Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
1918
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Recommended Citation
Naether, Hans. "The pantheism of Goethe in its relation to that of Spinoza." MA (Master of Arts) thesis, State University of Iowa, 1918.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4084.
A THESIS
submitted to
of the
State University of Iowa
by
Hans Naether.
Chapter 1.
-.
INTRODUCTION.
1 8
Chapter 2.
MARKED INFLUENCES IN THE 'DEVELOPMENT OF GO ETHE s THOUGHT.
- .
4 13
Chapter 8.
WHAT IS PANTHEISM?
- .
14 16
! Chapter 4.
THE PANTHEISM OF GO^TBE.c"'
19-25.
Chapter 5.
DID SFIN07A TEACH AN IMMANENT GOD?
- .
26 2 9
Chapter 6.
THE RELATION OE GOETHE. TO SPIN02A .
- .
80 4 7
Chapter 7.
GOETHES C M CONCEPTION OE GOD.
46-55.
Chapter 8.
GCETHE.'S PHILO POPE'S IN FAUST.
46-72.
Chapter S.
GOETHES 'APPROACH TO THEISM.
73j96.
1.
Chapter 1.-Introduction.
ths feelings against ths young man that an attempt was mads to assassinate
him.Perhaps it was this enmity which induced him to lead ths ouist life
that hs did. Hs shunnsd social life entirely.A littls circle of devoted
friends gathered around him,attracted by ths bsauty of his character and
his profound intellect. Spinoza was offered a chair of philosophy at Heidel-
oerg,which he declined. He^preferred a auist liferand solitude. His contri
bution to philosophy was a wonderful,highly intellectual system of panthe
ism.
This man,despised by Christians and Jews of his time as an atheist and a
foe of religion, admired by Novalis as the ''God-intoxicated,gave to Goethe,
the man of the world,his philosoDhy. Eifferent in ideals and oosition,in
character and nationality,these two geniuses have a common foundation,
spiritual relationship. Goethe was irresistibly drawn to the entirely
different Spinoza.
In the following P3ges it will be my task to discover the common ground
upon which our philosopher and our poet stood. Having performed this task,
I shall point out the essential difference between the two thinkers. It
will be useful,however,first to sketch briefly the development of Goethe,
and the influences that contriouted mainly to his development.
4.
Chapter 2.
while
that time, and Aexposed to the effects of the growing tendency toward a ra
tionalistic and even atheistic"TNeltanschauungof the educated classes,Goethe
also ,through his contact with this gifted woman,became interested in the
religion of piety and morality. In his "Dichtung und Wahrheit*. Goethe has
preserved the religious views which he held in those days,and vividly por
trayed the indelible impression that the "beautiful soul"made upon him.The
same book contains certain Gnostic and Neo-Platonic ideas which he entertained
at that stage of his development.
for a short time Goethe went to Strassburg.There he met a young theologian,
Herder,a man who looked at the Bible from 3 purely scientific standpoint,but
who was deeply appreciative of its literary and aesthetic values.His attitude
had its marked effect upon Goethe,causing him to change his views and become
broadminded."I want to nr3y with Moses in the Koran",he exclaims;"Lord,widen
my narrow bosom!" Feeling(Gefhl)was the dominant element in his religion,an
element which Herder emphasized as the mosi important thing in religious ex
perience. "Faith!1,Goethe exclaimed, "is the experience of the divine love,
feeling is everything".
luring his stay at Strassburg, Goethe already began to form his views in re
gard to the Faust-Schoepfung. Great plans for poetic works occupied his mini.
Caesar,Goetz,Faust rise in his imagination as heroes of future dramas.The
influence of Shakespeare is likewise very marked in this period.He reverenced
and attempted to imitate the great Briton. In 1771 he induced a friend,Lerse,
to deliver an oration on Shakespeare lay,October 14,and wrote an inspiring
discourse for that occasion.He calls Shakespeare one of his best teachers."The
first line that I read in Shakespeare", he wrote at that time, "made me his
life-long friend.I was like the blind man who received his sight again by a
miraculous hand,after I had read the first work."
6.
*X.Heinemann,p.234
7.
*X.Heinemann,p . 234.
8.
t h e w h o l e and l a y s s t r e s s u p o n the c h a r a c t e r of t h e n a t u r a n a t u r a t a , i . e .,
c r e a t i n g p o w e r of G o d as n a t u r a n a t u r a n s . G o e t h e t h u s r e p r e s e n t s n a t u r e in
t h e p r o c e s s of b e c o m i n g , w h i l e S p i n o z a e m p h a s i z e d th e a l l - e m b r a c i n g s u b s t a n c e .
Goethe as that of Soinoza.." (See pad 21.) L.4VATSB also testified as to Goethes
debt to Spinoza in a discussion of the philosopher. HSBDSB,in a letter to
Jacobi,writes thus:"Goethe has read Spinoza in your absence.lt is a great
comfort to me that he understands him as I do.You must also side with us." *)
3CKEBVANN,with reference to Goethe!s pantheistic conception of God,expresses
the following:"Such a standpoint was found by Goethe in regard to Spinoza
when he was still very young.He joyfully relates how the views of that great
thinker had been so welcome to him in his youth.In him he found himself;thus
he could very well understand him."
To these quotations we may well append the words of Spinoza himself.In his
"Tractatus Theologico-Politicus" he says, "If some think that my tract aims to
explain that God and Nature(nature understood as a mass or incoroorial matter)
are one and the same,they err.God is spirit,.out not personal,for such a con-
ception(God conceived as having personality)would mean limitation." Here the
ways of the two men part.Goethe!s pantheism was not,like that of Spinoza,of
t
a geometrical nature,but a system conceived as divine energy 3nd overflowing
activity. The subject of pantheism will be treated in the next chapter.I shall
first discuss the different kinds of pantheism,and then,particularly,that of
3oinoza.
Chaster S.
What Is Pantheism?
The term PANTHEISM has a very vagus meaning,ana no general agreement h3s
been reached about its definition.The immense variety of meanings has included
all systems from the crudest atheism which Holbach 3nd uechner proclaimed
to the highest spiritualism which Saint Paul renressnts when he speaks of God
as the One in whom we live,and move,and have our being.Robert Elint defines
pantheism as follows:"Pantheism is the theory which regards all finite things
<( '
as,merely aspects and modifications,or parts,of one eternal and self-existent
bsing;which views all material objects,and all particular minds,as necessarily
derived from a single infinite substance.This one,absolute,ail-comorshensive
being is called God." Pantheism is monistic,for all nature is coextensive
with Goa.It is also deterministic,since the world is fully expressed in di
vine manifestations.Pantheism,furthermore,denies that God and nature either
do or can exist apart,because God and nature are eternally coexistent.In the
system of Sninoza, for instance, the unity of God and natureC*-1'' )
Stoic Pantheism.
This phase of philosophy flourished during the fourth and fifth centuries
before Christ. It incorporated largely the ideas of Heraclitus(460 B.C.).
ihis system was the finest fruit of Greek thought outside of Platons system
16.
- Hymn of Cleanthes.
Having thus distinguished Stoic pantheism from oantneism proper and indi
cated that Spinoza's view belongs to the latter type,let us now examine the
system of spinoza more in detail.
19
Chapter 4.
Soinoza's famous pantheism is laid down in his "ElTRICA". The whole system
is geometrical,highly intellectual,and full of axioms and postulates.His
philosophy is of the a priori type.It pursues the task of finding a way to
perfect peace of soul,not through hedonism,nor through utilitarianism,but
by a thorough intellectual procedure. Although his system is not free from
serious fallacies and contradictions,it has,nevertheless,attracted many
philosophically inclined men. In his "De Intellectus imendatione" Spinoza thus
states his aim:"Ixperience having made me see that all the ordinary events of
common life are vain and futile things,I have finally formed the resolution
to investigate whether there exists a true GOOD,a good which by itself alone
can fill the entire soul after it has rejected all the rest;a good,in short,
which,when it is found and possessed,gives to the soul the eternal and supreme
happiness." To Spinoza,therefore,the most important auestion is,what is ths
essential nature of God?
In his '3IHIGA(i, definition 3)Spinoza explains:''By God I mean 3 Being abso
lutely infinite,i.e.,Substance consisting of an infinite number of attributes,
each of which expresses an eternal snd infinite essence. H By substance he
means that which has existence in itself and is conceived ot itself,the con
ception needing for its formation the conception of no second thing. God and
c' \ ^
Substance can not be separated,they are one and the s a m e ( t K /t'oi t 'U o L y- ).
God implies existence;for not being able to exist would indicate want of
power.Thus God exists of necessity,is conscious of independence of any prior
conception,and has an infinite number of attributes.Spinoza1s absolute is
20
frss from all imperfection and must be thought of as the INDWELLING 0N3,
working from the pure necessity of His nature. This God is eternal."Ster-
nity means being or entity itself as conceived to be necessarily involved
in the mere definition of the thing designated as eternal."(Definition .)
This God is identical with Substance,and consists of an infinite number of
attributes.Two are commonly known to us,THOUGHT and EXTENSION. Through these
God is working,through these Substance is ooarative."By attribute",savs
Spinoza,"I mean that which intelligence perceives of Substance as constituting
*V3rtineau,Study of Dinoza,p.192.
21.
have to be a world-wide difference between our intellect end will and the
intellect end will constituting God's essence,nor could they agree in any
thing except in name;just as the Cog,a constellation, agrees with dog, an ani
mal that barks."*) We contemplate God's being under the attribute of thought.
But God does not work with free choice and understanding,according to human
analogy. "Our mindrso far as it is understanding,is an eternal mode of think
ing determined by another eternal mode of thinking,and that by another,and so
on,ad infinitum.lt constitutes God's eternal and infinite understanding."+)
We can not attribute our nopular notions to God .This refers 3lso to final
causes:while nan has the impulse to seek his own advantage by working toward
an end,God can not work with an end in view;for in this case He would be
seeking something that He is lacking.This,however,would mean imoerfection,
restriction, "fte must not ask for causes in the will of God,that asvlum of
ignorance,-"says Spinoza, ttith reference to the world, Spinoza declares that
everything in this world is determined by the necessity of the divine nature.
God has from eternity formed decrees,but these could be formed only bv ne
cessity. This conception of eternal determination makes his system 3ub.iect
to fate. -As to the creation of things, ?pinoza holds that these could not be
produced by God in any other way,or in any other order,than that in which
they have been produced. God's will is perfect;this necessitates that things
be brought 3bout in no different wav but according to eternal,unchangeable
decrees. Tor the sake of clearness,and for later reference,we here ousts
the following oarsage from Spinoza himself:
"In the mind there is no absolute or free will;but the mind is determined
to will this or that by g cause,which has also been determined by another,
3nd thi3 again by another, and so on to infinity!'! Sthice 2,10,1,8.)
