Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Die Wahlverwandtschaften [Elective Affinities]

Ellis Dye (Macalester College)

Ed. by Gerhard P. Knapp, University of Utah
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1809

Places

Germany (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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Goethe’s

Die Wahlverwandtschaften [Elective Affinities, 1809]

is one of the most densely woven and enigmatic works in his oeuvre. It was anticipated with more excitement by readers than any of his other works, and, except for

Werther

and

Faust

, has inspired more investigations as to its meaning, both at the time of its first publication and since. It is agreed, however, that this lean and compact text requires and rewards more than one reading. Striving for a comparable balance of “Sinnlichkeit und Sittlichkeit” (sensuality and morality), Thomas Mann read it five times while composing

Death in Venice

. Among presentations in media other than print are an East German film

, Die Wahlverwandtschaften

(1975), and one in Italian with English subtitles,

Elective Affinities

directed by Paolo…

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2702 words

Citation: Dye, Ellis. "Die Wahlverwandtschaften". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 December 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5600, accessed 18 April 2024.]

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