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1918
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This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4084
Recommended Citation
Naether, Hans. "The pantheism of Goethe in its relation to that of Spinoza." MA (Master of Arts) thesis, State University of Iowa, 1918.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4084.
A THESIS
submitted to
by
Hans Naether.
TABLE Of CONTENTS.
Chapter 1.
-.
INTRODUCTION.
1 8
Chapter 2.
MARKED INFLUENCES IN THE 'DEVELOPMENT OF GO ETHE s THOUGHT.
- .
4 13
Chapter 8.
WHAT IS PANTHEISM?
- .
14 16
Chapter 4.
- .
26 2 9
Chapter 6.
THE RELATION OE GOETHE. TO SPIN02A .
- .
80 4 7
Chapter 7.
GOETHES C M CONCEPTION OE GOD.
46-55.
Chapter 8.
GCETHE.'S PHILO POPE'S IN FAUST.
46-72.
Chapter S.
GOETHES 'APPROACH TO THEISM.
73j96.
1.
Chapter 1.-Introduction.
It is particularly interesting to know the world view,the philosophy,
oi 3 great poet.Recent textbooks on the history of philosophy show a ten
dency to broaden our former conception of this subject and make it rather
the history of thought than the history of ohilosophy in the older meaning.
In this broader conception of philosophy,the poet,particularly the great
poet,has a distinct place.
The purpose of the present writing is to determine as much of Goethe's
world view as relates to his conception of God,particularly in its relation
to the pantheism of Spinoza.That Goethe was a disciple of Spinoza,is general
ly known;but it is not generally known how far Goethe either understood
Spinoza's pantheism,or how far he adopted it.
The student of the two men is first impressed by the great difference
in the intellectual and social environment in which they lived.There is
nothing in Spinoza's life or time which corresponds to the atmosphere of
romanticism in which Goethe lived and worked.Goethe was a member of a wellto-do,highly cultured German family.From childhood he was under the influ
ence of refinement and culture,surrounded by a circle of men who possessed
up
of his genius.
It was the age of Romanticism.The idea was.to do away with the restrictions
A*
of ecclesiastical religion,with speculative philosophy,with the caterical
imperative,and with all narrow views of life.A spirit was in the air,the
spirit of love for nature,the beautiful,the poetic.These were the ideals
that attracted Goethe with all their power.The influences of these romantic
ideas were narticularly displayed in Goeths'-s V i l h e l m .Veister".This strange
book was a revelation in those Duritanical days.There is something in the
world be3ides"pure reason".There is culture(Bildung);there is individuality;
there is enjoyment;there is beauty.To Goethe the world spirit is revealing
itself in miriad forms of life 3nd beauty.
How different the life of Sninoza,the man who exerted such a profound in
fluence upon Goethe! Born from humble parents of -Jewish descent,who had fled
from the persecution of their Christian fellows,he grew up at Amsterdam.
Little is known about his childhood and the influences that surrounded him.
\
3.
ths feelings against ths young man that an attempt was mads to assassinate
him.Perhaps it was this enmity which induced him to lead ths ouist life
that hs did. Hs shunnsd social life entirely.A littls circle of devoted
friends gathered around him,attracted by ths bsauty of his character and
his profound intellect. Spinoza was offered a chair of philosophy at Heideloerg,which he declined. He^preferred a auist liferand solitude. His contri
bution to philosophy was a wonderful,highly intellectual system of panthe
ism.
This man,despised by Christians and Jews of his time as an atheist and a
foe of religion, admired by Novalis as the ''God-intoxicated,gave to Goethe,
the man of the world,his philosoDhy. Eifferent in ideals and oosition,in
character and nationality,these two geniuses have a common foundation,
spiritual relationship. Goethe was irresistibly drawn to the entirely
different Spinoza.
In the following P3ges it will be my task to discover the common ground
upon which our philosopher and our poet stood. Having performed this task,
I shall point out the essential difference between the two thinkers. It
will be useful,however,first to sketch briefly the development of Goethe,
and the influences that contriouted mainly to his development.
4.
Chapter 2.
Marked Influences in the Levelopment of Goethe's Thought.
while
that time, and Aexposed to the effects of the growing tendency toward a ra
tionalistic and even atheistic"TNeltanschauungof the educated classes,Goethe
also ,through his contact with this gifted woman,became interested in the
religion of piety and morality. In his "Dichtung und Wahrheit*. Goethe has
preserved the religious views which he held in those days,and vividly por
trayed the indelible impression that the "beautiful soul"made upon him.The
same book contains certain Gnostic and Neo-Platonic ideas which he entertained
at that stage of his development.
for a short time Goethe went to Strassburg.There he met a young theologian,
Herder,a man who looked at the Bible from 3 purely scientific standpoint,but
who was deeply appreciative of its literary and aesthetic values.His attitude
had its marked effect upon Goethe,causing him to change his views and become
broadminded."I want to nr3y with Moses in the Koran",he exclaims;"Lord,widen
my narrow bosom!" Feeling(Gefhl)was the dominant element in his religion,an
element which Herder emphasized as the mosi important thing in religious ex
perience. "Faith!1,Goethe exclaimed, "is the experience of the divine love,
feeling is everything".
luring his stay at Strassburg, Goethe already began to form his views in re
gard to the Faust-Schoepfung. Great plans for poetic works occupied his mini.
Caesar,Goetz,Faust rise in his imagination as heroes of future dramas.The
influence of Shakespeare is likewise very marked in this period.He reverenced
and attempted to imitate the great Briton. In 1771 he induced a friend,Lerse,
to deliver an oration on Shakespeare lay,October 14,and wrote an inspiring
discourse for that occasion.He calls Shakespeare one of his best teachers."The
first line that I read in Shakespeare", he wrote at that time, "made me his
life-long friend.I was like the blind man who received his sight again by a
miraculous hand,after I had read the first work."
6.
Xenophon and
Plato.Greek ideas and culture attracted him to such a degree that he wrote,
"The Greeks are my oniy study.Vy eyes were onened.I saw my unwcrthiness."
Aside from his literary work,Goethe was greatly interested in works of art:
the cathedrals,the statues,the creations of antiauity.All this shared the
sense of beauty in Goethe.
In 1774 he began his work, "'Aerther's Leiden".The fame of this little book
extended beyond the borders of Germany.Napoleon read it enthusiastically.
It was not so much the content as the artistic form that attracted the li
terary world,and,above all,the deenest and innermost feelings of mankind to
which Goethe had given expression in this book.
Rousseau had proclaimed a similar message,hoping to redeem human rights,to
bring to unfortunate mankind 3 saving remedy,to liberate men from evil.Herder
was one of Rousseau's enthusiastic followers,and in his "'Aerther's Leiden"
Goethe,whose spirit was akin to that of Herder,likewise expresses admiration
for that French writer.Nor is this surprizing."It is a powerful,wonderful
spectacle,how this almost unknown philosopher(Rousseau)rises in a time when
knowledge had become the dominant power,culture the pride of mankind.He
preached the Gospel,'Back to Nature! 1 He denounced superficial knowledge
by
*X.Heinemann,p.234
7.
. ,
8.
contributed to his greatness. The beauties of Italy,the wonders of the Orient,
Greek art and literature,all these were most intimately interwoven with Goe
t h e s thought.Wherever the poet could receive inspiration,be it in the little
city of Weimar or under the sunny sky of the South,his genius created immortal
works.
External Evidences of Spinozas Influence.
Let us now trace particularly the influences which our poet received from
the philosopher Spinoza.s for the external evidences of Spinozas influence
upon Goethe,we Know from the poet himself that he read and studied the ETBICA
with great interest as early as in 1784.A Christmas greeting sent by Goethe
to Frau von Stein in that year points out very clearly the attitude of the
poet toward Spinoza:
"Beinern und unserem Freund sollt' heut den heiligen Spinoza
Als Freundesgeschenk bringen der heilige Christ.
Loch wie kmen der heilige Christ und Spinoza zusammen?
Welche vertrauliche Hand knpfte die beiden in eins?
Schlerin des Spinoza und Schwester des heiligen Christ,
Bein geweihter Tag knpft am besten das Band.
Reich* ihm seinen Weisen,den du gefllig ihm machtest,
Und Soinoza sei euch immer ein heiliger Christ."
A few days later Goethe writes to his affinity,"! read your saint and thought
of you.^This may not oe a mere complimentary remark; it might also express the
inner agreement of the three. In a passage,seldom auoted but nevertheless
somewhat significant,Goethe tells how the attack on pinoza(it seems to have
been Fortholt Is "Be tribus impostoribus magnis)led him to take up the fOpera
Posthuma" again,after a long interval. He well remembered the effect of his
first reading,and this time again he seemed to attain an extraordinary clear
ness,an intellectual vision.His ideas in regard to the perusal of the works
are expressed as follows:
The whole of our education and experience bids us renounce., to be resignedi'Cass wir entbehren sollen'.The problem of man'3 Life is to reconcile
himself to this.Gne ready way is the superficial way of the many,to proclaim
that all is vanity.But the path of wisdom,sought only by a few,is to cut
short the pains *f>f resignation once for all,and to rest ones mind in that
which is sternal,necessary and uniform,and possesses ideas which remain un
disturbed by the contemplation of the transitory world.'1
lu
these lines lies the secret of the relation of the two.The first sentence,
us
renounce,is the ex
"I am reading, Spinoza.I feel myself very near to him, though his soul i3
iuch deeper and purer than mine. I can not say that I ever read Spinoza as a
whole, that the great architect of this intellectual system has at any tine
stood clearly before me.Bat looking into him I seem to understand him,that La,
he always appears to me consistent with himself, and I C3n alw3,y3 gather from
him very salutary influences for my own way of feeling and acting.
His acquaintance with the works of Spinoza dates back to the year 1773,
when Professor Hopfner-of Giessen-pointed him to the philosopher. Lavater
tells us in his diary that Goethe had told him of the reading of Spinoza in
1774.The terminology of Spinozas substance,attribute,made, was never employed
10.
11
12.
13.
Goethe as that of Soinoza.." (See pad 21.) L.4VATSB also testified as to Goethes
debt to Spinoza in a discussion of the philosopher.
HSBDSB,in a letter to
14.
Chaster S.
What Is Pantheism?
The term PANTHEISM has a very vagus meaning,ana no general agreement h3s
been reached about its definition.The immense variety of meanings has included
all systems from the crudest atheism which Holbach 3nd
uechner proclaimed
to the highest spiritualism which Saint Paul renressnts when he speaks of God
as the One in whom we live,and move,and have our being.Robert Elint defines
pantheism as follows:"Pantheism is the theory which regards all finite things
<(
'
and God are the same. Nature was not created by God,for God can not be out
side of nature. Nor is God sunerior to the universe or separated from it.
T h e r eforetGod doss not govern it by His will.Everything follows of necessity
from the essence of God.Spinoza,the father of occidental pantheism,expresses
himself as follows:"I have opinions as to God and nature entirely different
from those which modern Christians are wont to vindicate.To my mind,God is
the immanent(that is,the intramundane),and not the transcendent(that is,the
suoramundane), cause of tn ingsjthe totality of finite objects is posited in
the ESSENCE of God, not in His will. Nature1,considered per se,is one with the
15.
essence of God."
brought forth nature by the power of its will,but the immanent cause of the
universe,bringing it forth of necessity,in accordance with its very nature
or essence.