* ) P a r t 1 , 1 7 Scho. +\ f t h i c a 5 , 1 0 , 1 .
22
The idea that there are no final causes in God also reflects on Spinoza's
conception of goodness .The idea of goodness as an end would be an illegiti
mate limitation of G o d s being. Soinoza remarks that t'no33 who make every
thing daDendent unon the unconditonal will and oleasure of God err less wide
ly from the truth than those who make God do everything in relation to good
ness. Liberty to Soinoza is not in the free ouroose but in a free necessity.
That which destroys liberty in the opinion of men is to Soinoza the founda
tion of liberty.
*)Martineau,Studv of Soinoza,o.232.
24.
Chapter 5.
expressed himself more distinctly if he had foreseen the age which so loudly
proclaims an atomistic atheism.
If God is the IMMANENT,and not the TRANSEUNT, cause of things,and if imma
nence finds shelter under the roof of pantheism,and if God is the theological
expression of what Spinoza means by NATURE,we can easily see what Spinoza
means by immanence.
Hoeffdin has about the same opinion concerning Spinoza '3 conception of
immanence.He says,"According to Soinoz3,there exists between Substance and God
an intimate relationship, an indwelling, immanent, relation. Ws are iustified in
savin? that if God is the immanent cause.he is also the i' ^anent effect,the
spirit. On the other hand,the statement,'God is Substance* would be eouiva-
lent to a complete denial of his existence,to atheism. The main ouestion of
our present subiect is. What does Sninoza mean when in his ETHICA 1,Propo
sition IS,he refers to God as the CA 3A OMNIUM IMMANENS,NON VERA TRANSIENS?
In the fundamental argument we read,'Omnia ouae sunt in deo st per deum concipi
debent. Aleooue deus rsrum, ouae in ipso sunt.est causa.'"*)
What Spinoza really means by God as CAUA IMMANENS is that God is the
immanent cause only in the sense that He i3 in the worH,3nd does not transcend
it.To Spinoza there are no miraculous incursions,creative or otherwise,from
without the self-sufficient system of nature.Spinoza,then,does not hold that
immanence means immediacy in the sense that God is the immediate cause of
things.There is no doubt that Spinoza uses the word IMMANENT in a very loose
sense.In his "Life of Spinoza'' Frederick Pollock S3ys, "In harmony with his
*)Flint,Anti-theistic Theories.
+ );ain Currents,cage 462.
29.
Since Goethe and Soinoza have many ideas in common,the former may be called
a Soinozist. This chanter will be devoted to a discussion of their ohiloso-
ohical relationshio.lt will be seen that Goethe did not accent the ideas of Soi-
noza in any slavish manner. In fact,pantheistic tendencies were manifest in
Goethe's soul before he ever read Spinoza. Lavater,whom Goethe accompanied
on his way from Sms to Frankfort,.reports the following conversation that took
olace between them:
"Goethe told me many things about Soinoza and his writings.He stated that
the philosopher was in complete harmopy with the teachings of the Savior Him
self. There exists no doubt in his mind as to the sincerity of Soinoza and the
frankness of his character.Ven in high positions asked his advice in most im
portant matters. He may iustlv be called ti 3 s.Prudence and
disinterestedness were features of his character.The number of his admirers,
therefore,was large. -Although he denied the prophets of the Old Testament,
he was a prophet himself. His words breathed the spirit of humanity and
sincerity.*)
This conversation gives us an idea of the deep influence which the philo
sopher exerted uoon Goethe.Spinoza became hi3 idol. It will be very interesting
to point out in how far Soinoza was the prototype of Goethe.But we must be guar
ded against the idea as if they bad agreed in every particular.They differed,
for instance,in their conception of nature.
Let u s rhowever,first consider the similarities in the thoughts and writings
of the two men;
It was in 177S that Goethe suddenly turned to Spinoza.The latter's influ- v
snce uoon the poet lasted all through his life.Goethe derived great comfort
That they were in agreement with regard to the first three of these ooints,
is generallv conceded.The contention,however,that thev were in accord on the
fourth oronosition, is a matter of unsettled ooinion.The critics do not all
exoress themselves affirmatively.
Goethe did not feel the need of oroof for the unity and divinitv of na- ,
ture.In the bosom of creative nature he saw divine forces working.In his soul
he exoerienced the infinite world.Full of reverence and in deeo contemolation
he could worshio the unseen oowers.The bird in the air,the worm on the oath
he called his brothers:for he felt divine oower everywhere and the unity of
l
nature was revealed to him directly in all living beings.
In a conversation with Eckermann Goethe said,
"Did God not endow the bird with this eternal love toward its young? And
if the same could not be said of all living creatures in nature,the world
could not exist.Thus the divine oower is diffused everywhere,and God~*s eternal
love was effective in all his beings." +)
In 3n aohorism,"Die Natur",we find these remarkable words:
"I trust her(nature):she may command me. She will not hate her work.I
soeak of her.She has sooken.Everything is her auilt or her merit."
Another imoortant statement is found in ZAHME XENIEN,260,where Goethe
goes a steo farther,saving,"The more thou bast the feeling of being a man,the
more thou art like the gods."
Although these words exoress nothing but self-worshio,to Goethe thev are
Pfleiderer,Goethe.*)
May 29, 1331. +)
33
A auotation from Pflsiderer will throw more light on the intimate relation
of Soinozas conceotion of God-Nature to Goethes view:
"Soinoz3 made the inviolable regularity of the world the cornerstone of
his thinking,he who saw in the regular order and unbroken connection of all that
comes to oass the omnipotence of creative nature or the causality of Gof im
manent in the world,and who in his knowledge of the unconditioned,all-condi
tioning One had found emancipation from the tyranny of the passions and the
blessed rest of the intellectual love of God."
This idea of God was to Goethe the foundation of his moral world.The depen
dence upon thir eternal divine law,which the dsitv even could not change,was
balm for the passionate soul of our ohilosooher-ooet.The following passage
contains the thought of dependence upon God a3 the ooet'-s foundation of his
\
moral world.Faust tells Margaret,when she asks him as to his belief in God,
/<
that he believes in a power that includes all,upholds all and sustains all.
He bids her:
Nenn1 es dann, wie du willst, Then name it as you will:
N e n n ' s Gldck!:Herz!L i e b e ! Gott! Nails Bliss! B e a r t I L o v e ! G o d !
Ich habe keinen Namen Na1,e for U havs 1 none!
Dafr! Gefhl ist alles." Feeling is all in all.."
*) W h e r e s h a l l I s r a s o t h e e , i n f i n i t e N a t u r e , w h e r e ?
Y e b r e a s t s , y e f o u n t a i n s o f all l i f e , w h e r e o n
H a n g h e a v e n and e a r t h , f r o m w h i c h t h e b l i g h t s s o u l
Y e a r n e t h to d r a w s w e e t s o l a c e , s t i l l vs r o l l
Y o u r s w e e t and f o s t e r i n g t i d e s , w h e r e 3 re y e , w h e r e ?
34.
*) You a r e not d e D r a v e d , m y c h i l d r e n ,
You're industrious and idle,
Gruel and mild,
Generous and brasoins,
Like unto the brothers of vour fate,
bike unto both animals and bods.
36.
T h e k i n s h i o o f i d e a s e x o r e s s e d in t h e " P r o r o e t h e u s " w i t h t h o s e o f l o i n o z a
s h o u l d n o t , h o w e v e r , b e r e g a r d e d as o r o o f o f G o e t h e s u n o u a l i f i e d d i s c i o l e s h i u .
C a r o m a v b e r i g h t in h i s o o i n i o n . t h a t " G o e t h e d t a i t o l u s de l a f a m i l l s de
w i t h h e r e v e n w h e n o n e i n t e n d s to w o r k a g a i n s t h e r - A c c o r d i n g to t h e l a w bv
C o n d i t i o n s and l a w , a n d all v o l i t i o n is d e c r e e d , a n d in t h e o r e s s n c e o f w i l l
a l s o f i t t i n g l y b e i n s e r t e d here:
" D o c h im I n n e r e n s c h e i n t e i n G e i s t g e w a l t i g zu r i n g e n ,
Ais e r d u r c h b r a c h e den K r e i s , W i l l k r zu s c h a f f e n d e n ir0 T' en,
W i e d e m A o l i a n j d o c h w a s e r o e g i n n t . b e g i n n t er v e r g e b e n e . ' 1
( Y e t # it a o n e a r s , a s o i r i t w i t h i n d o e s m i g h t i l y w r e s t l e
S t r i v i n g t h e c i r c l e to b r e a k , a n d f o r m s to e n d o w w i t h d i s c r e t i o n .
E e n a 3 t h e w i l l ; b u t , s t r i v e a s it m a y , i t s s t r i f e i 3 s t i l l i d l e . )
The t e s t i m o n y of S c h i l l e r will g r eatly stre n g t h e n the a s s e r t i o n that Goethe
w a s in c o m o l e t e h a r n o n v w i t h t h e o h i l o s o o h s r S n i n o z a . H e r e c o g n i z e d at an e a r l y d a t
t h a t it w a s i m p o s s i b l e f o r G o e t h e t o b e a n y t h i n g b u t a S o i n o z i s t , t h a t it w o u l d
m e a n t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f h i s b e a u t i f u l , n a i v e n a t u r e if h e w e r e t o b e c o m e a l i
b e r t a r i a n . Be a l s o t o l d G o e t h e t h a t he w o u l d f i n d n o t h i n g K i n d r e d in K a n t , a n d
w o r k s o f a r t h a v e s t i l l b e e n c r e a t e d bv m e n a c c o r d i n g to t r u e and n a t u r a l l a w s .
On Immortality.
according to 3aisset,.nnav mean "that the human soul is but a transitory forn
of an eternal ori.nciole, and that we fesl our successive existence flow away,
like a rapid wave,upon the changeless ocean of universal life".Boinoza1s
doctrine of immortality is far from clear since the word eternal" which he
uses is not understood as applying to the order of time. Goethe, however, thinks
men in concrete terms and his views as regards immortality are clear. In his
Sesorach mit fcksrmann,February 4, 1829,Goethe says, "Van must believe in immor- .
tality. He has a right to believe in it according to his nature;he may trust
religious oromises. But if a philosopher were to seek for a oroof of immortality
taken from a legend,this would be verv insufficient. If I work unceasingly to
the end of my life,nature is under obligation to show me another form of existence
when the oresent one can no longer support my soirit," In poetical form,the
same thought is sxoressed in the following ouotation from Faust,?3rt 1;
"Auf dieser hrde ouellen meine Freuden
Und diese Bonne scheinet meinen Leiden.
