Sorrow of Young Werther: Affinity

Author: (German) Goethe (J.W.von Goethe), translated by Han Yaocheng, Hong Tianfu, Xiao Sheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The Sorrows of Young Werther/ — is the masterpiece of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the great German 18th-century literary figure and thinker. This work transformed Goethe from a German poet into a world poet, and the novel became wildly popular across nations, sparking a "Werther fever." As the brightest star in the constellation of the German Sturm und Drang movement, this work is inextricably linked with Goethe's name through its tragic love, the purity and innocence of humanity. It has inspired generations of readers to cherish their passion and youth, urging them to be true human beings, like Werther, to be pure and kind-hearted.
At a ball, Werther meets Charlotte and falls in love with her, but she is already married. Tormented by immense pain, he resigns himself to despair and takes a position as a junior official at the embassy. Yet, he remains unsuccessful and, in a fit of anger, resigns and returns to Charlotte in search of comfort. However, Charlotte is already married. Werther, emotional and sensitive, cannot attain love and ultimately takes his own life. The novel reflects the intellectual rebellion against feudal morality and hierarchical concepts, as well as the demand for individual liberation.
Affinity — Edward and his wife Charlotte live a quiet life on a farm. They invite the captain and Othello to stay as guests. The arrival of these two gradually divides the household, as the male protagonist and the female guest, as well as the female protagonist and the male guest, develop feelings for each other. They are torn in agony between moral constraints and love. This novel reflects the crisis of bourgeois marriage.
Adhering to his ideals and remaining an upright person, the young Goethe, like everyone else, was full of fantasies and hopes for the future. Yet, ideals and reality were always in conflict. Many chose to compromise with reality, and Goethe was no exception. Fortunately, during his second spiritual crisis, he met Schiller and encountered Beethoven again. He broke free from the shackles of his spirit and became a passionate, free person once more. Over his six decades of creative work, Goethe left behind a vast legacy of poetry, novels, dramas, and theoretical writings for the world.