16.
Dhilosophy of
17.
the ethicaiprinciole
Hymn of Cleanthes.
18.
Having thus distinguished Stoic pantheism from oantneism proper and indi
cated that Spinoza's view belongs to the latter type,let us now examine the
system of spinoza more in detail.
19
Chapter 4.
Soinoza's famous pantheism is laid down in his "ElTRICA". The whole system
is geometrical,highly intellectual,and full of axioms and postulates.His
philosophy is of the a priori type.It pursues the task of finding a way to
perfect peace of soul,not through hedonism,nor through utilitarianism,but
by a thorough intellectual procedure. Although his system is not free from
serious fallacies and contradictions,it has,nevertheless,attracted many
philosophically inclined men. In his "De Intellectus imendatione" Spinoza thus
states his aim:"Ixperience having made me see that all the ordinary events of
common life are vain and futile things,I have finally formed the resolution
to investigate whether there exists a true GOOD,a good which by itself alone
can fill the entire soul after it has rejected all the rest;a good,in short,
which,when it is found and possessed,gives to the soul the eternal and supreme
happiness." To Spinoza,therefore,the most important auestion is,what is ths
essential nature of God?
In his '3IHIGA(i, definition 3)Spinoza explains:''By God I mean 3 Being abso
lutely infinite,i.e.,Substance consisting of an infinite number of attributes,
each of which expresses an eternal snd infinite essence. H By substance he
means that which has existence in itself and is conceived ot itself,the con
ception needing for its formation the conception of no second thing. God and
c'
\
^
Substance can not be separated,they are one and the s a m e ( t K /t'oi t 'U o L y- ).
God implies existence;for not being able to exist would indicate want of
power.Thus God exists of necessity,is conscious of independence of any prior
conception,and has an infinite number of attributes.Spinoza1s absolute is
20
frss from all imperfection and must be thought of as the INDWELLING 0N3,
working from the pure necessity of His nature. This God is eternal."Sternity means being or entity itself as conceived to be necessarily involved
in the mere definition of the thing designated as eternal."(Definition .)
This God is identical with Substance,and consists of an infinite number of
attributes.Two are commonly known to us,THOUGHT and EXTENSION. Through these
God is working,through these Substance is ooarative."By attribute",savs
Spinoza,"I mean that which intelligence perceives of Substance as constituting
its essence."(Definition 4.) Thought is the cogitandi ootentia;from this
divine power the MODI of thought are derived which are also called ideas.
From the other attrioute,Extension,the modi of actual extension,commonly
called bodies,are derived. There is no interaction of the two principal
attributes.4s all things are in God,bodily things also have their ground in
Rim;thev are regarded under the attribute of Extension. Every IDEAL BEING
has its ground only in God as a THINKING BEING.
"The doctrine,.then,of Substance and Attribute, relative to us,amounts to
this: that the base of the universe,being one,necessarily throws off its
phenomena in the concurrent but independent order of two functions,THOOGHToroducing and THING-producing,emerging into conscious unity in the human
Ego."*
Action and thought are independent powers,vet they stand side ov side,
being held together by the one common Substance. This God of Spinoza is inde
pendent, works for Himself,and is not sub.iect to any compulsion from any other,
foreign power. This is the essence of the freedom of God. Furthermore,God is
understanding and will,but not in the same sense that we think of
them.
21.
have to be a world-wide difference between our intellect end will and the
intellect end will constituting God's essence,nor could they agree in any
thing except in name;just as the Cog,a constellation, agrees with dog, an ani
mal that barks."*) We contemplate God's being under the attribute of thought.
But God does not work with free choice and understanding,according to human
analogy. "Our mindrso far as it is understanding,is an eternal mode of think
ing determined by another eternal mode of thinking,and that by another,and so
on,ad infinitum.lt constitutes God's eternal and infinite understanding."+)
We can not attribute our nopular notions to God .This refers 3lso to final
causes:while nan has the impulse to seek his own advantage by working toward
an end,God can not work with an end in view;for in this case He would be
seeking something that He is lacking.This,however,would mean imoerfection,
restriction, "fte must not ask for causes in the will of God,that asvlum of
ignorance,-"says Spinoza, ttith reference to the world, Spinoza declares that
everything in this world is determined by the necessity of the divine nature.
God has from eternity formed decrees,but these could be formed only bv ne
cessity.
to fate. -As to the creation of things, ?pinoza holds that these could not be
produced by God in any other way,or in any other order,than that in which
they have been produced. God's will is perfect;this necessitates that things
be brought 3bout in no different wav but according to eternal,unchangeable
decrees.
* ) P a r t 1 , 1 7 Scho.
+\ f t h i c a 5 , 1 0 , 1 .
22
The idea that there are no final causes in God also reflects on Spinoza's
conception of goodness .The idea of goodness as an end would be an illegiti
mate limitation of G o d s being. Soinoza remarks that t'no33 who make every
thing daDendent unon the unconditonal will and oleasure of God err less wide
ly from the truth than those who make God do everything in relation to good
ness. Liberty to Soinoza is not in the free ouroose but in a free necessity.
That
tion of liberty.
23
''he
Our mind naturally strives to oreserve the self under the different condi
tions. Self-oreservation is the essence of life according to Soinoza;this may
deoend entirely unon ourselves, as do act,ions;or it mav lie bevond ourselves,
as in the case of oassion. As all our sense-oerceotion is confused,so all our
ideas are inadeouate. Man must,in order to understand the true essence and
reality of ideas,view everything sub soecie eternitatis. Only thus do we un
derstand our natures. Only the active mind sees things as they 3re in God.
To oreserve our being,and to Dersevere in clear thinking,we must strive to
understand emotions.
4. . -f W
-0. -J <2.
*)Martineau,Studv of Soinoza,o.232.
24.
body." Eesire,oain and oleasure are the elements by which all emotions can
be determined. To attain freedom,we must escaDe from emotions and false
and confused ideas,we must learn to understand whether these further or
hinder us in our life. Under the influence of oassions we are but slaves.
How,.then,must we act according to the laws of nature? The oower to accomolish this is destroyed in oassion. The result is strife and conflict. There
fore, we must find means to out an end to such slavery,and this can be done,
not by commands or sermons on morals,but by destroying our affection ov an
ooDOsite stronger affection. The stronger are those which rise from the know
ledge of the adeouate ideas.These are not only the oroduct of mind,but the
latter also becomes aware of its own oower of action,.and feels ,1oy in this
exDerience.
25
26
Chapter 5.
Eid Spinoza Teach an Immanent God?
f
its relation to that of Soinoza.it is for us to determine,if oossiole,in
what sense Spinoza teaches the immanence of God.Not until then can we decide
whether Goethe's conception of God's immanence is of the same or of a differ
ent type.
In his ETHICA Spinoza savs, "Things are in God,and they stay there.He is
1!
the immanent,but NOT THE TRANSEUNT, cause of things.ETHIOA.1,18: Gausa IMMANEN& .
non vere TRANSIENS. James Lindsay writes,"Spinoza's substance
to spirit,since
is
not opposed
and movement,
but also of their existence and essence." God to Spinoza is spirit,3nd not
a particular spirit,for we can not ascribe thinking to him. He is the uni
tary principle of the conscious world,the finiti Qualities do not belong, to
him. iSU^,3J l.VE NATURA is a convertible formula.Thus,while he speaks of a God in
whom we live,and move,and have our being,God to him is really identical with
"> f
SUBSTANCE,which in turn includes all that exists.lt is hard to see where
Spinoza's God differs from what is commonly called Nature.Sninoza might have
27.
expressed himself more distinctly if he had foreseen the age which so loudly
proclaims an atomistic atheism.
If God is the IMMANENT,and not the TRANSEUNT, cause of things,and if imma
nence finds shelter under the roof of pantheism,and if God is the theological
expression of what Spinoza means by NATURE,we can easily see what Spinoza
means by immanence.
Hoeffdin has about the same opinion concerning Spinoza '3 conception of
immanence.He says,"According to Soinoz3,there exists between Substance and God
an intimate relationship, an indwelling, immanent, relation. Ws are iustified in
savin? that if God is the immanent cause.he is also the i' ^anent effect,the
spirit.
immanent cause only in the sense that He i3 in the worH,3nd does not transcend
it.To Spinoza there are no miraculous incursions,creative or otherwise,from
without the self-sufficient system of nature.Spinoza,then,does not hold that
immanence means immediacy in the sense that God is the immediate cause of
things.There is no doubt that Spinoza uses the word IMMANENT in a very loose
sense.In his "Life of Spinoza'' Frederick Pollock S3ys, "In harmony with his
loose conception oi IMMANENCE,the expression'in God',when employed by Spinoza,
does not generally mean in ins Absolute',but only in the system of nature.
28.
*)Flint,Anti-theistic Theories.
+ );ain Currents,cage 462.
29.
30.
Chapter 6.
Since Goethe and Soinoza have many ideas in common,the former may be called
a Soinozist. This chanter will be devoted to a discussion of their ohilosoohical relationshio.lt will be seen that Goethe did not accent the ideas of Soinoza
in
on his way from Sms to Frankfort,.reports the following conversation that took
olace between them:
"Goethe told me many things about Soinoza and his writings.He stated that
the philosopher was in complete harmopy with the teachings of the Savior Him
self. There exists no doubt in his mind as to the sincerity of Soinoza and the
frankness of his character.Ven in high positions asked his advice in most im
portant matters. He may iustlv be called
ti 3
s.Prudence and
disinterestedness were features of his character.The number of his admirers,
therefore,was large. -Although he denied the prophets of the Old Testament,
he was a prophet himself. His words breathed the spirit of humanity and
sincerity.*)
This conversation gives us an idea of the deep influence which the philo
sopher exerted uoon Goethe.Spinoza became hi3 idol. It will be very interesting
to point out in how far Soinoza was the prototype of Goethe.But we must be guar
ded against the idea as if they bad agreed in every particular.They differed,
for instance,in their conception of nature.
Let u s rhowever,first consider the similarities in the thoughts and writings
of the two men;
It was in 177S that Goethe suddenly turned to Spinoza.The latter's influ- v
snce uoon the poet lasted all through his life.Goethe derived great comfort
^Translation ov the present writer.
31
32
ture.In the bosom of creative nature he saw divine forces working.In his soul
he exoerienced the infinite world.Full of reverence and in deeo contemolation
he could worshio the unseen oowers.The bird in the air,the worm on the oath
he called his brothers:for he felt divine oower everywhere and the unity of
33
A auotation from Pflsiderer will throw more light on the intimate relation
of Soinozas conceotion of God-Nature to Goethes view:
"Soinoz3 made the inviolable regularity of the world the cornerstone of
his thinking,he who saw in the regular order and unbroken connection of all that
comes to oass the omnipotence of creative nature or the causality of Gof im
manent in the world,and who in his knowledge of the unconditioned,all-condi
tioning One had found emancipation from the tyranny of the passions and the
blessed rest of the intellectual love of God."
