Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), the “Universalgenie” of German history, arts and culture is well known for his many diverse and accomplished endeavors and especially for his poetry and magnum opus, Faust. Goethe explored the natural world, was active in public administration and the arts, and made significant contributions to every literary genre. In this course we will proceed chronologically, acquainting ourselves with his long, rich and creative life. In our six classes we will read and discuss bilingual versions of several well-known poems that grew out of his many love relationships, travels, experiences in nature, and reflections about life. The course is taught in English with bilingual texts. Knowledge of some German is welcome and helps in the appreciation of his poems but is neither expected nor necessary. The format of the class is informal, with brief lectures about Goethe and introductions to the texts followed by discussion.
*Recommended reading: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Selected Poetry, Translated and with an Introduction by David Luke, in Penguin Classics. Available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle. The paperback edition (new, $20; used from $13) is preferred for its side-by-side German/English texts, much easier to access than in the Kindle version ($10).
