Homepage/ Contents/ Previous/ Next Goethe, Johann Wolfgang
(1749 - 1832)
As a poet, dramatist, novelist, artist, musian and scientist you could imagine that Goethe was pretty clever. His most famous work - the book 'Faust', is still widely read across the world today.
Goethe was born in August 28th, 1749, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany as the son of a government official. He studied the law in Leipzig. He there became interested in literature. Goethe started with poetry and a few plays, a comedy - 'Die Laune des Verliebten' or 'The Lover's Caprice', and a tragidy - 'Die Mitschuldigen' or 'The fellow Culprits'. Unfortunatly Goethe took ill and returned to Frankfurt. Whilst ill he learned some science: philosophy, astrology and alchemy. He also learned religeous mysticism through his mother's friend.
In 1770 to 1771 Goethe was in Strasburg to continue his study in law. It was there he took up music, art, anatomy and chemistry as side-subjects. In 1773 Goethe got his degree in law and moved on to literature. In 1775 Goethe was invited tolive and work in Weimer, the centre of literacy in Germany at the time. He accepted.
He worked there until 1786 when he toured Italy, finally settling in Rome. But he soon grew restless and in 1788 Goethe moved back to Weimer.
In Weimer he got married and had a son. He continued writing in Weimer, until his death in 1832 at the age of 83.
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