COMPARE AND CONTRAST GOETHE AND TAGORE’S IDEAS ON WORLD LITERATURE

World literature touches the totality of the world’s national literature and the circulation of
works into the wide world beyond the country of origin. There were lots of theories and concepts that
were considered in emphasizing world literature. The two influential Johann Wollfgang von Goethe and
Tagore have their contribution in the literature. Goethe like Tagore was “Augenmensch” (deriving
aesthetic pleasure mainly through the eyes), Goethe tried to break away from the ornamental archaic
and florid poetry that went before him to achieve a realistic presentation of words. The realism that
Goethe achieved is what we call the classical form today. In the same way Tagore came to a clear and
lucid style of prose which was basically realistic form of prose. Though a romantic at heart, Tagore tried
to break away from overwrought symbolism. Goethe and Tagore were born in an old world order and
tried to from a transition to modernity.

Goethe (1749-1832) is acclaimed as the national poet of the German people. Similarly, Nobel
Laureate Tagore (1861-1941) is viewed as the poet of the Bengalis- perhaps the poet of the
subcontinent. But their eminence is not the only thing that allows for comparison. They both stand at the
transition from tradition to modernity. Rabindranath Tagore, a poet who is equal to Goethe. Both are
universal geniuses. Goethe excelled in literature and natural sciences like geography, physics and
chemistry he is also progressed in these sciences according to his own experiments and observations of
nature. While Tagore has combined music with dance and literature. Though the theatre Goethe and
Tagore wanted to bring in various other arts on stage- through music, dancing, costumes and theatre
props, bringing in a new cultural push. Goethe translated and adapted plays from other languages as
well. Tagore did the same for his own aesthetic consciousness, giving Bengali culture the shape that it
has now.” While Goethe emphasizes the productive possibilities of an international community of writers
and readers, he does so with the understanding that national identifications are still powerful. It is, in
part, as a result of violent conflicts between nation that World Literature becomes possible. However, his
name is strongly linked to the concept of World Literature. Tagore considered ‘time’ as the best judge,
he conceptualized world literature as a master mansion without a planned structure. Literature is our
world.