Werther

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Werther" by Johann Wolfgang Goethe is an epistolary novel published in 1774. Through a series of intimate letters, it chronicles a young artist's consuming passion for Charlotte, a woman engaged to another man. Set in a fictional German village, the story traces Werther's emotional spiral as he befriends both Charlotte and her fiancé, finding himself trapped in an impossible triangle of affection. His unrequited love intensifies to unbearable proportions, leading toward a desperate resolution that captivated Europe and influenced the Romantic movement.