Klassik weimarer

Overview of the Classical Period (1786-1805)

The term "classical" derives from the Latin word "classicus," which originally indicated a social classification. In Rome, "classici" referred to those in the highest tax bracket. However, around 170 AD, the Roman writer Gellius expanded the definition to include remarkable authors, thereby associating "classical" with the idea of being exemplary or model-like. In literature, several eras are considered "classical," including the entire Greek-Roman Antiquity, the Renaissance in Italy (represented by Dante and Tasso), the 16th and 17th centuries in Spain (Cervantes and Calderón), and the Elizabethan Age in England (Shakespeare). Thus, the peak of European literature can be termed as a "classical epoch."

In the German-speaking world, two classical periods are noted. The first can be traced back to around 1200, corresponding to the ruling Hohenstaufen dynasty, referred to as the "Staufische Klassik." A second flourishing period arose around 1800, wherein "classical" literature also pertained to works referencing the formal and thematic elements of antiquity. The term "Deutsche Klassik" is chiefly associated with figures like Goethe and Schiller; nonetheless, many other literary movements were prominent at that time, including popular literature and the writings of the German Jacobins and late Enlightenment thinkers. It is therefore more precise to refer to the literature of Goethe and Schiller specifically as the "Weimar Classicism."

Two significant events frame the timeline of Weimar Classicism: Goethe's Italian journey in 1786—a period of direct engagement with Rome’s historical legacy—and the post-1805 period following Schiller's death, during which Goethe turned away from their shared classical ideals, leaning towards Romanticism in his late works.

Classical Epochs in Literature

• Circa 500 BC: Classical Athenian period with authors like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

• Around the Time of Christ: Roman epoch during Augustus featuring Vergil, Horace, and Ovid.

• Circa 1200: Staufische Klassik represented by poets such as Walther von der Vogelweide and Hartmann von Aue.

• 13th-16th Century: Italian Renaissance, notably with Dante and Tasso.

• 16th/17th Century: French Classicism represented by Racine, Corneille, and Molière.

• Elizabethan Age: Shakespeare in England.

• Siglo d'Oro (Golden Age): Cervantes and Calderón in Spain.

• Around 1800: German Classical period dominated by Goethe, Schiller, Hölderlin, and Kleist.

• 19th/20th Century: Considered "modern classics" with writers like Kafka and Thomas Mann.

Political Situation Around 1800

The era leading up to 1800 was characterized by political unrest and profound upheaval. The crisis of the Ancien Régime in France cast a shadow over the German Empire. The impacts of the French Revolution were significant here as well, evidenced by the Jacobin rule in Mainz. Initially, the call for liberty, equality, and fraternity sparked enthusiasm within the German Reich, but growing chaos and the ensuing terror soon led to a critical rejection of the revolution.

The German intelligentsia exhibited divergent responses following the assassination of Louis XVI. Figures such as Schiller, Goethe, and Kant distanced themselves from the revolution amid the September massacres, while Herder maintained his commitment to its ideals. Georg Forster, a natural philosopher and travel writer, was drawn to Paris, finding the revolutionary events to be fascinating and significant.

Goethe envisioned an ideal cosmopolitan culture aimed at achieving the harmonious perfection of mankind, believing that art should compensate the bourgeoisie for their exclusion from politics.

Cultural Preconditions for Classical German Literature

Multiple conditions facilitated the emergence of a classical German literature. The emotional culture of sensibility influenced the spirit of the times, as did the radical subjectivism of Sturm und Drang, the rational orientation of the Enlightenment, and the subsequent secularization of intellectual life. The philosophical works of Idealism had a decisive impact, alongside the aesthetic studies by Johann Joachim Winckelmann.

Immanuel Kant profoundly influenced late 18th and 19th-century writers; Schiller, Kleist, and the Schlegel brothers followed his theoretical propositions. In "Critique of Pure Reason" (1781), Kant discussed human cognitive capabilities and posited that absolute knowledge could not be perceived—individuals are merely able to recognize manifestations of the Absolute, conditioned by their own historical contexts. This work particularly nourished Kleist's aesthetics. Kant's "Critique of Practical Reason" (1788) posits the categorical imperative: "Act in such a way that your maxims can always hold as universal law," asserting the intrinsic freedom of individuals and their obligation towards this imperative. Kant's third significant work, "Critique of Judgment" (1790), focuses on beauty, establishing the framework of subjective aesthetics and prioritizing the audience's reception over the artwork's inherent characteristics.

Winckelmann and the Influence on Classical Art

Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768), an art historian functioning as the custodian of antiquities in Rome, Florence, and Naples, provided seminal thoughts on the imitation of Greek art in painting and sculpture through works like "Thoughts on the Imitation of Greek Works in Painting and Sculpture" (1775) and "History of Ancient Art" (1764). He recognized timeless ideals of beauty in Greek art, in direct opposition to the perceived excesses of Baroque art, advocating for the notion of "noble simplicity and quiet grandeur" as representative of the ancient aesthetic.

Literature of the Classical Period

Goethe’s Development Towards Classicism

Goethe's classical period began with his Italian journey (1786-1788). This engagement with Roman antiquity, his interactions with artists like Tischbein, and extensive studies catalyzed a transformation in his literary approach, marking a departure from the ideas he formed during his earlier years in Leipzig and Frankfurt. His ten-year stay in Weimar allowed for increased engagement with political affairs, granting him a more nuanced perspective on societal and political issues than during his Sturm und Drang phase.

The influence of Charlotte von Stein, his aristocratic companion in Weimar, was crucial in Goethes' maturation and cultural understanding. During this productive initial decade in Weimar, he formulated early concepts for plays like "Tasso" and "Iphigenia."

Goethe felt constrained by Weimar, which prompted him to secretly travel to Italy in September 1786, where he sought inspiration and artistic rejuvenation. This two-year expedition significantly altered his artistic trajectory and solidified his classical aesthetic. In a letter to Duke Karl August, Goethe highlighted his newly acquired depth of understanding regarding art and its interpretations, marking a pivotal shift in his artistic philosophy.