Christoph Martin Wieland: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Weimar Anna Amalia [email protected]. Wieland.JPG|thumb|1805 portrait of Christoph Martin Wieland by [[Ferdinand Carl Christian Jagemann]]]]

'''Christoph Martin Wieland''' ({{IPA-de|ˈviːlant|lang}}; 5 September 1733 – 20 January 1813) was a [[German poet]] and writer, representative of literary [[Rococo#Literature|Rococo]]. He is best-remembered for having written the first ''[[Bildungsroman]]'' (''Geschichte des Agathon''),<ref>Swales, Martin. ''The German Bildungsroman from Wieland to Hesse''. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1978. 38.</ref> as well as the epic ''[[Oberon (poem)|Oberon]]'', which formed the basis for both [[Friederike Sophie Seyler]]'s [[Oberon (Seyler)|opera of the same name]] and [[Carl Maria von Weber]]'s [[Oberon (Weber)|opera of the same name]]. His thought was representative of the [[cosmopolitanism]] of the German [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]], exemplified in his remark: "Only a true cosmopolitan can be a good citizen."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rasmussen |first1=Dennis C. |title=The Pragmatic Enlightenment |date=2014 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=12}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Carter |first1=April |title=The Political Theory of Global Citizenship |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wellbery |first1=David E. |title=A New History of German Literature |url=https://archive.org/details/newhistoryofgerm00well |url-access=registration |date=2004 |publisher=Harvard University Press |pages=382–383|isbn=9780674015036 }}</ref> He was a key figure of [[Weimar Classicism]] and a collaborator of [[Abel Seyler]]'s [[Seyler theatrical company|theatre company]].

Christoph Martin Wieland was born in [[Oberholzheim]] (now part of [[Achstetten]]), half of which then belonged to the [[Free Imperial City]] of [[Biberach an der Riss]] and the other half to [[Gutenzell Abbey]] in the south-east of the modern-day state of [[Baden-Württemberg]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://achstetten.de/index.php/de/gemeinde/ortsteil-oberholzheim | title = Ortsteil Oberholzheim |last= |first= |author-link= | date = | publisher = Gemeinde Achstetten | language = Germande | page = | format = | accessdateaccess-date = 23 February 2019}}</ref>

His father, who was [[pastor]] in Oberholzheim and subsequently in Biberach, took great pains with his son's education. From the town school of Biberach he passed on at the age of twelve to the [[Kloster Berge school|Kloster Berge]] ''[[gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]]'', near [[Magdeburg]]. He was a precocious child, and when he left school in 1749 was widely read in the [[Latin]] classics and the leading contemporary French writers; amongst German poets his favourites were [[Barthold Heinrich Brockes|Brockes]] and [[Gottlieb Friedrich Klopstock|Klopstock]].<ref name="EB1911">{{citationEB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Wieland, neededChristoph Martin|datevolume=June28|pages=621–622|first=John George|last=Robertson|author-link=John George 2015Robertson}}</ref>

During the summer of 1750, he fell in love with a cousin, [[Sophie von La Roche|Sophie Gutermann]], and this love affair inspired him to plan his first ambitious work, ''Die Natur der Dinge'' (The Nature of Things, 1752), a [[Didacticism|didactic]] poem in six books. In 1750 he went to the [[University of Tübingen]] as a student of [[law]], but his time was mainly taken up with literary studies. The poems he wrote at the university — university—''Hermann'', an epic (published by F. Muncker, 1886), ''Zwölf moralische Briefe in Versen'' (Twelve Moral Letters in Verse, 1752), ''Anti-Ovid'' (1752)—are — are [[Pietism|pietistic]] in tone and dominated by the influence of Klopstock.<ref They attracted the attention of the Swiss literary reformer, [[Johann Jakob Bodmer|J. J. Bodmer]], who invited Wieland to visit him in [[Zürich]] in the summer of 1752.{{citation needed|datename=June 2015}}"EB1911"/>

Wieland's poetry attracted the attention of the Swiss literary reformer, [[Johann Jakob Bodmer|J. J. Bodmer]], who invited Wieland to visit him in [[Zürich]] in the summer of 1752. After a few months however, he felt little sympathy with Wieland as, two years earlier, he had felt himself with Klopstock, and the friends parted; but Wieland remained in Switzerland until 1760, spending the last year, at [[Bern]] where he obtained a position as private tutor. Here he became intimate with [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]]'s friend [[Julie de Bondeli]].{{citation<ref needed|datename=June 2015}}"EB1911"/>

