Cover of the book Elective Affinities
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Elective Affinities

byJohann Wolfgang von Goethe

Who is this book for? Readers interested in classic literature, themes of love and conflict, and character-driven narratives.

Topics LoveConflictFate and Destiny
MoodReflective, Tragic
RomanceMajor Subplot
Explicit scenesSuggestive Themes
In Elective Affinities Goethe conducts an experiment with the lives of people who are living badly. Charlotte and Eduard, aristocracts with little to occupy them, invite Ottilie and the Captain into their lives; against morality, good sense, and conscious volition all four are drawn into relationships as inexorably as if they were substances in a chemical equation.The novel asks whether we have free will or not; more disturbingly, it confronts its characters with the monstrous consequences of their repression of any real life in themselves. Goethe wrote Elective Affinities when he was sixty and long established as Germany's literary giant. He remained an uneasy and scandalous figure, none the less, and readers of Elective Affinities were profoundly disturbed by its penetrating study of marriage and passion. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Language

en

Published on

10/09/2008

Pages

272

Format

Paperback

ISBN

9780199555369

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