The Soul of Goethe’s Thought

Abstract

Goethe’s philosophical writings all ultimately stem from his efforts to understand the creative act, which he experienced as essentially the same in all the various forms of activity he engaged in, the writing of his poems, novels and plays, his scientific investigations, his service to the Weimar state and participation in the life of its court. In contemplating his creative experience, he developed a unique conception of the soul, which this article seeks to analyze.

Keywords

• goethe
• creative principle
• soul
• wholeness
• culture
• inborn individuality
• real world
• ideal world
• world soul
• god