
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
HERMANN AND DOROTHEA
TERPSICHORE - HERMANN
THALIA - THE CITIZENS
EUTERPE - MOTHER AND SON
POLYHYMNIA - THE CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
CLIO - THE AGE
ERATO - DOROTHEA
MELPOMENE - HERMANN AND DOROTHEA
URANIA - PROSPECT
In a quiet German valley, the daily rhythm is shattered when a procession of refugees pours over the bridge, their belongings piled on carts and their faces marked by the heat of the road. The townspeople watch with a mixture of curiosity and compassion, while a prosperous merchant family debates how best to aid the strangers without sacrificing their own comforts. Through vivid, measured verse the poem paints both the bustling market and the stark contrast between the turmoil beyond the Rhine and the tranquil village life.
Amid this backdrop, young Hermann, son of the affluent household, encounters Dorothea, a refugee whose past has been scarred by loss and exile. Their tentative friendship blossoms into a tender love that offers both characters a glimpse of hope beyond the surrounding uncertainty. Goethe’s skillful blend of personal feeling and the larger sweep of history makes the story feel both intimate and timeless.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (135K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger
Release date
1999-11-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1749–1832
A towering figure in German literature, this poet, novelist, and playwright also explored science, philosophy, and public life. Best known for Faust and The Sorrows of Young Werther, he left a mark far beyond his own era.
View all books
by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
![Faust: Dramatisch dichtstuk van Goethe [deel 1]](https://listenly.io/api/img/6638c98b972dc5c80ef7b7cc/cover.jpg)
by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
![Faust: Eine Tragödie [erster Teil]](https://listenly.io/api/img/6637fcd9829d50c265d7ae7a/cover.jpg)
by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe