Wilhelm Meister

(Paperback)

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Description

Seduced by the chimerical world of the theatre and taking upon himself the grand ambition of becoming a successful performer and dramatist, the merchants son Wilhelm Meister embarks on a tumultuous quest of self-discovery. Along his path he finds himself having to negotiate love, desire and the need to face up to his own past and responsibilities. A landmark in the history of European literature, Goethes novel is not only one of the key works of Weimar Classicism and the prototype for the Bildungsroman genre, but also a timeless tale of coming into ones own and a fascinating portrayal of the late-eighteenth-century theatre world.

Reviews

One of the most influential literary works of the early nineteenth century. * The Independent *
To readWilhelm Meisterfor the first time is an enviable and almost unique sensation. -- Henry James
All the great European modernists are in his debt. * TLS *

Author Bio

Goethe (17491832) was one of the greatest German writers and the leader of the Weimar Classicism movement. Most famous for his seminal poetic drama, Faust, and his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, Goethe was also a poet, theologian, philosopher and scientist one of the worlds last great polymaths.