Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

1749–1832

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was a German poet, novelist, dramatist and scientist, born in Frankfurt and active for most of his life in Weimar. He is the central figure of German literature.

His novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) made him famous across Europe, and Faust, completed in two parts, is his masterpiece. His lyric poetry includes “Erlkönig”, “Heidenröslein”, “Wandrers Nachtlied” (“Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh”), “Prometheus” and the West-östlicher Divan; many of his poems were set to music by Schubert and others.

Best-known poems

All poems (143)

1760s 16

1770s 6

1780s 35

1790s 39

1800s 2

1820s 22

Undated 2

In English 4

In French 16

In Spanish 1