Nature and the “Dark Pastoral” in Goethe’s Werther

Sullivan, Heather I.

doi:10.1353/gyr.2015.0024

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

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“…From her perspective, there is no vantage point from which humans can stand back and observe nature apart from themselves; we are all "in the mesh" together. 45 Sullivan focuses on Goethe's Sufferings of Young Werther (Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, 1774), whose publication date coincides with the beginnings of the industrial revolution, the expansion of European imperialism, and the advent of the epoch now known as the Anthropocene. As Dipesh Chakrabarty explains, humans have always been biological agents, but since the eighteenth century they have taken on new powers: "In unwittingly destroying the artificial but timehonored distinction between natural and human histories, climate scientists posit that the human being has become something much larger than the simple biological agent that he or she always has been.…”

Section: Conclusion: Humboldt and The Anthropocenementioning

confidence: 99%

Alexander von Humboldt's Views of Nature: Colonial Conquests, Intra-European Conflicts, and the Indifference of Nature

Kontje¹

2022

German Studies Review

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This essay explores Alexander von Humboldt's Views of Nature (Ansichten der Natur). In this complex text, Humboldt endorses the European civilizing mission and shares some of its prejudices, but also criticizes the collateral damage that results from conquest and colonialism; he embraces the Enlightenment but acknowledges its dialectic; he recommends nature as the cure for civilizations in conflict, but recognizes that human cultures can also corrupt nature; and he offers comfort for the German nation even as he suggests that civilizations are ephemeral and nature is indifferent to their plight.Wenn so etwas wirklich geschähe, würde das Universum enden.Dem Universum, sagte der Arbeiter, sei das scheißegal. 1On September 14, 2019, Berlin celebrated Alexander von Humboldt's 250th birthday. The Humboldt Forum hosted a two-day series of lectures, performances, and roundtable discussions in its namesake's honor, kicking off a year-long series of events to pay tribute to the famous explorer and his brother Wilhelm. The German Historical Museum opened a major exhibit celebrating the Humboldt brothers as German cosmopolitans in an age of colonialism. The Museum for Natural History focused on Alexander's work as a geologist and mineralogist, while Berlin's Botanical Garden highlighted Humboldt's work as a naturalist. Bookstores featured Humboldt's collected works in multivolume editions, and the Humboldt Forum projected light shows and enticed visitors with virtual reality displays. Visiting artists were brought in from Bogota, Quito, and Siberia to honor the explorer, DJs hosted Latin American dances, and audiences enjoyed performances of Humboldt! Das Musical.

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Section: Conclusion: Humboldt and The Anthropocenementioning

confidence: 99%