The Sorrows of Young Werther

"Be on your guard … and take care not to fall in love!" In a charming German village, Werther, a sensitive and romantic young man, meets Lotte and falls deeply in love with her. Despite knowing she is engaged to Albert, Werther's passion for Lotte consumes him, leading to profound despair. This groundbreaking ‘confessional’ novel draws from Goethe’s own unrequited love for Charlotte Buff and the death of his friend Karl Wilhelm Jerusalem. It achieved immediate success, sparking a cult following, numerous imitations, and even criticism for its perceived endorsement of suicide. Goethe's poignant exploration of a young artist struggling against societal norms and his inability to navigate life is regarded as the first significant tragic novel in European literature. This edition features notes and an introduction by Michael Hulse, who delves into the novel's origins in Goethe's life and its influence on European culture. For over seventy years, Penguin has been a leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, offering a diverse collection of over 1,700 titles that represent the finest works throughout history, enhanced by scholarly introductions and contemporary translations.