Translated Michael Hulse
Penguin, 1989
Originally published 1774
134 pages
Classic
3/5 stars
Source: Bought for class
Summary: A young man kills himself after being disappointed in love.
Thoughts: I thought this was so boring. I kept falling asleep while I was reading it. The most interesting part was the introduction which explained how part one of the book is based on a real-life experience for Goethe and part two is based on a case where a man killed himself for love.
I think I struggled against his ideal of female perfection, which includes a woman who is acting like a mother to her siblings after the death of their mother (reminded me of Bleak House) and just sounds really boring. The language was a bit too flowery and I didn't sympathize with Werther falling for a woman who clearly states that she is already involved with another man.
Overall: A short classic that you could read fairly quickly but not my taste at all!
Cover: This isn't my cover as I have an earlier Penguin edition but it fits.
I have been trying to get myself to read this classic for years, but I just can't seem to...want to.:) Good, honest review! My sister, however, thinks it's a great book. Not for the story, but for essay-writing. It got her an A+, so I'm thinking she's a little biased.:)
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