Delphi Complete Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Illustrated)

Book excerpt: Widely regarded as the greatest German literary figure of the modern era, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a prolific author of novels, epic and lyric poetry, prose, plays, scientific treatises and autobiography. A literary celebrity by the age of 25, Goethe achieved enormous success with his first novel, ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. Inspiring the imagination of a generation, it was the first novel of the Sturm und Drang movement, which exalted nature, feeling, and human individualism, seeking to overthrow Rationalism. ‘Faust’, Goethe’s two-part dramatic masterpiece, is regarded as the supreme work of his later years and is often cited as Germany’s greatest contribution to world literature. Based on the traditional theme of the eponymous scholar making a pact with the demon Mephistopheles, the drama explores themes that encapsulate the fullest expression of the European Romantic movement, to which Goethe was an early and major contributor. This comprehensive eBook presents Goethe’s complete fictional works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 2) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Goethe’s life and works * Concise introductions to the major texts * All of the novels and short fiction, with individual contents tables * Features rare works appearing for the first time in digital publishing * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * All 12 plays and the complete poetry (tr. Edgar A. Bowring) * Includes the rare epic poem ‘Reynard the Fox’ (tr. Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen) * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry * Easily locate the poems you want to read * Includes a large selection Goethe’s non-fiction – available in no other collection * Includes Goethe’s travel writing and autobiography * Special criticism section, with essays evaluating Goethe’s contribution to literature * Features three biographies – discover Goethe’s incredible life * Johann Peter Eckermann’s seminal memoir ‘Conversations with Goethe’ (tr. John Oxenford) * Ordering of texts into chronological order and genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Novels The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1794) Elective Affinities (1809) Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years (1821) The Shorter Fiction The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily (1795) A Tale (1797) The Good Women (1797) The Plays The Wayward Lover (1768) The Fellow Culprits (1769) Goetz von Berlichingen (1773) Clavigo (1774) Egmont (1788) The Brother and Sister (1776) Stella (1776) Iphigenia in Tauris (1779) Torquato Tasso (1790) The Natural Daughter (1803) Faust: Part One (1808) Faust: Part Two (1832) The Poetry The Poems of Goethe Reynard the Fox (1794) The Non-Fiction The Siege of Mainz (1793) Theory of Colours (1810) Introduction to ‘The Propyläen’ (1798) Winckelmann and His Age (1805) Maxims and Reflections The Travel Writing Letters from Switzerland and Travels in Italy (1816) The Criticism Goethe the Writer by Ralph Waldo Emerson Goethe by C. E. Vaughan Goethe by John Cowper Powys Goethe’s Faust by George Santayana Shakespeare and Goethe by David Masson Goethe’s Theory of Colors by John Tyndall Extracts of Correspondence by Sir Walter Scott The Autobiography Truth and Fiction Relating to My Life (1811) The Biographies Conversations with Goethe (1836) by Johann Peter Eckermann The Life of Goethe by Calvin Thomas (1886) Life of Johann Wolfgang Goethe by James Sime (1888) Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks