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Chapter 6 - The French Revolution

from Part I - Life and Times

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2024

By
W. Daniel Wilson
Edited by
Charlotte Lee
Charlotte Lee
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

Chapter 6 explores the impact of the French Revolution on Goethe and examines the development in his responses, especially as reflected in the literary works he composed between 1789 and 1797. Goethe was horrified by the violence of 1789 and its aftermath; at the same time, he was critical of the French elites, and saw their fate as a warning to their German counterparts. This chapter highlights the ambivalence of his attitudes and aligns him with the reform conservatives, who favoured the maintenance of privileges but also reform from above.

Keywords

GoetheFrench Revolutionreformconservativeliterary
Type
Chapter
Information
Goethe in Context , pp. 57 - 65
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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