The
West-östlicher Divan[
West-Eastern Ensemble], published first in 1819 and in an expanded version in 1827, is Goethe’s longest lyrical cycle and the only one published as a separate work. Several of its ca. 239 poems (depending on edition) are among his greatest, e.g. “Selige Sehnsucht” [“Blessed Longing”], “Nachklang” [“Resonance”], “Wiederfinden” [“Reunion”], “In tausend Formen magst du dich verstecken” [“A Thousand Forms”], “Vermächtnis altpersischen Glaubens” [“Legacy of Ancient Persian Faith”], and “Einlass” [“Admittance”]. The work reflects a constellation of important events in Goethe’s life: his study of the poems of a writerly “twin”, the 14th-century Persian poet Hafiz (ca.1326-1390); his liaison and correspondence…
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Citation: Dye, Ellis. "Der west-östliche Divan". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 July 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5621, accessed 03 December 2024.]
