Germany vs England16/17th century vs 18/19th centuryWho’s the greatest in your opinion? And why?
>>25124135Literature is not a competition. Never has been.Express to us why you prefer one over the others.
Like midwits comparing Bach versus Beethoven
I really wish these nationalistic cocksuckers would fuck off to /his/ or someplace
Faust II was a little too incomprehensible for me to enjoyIt was in German, for one.
>>25124135>Shakespeare is the truest picture of the world. Faust is a commentary on that picture, a commentary on Shakespeare.
>>25124135They're too different to compare
>>25124180I think it’s the fact that they’re both known for writing poems and plays and they’re considered the best writers from their respective nations. But yes, they’re not very similar outside of that.
Does anyone else call him "herty gerty"?
>>25124135Impossible to say. Most people would say Shakespeare, Otto Weininger would say Goethe. Shakespeare’s more important to our civilization but that doesn’t mean he’s a greater man. I’ll go with Shakespeare>>25124139These debates are more fruitful than the rest of the garbage populating this board. Literature is about mastery which is has competitive aspects, though it must be inspired by love as it is a gift to mankind. If these two men didn’t exist the world would be much worse off than it is now
>>25124135Hugo
>>25125675Flat out wrong, I’m gonna say Shakespeare OP. Goethe was not far behind however.>>25124141What’s nationalistic about this?>>25124139Go back to your r9k threads that are all over this board then.
>>25125673>My shit smells better than yours.Not a good point.>though it must be inspired by love as it is a gift to mankind.Unfortunately the site is full of reactionaries who are incapable of love.>>25125698EXPRESS TO US WHY YOU PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER. Make an effort please.
>>25125794They’re about the same :)Okay, if I’m to pick one, Shakespeare; that is because I find that he perfected the English iambic pentameter while writing stories that were among the most human ever written. Goethe is brilliant too of course, a greater genius than Bill, but my German isn’t the best so my opinion may not hold much weight. I will say I enjoyed Faust more than any play by Shakespeare as a single piece of literature since for me it draws out stronger emotions and feels like it captures humanity a bit better. Shakespeare manages to balance all of this with his beautiful writing and his mastery of playwriting.
Shakespeare is good but not very deep. Goethe is deep but could be deeper. Milton beats them both.
>>25125930And Blake, Hölderlin, Joyce and Mallarmé beat Milton