Lann ich mich erst von ihnen scheiden.
Dann mag,was will und rann,geschehen;
Davon will ich nichts weiter hren,
Ob man auch knftig hasst und liebt,
Und ob es auch in ienen Scharen
Sin Oben und ein Unten giebt." *)
These words express the unlimited ioy of life in this world,but 3lso ooint to
an existence_beyond,the_3xact manner^pf which^nowever,is snroudeo in mvsterv.
*)This earth the fountain whence nv oleasurss flow,
This sun doth daily shine uoon my oe.
And C3n I but from these divorce nv lot,
Then come what nav,to me it natters not.
Henceforward to this theme I close mine ears:
Whether hereafter we shall hate or love,
And whether also,in those distant spheres.
There is a depth below,or height above.
39.
Goethe cheerfully believes that his life activity will be continued indefinite
ly. A restless s t r i v i n g s ceaseless rushing on.is immortality for Goethe .This
Dhilosoohv of striving is undoubtedly in great contrast to Soinoza's ideas,
vet we mav detect a grain of his thought 3lso in these words of Goethe.For do
they not express the acouiescentia f fb obiLosooher? Lo they not
breathe a humble submission to the will of God? Soinoza imbued Goethe with the
knowledge of the eternal divine laws of the world. We must deoend entirely uoon
God,for He determines everything.
This thought of immortality is beautifully expressed in Goethe's Zahme
Xenien,3,3354:
"Eu hast Unsterblichkeit im Sinn:
Kannst du uns deine Grunds nennen?-
Gar wohl,der Hauotgrund liegt darin,
Lass wir sie nicht entbehren k'innen. "*)
The thought of immortality can not be surrendered.We can not renounce it.
I
It is too orecious. Although Goethe taught the lesson of self denial, we must
not think that this was with him an end in itself,but rather a means to li
berate the spirit,to mase him caoable of doing good. He sought a haven of rest
for his passionate soul, vet his whole .Life, even death, meant for him activity
without ceasing. W hear him exclaiming,
"Acn .ich bin des Treibens mde;
Was soll all der ?chmerz,die Lust?
Ssser Friede,
Komm' in meine Brust, I1
But his whole life remains a struggle,not with adverse circumstances,but with
his moral self.This inner conflict,.3PP8rently,led him to give vent to the cry,
")In immortality dost thou believe?
And canst thou arguments oroduce?
Indeed,the one most to be emphasized
Is this:that we can not disoense with it.-Tr.bv H.3.
- *
40.
Ths culmination of renunciation uoon which Soinoz3 fixed his laze was also the
doal of Goethefs striving.*) Renunciation,then,results fron the surrender of
\
everything that may hinder the oractice of our moral duties.?verv monent in
life demands resignation. In "Vierther" Goethe dwells uoon resignation as being
necessary,even if difficult.Our ohvsica! and our social life alike demand resig
nation. Nature has endowed man with overflowing life and activity.is renounce
one Dassion and substitute another.?e try occupations, inclinations, fsvorite
schemes,and in the end exclaim,."411 is vanitv! " Goethe admits that only few
men are able to renounce everything and be resigned in every resosct.But the
orinciole he affirms.nevertheless.- Win asking ourselves and in observing others,
we find that we are seldom compelled by ourselves to renounce this or that
wish.In the maioritv of cases we must admit that external conditions are causes
of our renouncing so manv things." These are words which Goethe sooks in con
versation vjitn German emigrants. His own life is the best illustration of how
hi3 ideas are realized. He fought,he succumbed,he rose,ha fell,always conscious
of the orinciole, !!Thou shalt renounce! in "Zahme Xenien",5,106, we read that
a man will never succeed in life if he is unable to exercise selfcontrol. We
must live according to the dictates of divine reason,and learn to renounce the
olsasures of the orsssnt. Although this is a bitter task in the beginning,the
fruit will be sweet as time goes on. we must renounce,not the present only,but
we must renounce always;only thus can we find oeace and free ourselves from the
tvrannical rule of the world and of our own oassion3.Soinoza1s inner blessedness,
the oeace that characterized his soirit,was balm to Goethes oassionate soul.
He endeavored to realize ths ohilosoohers attitude of mind in his own experience.
He undoubtedly reioiced in renunciation,but he was overflowing with passions,
and as a hot-blooded child of the world often allowed himself to be drawn from
real, lasting Dlsasurss to tbs enjoyment of tbs moment. " Alas! two souls dwell in
my breast! 11 Goethe felt the immense task of conouering,of winning the victory.
In hours of despair and restlessness he turned to Spinoz3,his teacher, and it
seemed as if he succeeded in finding his way again to the IternaL."I had to
yield uo my life, in order to be",he writes to eohu'oarth(Julv 9,lS20).3oethe.'s
mighty snirit with a holy desire lifts i t s e l f uo,and,like a "moth with holy
longing,he flies into the divine flame to turn away the earthly, temporal man,
and let the man of eternity come into being."*)
Another beautiful thought is interwoven with the doctrine of renunciation.
V,e ask how to renounce.Goethe *s answer is, As must strive, conouer,overcome!
Spinoza did not demand monastic resignation,or ask man to leave the world and
retire into .solitude. He would advise U3 to Learn about the eternal, knowledge
of God is real joy,and an object worth striving for. Goethe tried to act uoon
this advice,and free himself from the towers that enslave men.Be strove to
conouer.His ideal finds exnression in these words:
"Von der Gewalt,die alle Menschen bindet.
Befreit der Mensch sich,der sich uberwindet."
What Soinoza meant by seeking the eternal,Goethe undertsandingly tells us:
"True guardian spirits walk beside us,
As highest master gently ^uide us
To Him who made and roaketh all.
The soul that gladly self effaceth
Will weariness no longer fret,
Not passion,made determination,
Not irksome call,strict obligation;
Self-yielding*tis will joy beget." + )
Spinoza was a believer in temperate pleasures. "The wise man!1,he says,"enjoys
things. He desires refreshment from the temperate use of agreeable food and
*)Quoted from Bielscbowsky,.o..l65,
+)Wm,Cooper!s translation,Bielschowsky,Vol. 2 , 165.
44
and drink, from the fragrance and thfcbeauty of growing olants, from ornaments,
athletic contests.'the theatre,and the like." 3oetbe,in full harmony with the
uhilosoohersays in his "Vermchtnis,
"Geniesse massig f u l l 1 und Sedan;
Vernunft sei berall zugegen,
Wo Leben sich des Lebenb freut. "*)
Ae 3hall conclude this uaradraoh with a word from Goethe that is touched with
deen emotion,and that disolavs the full knowledge which the noet had of the
guidance of the heavenly oowers, guiding us through sorrow,tears,and humility,until
the goal of inner rest is attained.
" Wer nie 3ein Brot mit Tranen ass,
Wer nie dis kummervollen hechte
.^uf seinem Bette weinend sass,
Eer kennt euch nicht,ihr himmlischen Machte."+)
Having seen how deeoly Goethe was interested in Bninoza's idea of resignation
and renunciation,let us, for a few moments)inouire as to what extent he encroached
the nhilosooher1s view with regard to the orinciole of disinterestedness.While
r e s i g n a t i o n r e f e r s to t h e n e r s o n a icsa, d i s i n t e r e s t e d n e s s r e l a t e s to o u r s o c i a l
**
l i f e , t o o u r a c t i v i t i e s and c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d . W i t h G o e t h e , h o w
ever, the d e v e l o o m e n t of his o e r s o n a l i t v was a l w a y s the m o s t s a t i s f y i n g task.
T h i s n e v e r - c h a n g i n g i n n e r l a b o r cent h i s m i n d r e c e o t i v e to o t h e r l i n e s o f t h o u g h t
t h a n t h o s e o u r e l y D a n t h e i s t i c . W h i l e c h i e f l y i n t e r e s t e d in t h e d e v e l o o m e n t o f h i s
* ) G o o d f o r t u n e s b o o n e n i o v w i t h m e a s u r e ,
L e t r e a s o n r e i g n in e v e r y o l e a s u r e ,
W h e r e l i f e in l i f e t a k e s s h e r s d e l i g h t .
** *
+ ) W h o n e e r in t e a r s h i s m o r s e l ate,
W h o n e e r in s o r r o w ' s n i g h t $ 3 t w a i t i n g
F o r g l o o m a n d d a r k n e s s to a b a t e ,
\j 0>V 1
FMie b o w rs celestial, is not rating.
++ +
**Goethe in der Fnocne seiner Vollendung.0 Harn3ck.?.31 f. Selected.
45
*)Ithica,5.
46
Fron the inner condition of Goethe*s soul we know that his highest desire
was that for hanoiness.Restlessly driven fron oassion to oassion.from innulse
to innulse,he yearned for inner Deace.He,furthermore,sought for the oaln that j
should heal the wounds caused bv his cessions. Out of the denths of his heart
'erne earth that erv of the human soul.so beautiful, so touching,causing everv
heart-string.to vibrate in osrfect svnoathv.In "Wanderers Nachtlied", written 177c,
Goethe exclaims,and sincerely orays,
Eer du von din Himmel bist,
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest,
Ben,der donnelt elend ist,
Donoelt mit Frouickung fllest.
