German poet, dramatist, scientist, state minister ec.
Aug. 28, 1749, Frankfurt am Main Germany - March 22, 1832, Weimar, Saxe-Weimar.
He was a friend of Friedrich Schiller and J.G. Herder and the leading poet in Sturm und Drang. "Goethe's poem 'Prometheus' (in Poems of Goethe 9), with its insistence that man must believe not in gods but in himself, might be seen as motto for the whole movement." a quote from "http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/goethe.htm" His most famous works include Faust ("Goethe had worked for the most of his life on this drama. It was based on Christopher Marlowe's Faust, and depicted a disillusioned scholar, who makes a pact with Satan. The original figure in the Faust legend was Gregorius Faustus (or Gregorius Sabellicus, Fautus Junior, c 1480-1510/1). His true identity is not known, but he claimed to be an astrologer, expert in magic, and a alchemist. This legend attracted Christoper Marlowe, who offered in his play a psychological study of the battle between good and evil. Goethe's story created a new persona for the Devil - Mephistoteles was a sarcastic gentleman, who had salon acceptable behavior. The character was willingly adapted in literature, music, dance, popular art and other areas." (another quote from the same source) and Faust II, The Second Part OF THE TRAGEDY (in Faust 16), The Sorrows of young Werther, Wilhelm Meister and the Elective Affinities.

For a complete list of his works look at The Poems of Goethe Preface.

I will try to post most of Goethes Poems under The Poems of Goethe.


Noble be man,
Helpful and good!
For that alone
Sets him apart
From every other creature
On earth.
(from The Divine, 1783)


Das Ewig-Weibliche
Zieht uns hinan.
The eternal-feminine
Draws us ever upward.
Faust II