This idea of God was to Goethe the foundation of his moral world.The depen
dence upon thir eternal divine law,which the dsitv even could not change,was
balm for the passionate soul of our ohilosooher-ooet.The following passage
contains the thought of dependence upon God a3 the ooet'-s foundation of his
moral world.Faust tells Margaret,when she asks him as to his belief in God,
/<
that he believes in a power that includes all,upholds all and sustains all.
He bids her:
Nenn1 es dann, wie du willst,
Nails
Bliss! B e a r t I L o v e ! G o d !
*) W h e r e s h a l l I s r a s o t h e e , i n f i n i t e N a t u r e , w h e r e ?
Y e b r e a s t s , y e f o u n t a i n s o f all l i f e , w h e r e o n
H a n g h e a v e n and e a r t h , f r o m w h i c h t h e b l i g h t s s o u l
Y e a r n e t h to d r a w s w e e t s o l a c e , s t i l l vs r o l l
Y o u r s w e e t and f o s t e r i n g t i d e s , w h e r e 3 re y e , w h e r e ?
34.
V
i
God and nature are insenarable.If Shristianity should teach that God is seo 3 rats,
or outside of nature,Goethe would orsfer to ioin forces with the heathn,and
with the Eobesian goldsmith crv out, "Great is Diana of the lohesians.,,+)
Goethe,the ooet,first of all Draises self-certaintv(8elb3tsicherheit).Tnis
idea rests unon the fact that one thinks himself a nart of the mighty whole
that is governed according to eternal,inviolable laws.This is strictly Soinozals
idea.
The latter defied the gods,rebelling even against Zeus himself.This idea is in
sharo contradiction to the calmness and oeacefulness of the soul of Soinoza.
Goethe had a restless,turbulent mind,yet this oarticular feature of self-assurance,
so exoressly held by Soinoza,made a deeo and lasting imoression on him. The
following words of the ooet are,we mav sav,a reoroduction of Soinoza Is thought:
"Hier meine Vielt, mein ill!
Hier fhl ich mich!
Hier 3lle meine wnsche
In komerlichen Gestalten!
Meinen Geist so tausendfach
Geteilt und 3anz in meinen teuren .lindern.1'
we must act according to our naturerthis is the highest oerfection. .Another
Translated by the oresent writer.*)
From ooem,"Gross ist die Diana der loheser.+)
35.
'
/
*) You a r e not d e D r a v e d , m y c h i l d r e n ,
You're industrious and idle,
Gruel and mild,
Generous and brasoins,
Like unto the brothers of vour fate,
bike unto both animals and bods.
36.
T h e k i n s h i o o f i d e a s e x o r e s s e d in t h e " P r o r o e t h e u s " w i t h t h o s e o f l o i n o z a
s h o u l d n o t , h o w e v e r , b e r e g a r d e d as o r o o f o f G o e t h e s u n o u a l i f i e d d i s c i o l e s h i u .
C a r o m a v b e r i g h t in h i s o o i n i o n . t h a t " G o e t h e d t a i t o l u s de l a f a m i l l s de
S u i n o z a a u s d e s o n e c o l e " . * ) *As add a o a s s a ^ e f r o n " D i c h t u n g and i a h r h e i t i n
w h i c h G o e t h e says, " N a t u r e w o r k s a c c o r d i n g to s t e r n a l laws,.such as t h e deit.v
c a n n o t chang e . . . .... O n e r e f l e c t s h o w a n a t u r a l o h e n o m s n o n t h a t a i m s at r e a s o n ,
understanding,creates astonishment,indeed brings horror."
In " l i e N a t u r ( 1 7 3 $ )
37
On Immortality.
We have,in another chanter, considered Soinoza^s doctrine of IMMOBILITY.
4 few words will suffice to recall his ideas on this subiect.and will enable us
to answer the Question as to whether Goethe shared them. The closing words of
the 1THICA tell us that the soul of the sage can scarcely be troubled.Possessing,
by a sort of eternal necessity,the consciousness of himself,and of God,and of
all things,he never C33S33 to be,and he oossesses forever true oeace of soul.
Soinoza,furthermore,believes that darkened souls must oeris'n, while nhilosoDhic
souls are above death. To Quote Saisset(Page 142),"In orooortion as we render our
soul Durer.and more reasonable,we increase our riant to immortality,and Drsnare
ourselves a naooier dsstinv." Season,then,which sees all things sub specie
e.ternitatis,is immortal.Soinoza nolds the doctrine of eternal haooiness for
38
according to 3aisset,.nnav mean "that the human soul is but a transitory forn
of an eternal ori.nciole, and that we fesl our successive existence flow away,
like a rapid wave,upon the changeless ocean of universal life".Boinoza1s
doctrine of immortality is far from clear since the word eternal" which he
uses is not understood as applying to the order of time. Goethe, however, thinks
men in concrete terms and his views as regards immortality are clear. In his
Sesorach mit fcksrmann,February 4, 1829,Goethe says, "Van must believe in immor- .
tality. He has a right to believe in it according to his nature;he may trust
religious oromises. But if a philosopher were to seek for a oroof of immortality
taken from a legend,this would be verv insufficient. If I work unceasingly to
the end of my life,nature is under obligation to show me another form of existence
when the oresent one can no longer support my soirit," In poetical form,the
same thought is sxoressed in the following ouotation from Faust,?3rt 1;
"Auf dieser hrde ouellen meine Freuden
Und diese Bonne scheinet meinen Leiden.
Lann ich mich erst von ihnen scheiden.
Dann mag,was will und rann,geschehen;
Davon will ich nichts weiter hren,
Ob man auch knftig hasst und liebt,
Und ob es auch in ienen Scharen
Sin Oben und ein Unten giebt." *)
These words express the unlimited ioy of life in this world,but
3lso
ooint to
39.
Goethe cheerfully believes that his life activity will be continued indefinite
ly. A restless s t r i v i n g s ceaseless rushing on.is immortality for Goethe .This
Dhilosoohv of striving is undoubtedly in great contrast to Soinoza's ideas,
vet we mav detect a grain of his thought 3lso in these words of Goethe.For do
they not express the acouiescentia
breathe a humble submission to the will of God? Soinoza imbued Goethe with the
knowledge of the eternal divine laws of the world. We must deoend entirely uoon
God,for He determines everything.
This thought of immortality is beautifully expressed in Goethe's Zahme
Xenien,3,3354:
"Eu hast Unsterblichkeit im Sinn:
Kannst du uns deine Grunds nennen?Gar wohl,der Hauotgrund liegt darin,
Lass wir sie nicht entbehren k'innen. "*)
The thought of immortality can not be surrendered.We can not renounce it.
I
It is too orecious. Although Goethe taught the lesson of self denial, we must
not think that this was with him an end in itself,but rather a means to li
berate the spirit,to mase him caoable of doing good. He sought a haven of rest
for his passionate soul, vet his whole .Life, even death, meant for him activity
without ceasing. W hear him exclaiming,
"Acn .ich bin des Treibens mde;
Was soll all der ?chmerz,die Lust?
Ssser Friede,
Komm' in meine Brust, I1
But his whole life remains a struggle,not with adverse circumstances,but with
his moral self.This inner conflict,.3PP8rently,led him to give vent to the cry,
")In immortality dost thou believe?
And canst thou arguments oroduce?
Indeed,the one most to be emphasized
Is this:that we can not disoense with it.-Tr.bv H.3.
-
40.
vsrv
significant
/.
v
*)A
41,
42
Ths culmination of renunciation uoon which Soinoz3 fixed his laze was also the
doal of Goethefs striving.*) Renunciation,then,results fron the surrender of
everything that may hinder the oractice of our moral duties.?verv monent in
life demands resignation. In "Vierther" Goethe dwells uoon resignation as being
necessary,even if difficult.Our ohvsica! and our social life alike demand resig
nation. Nature has endowed man with overflowing life and activity.is renounce
one Dassion and substitute another.?e try occupations, inclinations, fsvorite
schemes,and in the end exclaim,."411 is vanitv! " Goethe admits that only few
men are able to renounce everything and be resigned in every resosct.But the
orinciole he affirms.nevertheless.- Win asking ourselves and in observing others,
we find that we are seldom compelled by ourselves to renounce this or that
wish.In the maioritv of cases we must admit that external conditions are causes
of our renouncing so manv things." These are words which Goethe sooks in con
versation vjitn German emigrants. His own life is the best illustration of how
hi3 ideas are realized. He fought,he succumbed,he rose,ha fell,always conscious
of the orinciole, !!Thou shalt
renounce!
43.
real, lasting Dlsasurss to tbs enjoyment of tbs moment. " Alas! two souls dwell in
my breast! 11 Goethe felt the immense task of conouering,of winning the victory.
In hours of despair and restlessness he turned to Spinoz3,his teacher, and it
seemed as if he succeeded in finding his way again to the IternaL."I had to
yield uo my life, in order to be",he writes to eohu'oarth(Julv 9,lS20).3oethe.'s
mighty snirit with a holy desire lifts i t s e l f uo,and,like a "moth with holy
longing,he flies into the divine flame to turn away the earthly, temporal man,
and let the man of eternity come into being."*)
Another beautiful thought is interwoven with the doctrine of renunciation.
V,e ask how to renounce.Goethe *s answer is, As must strive, conouer,overcome!
Spinoza did not demand monastic resignation,or ask man to leave the world and
retire into .solitude. He would advise
of God is real joy,and an object worth striving for. Goethe tried to act uoon
this advice,and free himself from the towers that enslave men.Be strove to
conouer.His ideal finds exnression in these words:
"Von der Gewalt,die alle Menschen bindet.
Befreit der Mensch sich,der sich uberwindet."
What Soinoza meant by seeking the eternal,Goethe undertsandingly tells us:
"True guardian spirits walk beside us,
As highest master gently ^uide us
To Him who made and roaketh all.
The soul that gladly self effaceth
Will weariness no longer fret,
Not passion,made determination,
Not irksome call,strict obligation;
Self-yielding*tis will joy beget." + )
Spinoza was a believer in temperate pleasures. "The wise man!1,he says,"enjoys
things. He desires refreshment from the temperate use of agreeable food and
*)Quoted from Bielscbowsky,.o..l65,
+)Wm,Cooper!s translation,Bielschowsky,Vol. 2 , 165.
44
and drink, from the fragrance and thfcbeauty of growing olants, from ornaments,
athletic contests.'the theatre,and the like." 3oetbe,in full harmony with the
uhilosoohersays in his "Vermchtnis,
"Geniesse massig f u l l 1 und Sedan;
Vernunft sei berall zugegen,
Wo Leben sich des Lebenb freut. "*)
Ae 3hall conclude this uaradraoh with a word from Goethe that is touched with
deen emotion,and that disolavs the full knowledge which the noet had of the
guidance of the heavenly oowers, guiding us through sorrow,tears,and humility,until
the goal of inner rest is attained.
" Wer
Wer
.^uf
Eer
Having seen how deeoly Goethe was interested in Bninoza's idea of resignation
and renunciation,let us, for a few moments)inouire as to what extent he encroached
the nhilosooher1s view with regard to the orinciole of disinterestedness.While
r e s i g n a t i o n r e f e r s to t h e n e r s o n a icsa, d i s i n t e r e s t e d n e s s r e l a t e s to o u r s o c i a l
**
l i f e , t o o u r a c t i v i t i e s and c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d . W i t h G o e t h e , h o w
ever, the d e v e l o o m e n t of his o e r s o n a l i t v was a l w a y s the m o s t s a t i s f y i n g task.
T h i s n e v e r - c h a n g i n g i n n e r l a b o r cent h i s m i n d r e c e o t i v e to o t h e r l i n e s o f t h o u g h t
t h a n t h o s e o u r e l y D a n t h e i s t i c . W h i l e c h i e f l y i n t e r e s t e d in t h e d e v e l o o m e n t o f h i s
* ) G o o d f o r t u n e s b o o n e n i o v w i t h m e a s u r e ,
L e t r e a s o n r e i g n in e v e r y o l e a s u r e ,
W h e r e l i f e in l i f e t a k e s s h e r s d e l i g h t .
** *
+ ) W h o n e e r in t e a r s h i s m o r s e l ate,
W h o n e e r in s o r r o w ' s n i g h t $ 3 t w a i t i n g
F o r g l o o m a n d d a r k n e s s to a b a t e ,
\j 0>V
45
46
Fron the inner condition of Goethe*s soul we know that his highest desire
was that for hanoiness.Restlessly driven fron oassion to oassion.from innulse
to innulse,he yearned for inner Deace.He,furthermore,sought for the oaln that
should heal the wounds caused bv his cessions. Out of the denths of his heart
'erne earth that erv of the human soul.so beautiful, so touching,causing everv
heart-string.to vibrate in osrfect svnoathv.In "Wanderers Nachtlied", written 177c,
Goethe exclaims,and sincerely orays,
Eer du von din Himmel bist,
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest,
Ben,der donnelt elend ist,
Donoelt mit Frouickung fllest.
Ach,ich bin des Treibens mde,
Was soll all der Schmerz,die Lust?
Ssser Friede,
K o m m ,ach k o m m in meine B r ust!"-*:*)
Can Sninoza answer this erv? May Goethe find in hin the ohvsician for his
bleeding heart?Is he able to give him healing balm? Hanoiness to Sninoza consists
in the observ a t i o n of o n e s being in accordance with the laws of his nature.
)Thcu he w a s t i d h e 8 y e n , b e r n .
*)Noble be man,heloful and good!
i l l our rain ana a n g u . s h , s t i l le s t ,
Bin. he doubly seems . crlo r n
Kail to those unknown higher Beings
Lcubly with elation fillest,
Whom we divine!
Ah,of stri f e my heart doth tire,
Naught affords me needed rest
Like unto them be man,teaching faith in them
C o m e , s w e e t r e a c e , m y soul inspire
Fill my w e a r y , t r o u b l e d breast!
By his examDle. Sooner^s translation, 0.1167.
Tr.by B.B.
47.
T h i s t h o u g h t e x p r e s s e d in t h e SDirit of G o e t h e l i g h t b e f o r m u l a t e d t b u s r - n l y
in p e r s o n a l i t y dc w e f i n d t h e t r u e t y n e cf h a p p i n e s s . T h e r e m u s t be no y i e l d i n g
to b l i n d p a s s i o n . Bar fron g i v i n g ut personality, w e nust r r e s e r v e it b y n e a n s
of r e a s o n , i c c c r d i n g to S p i n o z a , o u r r e a s o n is a c a r t cf d i v i n e r e a s o n , w h i c h .me,
t h e r e f o r e , n u s t l e a r n to u n d e r s t a n d and d i s c e r n . I n d o i n g t h i s , w e s h a l l d i s
t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n l a s t i n g v a l u e s and t h o s e t h a t are c n l y t e n p c r a r y . P a s s i o n s
d o n o t s a t i s f y n a n fcr a n y l e n g t h c f tiire;tbey a r e c n l y m o m e n t a r y . C n e n u s t
w i n t h o s e l a s t i n g r e l a t i o n s t h a t " w i n e t e r n i t y fcr t h e s p i r i t " . + ) T h e r i g h t
t h i n g tc do is tc b e g u i d e d b y t h e " g e n t l e s w a y o f r e a s o n " . 4 *) " T h e r e is nc
i n d i v i d u a l t h i n g in n a t u r e w h i c h is n o r e u s e f u l tc n a n t h a n a n a n w h c l i v e s
u n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e of r e a s o n . " 4 4 +)
in a n o t h e r p a s s a g e i E t h i c a 4 , c c ) p j n c z a
s a y s t h a t s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n is t h e f i r s t a n d c n l y f o u n d a t i o n cf v i r t u e . H e r e
we nay also ouote a s e n t e n c e that e x p r e s s e s the p h i l o s o p h e r s idea of gcod
a n d e v i l : ^ T h e k n o w l e d g e cf g c o d and e v i l is n o t h i n g b u t e n c t i c n of p l e a s u r e
a n d p a i n in sc f a r as we a r e c c n s c i c u s o f it.**4 4 4 4 ) S e l f - a s s e r t i o n is to
S p i n o z a t h e c n l y n e w e r cf v i r t u e . s r e e n d o w e d w i t h v i r t u e in p r o p o r t i o n
t c c u r e n d e a v o r in s e e k i n g w h a t is u s e f u l t o p r e s e r v e c u r b e i n g . l i k e S p i n o z a ,
G c e t h e b e l i e v e d t h e a t t a i n m e n t cf h a p p i n e s s to d e p e n d u p o n t h e s u b s t i t u t i o n
of h a r m f u l r a s s i e n s b y t h e s e t h a t a r e u s e f u l in t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n of t h e b e t t e r
s e l f . T h i s p r e s u p p o s e s a r e a l k n o w l e d g e of t h e p a s s i o n s . E u c h k n o w l e d g e , i f
a t t a i n e d b y us, is G c d M s k n o w l e d g e , is m o r a l p e r f e c t i o n , is t h e surrrrun b o n u m .
" i h e h i g h e s t g o o d " , s a y s F p i n o z a , " i s t h e k n o w l e d g e o f G o d " . ( i t h i c a 4 , 8 .)
H r i t t e n by G o e t h e from Italy.
4 4 ) C a r l y l e s E s s a y on G c e t h e .
4 4 4 )Ithica 4,5.
4 4 4 4 ) E t h i c a 4,8.
48.
In closing this chapter,we can not resist the temptation of ouoting a passage
froir Carlyle,a sincere frierd and a great admirer of the poet Gcethe.He cha
racterizes him as fellows:"
flin Goethe we have a rare and a ccirplei! nature.Be strikes us by bis beauty
and calnrness.ThiE man rulesvsnd is net ruled. Stern snd fiery energies of a
most passionate soul lie silent in the center of his being.Fe was net ruled by
the iron sway of passion,but guided in kindly union under the mild sway of
ressen.Hie peace is net frei blindness,but fretr clear vision.His mind was in
unity with itself. There is no whining over hurran woee;it is understood that
we must sirrply all strive to alleviate or retrove their."
49.
Charter
7 .
G o e t h e ' s O w n C c n c e r t i o n of God.
ilhat w a s G o e t h e s c o n c e r t i o n o f G o d , a n d i h a t w a s h i s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d
n a t u r e ? ^e s h a l l f i n d t h a t he is n e t a l t o g e t h e r in a c c o r d w i t h t h e r i g i d
p a n t h e i s n o f S r i n o 2 a ; h i g h l y as he e s t e e n e d h i n . S c i n o 2 a t a u g h f t h s t t h e w o r l d
is in G o d ? w h i l e G o e t h e traintains t h a t G o d is iinranent in t h e w o r l d . A c c o r d i n g
t o G o e t h e ' s v i e w , G o d is n e t s e p a r a t e frcit t h e w c r l d ^ s n d n e t i d e n t i c a l w i t h
n e r e s u b s t a n c e , b u t "das e i n e U r b e d i n g e n d e " . H e s e e s G o d n a n i f e s t i n g Hiirself in
N a t u r e and h e r p h e n o m e n a . I h e r e is no a c t i o n frenr w i t h o u t , b u t t h e r e c r e r a t e s
an i n n e r l i f e , a c r e a t i v e r o w e r t h a t p e r n e a t e s t h e u n i v e r s e . N a t u r e is a H y s t e r i c u s
w h o l e . l t s u r r o u n d s us a l l , a n d is t h e o r i g i n a l s o u r c e cf a l l l i f e . G o e t h e s a y s
t h a t he w i l l e x p l o r e t h i s p o w e r w i t h all h i s h e a r t . H e s p e a k s cf N a t u r e as
d e s p i s i n g t h e i n n a t u r e ^ a n d r e v e a l i n g h e r s e c r e t s o n l y to t h e n a t u r a l , t h e t r u e ,
t h e pure.:*
A n e s t s t r i k i n g , a n d in p a r t s t o u c b i n g ; d e i f i c a t i o n cf n a t u r e snd h e r w o r k
w i l l b e f o u n d in G o e t h e ' s r h a p s o d y o n n a t u r e , w h i c h is i n s e r t e d h e r e for t h e
p u r p o s e c f e n a b l i n g us to g a i n a s e n e w h a t n o t e d i r e c t i n s i g h t i n t o t h e p o e t ' s
c o n c e p t i o n of t h i s s u b j e c t .
R h a D s c d y
"Naturel
step cut
reseiigs
exhausted
on Nature.:**
B y h e r w e a r e s u r r o u n d e d s n d e n c o n t a s s e d . U n a b l e are w e e i t h e r tc
of h e r , o r tc e n t e r n o r e d e e p l y i n t o h e r . U n s o l i c i t e d and u n w a r n e d h e
us i n t o t h e c i r c l e o f her d a n c e ^ a n d h u r r i e s a l o n g w i t h us t i l l w e ,9 te
and d r o p o u t of h e r arnrs.
* G e s c b r a c h e n i t E c k e n t 9 i m , ? e b . 3 5 , 16SS.
50.
S h e e v e r c r e a t e s n e w f o r c s k H b a t n o w is n e v e r w a s b e f o r e . H h a t w a s c c c e s n o t
a g a i n . A l l is n e w , a n d y e t o l d .
H e l i v e in h e r m i d $ t ; a n d a r e s t r a n g e r s tc h e r . S h e s t e a k s to os i n c e s s e n t l y ,
y e t b e t r a y s n e t her iryetery tc u s . H e a f f e c t her c c n s t a n t l y ; b u t h a v e nc c o w e r
o v e r her.
S h e aeerrs tc h a v e c o n t r i v e d e v e r y t h i n g f o r i n d i v i d u a l s , y e t s a v e s n o t h i n g fer
i n d i v i d u a l s . S h e b u i l d s e v e r , a n d e v e r d e s t r o y s ; a n d her w c r k s b c c if i n a c c e s s i b l e .
S h e l i v e s in h e r c h i l d r e n a l o n e ; a n d h e r m o t h e r , w h e r e is s h e ? S h e is t h e o n l y
a r t i s t r f r o m t h e sinrplest s u b j e c t tc t h e g r e a t e s t c o n t r a s t s , w i t h o u t a p p a r e n t
effort acc o m p l i s h i n g the greatest perfec t i o n ; t h e most precise exa c t n e s s , a n d
a l w a y s c o v e r e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g g e n t l e . E v e r y c n e of h e r w o r k s h a s a b e i n g of its
o w n , e v e r y o n e of h e r phenotrena has t h e c o s t i s o l a t e d i d e a ; s n d y e t t h e y a l l
m e r g e into cne.
