Loves Illusion The Sorrows of Young Werther
Werther sat alone in a continuum of silence contemplating his grief. ... A similar disappointment is represented in Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe’s “The Sorrows Of Young Werther”, where Werther’s longing becomes his punishment. Werther, our intrepid explorer of love’s willful illusions, would seem to have fallen prey to his misconceptions regarding passion. ... Additionally, Werther’s vivid thoughts casts images of perfection on Lotte, “I shall now try to see her too as soon as possible, or rather, on second thought, I shall avoid doing so. ... ”(36) Therefore, Werther’s “love” for her is questionable. Is Werther’s romantic love an illusion, an ideal dream, a desperate attempt to find happiness and escape a life of solitude, or a further testament to his madness? Goethe attempts to answer these questions by peeling Werther’s passions and desires to its core. In the end, it is implied that Werther’s “love” is a result of pure delirium; his selfish pursuits and desires are to blame for his demise. ... Werther’s eyes blazed brightly, almost emulating the intensity of the candle’s light. ... Werther’s circumstance substantiates this allegation. Without love-a relationship with a person who cares enough to suffer with him-Werther is lost. ... With no means of defending himself or alleviating the passion he feels, Werther finds himself in the irreconcilable dilemma of resolving his terrible loneliness alone. Therefore, Werther finds refuge in Lotte, “I shall now try to see her too as soon as possible, or rather, on second thought, I shall avoid doing so. ... ”(36) Despite their incompatibility, Werther does fall in “love” with Lotte, and as long as he can continue to bask in his delusion, his melancholy no longer afflicts him, “And how well she knows when to play [the song], often at times when I would gladly put a bullet through my head! ... Clearly, Werther must invent the Lotte he loves because her personality, while vibrant, does not have the qualities of complete empathy required to return the tremendous power of Werther’s delusions. As Werther’s hand danced hastily across the paper, the candle’s flame seemed to waver fiercely under the torrents of his passion, “Thou, Spirit of heaven, lookest upon my resolve with favor, and you Lotte, hand me the implements, you at whose hands I desired my death, and from whom, ah! I now receive it…” Exasperated by a sea of emotion, Werther threw his head back and sighed heavily, hot tears streamed down his reddened face. ... This was the haunting reality that tormented him even in the momentary forfeit of his emotions… It becomes apparent that Werther’s feelings for Lotte are a result of his demented hallucinations.