Online

Russell, Mark Patrick

German and Russian

2014

MA

By exploring the symbolism of the wanderer motif, we can trace its path in German literature, first through the mind of Johann Wolfgang Goethe, specifically focusing on some of his poetry from early on in his career during the Sturm und Drang Period. We then travel to the Romantic Period, as we focus on works from Wilhelm Müller with the help of musical interpretations of Franz Schubert, and finally end the journey with Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts, a novella by Joseph von Eichendorff in the late Romantic Period. The wanderer, as we will see, is not the aimless figure normally associated with it today, but rather one who is transformed through his journey. These writers each had a different purpose for using the motif, and each plays a part in making the wanderer a prominent figure during the Age of Goethe.