She a c t s a r l a y o n t h e s t a g e : w h e t h e r she s e e s it h e r s e l f , w e k n o w n c t y a n d y e t
s h e p l a y s it for us w h o s t a n d in t h e c o r n e r .
T h e r e is an e t e r n a l l i v i n g , b e c o t r i n g , and m o v i n g in her, and y e t s h e e x c e e d s no
f a r t h e r . S h e t r a n s f e r e e h e r s e l f f o r e v e r , a n d t h e r e is n o nronrent w h e n s h e s t a n d s
s t i l l . O f r e m a i n i n g in a s p o t , s h e d e e s n e t t b i n k ^ a n d tc s t a n d i n g s t i l l s h e
a t t a c h e s h e r c u r s e . h e i3 f i r c ; h e r s t e p is t r e a s u r e d , h e r e x c e r t i o n s r a r e , h e r
laws unalterable.
All iren a r e in h e r , a n d s h e is in a l l . H i t h a l l s h e c a r r i e s c n f r i e n d l y gaire
a n d r e j o i c e s t h e c o r e if t h e y w i n f r o c h e r . S h e p l a y s the g a c e w i t h c a n y so
s e c r e t l y t h a t s h e p l a y s it tc tin* e n d b e f e r e t h e y k n e w it.
T h e c o s t u n n a t u r a l a l s o is n s t u r e ; e v e n t h e c o s t s u p i d F h i l i s t i n i s c h a t h s o m e
t h i n g of h e r g e n i u s . H h o s e e s h e r not e v e r y w h e r e s e e s h e r n o w h e r e a r i g h t .
S h e l o v e s h e r s e l f a n d e v e r c l i n g s to h e r s e l f , h a v i n g e y e s and h e a r t s w i t h o u t
n u m b e r . E v e r s h e l e t s n e w e n j o y e r s g r o w , i n s a t i a b l e to i e p a r t h e r s e l f .
S h e d e l i g h t s in i l l u s i o n . H h o e v e r d e s t r o y s t h i s in h i c s e l f a n d o t h e r s , h i m s h e
p u n i s h e s , s h o w i n g h e r s e l f t h e s t r i c t e s t t y r a n t . H h o e v e r t r u s t f u l l y f o l l o w s her,
h i e s h e p r e s s e s l i k e a c h i l d to h e r h e a r t .
~ H e r c h i l d r e n a r e w i t h o u t n u m b e r . T o no o n e is s h e a l t o g e t h e r n i g g a r d l y j b u t
s h e h a s f a v o r i t e s u p o n w h o c s h e s a u a n d e r s c u c h , a n d to w h o m s h e s a c r i f i c e s e u c h .
To g r e a t n e s s she has p l e d g e d her p r o t e c t i c n . S h e has few s p r i n g s , b u t the s e are
never worn out,always active,always manifold.
H e r p l a y is n e v e r n e w , b e c a u s e s h e e v e r c r e a t e s n e w s p e c t a t o r s w l i f e is h e r
f i n e s t i n v e n t i o n ; a n d d e a t h is h e r a r t i f i c e to g e t m o r e l i f e .
S h e v e i l s m a n in d a r k n e s s , a n d s p u r s h i e c o n t i n u a l l y to t h e l i g h t . S h e c a k e s
h i e d e p e n d e n t u p o n t h e e a r t h , d u l l and h e a v y , a n d k e e p s r o u s i n g h i e a f r e s h .
4 S h e g i v e s w a n t s , b e c a u s e s h e l o v e s m c t i e n . T h e w o n d e r is t h a t she a c c o m p l i s h e s
a l l t h i s m o t i o n w i t h so l i t t l e . E v e r y w a n t is a b e n e f i t o u i c k l y s a t i s f i e d , o u i c k l y
51.
r o w i n g a g a i n . I i s b e g i v e s o n e T o r e , i t is a n e w s o u r c e of p l e a 3 u r e ; b u t s h e
soon comes into ecuilibrium.
S h e s e t s o u t e v e r y m o m e n t f o r t h e l o n g e s t r a c e , a n d is e v e r y m o m e n t at t h e
goal.
S h e is v a n i t y i t s e l f , b u t n o t for u s , t o w h o m she h a s m a d h e r s e l f t h e g r e a t e s t
weight.
S h e l e t s e v e r y c h i l d t i n k e r w i t h h e r , e v e r y f o c i r a 3 s j u d g m e n t on h e r ; t h o u s a n d 3 s t u m b l e o v e r h e r , a n d s e e n o t h i n g ; a n d she h a s h e r j o y in a l l , a n d s b e
f i n d s in a l l h e r a c c o u n t .
N \ s n o b e y s h e r l a w s , e v e n w h e n she s t r i v e s a g a i n s t h i m ; h e w o r k s w i t h h e r e v e n
w h e n he w o u l d w o r k a g a i n s t her.
S h e m a k e s o f a l l s b e g i v e s a b l e s s i n g . f o r s h e f i r s t m a k e s it i n d i s p e s s b l e . .
S h e l a g s , t h a t w e m a y l o n g for h e r ; s b e h a s t e n s , t h a t we m a y n o t g r o w w e a r y of her.
S b e h a s no s p e e c h cr l a n g u a g e , b u t e b s c r e a t e s t c n g u e e and h e a r t s t h r o u g h
w h i c h she feels and speaks.
,4 H e r c r o w n is l c v e . C n l y t h r o u g h it c a n m a n a p p r o a c h h e r . S h e c r e a t e s g a p s
b e t w e e n all t h i n g s , a n d is a l w a y s r e a d y to e n g u l f all.
S h e h a s i s o l a t e d a l l , t o d r a w all t o g e t h e r . B y a f e w d r a u g h t s f r o m the c u p
o f l o v e s h e m a k e s up for a l i f e f u l l of t r o u b l e .
S h e is all. S h e r e w a r d s h e r s e l f and p u n i s h e s h e r s e l f , d d l i g h t s and t o r m e n t s
h e r s e l f . S h e is r u d e a n d g e n t l e , I c v e l y a n d t e r r i b l e , p o w e r l e s s a n d a l m i g h t y .
A l l is a l w a y s n o w in h e r . F a s t and f u t u r e k n o w s she n o t . T h e p r e s e n t is h e r
eternity.
S h e is k i n d l y . I c r a i s e h e r w i t h all h e r w e r k e . S h e is w i s e a n d o u i e t . G n e c a n
t e a r nc e x o l a n a t i o n f r o m h e r , e x t o r t f r o m h e r nc g i f t w h i c h s h e g i v e s n e t of
her own free will.
S h e is w h o l e , a n d y e t n e v e r c o m p l e t e d . A s s h e p l i e s i t , s h e c a n a l w s y s p l y it.
To e v e r y one s h e a p p e a r s in a form o f h e r o w n . S h e b i d e s h e r s e l f in a t h o u s a n d
n a m e s and t e r m s , a n d is a l w a y s t h e s a m e .
S h e h a s p l a c e d m e h e r e , s h e w i l l l e a d m e a w a y . I t r u s t m y s e l f to h e r . S h e m a y
d o ae s h e l i k e s w i t h m e . S h e w i l l n o t h a t e h e r w o r k . I t is n o t I w h o s t a k e of her.
N s y . t h e t r u e a n d t h e f a l s e , s h e h a s s p o k e n it a l l . A l l t h e g u i l t is h e r s , a n d
hers all tha m e r i t . "
T h e s e u t t e r a n c e s , o u c t e d at l e n g t h , p l a i n l y r e v e a l to us t h e G o e t h e a n a t t i t u d e
t o w a r d s N a t u r e . 5 r o m t h e m it b e c o m e s e v i d e n t t h a t in
he w a s a p a n t h e i s t , b e
l i e v i n g in t h e d i v i n i t y of n a t u r e , a d i v i n i t y in b w h i c h w e l i v e , a n d m o v e , a n d
h a v e cur b e i n g . l a t e r be c h a n g e d his v i e w s s o m e w h a t , s a y i n g , "Nature d oes not m o v e
52.
f o r w a r d , s h e r e m a i n s t h e s a m e . H e l a w s a r e u n c h a n g e a b l e . N a t u r e p l a c e s nre
w i t h i n l i f e j s b e w i l l l e a d ire o u t of i t ; I c o n f i d e in h e r . "
H e d o e s n e t o b j e c t to h i s forirer b e l i e f ; b u t
he
new a p p r e c i a t e s p r o g r e s s
i n n a t u r e , a c o n s t a n t m e t a m o r p h o s i s . In h i s ' I l u c i d s t i o n to the A p h o r i s t i c E s s a y
o n N a t u r e " u n d e r d a t e o f N a y 2 4 , l 2 6 , h e a d d r e s s e s C h a n c e l l o r N u e l l e r as f o l
l o w s : " T h i s e s s a y w a s s e n t to me a s h o r t t i m e a g o f r o a m o n g t h e o a r e r s of t h e
l a t e r e v e r e d l u c h e s s A n n a A m a l i a j i t is w r i t t e n b y a f a m i l i a r h a n d of w h i c h I
w a s a c c u s t o m e d to a v a i l m y s e l f i n m y a f f a i r s in t h e y e a r 1 7 6 C . I d o n o t e x a c t l y
r e m e m b e r h a v i n g w r i t t e n th e s e r e f l e c t i o n s , b u t they a g r x e very well w ith the
i d e a s w h i c h h a d . a t t h a t t i m e b e c o m e d e v e l o p e d in m y m i n d . I m i g h t t e r m t h e
d e g r i e of i n s i g h t w h i c h I p o s s e s s e d a c o m p a r a t i v e o n e , w h i c h w a s t r y i n g to
e x p r e s s its t e n d e n c y t o w a r d a s u p e r l a t i v e not y e t a t t a i n e d . "
T o t h e m a t u r e G o e t h e , n a t u r e is n o t a s p i r i t l e s s m e c h a n i s m , b u t t h e m a n i f e s t a
t i o n of G o d , t h e " g a r m e n t of d i v i n i t y " . H e r e v e r e n c e s h e r , l i s t e n s to h e r s e c r e t s ,
W fa0
a n d w o r s h i p s h e r . He/denies n a t u r e as a d i v i n e o r g a n , h e S 8 y s , m a y d e n y a l l r e v e
l a t i o n . T o E c h e r m a n n h e a d d r e s s e s t h e f o l l o w i n g w o r d s : "If y o u w o u l d a s k m e
w h e t h e r it w o u l d b e in h a r m o n y w i t h m y t h o u g h t to e x t e n d d i v i n e w o r s h i p tc
t h e s u n , I s h o u l d h a v e tc a n s w e r in t h e a f f i r m a t i v e ; f o r it is t h e r e v e l a t i o n of
t h e S u p r e m e B e i n g , a n d i n d e e d t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l o n e . I w o r s h i p the l i g h t and
t h e c r e a t i v e p o w e r of G o d in w h o m
we l i v e , m o v e , a n d hsve cur b e i n g . . n
In h i s
t a l k s w i t h N u e l l e r ( 3 c C ) G o e t h e s a y s,."Behind e v e r y o r g a n i c b e i n g l i e s a h i g h e r
i
i d e a ; t h i s is t h e G o d w h o m we sll s e e k and h o p e to b e b o l d ^ t h o u g h c a n b s v e o n l y
f o r e b o d i n g s of H i m . "
Erorn t h e a b o v e u t t e r a n c e s of G o e t h e w e a r e a b l e to c o n c l u d e t h a t h e k n e w
h o w to m a k e a d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n G o d and Nature. He d o e s n o t i d e n t i f y G o d and
N a t u r e ^ b u t t h e l a t t e r is a r e v e l a t i o n of Him in m a n y a n d m a n i f o l d w a y s . T h e
g r o w t h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e e a r t h , t h e l i g h t of t h e s u n , t h e s p r i n g e in t h e
tv
f i e l d m a k e m a i f e s t H i s H i s p o w e r and e s s e n c e . G o d is i m m a n e n t in t h e w o r l d , n o t
53.
