A review by seabre
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

3.0

I'm not sure what to say nor what to write at the moment.

some parts that struck me for some reason:
[...]was as much frightened as any of them; but by affecting courage, to keep up the spirits of the others, I forgot my apprehensions. - Charlotte [pt1]

Could you by see me, my dear Charlotte, in the whirl of dissipation, -- hw my senses are dried up, but my heart is at no time full. I enjoy no single moment of happinenss; all is vain -- nothing touches me. I stand, as it were, before the raree-show: I see the little puppets move, and I ask whether it is not an optical illusion. I am amused with these puppets, or, rather, I am myself one of them: but, when I sometimes grasp my neighbour's hand, I feel that it is not natural; and I withdraw mine with a shudder. In the evening I say I will enjoy the next morning's sunrise, and yet I remain in bed: in the day I promise to ramble by moonlight; and I, nevertheless, remain at home. I know not why I rise, not why I go to sleep.
The leaven which animated my existence is gone: the charm which cheered me in the gloom of night, and aroused me from my morning slumbers, is for ever fled. - Werther [pt2]


I will say this, the story within the book about Ossian in part 2, it became a blur. I skipped that part and did a shortcut; even though, yes, that was sort of the climactic part ...there was also so much going on, that it sort of ruined the story/mood of the whole thing for me. Buzzkill?! The way Werther died at end or how he sort of died, was probably not how he wanted it. You know 12 hours later after he shot himself, instead of dead on the scene right away. Some may think that his suicide may be selfish, but those "suicide is selfish" comment seem just that. maybe it's selfish, maybe it's cruel to leave your loved ones behind. but it should be everyone's own decision whether they want to live or not. It is selfish to keep someone who doesn't want to exist around just you don't feel sad.

I'll come back and rate/review some more....once everything sinks in.