IDF: Culture Moment - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Culture Moment - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is one of Germany's most famous authors. Germany and the world celebrated Goethe's 250th birthday in 1999. The German novelist, poet, playwright, and scientist was born in Frankfurt am Main on August 28, 1749 (see picture below), though he did not stay there his whole life.

image: Goethe house birthplace

Goethe is a giant in German and world literature. In fact, he coined the term Weltliteratur and spoke Greek, Latin, French, English and Italian. Aside from its quality, the sheer volume of work during his 82-year lifetime is impressive.

Among other works, Goethe wrote a worldwide, best-selling novel (Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers, 1774), volumes of poetry, and several dramas, including his masterwork: Faust, which is a massive two-volume work that was not entirely finished by the time of the poet's death. Goethe also dabbled in painting and science.

Let's explore two of Goethe's most famous poems:

Wandrers Nachtlied II and Erlkönig

Wandrers Nachtlied II - Wayfarer's Nightsong II (1780)

Wandrers Nachtlied II - Wayfarer's Nightsong II
Original German - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe	English Translation - Henry Wordsworth Longfellow
Über allen Gipfeln Ist Ruh, In allen Wipfeln Spürest du Kaum einen Hauch; Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde. Warte nur, balde Ruhest du auch.	O'er all the hilltops Is quiet now, In all the treetops Hearest thou Hardly a breath; The birds are asleep in the trees: Wait, soon like these Thou too shalt rest.

Erlkönig - 1782

In German and Scandinavian mythology, an Erlkönig is a spirit or force of nature that works mischief, especially towards children. The German term Erlkönig is actually a mistranslation of the Danish ellerkonge or elverkonge, which means king of the elves.

Erlkönig - The Erlking
Original German - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe	English Translation - Edgar Alfred Bowring
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind; Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm. Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht? – Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht? Den Erlenkönig mit Kron' und Schweif? – Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif. "Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir! Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir; Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand, Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand." – Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht, Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht? – Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind; In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind. – "Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn? Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön; Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn, Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein." – Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort? – Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh' es genau: Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. – "Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt; Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch' ich Gewalt." – Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an! Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan! – Dem Vater grauset's; er reitet geschwind, Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind, Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not; In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.	Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear? The father it is, with his infant so dear; He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm, He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm. My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide? – Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side! Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train? – My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain. – "Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me! For many a game I will play there with thee; On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold, My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." – My father, my father, and dost thou not hear The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear? – Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives; 'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves. – "Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there? My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care; My daughters by night their glad festival keep, They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." – My father, my father, and dost thou not see, How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me? – My darling, my darling, I see it aright, 'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight. – "I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy! And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ." – My father, my father, he seizes me fast, For sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last. – The father now gallops, with terror half wild, He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child; He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread, – The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.

Erlkönig - The Erlking

Original German - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

English Translation - Edgar Alfred Bowring

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht? –
Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron' und Schweif? –
Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.

"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;
Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand,
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand." –

Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht? –
Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind. –

"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn,
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein." –

Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort? –
Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh' es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. –

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch' ich Gewalt." –
Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan! –

Dem Vater grauset's; er reitet geschwind,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.

Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm,
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm.

My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide? –
Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train? –
My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain. –

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me!
For many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." –

My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear? –
Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves. –

"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care;
My daughters by night their glad festival keep,
They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." –

My father, my father, and dost thou not see,
How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me? –
My darling, my darling, I see it aright,
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight. –

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ." –
My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
For sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last. –

The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child;
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread, –
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION