Staff Reviews

Of all the works in this collection, my favorite is the novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship. Just as Thomas Mann said he could only speak of Goethe in terms of love, I can only speak of this novel in just such terms. Wilhelm Meister leaves his hometown on a business trip and winds up joining a travelling theatre troupe. Wilhelm has always been passionate about the theatre, with hopes of being a great playwright and actor, but he and his friends encounter many mishaps along the way. Wilhelm meets many characters, such as Philina, the seductive actress; Laertes, a fellow and like-minded actor; Jarno, a mysterious and worldly figure critical of Wilhelm’s theatrical aspirations; and Mignon, the orphaned acrobat of whom Wilhelm becomes a guardian and parental figure. A novel of wisdom and humor, of dramatic plot-twists and subtle motifs, of irony and beauty, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship is delightful.

The Essential Goethe also includes a sampling of Goethe's poetry; four plays, including Faust, Part I; an excerpt of his travelogue Italian Journey; and a sampling of essays.