Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788-1857), a German poet and novelist during the Romanticism time period, is highly regarded by many as one of the greatest German Romantic poets and lyricists in history. The popularized Romanticism Period began in the late eighteenth-century and lasted into the nineteenth-century. The Enlightenment served as a catalyst for the Romanticism Period, as it was a time for artists to combat the popularity of sciences with a deeper, unscientifically explainable connection to the world. Joseph von Eichendorff’s work contained supernatural elements that gave way to a number of fantastical works of literature, which carried a wide array of emotions interconnected with the supernatural elements.
The piece of literature I am introducing is titled “Wehmut” by Joseph von Eichendorff; the direct translation into English is “Melancholy.” The poem explores the connection of spirituality and nature, as nature induces an introspective stream of thoughts through the poet’s mind. The poem tells the tale of Eichendorff having intense melancholic emotions with seemingly no reason, despite being surrounded in the beautiful landscapes of a valley. As he continues to wander through nature, the sights and sounds connect him with an ancient spirituality existing in every aspect of nature. Though his body remains in the physical world, his mind travels distances following the paths of nature’s divinity. After the dream-like experience is completed, the poet returns to the physical world with his emotions antithesis to his emotions in the beginning: calm, tranquil, and cheerful.
Eichendorff explains that nature serves as a conduit for communication between the physical world of humans, and the spiritual world, in which nature’s ancient spirituality roams the mind. Nature’s divinity is always alive in the world, yet the commotion of daily lives distracts humans, preventing us from making meaningful connection with it’s spirituality; spending time in nature not only allows one to find solace, but too, forms a transcendental relationship with nature and it’s soul. Through the artistic views of German Romanticism, Eichendorff was able to capture the essence of nature beyond the logic of the physical world.
German Romanticism works similar to Joseph von Eichendorff’s, paved the way nature lovers and environmentalist alike to protect and find beauty in nature beyond its physical value. The works of Eichendorff, throw readers into a time where disconnection from society promoted connection to nature, rather than solitude and isolation from oneself and others. “Wehmut” is an important reminder to human’s that nature has more than scientific value as it equally importantly is an emotional conduit.
Works cited:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Joseph, baron von Eichendorff”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Freiherr-von-Eichendorff. Accessed 23 April 2023.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Romanticism”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism. Accessed 23 April 2023.
Eichendorff, Joseph Von. “Gedichte: Wehmut: Joseph Von Eichendorff.” Gedichte: Wehmut | Joseph Von Eichendorff, https://www.textlog.de/eichendorff/gedichte/wehmut-ii.