2erfallen,
l a s i w ge r e u t s i c h f o r t in a l i e n ! *)
T h e r e is no u l t i m a t e d e s t r u c t i o n and d e a t h in n a t u r e , b u t e t e r n a l l y b u d d i n g and
p u l s a t i n g life.
"Natur,du ewig keimende,
S c h a f f s t ,1 e d e n zum G e n u s s d e s l e b e n s ,
Hast deine Kinder alle mtterlich
Vit Erbteil ausgestattet.
0 l e i t e ireinen G a n g , N a t u r ,
Een Ererrdlings-reisetritt,
Een ber Grber
Heiliger Vergangenheit
leb w a n d l e ! "
* * )
^ jNaturs.tbou^ever^budding^Qne,
T h u f o r m e s t e a c h for l i f e r s e i n o y m e n t s
And,like a mother,all thy children dear
g i e s s e s t w ith thy sweet h e r i t a g e , - a home.
C n a t u r e , g u i d e m e o n m y wavl
The p a n d e r i n g s t r a n g e r guide,
fno, o, er, t h e t o m b s
Cf h o l y b y g o n e d a y s
Is p a s s i n g ;
T r . b y N. H . E o l e ( G c e t h d ! s B r a c t . E o r k s ) .
45
-Joyful praises rise to heaven unceasingly.Even the dust UDon the ground and the
unfertile stone ixust helD to complete the whole.God dwells in the depths of the
sea and in the boson of the earth.The winds that stir the leaves of the trees
are to the poet as the breath of the divinity.
S o m e p a r t s of his p o e t i c a l w r i t i n g s nray s e e n to b e t r a y o n l y a y e a r n i n g for
c o m m u n i o n w i t h n a t u r e . T h u s he e x c l a i m s :
" % h e r e , b o u n d l e s s n a t u r e , s h a l l I c l u t c h at t h e e ?
Ye b r e a s t s , w h e r e a r e y e ? Y e p e r e n n i a l s p r i n g s
C f l i f e w h e r e o n h a n g h e a v e n and e a r t h ,
t h e r e t o t h e b l i g h t e d bosorr c l i n g s ,
Ye g u s h , y e s l a k e all t h i r s t ,
Y e t I p i n e on in d e a r t h . " * )
B u t t h e d e e p e r ireaning of his r h a p s o d i e s to n a t u r e , a s b e i n g p e r m e a t e d b y t h e
t h e d i v i n i t y , f i n d s i n d u b i t a b l e e x p r e s s i o n in t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s :
"In t h e c u r r e n t of l i f e , i n a c t i o n ' s stornr,
I w a n d e r and I w a v e ;
E v e r y w h e r e I be!
B i r t h and t h e grave,
/n i n f i n i t e sea,
4 web ever growing,
life ever glowing,
T h u s at t i m e ' s w h i z 2 i n g l o o m I spin,
^nd w e a v e t h e l i v i n g v e s t u r e
T h a t G o d is m a n t l e d in. :*:*)
* ) I r , b y 5 i r . T h , V a r t i n , p . , E 8 u s t 3.
* * )
**) T r . b y Sir T h . V a r t i n , p . c G .
In l e b e n s f l u t e n , im T a t e n s t u r a ,
U a l l i c h auf u n d ab,
K e b e h i n u n d her,
G e b u r t und Grab,
iin e w i g e s Veer,
Sjn w e c h s e l n d leben,
fin g l h e n d leben,
S o a c p a f f i c h am s a u s e n d e n * e b s t u h l , d e r z e i t
Und w i r k e der G o t t h e i t l e b e n d i g e s Kleid.
55
N a t u r e is to G o e t h e t h e " l i v i n g v e s t u r e ,!of G o d . l i f e is g u s h i n g f o r t h , l i k e
t h e s t r e 8 tr f r o n t h e irountain. T h e f u l n e s s of l i f e , t h e i n c r e a s i n g a c t i v i t y ,
t h e f o r c e o f a c t i o n , a l l t h e s e a r e t h e irajestic r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e d i v i n i t y ,
w h i c h is in t h e All.
T h u s w e a r r i v e at a p o i n t w h e r e G o e t h e d i f f e r s front S p i n o z a , k b e r e a s t h e
l a t t e r , i n his ri g i d l y i n t e l l e c t u a l systei of p h i l o s o p h y , i d e n t i f i e s God with
S u b s t a n c e , G c e t b e s c o n c e p t i o n of G o d is t h a t of
divinity.
9n
imnranent, a l l - p e r n r e a t i n g
56 .
Chanter
G o e t h e ' s P h i l o s o p h y in J a u s t .
HJ a u s t m a y b e r e g a r d e d as a s y n t h e s i s of w o r l d and s p i r i t , w h i c h g i v e s
u s t h e nrost b l e s s e d a s s u r a n c e of t h e e t e r n a l harrrcny of a l l E e i n g . H S o e t h e . )
A c c o r d i n g to E i e l s c h o w s k y , o n e of h i s l a t e s t b i o g r a p h e r s , G o e t h e h a s d o n e m u c h
f o r t h e c a u s e of r e l i g i o n ; f o r he b a s e d h i s r e l i g i o u s c o n c l u s i o n s , n o t o n
a b s t r a c t p r i n c i p l e s , b u t o n t h e o b s e r v a t i o n of the w h o l e g r e a t c h a i n of n a
t u r a l phenoiiena and t h e i r i n t e r r e l a t i o n s . G o e t h e w a s a g r e a t o b s e r v e r of
n a t u r e a n d h e r p h e n o m e n a ; h e b e l i e v e d in t h e C o n t r o l l i n g E o w e r of l i f e .
To learn about this pow e r , w e need l i g h t ; t h e r e f o r e , t h e Z e i t g e i s t J,the spirit
o f t h e t i m e in w h i c h G o e t h e lived,iray j u s t l y b e c a l l e d T h e S n l i g h t e n i r e n t .
P o m a n t i c i s m h a s b r o u g h t to l i g h t t h e b e a u t y , t h e h a r a r o n y , t h e l i f e in n a t u r e .
G o e t h e , i r o r e t h a n a n y e t h e r p o e t , h a s s u c c e e d e d in m a k i n g n a t u r e t h e c e n t e r
o f h i s t h o u g h t . I n t h i s c h a n t e r , i t w i l l b e my t a s k , n o t to t r a c e t h e p h i l o
s o p h i c a l t h o u g h t in J a u s t f u l l y and c o m p l e t e l y , b u t o n l y to i n v e s t i g a t e s u c h
p a s s a g e s as s h o w c l e a r l y t h e p o e t ' s r e l a t i o n t o , o r a g r e e m e n t w i t h , S p i n o ? a .
J a u s t is a dratra o f l i f e , i t s p r o b l e m s , i t s e r r o r s , t h e s o l u t i o n of t h e
l i e l t r a t s e l , t o u s e H a e c k e l ' s t e r m . S e r v i c e is t h e k e y - n o t e o f l i f e , a n d
u n c e a s i n g a c t i v i t y is i t s g o a l . E r o a d l y s p e a k i n g , t h e u n d e r l y i n g t h o u g h t in
J a u s t is l I J J . l t s t r e a m s f r o m G o d and p e r m e a t e s t h e A l l . T h e r e is a P o w e r
t h a t c o n t r o l s t h e u n i v e r s e , n o t from w i t h o u t , b u t f r o m w i t h i n .
"lias w a r d a s ihr e i n G o t t ,
E e r n u r v o n a u s s e n stiesse?""
asks Goethe. G o d , m o r e o v e r , i s the C r e a t i v e force e x e r c i s i n g its b e n e f i c e n t
i n f l u e n c e in N a t u r e . G o e t h e , a s w e h a v e a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d , w o r s h i p e d t h e
9 un,
57
t h e l i f e - b e a r i n g , s e l f - s u s t a i n i n g , c r e a t i v e a c t i o n in t h e u n i v e r s e , T h i s s a m e
c r e a t i v e t e n d e n c y is p r e s e n t a l s o in t a n . .All h u t a n a c t i v i t i e s , a l l h u t a n
s t r i f e s and s t r u g g l e s , e l l hurran p r o g r e s s and d e v e l o r t e n t , a r e to b e i n t e r
p r e t e d as t a n i f e s t a t i o n s of t h e A l l - l i f e . In A u g u s t , 1 7 S 4 , S c h i l l e r r i t e s
t o G o e t h e , "leu l o o k at N a t u r e as a \kbole:when s e e k i n g to h a v e l i g h t t h r o w n
u p o n h e r i n d i v i d u a l p a r t s , y o u l o o k for t h e e x p l a n a t i o n of t h e i n d i v i d u a l
i n t h e t o t a l i t y of a l l h e r v a r i o u s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s . " G o e t h e h i m s e l f s a y s
to W i e n e r , in 58 C ?,
i f e is a s t r e a m , a n d w e irus y S b s t r u c t i t ; o u r a c t i o n s
t u s t b e in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h i t . l*e r e i t e r a t e t h a t G o e t h e f e l t G o d to b e in
t h e w o r l d , w h i l e S p i n o z a b e l i e v e d t h e w o r l d to b e in G o d , t a k i n g Hirr t h e
c a u s a i m m a n e n s ,yet r e d u c i n g H i t to a b s t r a c t s u b s t a n c e .
A n o t h e r u n d e r l y i n g t h o u g h t in J a u s t is t h a t of t h e i r a n i f e s t a t i o n of e v i l
p o w e r s , t h e u n h a p p i n e s s , t h e m i s e r i e s , w h i c h seen? to o b s t r u c t t h e s t r e a m of
l i f e and i m p e d e o u r a c t i v i t i e s . B u t G o e t h e is o p t i m i s t i c . All t h e e v i l s b e n e
f i t t h e i n d i v i d u a l , a l t h o u g h t h e y c r e a t e d i s h a r m o n y . T h e y a r e a t e s t of l i f e ,
a n d s p u r us to f u r t h e r a c t i v i t y . T o l e k e r m a n n G o e t h e
s a y s ( I B c i ) , " N a t u r e in
n o w i s e f s v o r s o u r w e a k n e s s e s , b u t e i t h e r m a k e s s o m e t h i n g o u t of u s o r w i l l
h a v e n o t h i n g at a l l to d o w i t h us.-" T h a t w h i c h is w e a k , e v i l , u n f i t , m o s t s e r v e
a h i g h e r p u r p o s e , m u s t i n c i t e us to g r e a t e r a c t i v i t y and a m o r e a b u n d a n t l i f e .
