Goethe’s Five Best Quotes

Some  of the best quotes in all of German literature come from Goethe. This great man of letters was not only a writer but also a poet, playwright and scientist. His wisdom ranged from medicine to theology, from physics to poetry. In this article we give you the five best quotes from Goethe.

The pinnacle of Goethe’s literary career was Fausto. However, he also wrote the controversial epistolary novel  The Suffering of Young Werther. It was such a success that it sparked a wave of youth suicides. This is where the name the Werther effect comes from.

Goethe continued to learn and take an interest in the world throughout his life. We can situate Goethe’s peculiarity in the  Sturm und Drang movement, which was a forerunner of literary Romanticism.

Goethe .’s five best quotes

What characterizes Goethe’s writing? The discomfort with modern society, the allusions to witchcraft and the devil and sentimental glorification. We want to share with you some quotes from Goethe. They are full of wisdom and intelligence.

For Goethe, the past must remain in the past. Just not thinking is not enough. According to this philosophy of life, we must act. Because of the French Revolution, Goethe himself fell into a terrible depression. He did not understand why the social institutions were going to change and even less why blood was shed to make this happen.

Being trapped in the past only creates problems. It does not allow us to appreciate the happiness we have in the present. Dark times will come, but before that, you must enjoy what you have.

Here Goethe is talking about how everyone wants to be recognized and admired. However, no one thinks about thinking about themselves as a person. When they are famous and rich, people stop to polish and make themselves more perfect. They stand still and forget to grow. They are trapped in the bubble of their own vanity.

If we think about growing more than being, maybe the world will become a better place. It is a huge mistake to give up your potential for adaptation.

It’s ironic that a member of Sturm und Drang would say something like this. Goethe had a rather impetuous character. He was creative, curious, restless and that is why he triumphed. And he believed that solitude and moments of seclusion were necessary for anyone who wished to have some intellectual virtue.

All of us need quality time for themselves. To mature intellectually, there must be a balance between activity and rest. Otherwise we will not be able to accomplish anything worthwhile.

With this quote Goethe summarizes the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. Legend has it that Pygmalion, a sculptor from Cyprus, creates a sculpture based on his ideal woman. He adores it so much that Aphrodite, the protector of Cyprus, takes pity on him. She turns the sculpture into a real woman.

This myth is actually the basis of the famous  Pygmalion effect. If you treat a person as a failure, even if they excel at their job, they will eventually fail. On the other hand, if you encourage them and make them believe they can do it, their own behavior will make them triumph.

This is one of Goethe’s quotes with which he again hits the nail on the head. People always believe that they are better than others. However, the moment of truth reveals everything. It is fundamental that you learn to love yourself. Someone who uses deceit and exaggeration and considers himself important to impress others deserves no envy.