Vindication of Culture of Sensibility in Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther

Abstract

This thesis primarily focuses on the vindication of culture of sensibility in Goethe's novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. In the novel, Goethe sharply satirizes every concept of morality, civilization, rationality and enlightenment, thereby focusing on passion, pleasure, and romance as equally important to human life. He ridicules the restrictions imposed by the mainstream society in the name of decency, discipline, normality, moral order and superiority. He critiques the reason based system like capitalism and advocate for freedom and happiness of an individual like young Werther who rejects the prison-like society of eighteenth century. Thus, this thesis locates the text in its contextual context in order to bring out the basic concepts of the culture of sensibility in Goethe's text, which emphasizes on the notion of 'mind in the body' rather than the reason promoted by Enlightenment.