G o e t h e ' s W o r l d - S o u l in l a u s t .
"tb 3
G o n t r a r y to t h e s y s t e m of a o i n o z a w h i c h h e l d t h a t G c d i s Ao n l y s u b s t a n c e
w h e n c e a l l b e i n g s , t h e c o r p o r e a l as w e l l as t h e s p i r i t u a l , m u s t b e d e r i v e d
w i t h l o g i c a l c o n s i s t e n c y , G o e t h e d e v e l o p e d t h e c o n c e p t of S u b s t a n c e i n d e p e n
d e n t l y . T o S p i n o z a , G o d a n d t h e w o r l d are i d e n t i c a l . S u b s t a n c e ) .h e t a u g h t , h a s
t w o a t t r i b u t e s , T h a u g b t a n d I n t e n s i o n . T h e s e h a v e an i n f i n i t e n u m b e r o f m o d e s .
58
O f o n e of t h e m u l t i t u d i n o u s m o d i , h u m a n b e i n g s a r e b u t p h e n o m i n a l f o r m s .
T h e r e a r e n o i s o l a t e d e v e n t s ; e v e r y w h e r e t h e r e is u n i t y ; a l l t h i n g s m u s t b e
v i e w e d sub s p e c i e a e t e r n i t a t i s .
t h o u g h t of G o d
How d i f f e r e n t G o e t h e s v i e w !
Alt h o u g h the
nd n a t u r e as b e i n g i d e n t i c a l a p p e a l e d to h i m v e r y s t r o n g l y ,
h e c o n c e i v e d of n a t u r e as a d e v e l o p m e n t , a * a c o n s t a n t c h a n g e . H e is s t r o n g l y
o p p o s e d to m a t h e m a t i c a l f o r m u l a s , a s s t i f f and u n m o v a b l e . T h e y c h a n g e l i v i n g
things into desd matter.
T u r n i n g , t h e n , t o E a u s t t h e p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n of l i f e a n d a c t i v i t y , w e i m m e d i a t e l y
b e h o l d t h e m a j e s t y of l i f e i n c o r p o r a t e d in t h e J a r t h - S p i r i t . G c e t h s , a s r e p r e
s e n t e d b y J a u s t , y e a r n s to s e e the S p i r i t t h a t h o l d s t h e All t o g e t h e r . T h i s
S p i r i t , t h e s o u r c e o f a l l h u m a n t h o u g h t , w o r k and l i f e , t h e f o u n t a i n of t h e b e a u
t i f u l , t h e n o b l e and t h e e l e v a t i n g , a l s o k n o w s t h e n a m e l e s s s i n and g u i l t o f
m a n . T h e r e f o r e , w h o d a r e f a c e h i m ? E u t t h e r e o u e s t to s e e him h a s b e e n m a d e ,
a n d it is g r a n t e d . T h s l a r t h - S p i r i t a p p e a r s , a n d t h u s a d d r e s s e s J a u s t :
wT o v i e w me w e r e t h y p r a y e r and c h o i c e ,
To see my face , t o hear my voice.
H l l ! by thy p otent p r a y e r wen o'er,
I come,and thou that wculdet be more
Than m o r t a l , h a v i n g thy behest,
Art w i t h a c r a v e n f e a r p o s s e s s e d !
H e r e art t h o u , i a u s t ,w h o s e s u m m o n s r a n g so w i d e ,
bho s t o r m e d m y h a u n t s ; a n d w o u l d n o t b e d e n i e d ?
Is t h i s t h i n g t h o u ? t h i s t h a t m y b r e a t h d o t h m a k e
T h r o u g h every nerve and fibre ouake,
A crawling,hovering;timorous worm?" *
I n t h i s E a r t h - S p i r i t w e h a v e t h e d i v i n e p o w e r i m m a n e n t in n a t u r e , t h e r e f l e x
i m a g e of t h e A l m i g h t y , t h e i o u n t a i n of a l l l i g h t , i n v i s i b l y p e r m e a t i n g t h s
w o r l d , t h e .^ A b g l a n z j e n e s l i c h t e s d r o b e n , d a s u n s i c h t b a r d i s g a n z e H i t
e r l e u c h t e t " : G o e t h e , h a v i n g b e e n g r a n t e d h i s w i s h j w h i c h h e , i n t h e r 5 1 e of
T r . b y Sir Th.lVartin.*
***Aus dem Theate r - v o r s c i e l . S e p t . I S , 1 8 C 9 .
59.
. W - . * 4. 4. fcW 4
im
60
T h e C e n t r a l I d e a in l a u s t " .
In t h e f o r e g o i n g , w e h a v e d e a l t w i t h t h e G o e t h e a n i d e a of i m m a n e n c e , a s
r e p r e s e n t e d by the l a r t b - S p i r i t . H e have also stated that this idea is the
o n e w h i c h m a r k s a p o i n t o f d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n G o e t h e and S p i n o z a , s i n c e t h e
bins
Yet
Jpe
immanent in the
w i t h s y m p a t h y , r e c o g n i z e s E a u s t s y e a r n i n g for a c t i v i t y , h i s a r d e n t d e s i r e to
a b s o r b t h e .ioys a n d s u f f e r i n g s of h u m a n i t y ; t o b e c o m e r e a l m a n , h u m a n in the
t r u e s t s e n s e of t h e w o r d . T h i s same s p i r i t s e n d s V e p h i s t c , w h o m E a u s t a d d r e s s e s
as g r e a t , i l l u s t r i o u s S p i r i t " . V e p h i s t o , b y h i s i n f l u e n c e u p o n l a u s t , a c c o m p l i s h e s
t h e r u i n of G r e t c h e n . f u i l of d e s p a i r o v e r G r e t c h e r i s f a t e , l a u s t a g a i n v o i o e s
h i s e m o t i o n s to t h e g r e a t s p i r i t r and s a y s to h i m , w i t h r e f e r e n c e to V e p h i s t c ,
" C h a n g e him/thou i n f i n i t e S p i r i t , c h a n g e t h e r e p t i l e o n c e m o r e i n t o t h a t r e s e m b
l a n c e o f a d o g in w h i c h he o f t e n d e l i g h t e d to g a m b o l b e f o r e m e at n i g h t . " H e r e
t h e s t r a n g e c o n t r a d i c t i o n t h a t t h e e v i l s p i r i t is s e n t b y t h e s p i r i t of h e s v e n ,
t h e g r e a t B a r t h - S p i r i t ; t b e r e f l e x i m a g e of t h e A l m i g h t y , i s
to b e e x p l a i n e d b y
G o e t h e s S p i n o z i c v i e w of G o d . H e , b e i n g l i k e S p i n o z a in t h i s p a r t i c u l a r , r e g a r d e d
G o d as t h e s o u r c e a n d s e n d e r b o t h of g o o d and e v i l . G o o d and e v i l
re,
i n f a c t , c o r r e l a t e d . T h e c n e d o e s n o t e x i s t w i t h o u t t h e o t h e r . M e p h i s t o iii t h e
r f a t s t is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e o n e in t h e f i n i s h e d d r a m a ; " e i n T e i l v o n j e n e r
61
Kraft,die stets das Eose ill und stets das Gute schafft! Esrt of that power
is he that,being constantly intent upon evil,always effects the good.
The fact that the Sarth-Spirit,the reflex image of the Almighty,sends
Mephisto to Baust as hie companion makes the ultimate salvation of Baust
possible.Nay,Ivephisto ie to assist Baust in reaching the goal of salvation.
Baust translates the beginning of the Gospel of St.John thus: "Im Anfang war die
Tat. In the beginning was the EBBI,here is the redeeming word. Baust makes a
pact with the evil oneilhe latter attempts by all fiendish means to effect the
destruction of Baust,who,however,sees most clearly the emptiness of his life.
The outcome is not yet apparent.Brom the readefis point of view,it hangs in
the balance. But redemption is not outside of the realm of possibility,
let us be a trifle more specific.Mephisto thus characterizes himself;
."The spirit I that evermore denies,
And justly am I thus employed,
Bor surely naught was e'er begot
Eut it deserved to be destroyed;
So were it better,things should not
Ee into being brought at all*
Thus all these matters which you call
Sin,Nischief ,-Bvil, in a word,
Are my congenial elements"*
This snirit that evermore denies,agrees to lead Baust to the goal of happi
ness,though bent on his ruin.^et Baust is on the right path.He knows the life
r
activities of those, men vho fight and conouer human passions will lead to
triumph.His pact with the evil one is significant:
"Vv band,upon itlTherel . . .
,
If I q the nassind moment e!er J sav,
0 l i n g e r . s t i l l , thou, a p t so f a i r P
,.ien Cast m e , n t o . c h a i n s y o u may,
n )en w i l l I d i e w i t h o u t a c are!
isn m a y t h e d e a t h - b e l l s o u n d its call,
ien art, t b o u f r o m t h y s e r v i c e f r e e ,
he c j o c k - s a y , s t a n d , trie i n d e x fall,..
And t i m e and tide m a v c e a s e f o r m e .
6 2
M e p h i s t o v e r i l y show,' h i m s e l f to b e t h e s p i r i t of n e g a t i o n . Be rcaintains
t h a t t h e d e v i l s m a d e t h e w o r l d j h e h i m s e l f w a s p a r t of a p a r t t h a t o n c e a s
i l l , a p a r t o f t h e d a r k n e s s t h a t o n c e b o r e t h e l i g h t . B u t to G o e t h e , J a u s t is
s i m p l y t h e f o r c e of d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n . T h i s p o w e r of d a r k n e s s in t h e f o r m of an
a n g e l of l i g h t l e a d s F a u s t f r o m s t e p to s t e p , f r o m p l e a s u r e to p l e a s u r e . i l l
b i s p a s s i o n s a r e s t i r r e d in hiir.lt a s n o t o n l y t h e a n i m a l i n s t i n c t t h a t
d r o v e F a u s t to G r e t c b e n , b u t r a t h e r t h e o v e r p o w e r i n g , i r r e s i s t i b l e charir of b e a u
t y . T h i s is s e e n frorr t h e w o r d s of F a u s t w h e n he s t o o d b e f o r e a m i r r o r b e
h o l d i n g t h e i m a g e of a w o m a n in t h e w i t c h e s ! 1 k i t c h e n :
^i worranis f o r m b e y o n d e x p r e s s i o n fair!
C a n a w o m a n b e so f a i r ? G r m u s t I d e e m
In t h i s r e c u m b e n t f o r m I s e e r e v e a l e d
T h e Quintessence of all that heaven can yield?
