The Sorrows of Young Werther

Werther considers the bad weather during the week of February 8 to be a blessing because he is spared unwanted social interactions. He reflects that people spoil things, including health, fame, and happiness, despite having good intentions. He expresses frustration at their self-destructive tendencies. On February 17, he describes the deterioration of his working relationship with the ambassador. He finds the ambassador’s way of conducting business ridiculous and often has to contradict him, leading to arguments. The minister recently reprimanded him due to the ambassador’s complaints. Despite contemplating resignation, he decides against it after receiving a letter acknowledging his sense of duty and perseverance in business. The letter seeks to soothe Werther and encourages moderation rather than the destruction of his passionate drive. As a result, Werther finds contentment but wishes that such states were less transient.

Werther addresses the letter of February 20 to Albert and, more indirectly, to Lotte, congratulating them on their marriage. He confesses that he had been waiting to hear about the wedding date so that he could mark it by taking Lotte’s silhouette from the wall, but is grateful not to know about it until after it happened. Lotte’s picture remains on Werther’s wall. He affirms that he must hold at least second place in Lotte’s heart.

Werther’s employment and social situations continue to deteriorate during the spring, culminating in his resignation from his post and departure. On March 15, Werther recounts a distressing incident that occurred at the Count’s house. He had dined with the Count on a day when the “nobility” usually came to the Count’s home later in the evening. The arrival of Lady von S. with her husband and daughter reminds Werther of everything he hates about the aristocracy, but before he can take leave of the gathering, Miss von B. enters the room. He talks to her, but she seems uncomfortable during their conversation. The situation becomes more awkward, and Werther slowly realizes that many of the guests are whispering about him. The Count politely asks Werther to leave, and he complies, though not without suffering from the insult.

The next day, he falls further into despair. He encounters Miss von B., who says she suffered during the gathering and scolds him for tarnishing her reputation among other members of the nobility. She warns him that there will be further repercussions for his “arrogance” from those who want to put him in his place. An isolated and agitated Werther contemplates murder and self-harm. On March 24, he announces his resignation to Wilhelm and asks him to tell his mother. Despite potential career advancements in the position, he emphasizes his inability to help himself, let alone others. He reveals that a prince has taken a liking to him and has invited him to stay at his hunting lodge for the season. Werther sees this as an opportunity to be his own master and agrees to go. Werther avoids replying to Wilhelm again until April 19, worried that his mother might intervene to prevent his resignation. On May 5, he leaves the town and intends to revisit his birthplace.

Werther becomes increasingly restless in May and June and repeatedly refers to himself as a “pilgrim” and a “wanderer.” The May 9 letter relates his visit to his hometown. He describes the changes in the village, expressing disappointment in new additions and alterations. Werther feels a deep connection to the old schoolroom, now converted into a shop, and contemplates the stream and the farm. He questions the importance of rote knowledge compared to his intimate connection with nature on his own land. Two weeks later, writing from the prince’s hunting lodge, Werther reveals that he had planned to enter the military, but has now officially abandoned the plan because of the prince’s objections. By June 11, Werther is restless and dissatisfied. The prince is well-meaning but does not provide Werther with the intellectual or artistic stimulation he desires. The brief letters of June 16 and 18 reaffirm Werther’s status as a “wanderer” and suggest that, despite a stated intention to visit some mines, Werther is really planning to return to Wahlheim.

Werther’s return to Wahlheim reactivates his mental distress. More than a month elapses before he writes to Wilhelm, and the letter itself (July 29) is disconnected and frantic. He claims that Lotte would have been happier with him and that Albert cannot possibly satisfy her. Still, he admits that Albert loves her entirely. His despair deepens when, on August 4, he reports to Wilhelm that the younger son of the family he met in May of the previous year has died, and the husband has returned from Switzerland without the hoped-for inheritance. Although he can’t provide a solution, Werther offers a small gift before leaving. As he revisits familiar places, he writes on August 21, he likens his feelings to that of a departed prince witnessing the decline of his palace. He experiences fleeting moments of happiness, often disrupted by darker thoughts. The one-sentence letter of September 3 reveals that Werther does not fully grasp the fact that Lotte loves Albert more than him. On September 4, Werther recounts his meeting with the farmer lad who had been in love with his employer, but who at present is unemployed and shunned by the community. The young man confesses to Werther that his repressed feelings led to the sexual assault. The widow’s brother, who had always been suspicious of the farmer lad, expelled him from the house and made it impossible for him to continue the affair. Werther continues to sympathize with his commitment to his love, even as he makes the effort to write an unusually calm letter.