Wieland's tastes had changed; the writings of his early Swiss years — years—''Der geprüfte Abraham'' (The Trial of Abraham's Faith, 1753), ''Sympathien'' (1756), ''Empfindungen eines Christen'' (1757) — were—were still in the manner of his earlier writings, but with the tragedies, ''Lady Johanna Gray'' (1758), and ''Clementina von Porretta'' (1760) — the—the latter based on [[Samuel Richardson]]'s ''Sir Charles Grandison'' — the—the epic fragment ''Cyrus'' (first five cantos, 1759), and the "moral story in dialogues", ''Araspes und Panthea'' (1760), Wieland, as [[Gotthold Lessing]] said, "forsook the ethereal spheres to wander again among the sons of men."<ref name="EB1911"/> In ''Cyrus'', he had been inspired by the deeds of [[Frederick the Great]] to write a poem exhibiting the ideal of a hero. ''Araspes und Panthea'' is based on an episode from the ''Cyropaedia'' of [[Xenophon]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Wieland's conversion was completed at Biberach, having returned in 1760 as director of the chancery. The monotony of his life here was relieved by the friendship of a [[Johann Philipp Stadion, Count von Warthausen|Count Stadion]], whose library in the castle of Warthausen, not far from Biberach, was well stocked with French and English literature. Wieland met again his early love Sophie Gutermann, who had become the wife of Hofrat La Roche, then manager of Count Stadion's estates.<ref name="EB1911"/>

In ''Don SylviaSylvio von Rosalva'' (1764), a romance in imitation of ''[[Don Quixote]]'', he held up to ridicule his earlier faith up to ridicule<ref>Martens, A. ''[https://archive.org/details/untersuchungenb00martgoog Untersuchungen über Wieland's Don Sylvio mit Berücksichtigung der übrigen Dichtungen der Biberacher Zeit]'' (1901)</ref> and in the ''Comische Erzählungen'' (1765) he gave his extravagant imagination only too free a rein.{{citation<ref needed|datename=June 2015}}"EB1911"/>

More important is the novel ''Geschichte des Agathon'' (1766–1767), in which, under the guise of a Greek fiction, Wieland described his own spiritual and intellectual growth. This work, which Lessing recommended as "a novel of classic taste,", marks an epoch in the development of the modern [[psychological novel]]. Of equal importance was Wieland's translation of twenty-two of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s plays into prose (8 vols., 1762–1766); it was the first attempt to present the English poet to the German people in something approaching entirety.<ref>Meisnest, F. W. ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandstranslat00meis Wieland's translation of Shakespeare]'' (1914)</ref> With the poems ''Musarion oder die Philosophie der Grazien'' (1768), ''Idris'' (1768), ''Combabus'' (1770), ''Der neue Amadis'' (1771), Wieland opened the series of light and graceful romances in verse which appealed so irresistibly to his contemporaries and acted as an antidote to the sentimental excesses of the subsequent [[Sturm und Drang]] movement.<ref name="EB1911"/> ''Musarion'' advocates a rational unity of the sensual and spiritual; ''Amadis'' celebrates the triumph of intellectual over physical beauty.<ref>Ham, Edith M. ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandsneuerama00harn Wieland's "Neuer Amadis"]'' (1919)</ref>

Wieland married Anna Dorothea von Hillenbrand (July 8, 1746 -– November 9, 1801) on October 21, 1765. They had 14 children. Wieland's daughter Sophia Catharina Susanna Wieland (October 19, 1768 -– September 1, 1837) married philosopher [[Karl Leonhard Reinhold]] (1757-18231757–1823) on May 18, 1785.

Between 1769 and 1772, Wieland was a professor of philosophy at the [[University of Erfurt]].<ref name="EB1911"/> In his ''Verklagter Amor'' ("Cupid Accused") he defended amatory poetry; and in the ''Dialogen des Diogenes von Sinope'' (1770) he gave a general vindication of his philosophical views.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

In 1772 he published ''Der goldene Spiegel oder die Könige van Scheschian'', a pedagogic work in the form of oriental stories; this attracted the attention of [[Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]], and resulted in his appointment as tutor to her two sons, the [[Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach|Duke Karl August]] and his brother [[Frederick Ferdinand Constantin of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach|Prince Constantin]], at [[Weimar]]. With the exception of some years spent at Ossmannstedt, where in later life he bought an estate, Weimar remained Wieland's home until his death.<ref name="EB1911"/> Turning his attention to dramatic poetry, he wrote opera [[libretto]]s such as ''Wahl des Hercules'' ("Choice of Hercules") and ''[[Alceste (Schweitzer)|Alceste]]'' by [[Anton Schweitzer]].<ref name="Lawrence">{{cite journal

| accessdateaccess-date = 20 July 2017

In 1773, he founded ''[[Der teutsche Merkur]]'', which under his editorship (1773–1789) became the most influential literary review in Germany.<ref name="EB1911"/> His views, as exhibited therein, however, showed so much of the narrow conventional spirit of French criticism, that he was attacked by [[Goethe]] in the satire ''Götter, Helden und Wieland'' ("Gods, Heroes and Wieland"). This Wieland answered with great good nature, recommending it to all who were fond of wit and sarcasm. Goethe and [[Johann Gottfried Herder]] were soon drawn to Weimar, where the Duchess Anna Amalia formed a circle of talent and genius, later also joined by [[Friedrich Schiller]].{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

