The Sorrows of Young Werther

The Sorrows of Young Werther


By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Reviewed by: Szoghi, 17
Rating: Didn't Like It

In my opinion, a reader will either love or hate this book. I will attempt to provide a terse summary of the book without giving too much away. It begins with a man named Werther, who moved to a new place in order to escape a woman named Leonora. When he goes to a dance, he meets a charming lady named Charlotte, with whom he falls madly in love with. However, Charlotte is married. The book is about his culminating love for her, and how he struggles with life. As the title implies, the book does have a tragic ending, but you'll have to read and find that out on your own. This book is filled with horrendous imagery and depressed thoughts. As my teacher informed me, the conqueror Napoleon carried this book with him wherever he went, since it's so powerful. Also, this book was the catalyst for the "Sturm and Drang" movement, which means storm and stress. I would recommend this book to older students and adults due to the content.

Recommended to: Ages 17 and up