T h i s t h o u g h t e x p r e s s e d in t h e SDirit of G o e t h e l i g h t b e f o r m u l a t e d t b u s r - n l y
in p e r s o n a l i t y dc w e f i n d t h e t r u e t y n e cf h a p p i n e s s . T h e r e m u s t be no y i e l d i n g
of r e a s o n , i c c c r d i n g to S p i n o z a , o u r r e a s o n is a c a r t cf d i v i n e r e a s o n , w h i c h .me,
t h e r e f o r e , n u s t l e a r n to u n d e r s t a n d and d i s c e r n . I n d o i n g t h i s , w e s h a l l d i s
t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n l a s t i n g v a l u e s and t h o s e t h a t are c n l y t e n p c r a r y . P a s s i o n s
d o n o t s a t i s f y n a n fcr a n y l e n g t h c f tiire;tbey a r e c n l y m o m e n t a r y . C n e n u s t
i n d i v i d u a l t h i n g in n a t u r e w h i c h is n o r e u s e f u l tc n a n t h a n a n a n w h c l i v e s
u n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e of r e a s o n . " 4 4 +) in a n o t h e r p a s s a g e i E t h i c a 4 , c c ) p j n c z a
s a y s t h a t s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n is t h e f i r s t a n d c n l y f o u n d a t i o n cf v i r t u e . H e r e
a n d e v i l : ^ T h e k n o w l e d g e cf g c o d and e v i l is n o t h i n g b u t e n c t i c n of p l e a s u r e
a n d p a i n in sc f a r as we a r e c c n s c i c u s o f it.**4 4 4 4 ) S e l f - a s s e r t i o n is to
S p i n o z a t h e c n l y n e w e r cf v i r t u e . s r e e n d o w e d w i t h v i r t u e in p r o p o r t i o n
t c c u r e n d e a v o r in s e e k i n g w h a t is u s e f u l t o p r e s e r v e c u r b e i n g . l i k e S p i n o z a ,
G c e t h e b e l i e v e d t h e a t t a i n m e n t cf h a p p i n e s s to d e p e n d u p o n t h e s u b s t i t u t i o n
of h a r m f u l r a s s i e n s b y t h e s e t h a t a r e u s e f u l in t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n of t h e b e t t e r
s e l f . T h i s p r e s u p p o s e s a r e a l k n o w l e d g e of t h e p a s s i o n s . E u c h k n o w l e d g e , i f
a t t a i n e d b y us, is G c d M s k n o w l e d g e , is m o r a l p e r f e c t i o n , is t h e surrrrun b o n u m .
H r i t t e n by G o e t h e from Italy.
4 4 ) C a r l y l e s E s s a y on G c e t h e .
4 4 4 )Ithica 4,5.
4 4 4 4 ) E t h i c a 4,8.
48.
In closing this chapter,we can not resist the temptation of ouoting a passage
froir Carlyle,a sincere frierd and a great admirer of the poet Gcethe.He cha
racterizes him as fellows:"
flin Goethe we have a rare and a ccirplei! nature.Be strikes us by bis beauty
and calnrness.ThiE man rulesvsnd is net ruled. Stern snd fiery energies of a
most passionate soul lie silent in the center of his being.Fe was net ruled by
the iron sway of passion,but guided in kindly union under the mild sway of
ressen.Hie peace is net frei blindness,but fretr clear vision.His mind was in
unity with itself. There is no whining over hurran woee;it is understood that
we must sirrply all strive to alleviate or retrove their."
49.
Charter 7 .
G o e t h e ' s O w n C c n c e r t i o n of God.
ilhat w a s G o e t h e s c o n c e r t i o n o f G o d , a n d i h a t w a s h i s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d
n a t u r e ? ^e s h a l l f i n d t h a t he is n e t a l t o g e t h e r in a c c o r d w i t h t h e r i g i d
p a n t h e i s n o f S r i n o 2 a ; h i g h l y as he e s t e e n e d h i n . S c i n o 2 a t a u g h f t h s t t h e w o r l d
is in G o d ? w h i l e G o e t h e traintains t h a t G o d is iinranent in t h e w o r l d . A c c o r d i n g
t o G o e t h e ' s v i e w , G o d is n e t s e p a r a t e frcit t h e w c r l d ^ s n d n e t i d e n t i c a l w i t h
N a t u r e and h e r p h e n o m e n a . I h e r e is no a c t i o n frenr w i t h o u t , b u t t h e r e c r e r a t e s
an i n n e r l i f e , a c r e a t i v e r o w e r t h a t p e r n e a t e s t h e u n i v e r s e . N a t u r e is a H y s t e r i c u s
w h o l e . l t s u r r o u n d s us a l l , a n d is t h e o r i g i n a l s o u r c e cf a l l l i f e . G o e t h e s a y s
t h a t he w i l l e x p l o r e t h i s p o w e r w i t h all h i s h e a r t . H e s p e a k s cf N a t u r e as
d e s p i s i n g t h e i n n a t u r e ^ a n d r e v e a l i n g h e r s e c r e t s o n l y to t h e n a t u r a l , t h e t r u e ,
t h e pure.:*
A n e s t s t r i k i n g , a n d in p a r t s t o u c b i n g ; d e i f i c a t i o n cf n a t u r e snd h e r w o r k
w i l l b e f o u n d in G o e t h e ' s r h a p s o d y o n n a t u r e , w h i c h is i n s e r t e d h e r e for t h e
p u r p o s e c f e n a b l i n g us to g a i n a s e n e w h a t n o t e d i r e c t i n s i g h t i n t o t h e p o e t ' s
c o n c e p t i o n of t h i s s u b j e c t .
R h a D s c d y on Nature.:**
"Naturel B y h e r w e a r e s u r r o u n d e d s n d e n c o n t a s s e d . U n a b l e are w e e i t h e r tc
step cut of h e r , o r tc e n t e r n o r e d e e p l y i n t o h e r . U n s o l i c i t e d and u n w a r n e d h e
reseiigs us i n t o t h e c i r c l e o f her d a n c e ^ a n d h u r r i e s a l o n g w i t h us t i l l w e ,9 te
exhausted and d r o p o u t of h e r arnrs.
S h e e v e r c r e a t e s n e w f o r c s k H b a t n o w is n e v e r w a s b e f o r e . H h a t w a s c c c e s n o t
a g a i n . A l l is n e w , a n d y e t o l d .
H e l i v e in h e r m i d $ t ; a n d a r e s t r a n g e r s tc h e r . S h e s t e a k s to os i n c e s s e n t l y ,
y e t b e t r a y s n e t her iryetery tc u s . H e a f f e c t her c c n s t a n t l y ; b u t h a v e nc c o w e r
o v e r her.
S h e aeerrs tc h a v e c o n t r i v e d e v e r y t h i n g f o r i n d i v i d u a l s , y e t s a v e s n o t h i n g fer
i n d i v i d u a l s . S h e b u i l d s e v e r , a n d e v e r d e s t r o y s ; a n d her w c r k s b c c if i n a c c e s s i b l e .
S h e l i v e s in h e r c h i l d r e n a l o n e ; a n d h e r m o t h e r , w h e r e is s h e ? S h e is t h e o n l y
a r t i s t r f r o m t h e sinrplest s u b j e c t tc t h e g r e a t e s t c o n t r a s t s , w i t h o u t a p p a r e n t
effort acc o m p l i s h i n g the greatest perfec t i o n ; t h e most precise exa c t n e s s , a n d
a l w a y s c o v e r e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g g e n t l e . E v e r y c n e of h e r w o r k s h a s a b e i n g of its
o w n , e v e r y o n e of h e r phenotrena has t h e c o s t i s o l a t e d i d e a ; s n d y e t t h e y a l l
m e r g e into cne.
She a c t s a r l a y o n t h e s t a g e : w h e t h e r she s e e s it h e r s e l f , w e k n o w n c t y a n d y e t
s h e p l a y s it for us w h o s t a n d in t h e c o r n e r .
T h e r e is an e t e r n a l l i v i n g , b e c o t r i n g , and m o v i n g in her, and y e t s h e e x c e e d s no
f a r t h e r . S h e t r a n s f e r e e h e r s e l f f o r e v e r , a n d t h e r e is n o nronrent w h e n s h e s t a n d s
s t i l l . O f r e m a i n i n g in a s p o t , s h e d e e s n e t t b i n k ^ a n d tc s t a n d i n g s t i l l s h e
a t t a c h e s h e r c u r s e . h e i3 f i r c ; h e r s t e p is t r e a s u r e d , h e r e x c e r t i o n s r a r e , h e r
laws unalterable.
All iren a r e in h e r , a n d s h e is in a l l . H i t h a l l s h e c a r r i e s c n f r i e n d l y gaire
a n d r e j o i c e s t h e c o r e if t h e y w i n f r o c h e r . S h e p l a y s the g a c e w i t h c a n y so
s e c r e t l y t h a t s h e p l a y s it tc tin* e n d b e f e r e t h e y k n e w it.
T h e c o s t u n n a t u r a l a l s o is n s t u r e ; e v e n t h e c o s t s u p i d F h i l i s t i n i s c h a t h s o m e
t h i n g of h e r g e n i u s . H h o s e e s h e r not e v e r y w h e r e s e e s h e r n o w h e r e a r i g h t .
S h e l o v e s h e r s e l f a n d e v e r c l i n g s to h e r s e l f , h a v i n g e y e s and h e a r t s w i t h o u t
n u m b e r . E v e r s h e l e t s n e w e n j o y e r s g r o w , i n s a t i a b l e to i e p a r t h e r s e l f .
S h e d e l i g h t s in i l l u s i o n . H h o e v e r d e s t r o y s t h i s in h i c s e l f a n d o t h e r s , h i m s h e
p u n i s h e s , s h o w i n g h e r s e l f t h e s t r i c t e s t t y r a n t . H h o e v e r t r u s t f u l l y f o l l o w s her,
h i e s h e p r e s s e s l i k e a c h i l d to h e r h e a r t .
~ H e r c h i l d r e n a r e w i t h o u t n u m b e r . T o no o n e is s h e a l t o g e t h e r n i g g a r d l y j b u t
s h e h a s f a v o r i t e s u p o n w h o c s h e s a u a n d e r s c u c h , a n d to w h o m s h e s a c r i f i c e s e u c h .
To g r e a t n e s s she has p l e d g e d her p r o t e c t i c n . S h e has few s p r i n g s , b u t the s e are
never worn out,always active,always manifold.
H e r p l a y is n e v e r n e w , b e c a u s e s h e e v e r c r e a t e s n e w s p e c t a t o r s w l i f e is h e r
f i n e s t i n v e n t i o n ; a n d d e a t h is h e r a r t i f i c e to g e t m o r e l i f e .
S h e v e i l s m a n in d a r k n e s s , a n d s p u r s h i e c o n t i n u a l l y to t h e l i g h t . S h e c a k e s
h i e d e p e n d e n t u p o n t h e e a r t h , d u l l and h e a v y , a n d k e e p s r o u s i n g h i e a f r e s h .
4 S h e g i v e s w a n t s , b e c a u s e s h e l o v e s m c t i e n . T h e w o n d e r is t h a t she a c c o m p l i s h e s
a l l t h i s m o t i o n w i t h so l i t t l e . E v e r y w a n t is a b e n e f i t o u i c k l y s a t i s f i e d , o u i c k l y
51.
r o w i n g a g a i n . I i s b e g i v e s o n e T o r e , i t is a n e w s o u r c e of p l e a 3 u r e ; b u t s h e
soon comes into ecuilibrium.
