Analysis Of Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe's The Sorrows Of Young Werther

For a time, it seemed as though the rationality of the Enlightenment, which occurred during the beginning of the eighteenth century, would hark a new age of peace through a more thorough understanding of human reason. Through human reason, humankind would be able to soon know the fixed set of laws that governed the universe and create an ideal world. This world of peace through human reason, however, would not become a reality. Enlightenment thinkers, in their pursuit of reason, began to reach an intellectual limit that would cause a sense of extreme skepticism and despair when coming to the realization that human-kind can ultimately know nothing, as displayed through David Hume’s An Enquiry of Human Understanding. The French Revolution, that …show more content…
In the novel, Young Werther is characterized as a overly sensible, non-conformist. After leaving home to regulate some issues about a family estate for his mother in the town of Walheim, Young Werther instantaneously falls in love with Lotte, a nineteen year old daughter of a widowed official, knowing that she is already engaged to another man. During a thunderstorm (a state of the weather that reflects the passion of Werther as well as the organic view of the time period), both Lotte and Werther are reminded of a romantic poem (Goethe 41) and come to the realization that their affection is mutual. It is from then on that Werther becomes consumed by his passion for Lotte. Goethe rebels against the rationality and reason of the Enlightenment through the character of Werther. Werther’s love for Lotte is one that makes no rational sense because she is unattainable and does not conform to the societal convention of abstaining the pursuit of an engaged woman. Werther is blinded by his emotions and his passion leads him to continue his pursuit even though he foresees his demise as illustrated by the magnetic mountain (Goethe, 56). Werther’s emotions are never controlled for he is either in an extreme state of bliss or an extreme state of unhappiness. When Lotte’s fiance, Albert, returns from his journey, Werther’s feelings for Lotte change from bliss to the source of his unhappiness. Albert’s presence makes it clear to Werther that his love needs to remain unrequited and unfulfilled as Lotte will never be able to return his feelings. Werther understands that the intense, burning love he feels for Lotte will be the source of his doom. Werther is not unaware