Green in Weimar: Thomas Mann Collection (Essential Edition)

Author: (German) Mann, translated by Hou Junji
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This book is a masterpiece by the great German writer and Nobel laureate Thomas Mann. The author extracts a historical fact of Goethe's reunion with his young lover in Weimar, both shaping the great image of Goethe and depicting the humble side of this. When Goethe was young, he fell deeply in love with the beautiful girl Lotte, and the two were deeply connected, but the girl was already engaged and could not accept his love; he could only leave with a sense of loss. This extraordinary experience prompted Goethe to write the immortal masterpiece that shook generations of young people, The Sorrows of Young Werther, using Lotte as the prototype. After 44 years apart from Goethe, Lotte came to Weimar with her daughter, and this small city that had once brought her joy and sorrow suddenly erupted into excitement. People flocked to see the appearance of Goethe's former lover. However, the elderly Goethe was very cold to Lotte and reluctant to dwell on the past, which made Lotte very displeased, and she shut herself in for several weeks. One day, Goethe invited her to watch a play, and on the way home, they shared a carriage. The scene felt familiar, evoking memories of the past, and they confided in each other about their lives over the years, their longing for the past evident in their words. The novel recreates the passionate and tender love between the male and female protagonists in their youth and the vibrant social atmosphere of that time; it is considered a supplement and continuation of The Sorrows of Young Werther.