C n . e a r t h c a n a u g h t b e f o u n d o f b e a u t y so 9 u p r e m e ? R *
T h i s m a y b e c a l l e d t h e c o n t e n t s of t h e w h o l e G r e t c h e n t r a g e d y . It w a s not a l l
p a s s i o n t h a t i m p e l l e d F a u s t , b u t be w a s a l s o i n s p i r e d b y h o l y l o v e . T h e l o w e s t
a n d t h e h i g h e s t i m p u l s e s h a v e t h e i r o r i g i n in h u m a n n a t u r e . V e p h i s t o s e e m 3 to
h a v e b e e n c o n s c i o u s o nly of the o n e , t h e e v i l , i m p u l s e . F a u s t , o n the o t h e r hand,
a l s o is a w a r e of t h e p u r e i n s p i r a t i o n of l o v e t h a t i r r e s i s i b l y d r a w s h i m to
Gretchen.The good and the evil are at war im him.Though be falls,he will rise
a g a i n . B i s c o n s t a n t s t r i v i n g for t h e m a s t e r y m a k e s h i m at l a s t t r i u m p h a n t .
c
T h e p h i l o s o p h y of F a u s t is surrmated in t h e s e l i n e s :
"Fier i m m e r s t r e b e n d s i c h b e m h t ,
Ben kennen wir e r l s e n . "
In r e g a r d t o t h e t r a g i c f i g u r e of G r e t c h e n ; w e m a y add t h a t s h e , t o o , i s s u p r o s e d t o h a v e a c t e d a c c o r d i n g to n a t u r e . S h e o b e y s t h e n a t u r a l i m p u l s e , a n d
s i n and s h a m e a r e t h e r e s u l t . B u t s h e is r e g a r d e d b y t h e p o e t as h a v i p g v i o l a t e d
*Tr.by T h . V a r t i n , F a u s t J,116.
63
,
T r . b y Tb.Va r t i n , lr/S.
H e l p , s u f f e r e r divine!
Save m s , o h , s a v e
Brom shame and from the grsvel
And T h o u ^ t h e sorest pangs that borest,
Cn mine look down with c o u n t e n a n c e b e n i g n . "
64.
as the one that has to do with the source of all l i f e , o r the p r o b l e m of evil
in all its v a r i o u s bearings.
Bight here it will be in p l a c e to o b s e r v e that G o e t h e , l i k e B a u s t , p l u n g e d
h i m s e l f into l i f e . G o e t h e was the hero of l i f e , i n sharp d i s t i n c t i o n from Spi
n o z a , w h o s e bent of mind p r o m o t e d him to avoid all c o n t a c t with the world.
U h i l e the one built up his p h i l o s o p h y on e x p e r i e n c e , t h e other bas e d his upon
m a t h e m a t i c a l s p e c u l a t i o n s . W h i l e ?pinoza d efined God as S u b s t a n c e , G o e t h e
c o n c e i v e d of Him as the i n d w e l l i n g spirit of the u n i v e r s e . T h e p h i l o s o p h y of
of S p inoza is a closed s y s t e m , t b s t of G o e t h e is one of b e c o m i n g and he sees
in the world c o n t i n u o u s d e v e l o p m e n t . H i s idea of G o d * e v e n u n d e r g o e s m o d i f i
c a t i o n s in the co u r s e of t i me.He was a p a n t h e i s t , b u t instead of i d e n t i f y i n g
God with the w o r l d , a s S pinoza did,God is to him ra t h e r the a l l - p e r v a d i n g
S p i r i t . I n his later y e a r s , G o e t h e a p p r o a c h e d to a kind of t h e i s m , t h o u g h never
r e n o u n c i n g his p a n t h e i s t i c views.
But let us return to Bauet! Vere s p e c u l a t i o n s , s u c h is B a u s t ' s conclusion,
do not lead to h a p p i n e s s , b u t one must act in a c c o r d a n c e with the G o s p e l thst
finds e x p r e s s i o n in the altered words of P t . J o h n , " I n the b e g i n n i n g was the
d e e d . ? Bau s t stands for the p h i l o s o p h y of life and a c t i o n . H e p l u n g e s h i m s e l f
i nto life.
M e p h i s t o ap p e a r s on the scene,the e m b o d i m e n t of all the d e s t r u c t i v e agencies,
811 the e v i l s , d e l u s i o n s and m i s e r i e s that afflict m a n k i n d . H e is the spirit that
e v e r n e g a t e s , a i m i n g at d e s t r u c t i o n rather than c r e a t i o n . Y e t w h i l e he in t e n d s
to do e v i l , h e ever e f f e c t s the o p p o s i t e . A c c o m p a n i e d by t b i s fiG e i s t , der stets v e r
nei n t ", Baust e m pties the cup of w o r l d l y p l e a s u r e s to the very d r e g s . l t is here
that the c h a r a c t e r of G r e t c h e n d e mands a word of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . " T h e beautiful,
d e v o t e d , a c t i v e l y u s e f u l , s e l f + r e n o u n c i n g w o a m n , e v e r giv i n g forth self in c r e a t i v e
65
drama. " :*
The d r a m a t i c scene now f o llows.lt c u l m i n a t e s in the death of G r e t c b e n , b e r
m o t h e r , b r o t h e r and c h i l d . I h e u n h a p p y , f a t a l o u t c o m e is due to the d e s t r u c t i v e
e f f e c t of the false idea of t b e " rigbt to the p ursuit of haotiiness, as well as
to the wrong c o n c e p t i o n s whi c h society has with r e f e r e n c e to moral standards.
G r e t c h e n v o l u n t a r i l y s u r r e n d e r s her mo r t a l life to the j u d g m e n t of G o d " , a n d
by this final act of s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n she b e c o m e s i m m o r t a l . S h e has come to
b e in accord with the c r e a t i v e p o w e r , a n d she is saved.
The D r i n c i p l e of s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n , a n d a w illing s u r r e n d e r to the higher
l a w s , h o w e v e r u n d e r s t o o d and d e f i n e d , i s asserted by G o e t h e also in nla i n
t e r m s , o u t s i d e of any d r a m a t i c s e t t i n g . l t was in B e b r u a r y , 1 8 1 4 , that G o e t h e
w r o t e to B i e m e r , " T h e moral is an e t ernal attempt to pa c i f y our o e r s o n a l de
m a n d s and adat them to the laws of an invis i b l e r e a l m . T o w a r d s the end of the
e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,m o r a l i t y had become slack and s l a v i s h , a s men would su b j e c t
it to w a v e r i n g c a l c u l a t i o n s of a mere theory of the right to the D u r s u i t of
hanDiness.ifant first g rasped and c o m p r e h e n d e d the subject in its s u o e r n a t u r a l
s i g n i f i c a n c e in bis theory of the C a t e g o r i c a l I m p e r a t i v e ; a n d , t h o u g h he may
h a v e o v e r s t r a i n e d this idea in giving it e x n r e s s i o n , y e t he rendered an i m m o r t a l
s e r v i c e in b r i n g i n g us out cf thst w e a k n e s s into whi c h we had s u n k e n .
M t h a nother Q u o t a t i o n from G o e t h e s orose w r i t i n g s , w e may f i t t i n g l y c o n
c l u d e the d i s c u s s i o n of the first part of B a u s t . Cn the <Sth of April,.1818,he
w r o t e to V u e l l e r as f o l l o w s : " I f one o b s e r v e s the i m p u l s e s and a ctione of m a n
kind for t h o u s a n d s of y e a r s , o n e may r e c o g n i z e some u n i v e r s a l f o r m u l a s that ever1
from all t i m e , h a v e e x e r c i s e d a mag i c pow e r over wh o l e n a t i o n a l s well as ove r
s i n g l e i n d i v i d u a l s ; a n d these f o r m u l a s , e t e r n a l l y r e t u r n i n g amid t h o u s a n d s of
- + - - - - - - - 1
------ -
A n d r e w s , K . t o G.F. 51.
66
,*
* _*
* * * * * *
67.
m a n y b e a u t i f u l i l l u s t r a t i o n s of an a e s t h e t i c and a r t i s t i c n a t u r e . H e l e n a r e p r e
se n t s the Gre e k type of b e a u t y . T h e l e a d i n g thought is the y e a r n i n g for inner
harmony. This is r e v ealed to Baust in the hour of d e a t h . N o t k n o w l e d g e , n o t
e n j o y m e n t , n o t w e a l t h , n o r l i b e r t y , b u t the contest for p o s s e s s i o n , t h e s t r iving
for f o r t u n e , t h e inner c o n t e n t m e n t which work itself o f f e r s , t h e L 3 E L , i s the
f o r t u n e , t h e Gluck of man. The s e thoughts find e x p r e s s i o n in the f o l l o w i n g
w o r d s of Baust:
!,tas ist der W e i s h e i t l e t z t e r Schluss:
Nur der v e r d i e n t sich B r e ibeit wie das leben,
Eer t glich sie er o b e r n muss.
2um A u g e n b l i c k e drft'1 ich sagen:
V e r w e i l e d o ch,du b ist so schon!
Bs kann die pur von me i n e n f r d e n t a g e n
Nicht in Aeonen u n t e r g e h n . " *)
"At the v e r y b e g i n n i n g of the d r a m a , w h i c h opens wit h a m u s i c a l prelude,
we see the figure of Bau s t suffering from the t o r m e n t s of re m o r s e for the
d e s t r u c t i v e n e s s caused by his l e aving the "one right way" of action s e r v i c e
able to the c r e a t i v e t e n d e n c y of life.-" *)
68 .
r
:
e w s . ,
,,
son in c h o r u s , a s of old,,.
%ith br o t h e r s p heres is s g y n d i n g still,
i n d . o y . i t 8 t h u n d e r o u s orbit rolled,
Eotn its a p p o i n t e d course fulfill.
l a u s t , Frologue.
69.
G e w a h r t n o p h Saum zu g r o s s e n laten;
i r s t a u n e n s w r d i g e s soll geraten,
Ich f&ble Kraft zu kh n e m i l e i a s . 1'
G o e t h e ^ t b e T e a c h e r of the I m m a n e n t G o d , a s Seen in Bis Poetry.
The r e l i g i o n of the poet is the p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e l i g i o n of awe and r e v e r e n c e
*
70.
F o r e v e r alternating. **
Tr.by T b . M a rtin.
71
to the complex,
72.
In glanc i n g o ver the whole of the o r g a n i c w o r l d , t h e noet sees and feels life
everywhere,.and yet the one law is in the >11.This t h ought f i l l e d A W i t h in
t e n s e .1oy,and induced binr irore and wor e to study *das gebeinrnisvolle Wirken
der N a t u r . She was to bin) the m y s t e r i o u s w o r k s h o p of the d i v i n i t y ; h e r laws
w e r e forboded by the u c e t , b e r activity e x p e r i e n c e d by hiir.Still irore,
"Jede F f l a n z e v e r k n d i g t dir die ewigen Gesetze,
Jede Eluire,3ie snricbt lauter und l a u t e r mit dir.
Aber e n t z i f f e r s t du hier dur Gttin he i l i g e Lettern,
b e r a l l 3iehst du sie d a n n , a u c h im v e r n d e r t e n 2ug."
In a n o t h e r roerr. e n t itled " H e l t s e e l e and n u b l i s h e d in l C 3,the poet finds even
the p a r t i c l e of dust filled with life:
"Ind jedes S p a u b c h e n lebt."
* \ e t a n r o r p h o 8 9 d e r P f l a n z e n , 1?9E.
73
C h a p t e r 9.
lAe have le a r n e d
* C a ru M o d ,0 .J S 8 .
" 0 } h
e| >
74
75.
d r i t t e n in 177 4 . - T r . b y H.E.
76.
78
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
G o e t h e s Werke.
2. Spinoza,.ithica.
8.
P e r r y , A p p r o a c h to F h i l o s o p h y , G h . 1,F . 5 1 .
C a r l y l e , B s s a v on Gosthe.
BIBLIOGRAPHY