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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a prolific German writer, statesman, and polymath who has left a formidable impact on literary history. Often considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era, Goethe's works span across poetry, prose, drama, and scientific literature. His most enduring contribution to the literary world is 'Faust,' a two-part dramatic work that explores the complexities of human striving and transcendence, a theme that pervades much of his work. Goethe's 'The Collected Works of Goethe' encompass a dazzling array of his life's output, reflecting his intellectual depth and his mastery of form and style. A significant figure of the Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) literary movement, which prefigured Romanticism, Goethe was adept at capturing the emotional intensity of the individual experience. His novel 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' is exemplary in this regard, having captured the imagination of Europe with its passionate embrace of subjective feeling. Goethe's oeuvre is not just confined to literature. His contributions to science, particularly in the theory of colors (Farbenlehre), demonstrate his wide-ranging interests and influence. His literary style, which combines classical ideas of order and balance with a profound exploration of the human condition, continues to inspire generations of writers, thinkers, and artists worldwide.
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