S h e s e t s o u t e v e r y m o m e n t f o r t h e l o n g e s t r a c e , a n d is e v e r y m o m e n t at t h e
goal.
S h e is v a n i t y i t s e l f , b u t n o t for u s , t o w h o m she h a s m a d h e r s e l f t h e g r e a t e s t
weight.
S h e l e t s e v e r y c h i l d t i n k e r w i t h h e r , e v e r y f o c i r a 3 s j u d g m e n t on h e r ; t h o u -
s a n d 3 s t u m b l e o v e r h e r , a n d s e e n o t h i n g ; a n d she h a s h e r j o y in a l l , a n d s b e
f i n d s in a l l h e r a c c o u n t .
N \ s n o b e y s h e r l a w s , e v e n w h e n she s t r i v e s a g a i n s t h i m ; h e w o r k s w i t h h e r e v e n
w h e n he w o u l d w o r k a g a i n s t her.
S h e m a k e s o f a l l s b e g i v e s a b l e s s i n g . f o r s h e f i r s t m a k e s it i n d i s p e s s b l e . .
S h e l a g s , t h a t w e m a y l o n g for h e r ; s b e h a s t e n s , t h a t we m a y n o t g r o w w e a r y of her.
S b e h a s no s p e e c h cr l a n g u a g e , b u t e b s c r e a t e s t c n g u e e and h e a r t s t h r o u g h
w h i c h she feels and speaks.
,4 H e r c r o w n is l c v e . C n l y t h r o u g h it c a n m a n a p p r o a c h h e r . S h e c r e a t e s g a p s
b e t w e e n all t h i n g s , a n d is a l w a y s r e a d y to e n g u l f all.
S h e h a s i s o l a t e d a l l , t o d r a w all t o g e t h e r . B y a f e w d r a u g h t s f r o m the c u p
o f l o v e s h e m a k e s up for a l i f e f u l l of t r o u b l e .
S h e is all. S h e r e w a r d s h e r s e l f and p u n i s h e s h e r s e l f , d d l i g h t s and t o r m e n t s
h e r s e l f . S h e is r u d e a n d g e n t l e , I c v e l y a n d t e r r i b l e , p o w e r l e s s a n d a l m i g h t y .
A l l is a l w a y s n o w in h e r . F a s t and f u t u r e k n o w s she n o t . T h e p r e s e n t is h e r
eternity.
S h e is k i n d l y . I c r a i s e h e r w i t h all h e r w e r k e . S h e is w i s e a n d o u i e t . G n e c a n
t e a r nc e x o l a n a t i o n f r o m h e r , e x t o r t f r o m h e r nc g i f t w h i c h s h e g i v e s n e t of
her own free will.
S h e is w h o l e , a n d y e t n e v e r c o m p l e t e d . A s s h e p l i e s i t , s h e c a n a l w s y s p l y it.
To e v e r y one s h e a p p e a r s in a form o f h e r o w n . S h e b i d e s h e r s e l f in a t h o u s a n d
n a m e s and t e r m s , a n d is a l w a y s t h e s a m e .
S h e h a s p l a c e d m e h e r e , s h e w i l l l e a d m e a w a y . I t r u s t m y s e l f to h e r . S h e m a y
d o ae s h e l i k e s w i t h m e . S h e w i l l n o t h a t e h e r w o r k . I t is n o t I w h o s t a k e of her.
N s y . t h e t r u e a n d t h e f a l s e , s h e h a s s p o k e n it a l l . A l l t h e g u i l t is h e r s , a n d
hers all tha m e r i t . "
T h e s e u t t e r a n c e s , o u c t e d at l e n g t h , p l a i n l y r e v e a l to us t h e G o e t h e a n a t t i t u d e
t o w a r d s N a t u r e . 5 r o m t h e m it b e c o m e s e v i d e n t t h a t in he w a s a p a n t h e i s t , b e
l i e v i n g in t h e d i v i n i t y of n a t u r e , a d i v i n i t y in b w h i c h w e l i v e , a n d m o v e , a n d
f o r w a r d , s h e r e m a i n s t h e s a m e . H e l a w s a r e u n c h a n g e a b l e . N a t u r e p l a c e s nre
w i t h i n l i f e j s b e w i l l l e a d ire o u t of i t ; I c o n f i d e in h e r . "
H e d o e s n e t o b j e c t to h i s forirer b e l i e f ; b u t he new a p p r e c i a t e s p r o g r e s s
i n n a t u r e , a c o n s t a n t m e t a m o r p h o s i s . In h i s ' I l u c i d s t i o n to the A p h o r i s t i c E s s a y
o n N a t u r e " u n d e r d a t e o f N a y 2 4 , l 2 6 , h e a d d r e s s e s C h a n c e l l o r N u e l l e r as f o l
l o w s : " T h i s e s s a y w a s s e n t to me a s h o r t t i m e a g o f r o a m o n g t h e o a r e r s of t h e
l a t e r e v e r e d l u c h e s s A n n a A m a l i a j i t is w r i t t e n b y a f a m i l i a r h a n d of w h i c h I
w a s a c c u s t o m e d to a v a i l m y s e l f i n m y a f f a i r s in t h e y e a r 1 7 6 C . I d o n o t e x a c t l y
i d e a s w h i c h h a d . a t t h a t t i m e b e c o m e d e v e l o p e d in m y m i n d . I m i g h t t e r m t h e
d e g r i e of i n s i g h t w h i c h I p o s s e s s e d a c o m p a r a t i v e o n e , w h i c h w a s t r y i n g to
T o t h e m a t u r e G o e t h e , n a t u r e is n o t a s p i r i t l e s s m e c h a n i s m , b u t t h e m a n i f e s t a
t i o n of G o d , t h e " g a r m e n t of d i v i n i t y " . H e r e v e r e n c e s h e r , l i s t e n s to h e r s e c r e t s ,
W fa0
a n d w o r s h i p s h e r . He/denies n a t u r e as a d i v i n e o r g a n , h e S 8 y s , m a y d e n y a l l r e v e
l a t i o n . T o E c h e r m a n n h e a d d r e s s e s t h e f o l l o w i n g w o r d s : "If y o u w o u l d a s k m e
w h e t h e r it w o u l d b e in h a r m o n y w i t h m y t h o u g h t to e x t e n d d i v i n e w o r s h i p tc
t h e s u n , I s h o u l d h a v e tc a n s w e r in t h e a f f i r m a t i v e ; f o r it is t h e r e v e l a t i o n of
t h e S u p r e m e B e i n g , a n d i n d e e d t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l o n e . I w o r s h i p the l i g h t and
t h e c r e a t i v e p o w e r of G o d in w h o m we l i v e , m o v e , a n d hsve cur b e i n g . . n In h i s
t a l k s w i t h N u e l l e r ( 3 c C ) G o e t h e s a y s,."Behind e v e r y o r g a n i c b e i n g l i e s a h i g h e r
i
i d e a ; t h i s is t h e G o d w h o m we sll s e e k and h o p e to b e b o l d ^ t h o u g h c a n b s v e o n l y
f o r e b o d i n g s of H i m . "
Erorn t h e a b o v e u t t e r a n c e s of G o e t h e w e a r e a b l e to c o n c l u d e t h a t h e k n e w
N a t u r e ^ b u t t h e l a t t e r is a r e v e l a t i o n of Him in m a n y a n d m a n i f o l d w a y s . T h e
g r o w t h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e e a r t h , t h e l i g h t of t h e s u n , t h e s p r i n g e in t h e
tv
f i e l d m a k e m a i f e s t H i s H i s p o w e r and e s s e n c e . G o d is i m m a n e n t in t h e w o r l d , n o t
53.
itrae cf Binp w h o is b e a u t y a n d p e r f e c t i o n i t s e l f . T h e e t e r n a l is in t h e t r a n s i e n t :
l a s i w ge r e u t s i c h f o r t in a l i e n ! *)
T h e r e is no u l t i m a t e d e s t r u c t i o n and d e a t h in n a t u r e , b u t e t e r n a l l y b u d d i n g and
p u l s a t i n g life.
S c h a f f s t ,1 e d e n zum G e n u s s d e s l e b e n s ,
0 l e i t e ireinen G a n g , N a t u r ,
Een Ererrdlings-reisetritt,
Heiliger Vergangenheit
leb w a n d l e ! " * * )
t h e c a v e w i t h t h e i r i rysterious charrr he d e s i g n a t e d as t h e b o s o m of a f r i e n d .
A l l h i s l o v e , a l l b i s t r u s t be g a v e to N a t u r e t h a t bad e n d o w e d h i m w i t h b l e s s i n g s
^ jNaturs.tbou^ever^budding^Qne,
T h u f o r m e s t e a c h for l i f e r s e i n o y m e n t s
And,like a mother,all thy children dear
g i e s s e s t w ith thy sweet h e r i t a g e , - a home.
C n a t u r e , g u i d e m e o n m y wavl
The p a n d e r i n g s t r a n g e r guide,
fno, o, er, t h e t o m b s
Cf h o l y b y g o n e d a y s
Is p a s s i n g ;
T r . b y N. H . E o l e ( G c e t h d ! s B r a c t . E o r k s ) .
45
-Joyful praises rise to heaven unceasingly.Even the dust UDon the ground and the
unfertile stone ixust helD to complete the whole.God dwells in the depths of the
sea and in the boson of the earth.The winds that stir the leaves of the trees
are to the poet as the breath of the divinity.
S o m e p a r t s of his p o e t i c a l w r i t i n g s nray s e e n to b e t r a y o n l y a y e a r n i n g for
c o m m u n i o n w i t h n a t u r e . T h u s he e x c l a i m s :
" % h e r e , b o u n d l e s s n a t u r e , s h a l l I c l u t c h at t h e e ?
Ye b r e a s t s , w h e r e a r e y e ? Y e p e r e n n i a l s p r i n g s
C f l i f e w h e r e o n h a n g h e a v e n and e a r t h ,
t h e r e t o t h e b l i g h t e d bosorr c l i n g s ,
Ye g u s h , y e s l a k e all t h i r s t ,
Y e t I p i n e on in d e a r t h . " * )
B u t t h e d e e p e r ireaning of his r h a p s o d i e s to n a t u r e , a s b e i n g p e r m e a t e d b y t h e
t h e d i v i n i t y , f i n d s i n d u b i t a b l e e x p r e s s i o n in t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s :
* ) I r , b y 5 i r . T h , V a r t i n , p . , E 8 u s t 3. **) T r . b y Sir T h . V a r t i n , p . c G .
