Overview
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was Germany’s preeminent writer whose scientific and reflective works engage morphology, color, and the formation of life and character.
Main ideas
Living form is grasped by intuitive participation as well as analysis; Bildung names educational self-formation; poetry and science mutually illuminate nature.
Major works
- Faust
- Theory of Colours
- Italian Journey
- Wilhelm Meister
Legacy
Goethe influences philosophies of nature, Bildung, and the unity of art and science.