Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born on August 28, 1749, in Frankfurt, Germany. From a young age, he showed a great interest in literature and languages. He studied Latin, Greek, French, Italian, English, and Hebrew, demonstrating a remarkable aptitude for languages. He attended universities in Leipzig and Strasbourg, where he studied law. However, Goethe was more interested in writing poetry and pursuing romantic relationships than in his legal studies.
Goethe's literary career took off in the late 1770s when he published his first major work, "The Sorrows of Young Werther." This novel, written in the form of letters, tells the story of a young man who falls in love with a woman who is already engaged. The novel became a sensation and catapulted Goethe to fame.
In the following years, Goethe continued to produce works of poetry, drama, essays, and novels. One of his most famous works is "Faust," a poetic drama that explores the struggle between good and evil. "Faust" has inspired countless adaptations, including symphonies, operas, and oratorios by composers such as Wagner, Mahler, and Liszt.
Throughout his life, Goethe had a complicated personal life. He had several children with his long-time mistress, Christiane Vulpius, whom he eventually married in 1806. After Vulpius' death in 1816, Goethe fell in love with Baroness Ulrike von Levetzow. Despite their strong feelings for each other, Levetzow's mother disapproved of their relationship, and they never married.
Goethe's literary work had a profound impact on the Romantic movement and later psychoanalytic theory. His exploration of human emotions, morality, and the natural world continues to be studied and admired by scholars and readers around the world.
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