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 5
... spirit of system " be replaced by a more flexible " systematic spirit . Instead of a logically interconnected series of definitions and apparently unending disputes over the arbitrary definitions of words , they constructed a working ...
... spirit of system " be replaced by a more flexible " systematic spirit . Instead of a logically interconnected series of definitions and apparently unending disputes over the arbitrary definitions of words , they constructed a working ...
Page 182
... Spirit he originally conjured up in the Nacht scene for providing him with a feeling for the vital force and beauty of nature . So satisfying does he find his present situation , that he thinks he has found the totally fulfillling ...
... Spirit he originally conjured up in the Nacht scene for providing him with a feeling for the vital force and beauty of nature . So satisfying does he find his present situation , that he thinks he has found the totally fulfillling ...
Page 237
... spirit , or spirit combined with matter : " Halb erschlossen Geist und Sinn ( 1.11889 ) . " This addition of spirit means that man cannot be subsumed under nature , but it does not mean that he is totally cut off from nature and the ...
... spirit , or spirit combined with matter : " Halb erschlossen Geist und Sinn ( 1.11889 ) . " This addition of spirit means that man cannot be subsumed under nature , but it does not mean that he is totally cut off from nature and the ...
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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