Romantic Heroes in Literature

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Romantic Heroes in Literature
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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

• 1749-1832
• Principle writer to rebel against Neoclassicism
• Strum Drang 1773
• Faust

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Faust background

• 16th century German legend
• Sold soul to devil for infinite knowledge of
  personal experience
• Retold many times

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Christopher Marlow

• 1564-1593
• Turns into a tragedy
• Competition for Shakespeare

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Goethes Faust

• 1770-1832
• Guaranteed appeal
• Quintessential literary romantic hero
• Formal Elements

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Faust Key Points

• Part 1
• Destiny of Western Culture
• Wager between God and Mephistopheles

• Part 2
• Human suffering, culture and redemption
• Eternal Feminine - Gretchen