Lü Di in Weimar

Author: [German] Mann
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This book is a work by Thomas Mann, a great German writer and Nobel laureate. 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 his humble side. When Goethe was young, he fell passionately in love with the beautiful girl Lotte, and the two were deeply connected. However, the girl was already engaged and could not accept his love. He had no choice but to leave with a heavy heart. This extraordinary experience prompted Goethe to write the immortal masterpiece, The Sorrows of Young Werther, using Lotte as the prototype. After 44 years apart from Goethe, Lotte came to Weimar with her daughter. This small city, which had once brought her joy and sorrow, was suddenly buzzing with excitement. People flocked to see the beauty of Goethe's former lover. However, the elderly Goethe was cold toward Lotte and reluctant to dwell on the past, which greatly displeased her. She shut herself in for several weeks. One day, Goethe invited her to watch a play, and on the way home, they rode in the same carriage. The scene felt eerily familiar, stirring memories of their past. They confided in each other about their lives since then, their longing for the past evident in their words. The novel recreates the passionate love between the male and female protagonists and the vibrant social atmosphere of that time, and is considered a supplement and continuation of The Sorrows of Young Werther.