The sorrows of young Werther 少年维特之烦恼（英文版）

　　

      《少年维特之烦恼》是德国“狂飙突进运动”丰硕的成果，它一出版即风靡整个欧洲大陆，掀起了一股“维特热”。这本小说的成功并不仅仅是一种流行现象，用歌德自己的话来说：这本小书的影响是巨大的、惊人的、很好的，因为它产生的正是时候。（《诗与真》）
　　幸运遭到阻挠，活动受到限制，愿望得不到满足，这些都不是某个特殊时代的、而是每个人都碰得着的不幸事件。假如一个人在他的生平不经过觉得《维特》就是为他自己写的那么一个阶段，那倒很可惜了。
　　——歌德

 

《少年维特的烦恼》是歌德对自由意志的抒发，对真爱的无限向往，这是他对情感与心灵的结合做了*真善美的呈现。少年维特受过良好的教育，多情善感。一次舞会上他对少女绿蒂一见钟情，倆人互相爱慕，然而绿蒂却已经订婚。维特悲伤独自离开，力图从事业上得到解脱，有所成就。然而，污浊的环境、窒息自由的现存秩序，都使他无法忍受。当他怀才不遇地重返绿蒂身边时，发现绿蒂已结婚，绝望的他遂用一支手枪结束了自己的生命。

　　歌德（JohannWolfgangvonGoethe，1749～1832），德国著名思想家、作家、科学家，出生于法兰克福，他是魏玛的古典主义最著名的代表。歌德一生著述甚多，他的作品充满了狂飙突进运动的反叛精神。25岁时歌德创作了独特的书信体小说《少年维特之烦恼》，开创了德国小说史的先河，也成为狂飙突进运动的典型代表作品；历时60余年倾其一生撰写的诗剧《浮士德》成为世界文学*杰出的巨著之一。此外歌德著有多部作品，如：诗剧《普罗米修斯》，抒情诗集《东西诗集》，戏剧《葛兹冯伯里欣根》，自传性著作《诗与真》、《意大利游记》和科学著作《色彩理论》等。
　　歌德不仅是作家、诗人，还是画家和自然科学家。歌德热爱绘画，一生中绘制了2700多幅优秀画作；他还在1784年首次发现了人类颌间骨。

 

 

CONTENTS

BOOK I
~1~
BOOK II
~95~

　　PREFACE

 

 

它绝不是一部平凡感伤的爱情小说，而是建立了一个*伟大的批判的功绩。
　　——恩格斯
　　一个人物以热烈的感情拥抱一个理想，并且逃避现实，以便追求非现实的无限；他不断的在他身外寻求他永远在他自己的天性中所破坏的东西；他觉得他自己的梦想才是*现实的东西，他自己的经验无非是永久的束缚，应当把它粉碎，以便深入*的现实。
　　——席勒

　　MAY 4.
　　HOW HAPPY I am that I am gone! My dear friend, what a thing is the heart of man! To leave you, from whom I have been inseparable, whom I love so dearly, and yet to feel happy! I know you will forgive me. Have not other attachments been specially appointed by fate to torment a head like mine? Poor Leonora! And yet I was not to blame. Was it my fault, that, whilst the peculiar charms of her sister afforded me an agreeable entertainment, a passion for me was engendered in her feeble heart? And yet am I wholly blameless? Did I not encourage her emotions? Did I not feel charmed at those truly genuine expressions of nature, which, though but little mirthful in reality, so often amused us? Did I not—but oh! what is man, that he dares so to accuse himself? My dear friend I promise you I will improve; I will no longer, as has ever been my habit, continue to ruminate on every petty vexation which fortune may dispense; I will enjoy the present, and the past shall be for me the past. No doubt you are right, my best of friends, there would be far less suffering amongstmankind, if men — and God knows why they are so fashioned — did not employ their imaginations so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow, instead of bearing their present lot with equanimity. Be kind enough to inform my mother that I shall attend to her business to the best of my ability, and shall give her the earliest information about it. I have seen my aunt, and find that she is very far from being the disagreeable person our friends allege her to be. She is a lively, cheerful woman, with the best of hearts. I explained to her my mothers wrongs with regard to that part of her portion which has been withheld from her. She told me the motives and reasons of her own conduct, and the terms on which she is willing to give up the whole, and to do more than we have asked. In short, I cannot write further upon this subject at present; only assure my mother that all will go on well. And I have again observed, my dear friend, in this trifling affair, that misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.
　　In other respects I am very well off here. Solitude in this terrestrial paradise is a genial balm to my mind, and the young spring cheers with its bounteous promises my oftentimes misgiving heart. Every tree, every bush, is full of flowers; and one might wish himself transformed into a butterfly, to float about in this ocean of perfume, and find his whole existence in it.
　　The town itself is disagreeable; but then, all around, you find an inexpressible beauty of nature. This induced the late Count M to lay out a garden on one of the sloping hills which here intersect each other with the most charming variety, and form the most lovely valleys. The gardenis simple; and it is easy to perceive, even upon your first entrance, that the plan was not designed by a scientific gardener, but by a man who wished to give himself up here to the enjoyment of his own sensitive heart. Many a tear have I already shed to the memory of its departed master in a summerhouse which is now reduced to ruins, but was his favourite resort, and now is mine. I shall soon be master of the place. The gardener has become attached to me within the last few days, and he will lose nothing thereby.