TY - BOOK AU - Atkins,Stuart P. TI - The Testament of Werther in Poetry and Drama T2 - Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature SN - 9780674730540 AV - PT1980 -- A855 1949eb U1 - 833.6 PY - 2013///] CY - Cambridge, MA : PB - Harvard University Press, KW - Deutsche Literatur KW - Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832. Werther -- Bibliography KW - Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832. Werther KW - LITERARY CRITICISM / General KW - bisacsh N1 - Frontmatter --; PREFACE --; CONTENTS --; I. The Cult of Werther --; II. English Werther Poetry --; III. German Werther Poetry --; IV. French Werther Poetry --; V. Werther in the Drama --; VI. The Legacy of Werther --; Bibliography --; Index; restricted access N2 - Few great novels have enjoyed such immediate and lasting international fame as Werther, the work with which Goethe's world renown began. Yet from its first appearance down to the present day, hardly anyone has read the story as it was written: readers have almost always seen Werther in the light of the literary fashions of their own day.Such fashions change and usually have no lasting effect, but this has not been true for Werther. A revolutionary work in the history of the modern novel, it was first taken up as one more sentimental tale, or as a sensationally immoral book. Later on, old legends were incorporated with new ones to such good effect that even today most of us think of a Werther who has been typed by some important literary tradition, or traditions, as much as of the actual hero of Goethe's classic novel.The influence of these literary traditions on the fame of Werther is Stuart Atkins' theme. His book is rich in illustrative material showing how the creative power of the public mind helps shape critical prejudice or opinion. A wide public will relish his informative and often amusing account of how a great book is read UR - https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674280212 UR - https://www.degruyter.com/isbn/9780674280212 UR - https://www.degruyter.com/cover/covers/9780674280212.jpg ER -