Writing poetry, poet's mindset, boldness, superiority, longing for heavenly blessings

Abstract

In Goethe's 『West-östlicher Divan』(1819), ｢Derb und Tüchtig｣ and ｢Dreistigkeit｣ tell the poet's attitude in writing poetry. In ｢Übermacht, ihr könnt es spüren｣, the poet's 'superiority' is compared to that of a monarch, and in ｢Selige Sehnsucht｣, the poet's attitude of writing poetry at the risk of death is emphasized. In these poem, “strength,” “boldness,” “excellence,” and the poet’s mindset of risking death are emphasized in the poet’s general artistic act of “poetry writing.” The poet's boldness, superiority and even “arrogance” that appear in the “West-Eastern Divan” seem to have arisen from the feeling of liberation and confidence that Goethe felt when he traveled to Frankfurt (in July 1814) after the Napoleonic Wars. He went through a dark period during the Wars and so read Hafis' poetry and wrote Eastern-style poetry to shake off all the pressure around him via his “confidence/boldness” and “arrogance” as a poet. His decision dicision to write poetry in the Eastern style for the first time in the history of Western literature can be said to be Goethe’s “warning and commandment” about “writing poetry.”