The Sorrows of Young Werther

The Sorrows of Young Werther (in German, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers), written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a semi-autobiographical epistolary novel published in 1774. The story unfolds through a series of letters penned by the eponymous protagonist, Werther, and mainly chronicles his experiences in the small town of Wahlheim. Werther, a sensitive and idealistic young man, arrives in the town and becomes enamored with Lotte, a local magistrate’s daughter. His unrequited love becomes a source of immense personal suffering that leads him into a melancholic spiral with tragic consequences. The Sorrows of Young Werther is a seminal work in the Sturm und Drang literary movement, emphasizing individualism, intense emotions, and conflict with society.

This guide references the 1989 paperback edition published by Penguin Classics, translated by Michael Hulse.

Content Warning: This guide contains references to sexual assault, suicidal ideation, and death by suicide.

Plot Summary

Werther, a young, middle-class gentleman, leaves home in the spring of 1771. Despite his family’s expectation that he will secure a job in government, Werther wants to pursue art. Werther describes his newfound happiness and contentment with leaving his previous surroundings behind in a series of letters to his friend Wilhelm. Werther finds solace in the natural beauty surrounding the town where he now resides and spends his days wandering and contemplating grand thoughts about nature and existence. His letters reveal his immersion in the simplicity of rural life, finding joy in rustic humor and entertainment.

A significant turning point comes when Werther meets Lotte in the town of Wahlheim. Despite her engagement to another man, Albert, Werther becomes infatuated with her. To Wilhelm, Werther praises Lotte’s kindness, beauty, and intellect. As Werther’s infatuation deepens, he struggles with his emotions and acknowledges his childish longing for her attention. He finds consolation in the slightest signs of reciprocation from Lotte, who is aware of his feelings but cannot fully share them. Werther’s turmoil escalates when Albert arrives, and Werther contemplates leaving Wahlheim to escape his unrequited love. After much consideration, Werther agrees to take a position working for an ambassador that Wilhelm has arranged for him.

Werther clashes with his new boss and, to Wilhelm, expresses disdain for the aristocratic milieu in which he finds himself. An advocate for radical sincerity, he dislikes the artificiality of social convention and despises the dissimulation necessary for advancement. He does befriend Count C. and Miss von B.—and begins courting the latter; however, his comparison of her to Lotte demonstrates that he has not truly moved on. This is also clear when he has an outburst upon learning of Albert and Lotte’s wedding. He faces rejection and social ostracism when he intrudes on a party he was not invited to at the Count’s house. Isolated and agitated, Werther contemplates drastic measures before ultimately resigning from his position and going to live at a hunting lodge with another patron. However, Werther is also discontented with this situation—he believes the prince values his abilities over his heart—and ultimately decides to return to Wahlheim.

Back in Wahlheim, Werther becomes increasingly unstable, fantasizing that his relations with Lotte had turned out differently and imagining that a love letter she wrote to Albert was addressed to him instead. When she is upset by this revelation, he realizes he has crossed a boundary. However, his feelings continue to intensify and Werther is increasingly isolated. He becomes fixated on the impermanence of happiness and the meaninglessness of existence. His mental state deteriorates further when he meets Heinrich, a man consumed by delusions of love for Lotte as well. The final straw is the arrest of the farmer lad, who also had his own unrequited love and committed murder out of jealousy. When Werther cannot save him, he finally breaks completely. In these sections, Werther’s mental distress is so marked that an “Editor” begins to intervene to fill in plot details and add context to the letters of Werther and others.

In his final days, largely narrated by the Editor, the people around Werther attempt to encourage him toward better behavior. Lotte finally attempts to establish boundaries between them, telling him to move on and forget about his feelings for her. Concerned about his friend’s well-being, Wilhelm also writes that he is visiting him. All attempts to help Werther fail, and after borrowing Albert’s pistols, Werther shoots himself. He remains in a critical state for hours before he dies from his wounds. He is buried where he requested, in the churchyard, but neither Lotte nor Albert attend his funeral.