* * ) In l e b e n s f l u t e n , im T a t e n s t u r a ,
U a l l i c h auf u n d ab,
K e b e h i n u n d her,
G e b u r t und Grab,
iin e w i g e s Veer,
Sjn w e c h s e l n d leben,
fin g l h e n d leben,
S o a c p a f f i c h am s a u s e n d e n * e b s t u h l , d e r z e i t
Und w i r k e der G o t t h e i t l e b e n d i g e s Kleid.
55
N a t u r e is to G o e t h e t h e " l i v i n g v e s t u r e ,!of G o d . l i f e is g u s h i n g f o r t h , l i k e
t h e s t r e 8 tr f r o n t h e irountain. T h e f u l n e s s of l i f e , t h e i n c r e a s i n g a c t i v i t y ,
t h e f o r c e o f a c t i o n , a l l t h e s e a r e t h e irajestic r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e d i v i n i t y ,
w h i c h is in t h e All.
T h u s w e a r r i v e at a p o i n t w h e r e G o e t h e d i f f e r s front S p i n o z a , k b e r e a s t h e
S u b s t a n c e , G c e t b e s c o n c e p t i o n of G o d is t h a t of 9n imnranent, a l l - p e r n r e a t i n g
divinity.
56 .
Chanter
G o e t h e ' s P h i l o s o p h y in J a u s t .
HJ a u s t m a y b e r e g a r d e d as a s y n t h e s i s of w o r l d and s p i r i t , w h i c h g i v e s
u s t h e nrost b l e s s e d a s s u r a n c e of t h e e t e r n a l harrrcny of a l l E e i n g . H S o e t h e . )
A c c o r d i n g to E i e l s c h o w s k y , o n e of h i s l a t e s t b i o g r a p h e r s , G o e t h e h a s d o n e m u c h
f o r t h e c a u s e of r e l i g i o n ; f o r he b a s e d h i s r e l i g i o u s c o n c l u s i o n s , n o t o n
a b s t r a c t p r i n c i p l e s , b u t o n t h e o b s e r v a t i o n of the w h o l e g r e a t c h a i n of n a
t u r a l phenoiiena and t h e i r i n t e r r e l a t i o n s . G o e t h e w a s a g r e a t o b s e r v e r of
n a t u r e a n d h e r p h e n o m e n a ; h e b e l i e v e d in t h e C o n t r o l l i n g E o w e r of l i f e .
o f t h e t i m e in w h i c h G o e t h e lived,iray j u s t l y b e c a l l e d T h e S n l i g h t e n i r e n t .
P o m a n t i c i s m h a s b r o u g h t to l i g h t t h e b e a u t y , t h e h a r a r o n y , t h e l i f e in n a t u r e .
G o e t h e , i r o r e t h a n a n y e t h e r p o e t , h a s s u c c e e d e d in m a k i n g n a t u r e t h e c e n t e r
o f h i s t h o u g h t . I n t h i s c h a n t e r , i t w i l l b e my t a s k , n o t to t r a c e t h e p h i l o
s o p h i c a l t h o u g h t in J a u s t f u l l y and c o m p l e t e l y , b u t o n l y to i n v e s t i g a t e s u c h
p a s s a g e s as s h o w c l e a r l y t h e p o e t ' s r e l a t i o n t o , o r a g r e e m e n t w i t h , S p i n o ? a .
J a u s t is a dratra o f l i f e , i t s p r o b l e m s , i t s e r r o r s , t h e s o l u t i o n of t h e
l i e l t r a t s e l , t o u s e H a e c k e l ' s t e r m . S e r v i c e is t h e k e y - n o t e o f l i f e , a n d
u n c e a s i n g a c t i v i t y is i t s g o a l . E r o a d l y s p e a k i n g , t h e u n d e r l y i n g t h o u g h t in
J a u s t is l I J J . l t s t r e a m s f r o m G o d and p e r m e a t e s t h e A l l . T h e r e is a P o w e r
t h a t c o n t r o l s t h e u n i v e r s e , n o t from w i t h o u t , b u t f r o m w i t h i n .
"lias w a r d a s ihr e i n G o t t ,
E e r n u r v o n a u s s e n stiesse?""
i n f l u e n c e in N a t u r e . G o e t h e , a s w e h a v e a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d , w o r s h i p e d t h e 9 un,
57
t h e l i f e - b e a r i n g , s e l f - s u s t a i n i n g , c r e a t i v e a c t i o n in t h e u n i v e r s e , T h i s s a m e
c r e a t i v e t e n d e n c y is p r e s e n t a l s o in t a n . .All h u t a n a c t i v i t i e s , a l l h u t a n
p r e t e d as t a n i f e s t a t i o n s of t h e A l l - l i f e . In A u g u s t , 1 7 S 4 , S c h i l l e r r i t e s
t o G o e t h e , "leu l o o k at N a t u r e as a \kbole:when s e e k i n g to h a v e l i g h t t h r o w n
u p o n h e r i n d i v i d u a l p a r t s , y o u l o o k for t h e e x p l a n a t i o n of t h e i n d i v i d u a l
i n t h e t o t a l i t y of a l l h e r v a r i o u s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s . " G o e t h e h i m s e l f s a y s
to W i e n e r , in 58 C ?, i f e is a s t r e a m , a n d w e irus y S b s t r u c t i t ; o u r a c t i o n s
t u s t b e in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h i t . l*e r e i t e r a t e t h a t G o e t h e f e l t G o d to b e in
t h e w o r l d , w h i l e S p i n o z a b e l i e v e d t h e w o r l d to b e in G o d , t a k i n g Hirr t h e
c a u s a i m m a n e n s ,yet r e d u c i n g H i t to a b s t r a c t s u b s t a n c e .
A n o t h e r u n d e r l y i n g t h o u g h t in J a u s t is t h a t of t h e i r a n i f e s t a t i o n of e v i l
p o w e r s , t h e u n h a p p i n e s s , t h e m i s e r i e s , w h i c h seen? to o b s t r u c t t h e s t r e a m of
l i f e and i m p e d e o u r a c t i v i t i e s . B u t G o e t h e is o p t i m i s t i c . All t h e e v i l s b e n e
f i t t h e i n d i v i d u a l , a l t h o u g h t h e y c r e a t e d i s h a r m o n y . T h e y a r e a t e s t of l i f e ,
a n d s p u r us to f u r t h e r a c t i v i t y . T o l e k e r m a n n G o e t h e s a y s ( I B c i ) , " N a t u r e in
n o w i s e f s v o r s o u r w e a k n e s s e s , b u t e i t h e r m a k e s s o m e t h i n g o u t of u s o r w i l l
h a v e n o t h i n g at a l l to d o w i t h us.-" T h a t w h i c h is w e a k , e v i l , u n f i t , m o s t s e r v e
a h i g h e r p u r p o s e , m u s t i n c i t e us to g r e a t e r a c t i v i t y and a m o r e a b u n d a n t l i f e .
G o e t h e ' s W o r l d - S o u l in l a u s t .
"tb 3
G o n t r a r y to t h e s y s t e m of a o i n o z a w h i c h h e l d t h a t G c d i s Ao n l y s u b s t a n c e
w h e n c e a l l b e i n g s , t h e c o r p o r e a l as w e l l as t h e s p i r i t u a l , m u s t b e d e r i v e d
w i t h l o g i c a l c o n s i s t e n c y , G o e t h e d e v e l o p e d t h e c o n c e p t of S u b s t a n c e i n d e p e n
d e n t l y . T o S p i n o z a , G o d a n d t h e w o r l d are i d e n t i c a l . S u b s t a n c e ) .h e t a u g h t , h a s
t w o a t t r i b u t e s , T h a u g b t a n d I n t e n s i o n . T h e s e h a v e an i n f i n i t e n u m b e r o f m o d e s .
58
O f o n e of t h e m u l t i t u d i n o u s m o d i , h u m a n b e i n g s a r e b u t p h e n o m i n a l f o r m s .
T h e r e a r e n o i s o l a t e d e v e n t s ; e v e r y w h e r e t h e r e is u n i t y ; a l l t h i n g s m u s t b e
t h o u g h t of G o d 8 nd n a t u r e as b e i n g i d e n t i c a l a p p e a l e d to h i m v e r y s t r o n g l y ,
h e c o n c e i v e d of n a t u r e as a d e v e l o p m e n t , a * a c o n s t a n t c h a n g e . H e is s t r o n g l y
o p p o s e d to m a t h e m a t i c a l f o r m u l a s , a s s t i f f and u n m o v a b l e . T h e y c h a n g e l i v i n g
T u r n i n g , t h e n , t o E a u s t t h e p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n of l i f e a n d a c t i v i t y , w e i m m e d i a t e l y
b e h o l d t h e m a j e s t y of l i f e i n c o r p o r a t e d in t h e J a r t h - S p i r i t . G c e t h s , a s r e p r e
s e n t e d b y J a u s t , y e a r n s to s e e the S p i r i t t h a t h o l d s t h e All t o g e t h e r . T h i s
S p i r i t , t h e s o u r c e o f a l l h u m a n t h o u g h t , w o r k and l i f e , t h e f o u n t a i n of t h e b e a u
t i f u l , t h e n o b l e and t h e e l e v a t i n g , a l s o k n o w s t h e n a m e l e s s s i n and g u i l t o f
m a n . T h e r e f o r e , w h o d a r e f a c e h i m ? E u t t h e r e o u e s t to s e e him h a s b e e n m a d e ,
a n d it is g r a n t e d . T h s l a r t h - S p i r i t a p p e a r s , a n d t h u s a d d r e s s e s J a u s t :
wT o v i e w me w e r e t h y p r a y e r and c h o i c e ,
To see my face , t o hear my voice.
H l l ! by thy p otent p r a y e r wen o'er,
I come,and thou that wculdet be more
Than m o r t a l , h a v i n g thy behest,
Art w i t h a c r a v e n f e a r p o s s e s s e d !
H e r e art t h o u , i a u s t ,w h o s e s u m m o n s r a n g so w i d e ,
bho s t o r m e d m y h a u n t s ; a n d w o u l d n o t b e d e n i e d ?
