Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is widely considered the most important German writer, but that would truly belittle the span of his work. In fact, Goethe dabbled in poetry, drama, literature, theology and philosophy on a global stage, taking a great interest in world literature and culture. For that reason, he is a worldy figure, not simply a German one. Today Goethe is best remembered for his magnum opus Faust, a two-part drama still considered one of the world's greatest works. Goethe is also celebrated for many of his poems, including the Bildungsroman Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, and novels like The Sorrows of Young Werther.
Goethe had been a champion of the "Sturm und Drang" period in German literature, but his brilliant work also fostered the Romantic movement, even though he cared little for it. The romantic novelists who were contemporaries of Goethe were so inspired by Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship that Goethe was a leading figure of a movement he was apathetic towards. In this novel, Wilhelm becomes bored of his life and attempts to escape it by taking up a position in the theatre. Along the way, he undergoes a spiritual journey and discovers who he truly is.