Abstract
For my paper, I use Goethe’s novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship) to illustrate the need “to broaden the scope of the humanities and creat[e] a wider critical canvas through cultural studies.” Specifically, the novel evinces a disparate array of inter- and multidisciplinary approaches, that is, “Traveling Concepts,” which require “The Transfer and Translation of Ideas [beyond] the Humanities.” Generally viewed as a bildungsroman, Lehrjahre uses the metaphor of trade guilds to trace the hero’s evolution from idealistic youth to mature adult. Although most critics believe that the novel lacks unity, the fault lies not with Goethe’s execution but readers’ expectations. In this inter- and multidisciplinary text, the basic elements of fiction - theme, structure, and plot - are all associated with Goethe’s non-literary pursuits. The theme derives from his scientific studies, in particular his essay “On the Metamorphosis of Plants,” which led to his assumption of an Urphänomen, a comprehensive whole towards which individual instances strive. Next, the structure incorporates elements of Western Esotericism, especially the Neoplatonic concept of emanation, given concrete form by the kabbalistic Sefirot, the divine potencies through which creation was supposedly effected. Finally, the plot of each chapter is designed to fulfill Rasa, the Sanskrit theory that each component of a text should evoke in the audience an intended emotional state. In sum, as completed, Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre is a fully conceived text that synthesizes at least three distinct knowledge domains into a dynamic unity that supersedes conventional disciplinary boundaries.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—Traveling Concepts: The Transfer and Translation of Ideas in the Humanities
KEYWORDS
Goethe, Esotericism, Neoplatonism, Emanation, Botany, Kabbalism, Rasa, Interdisciplinary Studies
