poetry lessons of Christian Fürchtegott Gellert. While living in Leipzig, he also fell in love with Käthchen Schönkopf and wrote many verses for her in the Rococo genre. Goethe anonymously released his first collection of poems, “Annette” in 1770. But later on, he lost his interest and threw away almost all his works. As his studies were encountering no progress, he forcibly had to move back to Frankfurt in August 1768. On returning back, he felt seriously ill and following numerous relapses, the relationship between him and his father became sour. During his illness, he was taken care of by his mother and sister. Being on the bed for so long, boredom circled him and to overcome the same, he wrote an impudent crime comedy. In April 1770, he left Frankfurt to complete his studies in Strasbourg. Being in Alsace, he flourished. In Strasbourg, Goethe acquainted with Johann Gottfried Herder. It was Herder only who ignited his interest in Shakespeare, Ossian and in the notion of Volkspoesie (folk poetry).
Goethe, on October 14, 1772, gave a speech in his parental house in honor of the first German “Shakespeare Day”. A large number of his poems were written on his trip to the village Sesenheim like “Willkommen und Abschied”, “Sesenheimer Lieder” and “Heideröslein”. He was also certified as a licensee in Frankfurt by the closet of August 1771. Goethe was more inclined towards making the jurisdiction more humane. In his initial cases, he advanced much vigorously and thus, was greatly criticized. As a result, he lost his post which eventually proved to be the end of his career as a lawyer. During this time, he acquainted with the court of Darmstadt where his skills were highly praised. He also sought literary plans again. Goethe got a copy of the biography of a noble highwayman from the German Peasants' War. Goethe translated the biography into a colorful drama and within two weeks released it under the title “Götz von Berlichingen”. Since Goethe was not able to survive by being one of the editors of a literary periodical, he, therefore in May 1772, again started the practice of law at Wetzlar. In 1774, he wrote a book titled “The Sorrows of Young Werther”, which brought him lot of fame and recognition. In spite of great success of this book, it lacked behind in making financial gains mainly because of the absence of copyright laws.
Early Years in Weimar
In 1775, Goethe received invitation from the court of Carl August, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and therefore, moved to Weimar. Apart from his official duties, he was quite friendly with the Duke, and thus actively participated in many activities of the court. In 1782, he was ennobled. In the years of his holding the office as a member of the Geheime Consilium which was the top deliberate circle of the Duke Carl August of Saxony-Weimar, there came three cases of the killing of a newborn baby by its own mother. In 1781, Dorothea Altwein was sentenced a lifelong punishment servitude. Maris Rost was also punished a lifelong penal servitude but without any judicial sentence by the Duke. Another woman named Johanna Catharina Höhn had killed her baby boy in a panic attack immediately after its birth and this crime made her liable for the death sentence by sword. However, Duke Carl August sent her sentence to be adjudicated. This is because of the arguments raised for its mitigation and Duke wanted to save her from the sentence of death. Therefore, Duke called the members of his government and deliberative circle to consider the same. The members of the Consilium were Goethe, Fritsch and Schnauss. They all voted on the case on 4 November 1783. In the voting, Fritsch and Schnauss voted first and Goethe’s vote finalized the decision. In Saxony-Weimar capital punishment wasn’t abolished and therefore, Johanna was executed on November 28, 1783.
Italy
The excursion of Goethe to the Italian peninsula from 1786-1788 proved to be of great importance in the growth of his aesthetics and philosophy. Seeing the work of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, Goethe again developed great interest in the classical art of ancient Greece and Rome. During his tour, he acquainted with prominent figures such as Angelica Kauffmann, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, Lady Hamilton and Alessandro Cagliostro. Goethe was exposed to genuine Greek architecture for the first time when he visited Southern Italy and Sicily. Goethe writings during this period formed the base of the non-fiction “Italian journey.” In “Italian Journey” only the first year of Goethe’s journey is mentioned and rest is mainly undocumented. The following years witnessed the publication of “Italian Journey” which took place in 1816. The work influenced and inspired a large number of German youths.
Late Years in Weimar
Goethe participated in the battle of Valmy in order to oppose revolutionary France. He assisted Duke Carl August of Saxe-Weimar at the time when the invasion of France was failed. Later too, he assisted Duke as a military observer during the Siege of Mainz. Goethe also wrote accounts of the events of the same. On 13 October 1806, the Napoleon army attacked the town and the French “spoon guards” captured Goethe’s home. The following day, he legalized his long term relationship by marrying Christiane in a quiet marriage ceremony at the court chapel.
Later Life
Post 1793, Goethe devoted his life to literature. By 1820, he became friendly with Kaspar Maria von Sternberg. Goethe recovered from a dreadful heart problem in 1823. During the same time he fell in love with Ulrike von Levetzow but never proposed, their last meeting inspired Goethe to produce his one of the best works, “Marienbad Elegy”.
Personal Life
Goethe was living with his mistressChristiane Vulpius for many years in his house. In 1806, Goethe finally tied the knot with Christiane at the court chapel after having had been living together for almost eighteen years. The couple was blessed with a son Julius August Walter von Goethe. Chritiane van Goethe passed away in 1816.
Death
On 22 March, 1832, Goethe died in Weimar and was buried in the Ducal Vault at Weimar's Historical Cemetery. | |||||
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Timeline: | |||||
1749: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in Frankfurt.
1765: Goethe began to study law at Leipzig University.
1767: Goethe wrote his first play, “The Lover’s Caprice”
1770: After recovering from illness, resumed his studies in Strasbourg.
1772: He restarted the practice of law at Wetzlar.
1774: Published his first novel, self, “Die Leiden Des Jungen Werthers”
1775: He was invited by Duke Karl August into the small court of Weimar.
1786: Went on a journey to Italy.
1806: He married Christiane Vulpius.
1808: The first part of “Faust” was published.
1816: “Italian Journey” got published.
1832: Goethe died in Weimar on March 22. |
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a distinguished German writer and regarded as a genius of modern German literature. To find out more about him and his childhood, read his brief biography in the lines below.
Famous People» Poets» Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe |
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| Famous as | Poet |
| Born on | 28 August 1749 |
| Born in | Free Imperial City of Frankfurt of the Holy Roman Empire |
| Died on | 22 March 1832 |
| Nationality | Germany |
| Works & Achievements | Tragedy - Götz von Berlichingen (1773), Novel - The Sorrows of Young Werther (called Die Leiden des jungen Werthers in German) (1774), Drama - Iphigenie auf Tauris (Iphigenia in Tauris), Egmont, Torquato Tasso, and Fable - Reineke FuchS and Faust. |
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