Politically, Wieland was a moderate [[liberalism|liberal]] who advocated a constitutional monarchy, a free press, and a middle path between extremes of left and right.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Niekerk |first1=Carl |title=The Radical Enlightenment in Germany: A Cultural Perspective |date=2018 |publisher=BRILL |page=79}}</ref> At least three of his works, ''Geschichte des Agathon'', ''Der goldene Spiegel oder die Könige van Scheschian'', and ''Beiträge zur geheimen Geschichte des menschlichen Verstandes und Herzens'', found themselves on the official [[Bavarian Illuminati]] reading list.<ref>[https://www.conspiracyarchive.com/2020/03/03/some-original-writings-of-the-order-of-the-illuminati-pp-26-43/#n_i9 Melanson, Terry: ''Some Original Writings of the Order of the Illuminati (pp. 26–43)'']</ref>

He was also a librettist for the [[Seyler theatrical company]] of [[Abel Seyler]]. Of his later writings the most important are the admirable satire on German provinciality — the most attractive of all his prose writings — ''[[Die Geschichte der Abderiten|Die Abderiten, eine sehr wahrscheinliche Geschichte]]'' (A very probable history of the Abderites, 1774),<ref>Seuffert, B. ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandsabderit00seufgoog Wielands Abderiten]'' (1878)</ref> (translated into French by [[Antoine Gilbert Griffet de Labaume]]) and the charming poetic romances, ''Das Wintermärchen'' (1776), ''Das Sommermärchen'' (1777), ''Geron der Adelige'' (1777), ''Pervonte oder die Wünsche'' (1778), a series culminating with Wieland's poetic masterpiece, the romantic epic of ''[[Oberon (poem)|Oberon]]'' (1780).<ref name="EB1911"/> In 1780 he created the singspiel [[Rosamunde (Schweitzer)|''Rosamunde'']] with the composer [[Anton Schweitzer]].

In Wieland's later novels, such as the ''Geheime Geschichte des Philosophen Peregrinus Proteus'' (1791) and ''[[Aristippus|Aristipp]] und einige seiner Zeitgenossen'' (1800–1802), a didactic and philosophic tendency obscures the small literary interest they possess. He also translated [[Horace]]'s ''Satires'' (1786), [[Lucian]]'s ''Works'' (1788–1789), [[Cicero]]'s ''Letters'' (1808 ff.), and from 1796 to 1803 he edited the ''Attisches Museum'' which did valuable service in popularizing Greek studies.<ref name="EB1911"/> Wieland was also strongly influenced by the French fairy-tale vogue of the 18th century, he published a collection of tales entitled ''Dschinnistan'' (1786–1789), which included three original tales, 'Der Stein der Weisen' ('The Philosopher's Stone'), 'Timander und Melissa', and 'Der Druide oder die Salamanderin und die Bildsäule' ('The Druid or the Salamander and the Painted Pillar'). Wieland had a strong influence on the German literature of his time.<ref>''Critique of Judgment'', 5:309.</ref>

* Wieland's ''Sämtliche Werke'' ("complete works") appeared in 1794-18021794–1802, 45 vols. Collections of Wieland's letters were edited by his son Ludwig (1815) and by H. Gessner (1815–1816); his ''Letters to Sophie Laroche'' by F. Horn (1820).

* Later Editions of Wieland's ''Sämtliche Werke'': 1818-18281818–1828, 53 vols.,1839-18401839–1840, 36 vols., and 1853–1858, 36 vols. Then 1879-18821879–1882 in 40 vols., edited by [[Johann Heinrich Joseph Düntzer|H. Düntzer]]. There are numerous editions of selected works, notably by [[Heinrich Pröhle]] in ''Kürschner's Deutsche Nationalliteratur'' (vols. 51-56, 1883–1887); by F. Muncker (6 vols., 1889); by W. Bolsche (4 vols., 1902).

