Goethe: The Intellectual Titan Who Ignited Europe’s Imagination

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe?(1749—1832), a?colossus in?German?and?world literature, was one of?the?most dazzling polymaths of?his time. His figure dominated the?European?intellectual world in?the?late 18th and?early 19th centuries. Today he is mostly known for his drama?Faust, but the?scope of?his collected works runs to?143 volumes.

Goethe?contributed largely as a?poet, novelist, playwright, botanist, geologist, optical scientist, politician, philosopher, literary historian, art critic, theorist, and?collector.

Being the?son of?wealthy intellectual parents, he had a?strong educational background. Johann Goethe?grew up in?a?comfortable environment full of?love and?understanding. He was homeschooled with the?help of?the?best teachers of?his city, and?studied foreign languages (ancient Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, English, Italian), the?sciences, and?was fond of?drawing. In?addition, his curriculum included equestrian?sports, fencing, dancing, playing the?piano and?cello. Later Johann graduated from law school and?was entitled to?advocacy, which was in?fact not among his favorite subjects.

Johann Wolfgang Goethe?turned into?a?star at?a?young age. The?epistolary novel The?Sorrows of?Young Werther became Goethe's first bestseller throughout Europe in?1774, when he was just 25 years old. The?book was so popular that?an?entire generation dressed like the?book’s main?character. Goethe?became a?pan-European?cultural figure.

The?versatile young man?was a?skillful painter since his childhood and?his excellent technique was of?great?use to?him in?documenting his scientific research.

And?science was his passion! Sometimes he even considered himself more of?a?scientist than?a?poet or writer. As an?attentive observer and?researcher, he once made a?spectacular discovery with a?paradigm shift: during his anatomy investigations he discovered the?intermaxillary bone in?humans, which had already been demonstrated in?other mammalian?species. This discovery contributed to?the?fact that?the?creation history valid up to?that?time, which had assumed a?special position for humans, was questioned. A?man?of?endless curiosity, he confessed:

"Curiosity keeps me alive - the?interest in?that?which goes beyond the?limitation of?my experience. It makes me grow by taking me to?my limit and?letting me see and?go beyond it. Thinking what?is unthinkable, experiencing what?seems incomprehensible - until a?new picture of?reality emerges from the?abundance of?possibilities.... Whatever you can?do and?dream, you can?start with it. In?boldness dwells creativeness, strength, and?magic."

Goethe’s blend of?artistic and?scientific interests inspired him to?work systematically on the?effect and?properties of?colors and?light. For instance, he discovered that?there existed not only black, but that?“color itself is a?degree of?darkness.” However, Goethe's interest in?his investigations was not so much the?description of?a?physical theory of?light, but rather a?theory about the?human?sensory perception of?light and?colors. He wanted to?depict nothing less than?the?entire appearance of?colors in?psychology, philosophy, painting, and?physics, the?"colors in?themselves.” Imagine, Goethe?spent 40 years working on his theory of?colors!

Goethe?also conducted meteorological studies and?gave important input to?this field. He took wind measurements and?tried to?track down the?origins of?the?weather by recording and?analyzing various air pressure situations. In?botany, his curious mind went on to?explore questions like: Could the?infinite variety of?flora?be traced back to?an?original plant? How have the?many species of?flowers, trees, and?shrubs come to?exist? His work Metamorphosis of?Plants reportedly influenced Charles Darwin. Goethe?was fascinated by mineralogy, his collections of?minerals contained 17,800 findings and?the?mineral goethite (iron oxide) is named after him.

Architecture was also among his interests. In?1773 he wrote his famous and?often-quoted essay on architectural theory On German?Architecture, which stood in?opposition to?the?reigning canon of?architectural taste of?his time.

One of?the?most remarkable sides of?Goethe?was his sincere interest in?Islam and?the?Prophet Mohammed; he even discussed it at?the?legendary breakfast with his prominent fan, Napoleon. Goethe?spent decades studying the Qur'an, the?Prophet Mohammed, and?especially aspects of?the?Muslim faith. The?West-Eastern Diwan became Goethe’s last great?collection of?poems from 1819 to?1827. It is also considered a?masterpiece of?German?poetry in?the?Islamic world. The?fascination with the?Orient, however, did not fit into?the?image that?an?increasingly nationalistic posterity had of?Goethe?in?the?19th century. Even today's biographies downplay this part of?his legacy.

Last but not least, the?polymathic side of?Johann Wolfgang von Goethe?was his actual “job” - the?German?titan?of?Enlightenment worked as a?civil servant for the?Duke of?Weimar, being in?charge of?diverse things such as finances and?warfare. This work gave him hands-on experience in?social and?political matters.

Goethe’s ideas were a?catalyst for the?globalization of?thoughts at?that?time, and?he had a?huge influence across Europe. Over the?next century, his works remained a?major source to?music, drama, poetry, and?philosophy; His creation Dr. Faust may be the?best literary archetype illustrating an?inquiring polymath.

Explore other fascianting polymaths and the phenomenon of polymathy in "WHY POLYMATHS?", get your copy here.