Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther” follows a simple story line of tragic love. Werther is a young, educated and passionate
man who falls in love with Charlotte. The problem is that Charlotte is engaged to and marries Albert. Though the story may sound simple, it is Goethe’s style that makes the reading worthwhile.
As we read “The Sorrows of Young Werther” we are given a glimpse into Werther’s life through a series of
letters he has written. The story begins with a letter dated May 4, 1771 from Werther to Wilhelm. In the first correspondences, Werther describes his simple in Wahlheim, a rural countryside. He eventually meets Charlotte. They share the same interests and enjoy each others company. From the start, Werther knew of Charlotte’s engagement to Albert who was away at that time. The friendship between Charlotte deepens and eventually, Albert returns. Charlotte, Albert and Werther become caught in an odd friendship. It is upon Wilhelm’s advice that Werther takes a post with an Ambassador in the hope that he forgets Charlotte. Werther leaves but cannot adapt to court or city life. He briefly meets another lady, Lady B. But circumstances or Werther’s temperament forces him to resign his post and leave the city. He returns to Wahlheim and becomes a constant guest in the home of Albert and Charlotte. His passion for Charlotte grows again but she in turn is in love with Albert. In order to avoid domestic problems, Charlotte appeals to Werther to leave Walheilm. The story ends with Werther taking his life.
The story is written in a way that the readers feel that the letters are addressed to them. We become Wilhelm. Other than the love story, we are given glimpses of the day to day life of Werther and the people he meets. In some letters he relates meetings with a peasant family, the pretensions of court life, his sojourn to his hometown, and even the chopping of the walnut trees. Although written in the 1770s, the story is contemporary in tone and theme.