* ''Wielands Werke. Historisch-kritische Ausgabe'', edited by Klaus Manger and Jan Philipp Reemtsma. Berlin/New York 2008 f.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Wieland Edition - Home|work = University of Jena|accessdateaccess-date = 18 June 2015|url = http://www.wieland-edition.uni-jena.de|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100223033709/http://www.wieland-edition.uni-jena.de/|archive-date = 23 February 2010|url-status = dead}}</ref> [critical edition]

{{more footnotes|date=JulyFebruary 20132022}}

* [[Johann Gottfried Gruber|J. G. Gruber]], ''C.M. Wielands Leben'' (4 vols., 1827–1828);

* [[Heinrich Doring]], ''C.M. Wieland'' (1853); ''[https://archive.org/details/christophmartin00doergoog Christoph Martin Wieland, ein biographisches Denkmal]'' (1840);

* J. W. Loebell, ''C.M. Wieland'' (1858);

* [[Heinrich Pröhle]], ''Lessing, Wieland, Heinse'' (1877);

* L. F. Ofterdinger, ''Wielands Leben und Wirken in Schwaben und in der Schweiz'' (1877);

* R. Keil, ''Wieland und Reinhold'' (1885);

* F. Thalmeyr, ''Über Wielands Klassizität, Sprache und SM'' (1894);

* M. Doll, ''Wieland und die Antike'' (1896);

* K. Buchner, ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandunddiewe00buchgoog Wieland und die Weidmannsche buchhandlungBuchhandlung. Zur geschichteGeschichte deutscher literaturLiteratur und deutschen buchhandelsBuchhandels]'' (1871)

* See also M. Koch's article in the ''Allgemeine deutsche Biographie'' (1897);

* C. A. Behmer, ''Sterne und Wieland'' (1899);

* [[Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz|J. M. R. Lenz]], ''[https://archive.org/details/vertheidigungde00lenzgoog Vertheidigung des Herrn Wieland gegen die Wolken]'' (1902)

* W. Lenz, ''Wielands Verhältnis zu Spenser, Pope und Swift'' (1903);

* L. Hirzel, ''Wielands Beziehungen zu den deutschen Romantikern'' (1904);

* E. Haman, ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandsbildung00hamagoog Wielands Bildungsideal]'' (1907);

* C. Elson, ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandshaftesbu00elsorich Wieland and Shaftesbury]'' (1913);

* H. Behme, ''[https://archive.org/details/heinrichvonkleis00behm Heinrich von Kleist und C.M. Wieland]'' (1914);

* V. Michel, ''[https://archive.org/details/cmwielandlaforma00michuoft C.M. Wieland, la formation et l'évolution de son esprit jusqu'en 1772]'' (1938);

* M. G. Bach ''[https://archive.org/details/wielandsattitud00bachgoog Wieland's attitude toward woman and her cultural and social relations]'' (1966);

* [[Jan Philipp Reemtsma]], ''Das Buch vom Ich: Christoph Martin Wielands »[[Aristipp und einige seiner Zeitgenossen]]«'' (1993);

* Jan Philipp Reemtsma, ''Der Liebe Maskentanz: Aufsätze zum Werk Christoph Martin Wielands'' (1999).

* Elizabeth Barnes: “Loving"Loving with a Vengeance: Wieland, Familicide and the Crisis of Masculinity in the Early Nation”Nation". In: Milette Shamir und Jennifer Travis: ''Boys don’tDon’t Cry? Rethinking Narratives of Masculinity and Emotion in the U.S.'', Columbia University Press: New York, 2002, S. 44-6344–63.

* {{Gutenberg author |id=Wieland,+Christoph+Martin845|name=Christoph Martin Wieland}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110514190504/http://www.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/diglib/aufkl/teutmerk/ ''Der Teutsche Merkur'', vols. 1773-89 are digitized (April 2003)]

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= [Opere]. 1 |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3325735}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Oberon und Erzahlungen und Marchen in Versen |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3326690}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Geschichte der Abderiten |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3327825}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Aristipp. 1 |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3328576}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Aristipp. 2 |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3329439}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=W. Spemann|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= [Opere]. 2 |place= Berlin und Stüttgart|year= 1887|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=3330230}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Geschichte des Agathon. 1 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4192973}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Aufsätze |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4193636}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Geschichte des Agathon. 2 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4194163}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Geschichte des Agathon. 3 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4194502}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Oberon |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4194949}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Verserzählungen. 1 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4195400}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Verserzählungen. 2 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4195955}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Gottergesprache. 1 |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4196394}}

* {{Cite book|publisher=Bong & Co.|last= Wieland|first= Christoph Martin|title= Nachlass des Diogenes von Sinope |place= Berlin [etc.]|year= c. 1910|url= httphttps://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=4197204}}

[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Erfurt faculty]]