The Sorrows of Young Werther

Werther’s vacillating attachment to the poetry of Homer and, later, of Ossian, indexes his mental state. At the beginning of the novel, Werther finds solace in the calming verses of Homer, particularly the Odyssey. He deliberately seeks it out as a sanctuary to calm his constantly turbulent emotions. However, as his infatuation with Lotte intensifies, he turns away from Homer and focuses on Ossian. The presentation of Homer’s poetry as a gift from Lotte and Albert on Werther’s birthday marks a pivotal moment in the narrative. By this juncture, Werther’s once peaceful existence has been irrevocably disrupted by his burgeoning feelings for Lotte. By the end of the book, his focus shifts to Ossian. While the poems were later revealed to be the work of the contemporary Scottish poet James Macpherson, in 1771 and 1772, the years the novel takes place, they were widely popular and attributed to an ancient Gaelic poet named Ossian. Werther’s translation of the poems into German is meant to portray him as an intelligent and scholarly person. Ossian depicts wild landscapes Werther imagines himself wandering through, hearing spirits, and witnessing the lamentations of maidens.