World Literature - German Literatures

In the early centuries the Germanic tribes occupied the territory from the land of the Vikings, at the north, to the northern limits of the Roman Empire, at the south. Christianity was generally accepted in Germany before Charlemagne’s time (800 A.D.). While the northern gods were abandoned, it was not easy to relinquish a belief primitive superstitions and magic, in elves, wood sprites, and dwarfs.

Certain German traits seem to be characteristic. The German has a strongly sentimental and romantic vein; he is a lover of nature and of music. When the Roman Tacitus described the early Germanic tribes, he told of their battle songs and hymns. The German is also keenly intellectual, and has a veritable passion for philosophical thought. In his mental processes he is apt to be deliberative and methodical, with a tendency to go to the bottom of things and to say the last word.

In the 15^th century a genuine outburst of lyric poetry too place. This consisted largely of real poetry of the people, or folk songs.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is one of the great figures in the literature. Among his writings are a series of plays, the most notable of which is Faust; lyric poems; and narrative poems.

Before the close of Goethe’s life a new literary movement, Romanticism, had come, and had spent its force. It was a worthy and significant attempt to unite intellect and heart, life and art. It is at this time that the brothers Grimm rendered a great service in collecting folk songs and fairy tales. Poets, writers of fanciful tales, novelists, and dramatists carried on the literary traditions. Heinrich Heine must not be overlooked. In prose and poetry he excelled, but we think of him particularly as a lyric poet, second only to Goethe among Germans.