Is t h i s t h i n g t h o u ? t h i s t h a t m y b r e a t h d o t h m a k e
T h r o u g h every nerve and fibre ouake,
A crawling,hovering;timorous worm?" *
I n t h i s E a r t h - S p i r i t w e h a v e t h e d i v i n e p o w e r i m m a n e n t in n a t u r e , t h e r e f l e x
i m a g e of t h e A l m i g h t y , t h e i o u n t a i n of a l l l i g h t , i n v i s i b l y p e r m e a t i n g t h s
w o r l d , t h e .^ A b g l a n z j e n e s l i c h t e s d r o b e n , d a s u n s i c h t b a r d i s g a n z e H i t
e r l e u c h t e t " : G o e t h e , h a v i n g b e e n g r a n t e d h i s w i s h j w h i c h h e , i n t h e r 5 1 e of
T r . b y Sir Th.lVartin.*
***Aus dem Theate r - v o r s c i e l . S e p t . I S , 1 8 C 9 .
59.
T h e C e n t r a l I d e a in l a u s t " .
In t h e f o r e g o i n g , w e h a v e d e a l t w i t h t h e G o e t h e a n i d e a of i m m a n e n c e , a s
o n e w h i c h m a r k s a p o i n t o f d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n G o e t h e and S p i n o z a , s i n c e t h e
bins
latter identified God with Substance, instead of letting Jpe immanent in the
world,as the all-pervading creative uower. Yet we shall have to mention one
feature in regard to which there is a kinship between these two (raster minds,
let us Droceed to discover this particular feature in "laust1'.
i v i d e n t l y , l a u s t h a d n o t u n d e r s t o o d the " V a j e e t i c s p i r i t " , H e l i k e n e d h i m s e l f
u n t o h i m . T h e e s s e n c e o f t h e E a r t h - S p i r i t w a s t h e w o r k i n g o u t of t h e p o w e r of
a b s o r b t h e .ioys a n d s u f f e r i n g s of h u m a n i t y ; t o b e c o m e r e a l m a n , h u m a n in the
t r u e s t s e n s e of t h e w o r d . T h i s same s p i r i t s e n d s V e p h i s t c , w h o m E a u s t a d d r e s s e s
as g r e a t , i l l u s t r i o u s S p i r i t " . V e p h i s t o , b y h i s i n f l u e n c e u p o n l a u s t , a c c o m p l i s h e s
t h e r u i n of G r e t c h e n . f u i l of d e s p a i r o v e r G r e t c h e r i s f a t e , l a u s t a g a i n v o i o e s
h i s e m o t i o n s to t h e g r e a t s p i r i t r and s a y s to h i m , w i t h r e f e r e n c e to V e p h i s t c ,
" C h a n g e him/thou i n f i n i t e S p i r i t , c h a n g e t h e r e p t i l e o n c e m o r e i n t o t h a t r e s e m b
l a n c e o f a d o g in w h i c h he o f t e n d e l i g h t e d to g a m b o l b e f o r e m e at n i g h t . " H e r e
t h e s t r a n g e c o n t r a d i c t i o n t h a t t h e e v i l s p i r i t is s e n t b y t h e s p i r i t of h e s v e n ,
t h e g r e a t B a r t h - S p i r i t ; t b e r e f l e x i m a g e of t h e A l m i g h t y , i s to b e e x p l a i n e d b y
G o e t h e s S p i n o z i c v i e w of G o d . H e , b e i n g l i k e S p i n o z a in t h i s p a r t i c u l a r , r e g a r d e d
i n f a c t , c o r r e l a t e d . T h e c n e d o e s n o t e x i s t w i t h o u t t h e o t h e r . M e p h i s t o iii t h e
r f a t s t is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e o n e in t h e f i n i s h e d d r a m a ; " e i n T e i l v o n j e n e r
61
Kraft,die stets das Eose ill und stets das Gute schafft! Esrt of that power
is he that,being constantly intent upon evil,always effects the good.
The fact that the Sarth-Spirit,the reflex image of the Almighty,sends
Mephisto to Baust as hie companion makes the ultimate salvation of Baust
possible.Nay,Ivephisto ie to assist Baust in reaching the goal of salvation.
Baust translates the beginning of the Gospel of St.John thus: "Im Anfang war die
Tat. In the beginning was the EBBI,here is the redeeming word. Baust makes a
pact with the evil oneilhe latter attempts by all fiendish means to effect the
destruction of Baust,who,however,sees most clearly the emptiness of his life.
The outcome is not yet apparent.Brom the readefis point of view,it hangs in
the balance. But redemption is not outside of the realm of possibility,
let us be a trifle more specific.Mephisto thus characterizes himself;
."The spirit I that evermore denies,
And justly am I thus employed,
Bor surely naught was e'er begot
Eut it deserved to be destroyed;
So were it better,things should not
Ee into being brought at all*
Thus all these matters which you call
Sin,Nischief ,-Bvil, in a word,
Are my congenial elements"*
This snirit that evermore denies,agrees to lead Baust to the goal of happi
ness,though bent on his ruin.^et Baust is on the right path.He knows the life
r
activities of those, men vho fight and conouer human passions will lead to
triumph.His pact with the evil one is significant:
"Vv band,upon itlTherel . . . ,
If I q the nassind moment e!er J sav,
0 l i n g e r . s t i l l , thou, a p t so f a i r P
,.ien Cast m e , n t o . c h a i n s y o u may,
n )en w i l l I d i e w i t h o u t a c are!
isn m a y t h e d e a t h - b e l l s o u n d its call,
ien art, t b o u f r o m t h y s e r v i c e f r e e ,
he c j o c k - s a y , s t a n d , trie i n d e x fall,..
And t i m e and tide m a v c e a s e f o r m e .
M e p h i s t o v e r i l y show,' h i m s e l f to b e t h e s p i r i t of n e g a t i o n . Be rcaintains
t h a t t h e d e v i l s m a d e t h e w o r l d j h e h i m s e l f w a s p a r t of a p a r t t h a t o n c e a s
i l l , a p a r t o f t h e d a r k n e s s t h a t o n c e b o r e t h e l i g h t . B u t to G o e t h e , J a u s t is
s i m p l y t h e f o r c e of d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n . T h i s p o w e r of d a r k n e s s in t h e f o r m of an
a n g e l of l i g h t l e a d s F a u s t f r o m s t e p to s t e p , f r o m p l e a s u r e to p l e a s u r e . i l l
b i s p a s s i o n s a r e s t i r r e d in hiir.lt a s n o t o n l y t h e a n i m a l i n s t i n c t t h a t
d r o v e F a u s t to G r e t c b e n , b u t r a t h e r t h e o v e r p o w e r i n g , i r r e s i s t i b l e charir of b e a u
t y . T h i s is s e e n frorr t h e w o r d s of F a u s t w h e n he s t o o d b e f o r e a m i r r o r b e
h o l d i n g t h e i m a g e of a w o m a n in t h e w i t c h e s ! 1 k i t c h e n :
^i worranis f o r m b e y o n d e x p r e s s i o n fair!
C a n a w o m a n b e so f a i r ? G r m u s t I d e e m
In t h i s r e c u m b e n t f o r m I s e e r e v e a l e d
T h e Quintessence of all that heaven can yield?
C n . e a r t h c a n a u g h t b e f o u n d o f b e a u t y so 9 u p r e m e ? R *
T h i s m a y b e c a l l e d t h e c o n t e n t s of t h e w h o l e G r e t c h e n t r a g e d y . It w a s not a l l
p a s s i o n t h a t i m p e l l e d F a u s t , b u t be w a s a l s o i n s p i r e d b y h o l y l o v e . T h e l o w e s t
a n d t h e h i g h e s t i m p u l s e s h a v e t h e i r o r i g i n in h u m a n n a t u r e . V e p h i s t o s e e m 3 to
a l s o is a w a r e of t h e p u r e i n s p i r a t i o n of l o v e t h a t i r r e s i s i b l y d r a w s h i m to
Gretchen.The good and the evil are at war im him.Though be falls,he will rise
a g a i n . B i s c o n s t a n t s t r i v i n g for t h e m a s t e r y m a k e s h i m at l a s t t r i u m p h a n t .
c
T h e p h i l o s o p h y of F a u s t is surrmated in t h e s e l i n e s :
"Fier i m m e r s t r e b e n d s i c h b e m h t ,
Ben kennen wir e r l s e n . "
In r e g a r d t o t h e t r a g i c f i g u r e of G r e t c h e n ; w e m a y add t h a t s h e , t o o , i s s u p -
r o s e d t o h a v e a c t e d a c c o r d i n g to n a t u r e . S h e o b e y s t h e n a t u r a l i m p u l s e , a n d
s i n and s h a m e a r e t h e r e s u l t . B u t s h e is r e g a r d e d b y t h e p o e t as h a v i p g v i o l a t e d
*Tr.by T h . V a r t i n , F a u s t J,116.
63
as the one that has to do with the source of all l i f e , o r the p r o b l e m of evil
in all its v a r i o u s bearings.
Bight here it will be in p l a c e to o b s e r v e that G o e t h e , l i k e B a u s t , p l u n g e d
h i m s e l f into l i f e . G o e t h e was the hero of l i f e , i n sharp d i s t i n c t i o n from Spi
n o z a , w h o s e bent of mind p r o m o t e d him to avoid all c o n t a c t with the world.
U h i l e the one built up his p h i l o s o p h y on e x p e r i e n c e , t h e other bas e d his upon
m a t h e m a t i c a l s p e c u l a t i o n s . W h i l e ?pinoza d efined God as S u b s t a n c e , G o e t h e
c o n c e i v e d of Him as the i n d w e l l i n g spirit of the u n i v e r s e . T h e p h i l o s o p h y of
of S p inoza is a closed s y s t e m , t b s t of G o e t h e is one of b e c o m i n g and he sees
in the world c o n t i n u o u s d e v e l o p m e n t . H i s idea of G o d * e v e n u n d e r g o e s m o d i f i
c a t i o n s in the co u r s e of t i me.He was a p a n t h e i s t , b u t instead of i d e n t i f y i n g
God with the w o r l d , a s S pinoza did,God is to him ra t h e r the a l l - p e r v a d i n g
S p i r i t . I n his later y e a r s , G o e t h e a p p r o a c h e d to a kind of t h e i s m , t h o u g h never
r e n o u n c i n g his p a n t h e i s t i c views.
But let us return to Bauet! Vere s p e c u l a t i o n s , s u c h is B a u s t ' s conclusion,
do not lead to h a p p i n e s s , b u t one must act in a c c o r d a n c e with the G o s p e l thst
finds e x p r e s s i o n in the altered words of P t . J o h n , " I n the b e g i n n i n g was the
d e e d . ? Bau s t stands for the p h i l o s o p h y of life and a c t i o n . H e p l u n g e s h i m s e l f
i nto life.
