The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774; revised 1787) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is a short, mostly epistolary work of elevated emotion of the German Sturm und Drung period that later evolves into Romanticism.

Honorable and sensitive young Werther literally perishes from a love that can never be, a love for a married young woman, and writes his agonized letter diary to a friend, describing in tragic emotional detail his experiences.

Widely considered to be one of Goethe's masterpieces, The Sorrows of Young Werther was a phenomenal success when first published and it's influence was felt on much of the German public. Even over a century later, it remains powerful and classic.

The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774; revised 1787) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is a short, mostly epistolary work of elevated emotion of the German Sturm und Drung period that later evolves into Romanticism.

Honorable and sensitive young Werther literally perishes from a love that can never be, a love for a married young woman, and writes his agonized letter diary to a friend, describing in tragic emotional detail his experiences.

The Sorrows of Young Werther is a loosely autobiographical novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, first published in 1774. It was Goethe's first major success, turning him from an unknown into a celebrated author practically overnight. --- The majority of the novel is presented as a collection of letters written by Werther, a young artist of a highly sensitive and passionate temperament, and sent to his friend Wilhelm. In these letters, Werther gives a very intimate account of his stay in the fictional village of Wahlheim (based on the town of Garbenheim, near Wetzlar), where he meets and falls in love with Lotte, a beautiful young girl who is taking care of her siblings following the death of their mother. Lotte is, however, already engaged to a man named Albert. Despite the pain this causes Werther, he spends the next few months cultivating a close friendship with both of them. Every day serves as a torturing reminder that Lotte will never be able to requite his love...*