Goethe’s Five Best Quotes Not To Be Missed

Some of the best quotes in all of German literature come from Goethe. Here we are going to Goethe’s five best quotes with you. This great man of letters was not only a writer but also a poet, playwright and researcher. Goethe’s wisdom ranges from medicine to theology, physics to poetry.

Although the climax of his literary career was Fausto, he also wrote the controversial epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther . It became so popular that it unleashed a wave of youth suicides, which was named the “Werther effect”.

Goethe never stopped learning and being interested in the world during his entire life. His peculiarities can be seen in the Sturm und Drang movement, a forerunner of literary romance.

Goethe’s five best quotes

What characterizes this great man’s writing? Unrest with modern societies, allusions to witchcraft and the devil, and sentimental exaltation. Goethe’s five best quotes that we will share with you now are full of wisdom and intelligence.

For Goethe, the past must be in the past. It’s not enough to just not think. We must act according to this philosophy of life. He himself fell into terrible depression due to the French Revolution. He did not understand why social institutions should change, much less why blood was shed because of it.

Staying trapped in the past only creates problems, and it does not allow us to appreciate the happiness we have in the present. Darker times are coming, but for now, enjoy what you have.

Personal growth

Goethe talks here about how everyone wants to be recognized and admired, but no one thinks about reflecting on themselves as a person. When they gain fame and fortune, people stop improving and perfecting themselves. They stagnate and forget to grow, trapped under the ruins of their own vanity.

If we think more about growing than being, the world may become a better place. Giving up your potential for compliance is a big mistake.

It is ironic that a member of Sturm und Drang says such a thing. Goethe had a rather impulsive character. He was creative, curious, restless, and that was why he triumphed. And he believed that loneliness and moments of isolation were necessary for any person who wanted to have some intellectual virtue.

All of us need quality time for ourselves. In order to mature intellectually, there must be a balance between activity and rest. Otherwise we will not be able to achieve something worth our time.

More quotes

With this quote, Goethe sums up the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. According to the Greek legend, creating Pygmalion, a sculptor from Cyprus, e n sculpture based on his ideal woman. He worships it so that Aphrodite, the protector of Cyprus, feels pity for him and converts the sculpture into a real woman.

In fact, this myth is the basis of the famous Pygmalion effect: If you treat a person as a mistake, even if they excel in their work, they will end up failing. On the other hand, if you encourage them and allow them to believe that they can do so, their own behavior will cause them to triumph.

Again, Goethe hits the nail on the head with the latest on our list of Goethe’s five best quotes. People believe that they are always better than others, but the moment of truth reveals everything. Learning to love yourself is fundamental, as long as you do not cross the line into arrogance.

No genius is admired as much as she who is humble and does not need constant approval. A person who uses deceit, exaggeration and selfishness to impress others does not deserve envy.