M e p h i s t o ap p e a r s on the scene,the e m b o d i m e n t of all the d e s t r u c t i v e agencies,
811 the e v i l s , d e l u s i o n s and m i s e r i e s that afflict m a n k i n d . H e is the spirit that
e v e r n e g a t e s , a i m i n g at d e s t r u c t i o n rather than c r e a t i o n . Y e t w h i l e he in t e n d s
to do e v i l , h e ever e f f e c t s the o p p o s i t e . A c c o m p a n i e d by t b i s fiG e i s t , der stets v e r
nei n t ", Baust e m pties the cup of w o r l d l y p l e a s u r e s to the very d r e g s . l t is here
that the c h a r a c t e r of G r e t c h e n d e mands a word of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . " T h e beautiful,
d e v o t e d , a c t i v e l y u s e f u l , s e l f + r e n o u n c i n g w o a m n , e v e r giv i n g forth self in c r e a t i v e
s u s t a i n i n g a c t i v i t y , i s that image of the c r e ative force whi c h is the theme of th
65
drama. " :*
The d r a m a t i c scene now f o llows.lt c u l m i n a t e s in the death of G r e t c b e n , b e r
m o t h e r , b r o t h e r and c h i l d . I h e u n h a p p y , f a t a l o u t c o m e is due to the d e s t r u c t i v e
e f f e c t of the false idea of t b e " rigbt to the p ursuit of haotiiness, as well as
to the wrong c o n c e p t i o n s whi c h society has with r e f e r e n c e to moral standards.
G r e t c h e n v o l u n t a r i l y s u r r e n d e r s her mo r t a l life to the j u d g m e n t of G o d " , a n d
by this final act of s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n she b e c o m e s i m m o r t a l . S h e has come to
b e in accord with the c r e a t i v e p o w e r , a n d she is saved.
The D r i n c i p l e of s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n , a n d a w illing s u r r e n d e r to the higher
l a w s , h o w e v e r u n d e r s t o o d and d e f i n e d , i s asserted by G o e t h e also in nla i n
t e r m s , o u t s i d e of any d r a m a t i c s e t t i n g . l t was in B e b r u a r y , 1 8 1 4 , that G o e t h e
w r o t e to B i e m e r , " T h e moral is an e t ernal attempt to pa c i f y our o e r s o n a l de
m a n d s and adat them to the laws of an invis i b l e r e a l m . T o w a r d s the end of the
e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,m o r a l i t y had become slack and s l a v i s h , a s men would su b j e c t
it to w a v e r i n g c a l c u l a t i o n s of a mere theory of the right to the D u r s u i t of
hanDiness.ifant first g rasped and c o m p r e h e n d e d the subject in its s u o e r n a t u r a l
s i g n i f i c a n c e in bis theory of the C a t e g o r i c a l I m p e r a t i v e ; a n d , t h o u g h he may
h a v e o v e r s t r a i n e d this idea in giving it e x n r e s s i o n , y e t he rendered an i m m o r t a l
s e r v i c e in b r i n g i n g us out cf thst w e a k n e s s into whi c h we had s u n k e n .
M t h a nother Q u o t a t i o n from G o e t h e s orose w r i t i n g s , w e may f i t t i n g l y c o n
c l u d e the d i s c u s s i o n of the first part of B a u s t . Cn the <Sth of April,.1818,he
w r o t e to V u e l l e r as f o l l o w s : " I f one o b s e r v e s the i m p u l s e s and a ctione of m a n
kind for t h o u s a n d s of y e a r s , o n e may r e c o g n i z e some u n i v e r s a l f o r m u l a s that ever1
from all t i m e , h a v e e x e r c i s e d a mag i c pow e r over wh o l e n a t i o n a l s well as ove r
s i n g l e i n d i v i d u a l s ; a n d these f o r m u l a s , e t e r n a l l y r e t u r n i n g amid t h o u s a n d s of
- + - - - - - - - 1 ------ -
A n d r e w s , K . t o G.F. 51.
66
m a n y b e a u t i f u l i l l u s t r a t i o n s of an a e s t h e t i c and a r t i s t i c n a t u r e . H e l e n a r e p r e
se n t s the Gre e k type of b e a u t y . T h e l e a d i n g thought is the y e a r n i n g for inner
harmony. This is r e v ealed to Baust in the hour of d e a t h . N o t k n o w l e d g e , n o t
e n j o y m e n t , n o t w e a l t h , n o r l i b e r t y , b u t the contest for p o s s e s s i o n , t h e s t r iving
for f o r t u n e , t h e inner c o n t e n t m e n t which work itself o f f e r s , t h e L 3 E L , i s the
f o r t u n e , t h e Gluck of man. The s e thoughts find e x p r e s s i o n in the f o l l o w i n g
w o r d s of Baust:
!,tas ist der W e i s h e i t l e t z t e r Schluss:
Nur der v e r d i e n t sich B r e ibeit wie das leben,
Eer t glich sie er o b e r n muss.
2um A u g e n b l i c k e drft'1 ich sagen:
V e r w e i l e d o ch,du b ist so schon!
Bs kann die pur von me i n e n f r d e n t a g e n
Nicht in Aeonen u n t e r g e h n . " *)
"At the v e r y b e g i n n i n g of the d r a m a , w h i c h opens wit h a m u s i c a l prelude,
we see the figure of Bau s t suffering from the t o r m e n t s of re m o r s e for the
d e s t r u c t i v e n e s s caused by his l e aving the "one right way" of action s e r v i c e
able to the c r e a t i v e t e n d e n c y of life.-" *) Baust, a w aking lrom sle e p and
g r e e t i n g the sun,the most b e a u t i f u l m a n i f e s t a t i o n of G o d , e x c l a i m s ,
'les Le b e n s Eulse s c h l a g e n frisch leben d i g ,
A e t h e r i s c h e E m m e r u n g milde zu begruesen;
E u , B r d e , warst auch die s e Nacht b e s t n d i g
Und 8tnrest neu e r o u i c k t zu m e i n e n Biissen,
Eu regst und rhrst ein k r f t i g e s E e s c h l i e s s e n
2um h c h s t e n Easein immer f o r t zu s t r e b e n ! " +)
Quoted from A n d r e w s . , ,,
: son in c h o r u s , a s of old,,.
%ith br o t h e r s p heres is s g y n d i n g still,
i n d . o y . i t 8 t h u n d e r o u s orbit rolled,
Eotn its a p p o i n t e d course fulfill.
l a u s t , Frologue.
69.
*
Ner e it not to the sun akin,
The eye no sun could view in wonder;
fid not God l s power dwell within,
Cn Him with joy we could not ponder^-Tr.by H.B.
,* * * * * * * * * *
** "the soul of man is like the water:
Fro m beeven it comets,
lnd^ffien%eturnet!li'to the earth,
F o r e v e r alternating. ** Tr.by T b . M a rtin.
71
In glanc i n g o ver the whole of the o r g a n i c w o r l d , t h e noet sees and feels life
everywhere,.and yet the one law is in the >11.This t h ought f i l l e d A W i t h in
t e n s e .1oy,and induced binr irore and wor e to study *das gebeinrnisvolle Wirken
der N a t u r . She was to bin) the m y s t e r i o u s w o r k s h o p of the d i v i n i t y ; h e r laws
w e r e forboded by the u c e t , b e r activity e x p e r i e n c e d by hiir.Still irore,
"Jede F f l a n z e v e r k n d i g t dir die ewigen Gesetze,
Jede Eluire,3ie snricbt lauter und l a u t e r mit dir.
Aber e n t z i f f e r s t du hier dur Gttin he i l i g e Lettern,
b e r a l l 3iehst du sie d a n n , a u c h im v e r n d e r t e n 2ug."
In a n o t h e r roerr. e n t itled " H e l t s e e l e and n u b l i s h e d in l C 3,the poet finds even
the p a r t i c l e of dust filled with life:
"Ind jedes S p a u b c h e n lebt."
* \ e t a n r o r p h o 8 9 d e r P f l a n z e n , 1?9E.
73
C h a p t e r 9.
* C a ru M o d ,0 .J S 8 . " 0 } h
e| >
If Islam m e a n s ' t o God r e s i g n e d ? ,
In Islam we all must live and aie.-Jrom Iivan,c,cS.
74
d r i t t e n in 177 4 . - T r . b y H.E.
76.
1. G o e t h e s Werke.
2. Spinoza,.ithica.
8. P e r r y , A p p r o a c h to F h i l o s o p h y , G h . 1,F . 5 1 .
4 . The P h i l o s o p h y of G o e t h e ' s Baust,Esssler.
5 . S a n t a y a n a , Ihree P h i l o s o p h i c a l Poets.
G . H i b b e r t J o u r n a l , The World View of a Foet,Tbielv.
V.Gaird,Edward,literature and Philosophy.
6 . S t r o n g , T h e Great Foets and Their Theology.
9. C a r l y l e , B s s a v on Gosthe.
1 0 . C h a m b e r l a i n , B . S . , I m m a n u e l Kant, Vo l u m e 1, Pages 18-98.
1 1 . T u r c k , V a n snd G e n i u s,Cb.5.
12. C o o p l a n d , T h e Spirit of G o e t h e ' s Paust,
lc. B u c k e n , P . , C o l l e c t e d E s s a y s , 15,
1 4. i i s i e r , W r t e r b u c h.
1 5 . F f l e i d e r e r , 0 . , P h i l o s o p h y of B e l igion,!.
1 6 . H e r i n g , B o b e r t , S p i n o z a irr jungen Goethe.
1 7 . G a l l o w a y , P h i l o s o p h y of Beligion.
1 6 . S a n b o r n , P . E . , L i f e and Ge n i u s of Goethe.
1 9 . P o l l a c k , B r e d . ,S p i n o z a , H i s Life and Philosophy.
0 . L i n d s a y , J a m e s , S t u d i e s in European F h i losophy.
21. Vartineai^, James, > Study of S p i n o z a , T r a n s l a t e d by Cooper.
22. Eielschowsky,.Albert,Goethe" s Philosophy.
2 3 . L e w i s , G o e t h e and Spinoza.
2 4 . W i n d e l b a n d , W i l h . , 4 u s G o e t h e ' s Philosophy.
25. H i n t , B o b e r t , J n t i - T h e i s t i c T h e o r i e s .
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