Images of Identity: Goethe and the Problem of Self-conception in the Nineteenth CenturyThe word «Bildung» - variously defined as «education» or «self-formation» - came into popular usage in western Europe through the terminological revolution of the late eighteenth century. No single individual was more influential in giving his own definition to this key word than was Goethe. Through an analysis of Goethe's use of the term in the Bildungsroman Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, Goethe's autobiography, Dichtung und Wahrheit, and the much neglected text Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre, Sax shows how «Bildung» was more than a process of self-formation, for it included an understanding of the relation of the individual to society, to history, and through the interpretation of symbols, to a transcendent level of meaning as well. It is Sax's purpose to place Goethe's notion of «Bildung» within the context of the history of Western self-conceptions since the Renaissance. |
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Page 122
... scene at the close of the Lehrjahre in which Meister first learns to look at nature and the world around him through the eyes of his son . He " looked upon nature as with unscaled eyes " and saw it as if for the first time . This first ...
... scene at the close of the Lehrjahre in which Meister first learns to look at nature and the world around him through the eyes of his son . He " looked upon nature as with unscaled eyes " and saw it as if for the first time . This first ...
Page 192
... scene , Faust thanks the earth for this renewed sense of life , and for this reborn desire to strive after true fulfillment . Yet this second hymn shows Faust at a higher stage of Bildung . It exhibits a higher degree of reconciliation ...
... scene , Faust thanks the earth for this renewed sense of life , and for this reborn desire to strive after true fulfillment . Yet this second hymn shows Faust at a higher stage of Bildung . It exhibits a higher degree of reconciliation ...
Page 236
... scene of the drama , Faust's immortal soul circles up beyond earthly limits through the various levels of Being . Blinded Faust does not perceive this realm , at least not through the human organs of the eyes . This is a meta ...
... scene of the drama , Faust's immortal soul circles up beyond earthly limits through the various levels of Being . Blinded Faust does not perceive this realm , at least not through the human organs of the eyes . This is a meta ...
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Common terms and phrases
able acceptance achieved action active Anschauung appearances attempts beautiful become begins Bildung called comes complete comprehend condition continues creation creative criticism cultural definition desire Dichtung direct drama dream earlier enjoyment entire eternal existence experience expression eyes fate Faust feelings final forces fully gives Goethe Goethe's harmony Helena higher historical human idea ideal identity impressions individual infinite inner interpretation Italy knowledge language leads learned Lehrjahre limitations living longing meaning Meister move movement nature never novel object once organ original particular past perceive perception personality possess present problems provides pure question reality realize recognizes reflection relation remains revealed scene seems sense social society specific spiritual stage striving structure symbolic temporal things thought tradition true truth turn ultimate understanding unity universal various viewing vision Wanderjahre Werther whole Wilhelm young