Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1795-96) is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel following its young title character through a series of formative experiences, chiefly his passage from a theatrical troupe into the company of an aristocratic secret society, as he matures from an idealistic, directionless youth into a socially integrated adult. Its structure, tracing a protagonist's moral, psychological and social education toward a settled adult identity, became the model against which the critic Karl Morgenstern defined the Bildungsroman in 1819, and Goethe's novel is still generally cited as the genre's founding and defining case.
Facts
Classification
Original Language Composed, From (Year) FAQs
Is there a sequel to Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship?
Yes, Wilhelm Meister's Travels, Goethe's final novel, from 1821 and 1829.
Yes. Goethe's final novel, Wilhelm Meister's Travels (in German, Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre), appeared in 1821 and was published in its final form in 1829. It can be considered a sequel in which Wilhelm moves into the next phase of his life.
Connections
Authored By
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
In Genre
The genre's defining case.
Source The Norton Anthology of World Literature
Written In Form
Source Wikipedia: Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship
In the Other Atlases
Original Language
Also in Language Atlas: the original language of this subject.
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship
WikipediaLead
is the second novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Lead paragraph
Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (German: Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre) is the second novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It is a Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, published in 1795-96. It consists of eight books, the first five of which are based on the fragment Wilhelm Meister's Theatrical Mission, which remained unpublished during Goethe's lifetime.
Written In Form: The Novel, Lead sentence
is the second novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
View the Source 2. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.- Original Language: German
- Composed, From (Year): 1795 to 1796
View the Source 3. Open Library: Open Library search: Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Open LibrarySearch result, first workQuote, Search result, first work
"number_of_pages_median": 586
The Norton Anthology of World Literature
W. W. Norton & Company
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.