The Auto-Biography of Goethe
Truth and Poetry: From my Own Life

Goethe (1749–1832) ranked among the greatest literary figures of his day. This two-volume translation of his autobiography first appeared in 1848–9.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Author), John Oxenford (Translated by)

9781108057462, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 21 February 2013

536 pages, 1 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 3 cm, 0.67 kg

The playwright and critic John Oxenford (1812–77) had an acute aptitude for languages. Although he translated both Molière and Calderón into English, he specialised in German translations and set high standards, not least with his rendering of several works by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832). Among the greatest literary figures of his day, Goethe combined considerable achievements as a poet, novelist and playwright with his diverse interests in natural science and politics. This two-volume translation of his autobiography first appeared in 1848–9. In Volume 1, Goethe tells the story of his life from the day he was born until the publication of The Sorrows of Young Werther, which attained cult status almost immediately after it was released in 1774. As the protagonist of his own story, Goethe reflects here on how he himself came of age.

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Author's preface
Part I: First book
Second book
Third book
Fourth book
Fifth book
Part II: Sixth book
Seventh book
Eighth book
Ninth book
Tenth book
Part III: Eleventh book
Twelfth book
Thirteenth book.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]