The Sorrows of Young Werther in Never too Late to Read Classics

Jul 14, 2019 Chrissie rated it liked it

Shelves: audible-uk, classics, 2019-read, love, germany, epistolary

This is a loosely autobiographical epistolary novel. The majority, but not all the letters, are from the Werther to his friend Wilhelm over a period of several months. It is considered one of the most important novels of the Sturm and Drang literary movement of German literature that later developed into the period of full-blown Romantic literature. It is worth reading for this itself; the only way to get a sense of the period’s prose style is to test it. I am glad to have tried it, to get a sen This is a loosely autobiographical epistolary novel. The majority, but not all the letters, are from the Werther to his friend Wilhelm over a period of several months. It is considered one of the most important novels of the Sturm and Drang literary movement of German literature that later developed into the period of full-blown Romantic literature. It is worth reading for this itself; the only way to get a sense of the period’s prose style is to test it. I am glad to have tried it, to get a sense of the period’s writing style. This is why I gave the book three stars.

The writing is florid. Do I like the writing style? No, not really, but in all honesty, by the book’s end, I was caught up in both the prose style and the story. I needed to know how it would end and I wanted to see the words Goethe employed to bring it to an end. The prose style is intimately tied to the plot. They flow into each other, they mesh into each other, they fit each other amazingly well. You sit back and view it as a creative piece of art.

Werther is obsessively attracted to Charlotte. Charlotte is engaged and then does marry Albert. At first all three are friends. As Werther’s obsession grows, it becomes overpowering. Werther is lovelorn, and I mean lovelorn in a big way. Nothing in life interests him other than Charlotte. His love for her absorbs him to the exclusion of everything else in his life. I can tell you this is a tale about unrequited love, and it is, but to fully grasp his obsession, one must read the lines. Only in this way does one fully grasp the extent of his love, the craziness of it, the overpowering magnitude of it and ultimately its destructive power.

The story line is melodramatic. It is syrupy. Its inherent exaggeration makes it unrealistic, bordering on the absurd. I should not like it, but I did. All aspects of it fit together. It works. It becomes a unique sparkling gem.

When this book came out, so many were caught up by it that lovelorn men joined in on the fad of committing suicide dressed in the same style of clothes Werther wore.

“I am proud of my heart alone, it is the sole source of everything, all our strength, happiness and misery.”

Leighton Pugh narrates the audiobook. He dramatizes, but his reading does fit the text. In parts he sobs. It is not hard to follow, so I am willing to give the narration three stars, but not more than that. ...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Laura rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, e-books, fiction-18th-century, read-2015, german-literature, 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, novellas, gutenberg, mtbr-challenge-2015

Free download available at Project Gutenberg.

PREFACE

I have carefully collected whatever I have been able to learn of the story of poor Werther, and here present it to you, knowing that you will thank me for it. To his spirit and character you cannot refuse your admiration and love: to his fate you will not deny your tears.
And thou, good soul, who sufferest the same distress as he endured once, draw comfort from his sorrows; and let this little book be thy friend, if, owing to fortune or through ...more

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May 21, 2019 Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001

Goethe is an author that I have always wanted to read, but I have not known anything about him. I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed his thoughts about the human condition and nature, more than his relationship with Charlotte. I am glad I went into this work knowing nothing about it.

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Feb 04, 2013 Nada rated it liked it · review of another edition

"When I consider the narrow limits within which our active and inquiring faculties are confined; when I see how all our energies are wasted in providing for mere necessities . . . and then that all our satisfaction concerning certain subjects of investigation ends in nothing better than a passive resignation . . . when I consider al this . . . I am silent. I examine my own being, and find there a world, but a world rather of imagination and dim desires, than of distinctness and living power." ...more

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Jan 28, 2022 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, european, 60-before-60, 1001-books, read-in-2022, romance

The Sorrows of Young Werther was published in 1774 and was an instant hit. The story inspired other authors who wrote responses and retellings, was carried into Egypt by Napoleon, and inspired "Werther fever" in Europe with men dressing similarly to the character. I found the book beautifully written and felt as timeless. Werther's story could be written today or one hundred years from now, as unrequited love is something that has always happened, and always will happen. ...more

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Dec 31, 2013 Diana rated it liked it

Tale of unrequited Love. Werther is obsessed with Charlotte who is engaged to be married. Albert, her fiancee returns from his travels and they are married but Werther can not stop loving her. Passionate. Gloomy. Dramatic end.

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