Level 2

The Sorrows of Young Werther

Werther is a young man who wants to make a difference in the world. He is well-educated and from a middle-class family.

Instead, he wants to be an artist. Werther feels trapped by the expectations of his family and society, and he dreams of a simpler life.

One day, Werther travels to a small town called Walheim.

There, he meets Charlotte, a kind and beautiful woman. She cares for her siblings after their mother’s death. ​

Werther immediately falls in love with Charlotte. ​

But she is already engaged to a man named Albert.​

Werther struggles to contain his feelings for Charlotte. He tries to be friends with her, but his infatuation becomes an obsession. ​

He becomes isolated and depressed. He is thinking about taking his own life. ​

He moves to another city in an attempt to escape his pain.​

There, Werther takes a position as an attaché to an ambassador. However, he quickly realises that he does not fit in with the court’s social norms. He resigns from his job and returns to Wahlheim.​

Werther’s love for Charlotte continues to torment him. He cannot resist seeing her, and he knows that she cares about him, too. ​

Their feelings for each other intensify, and eventually, they kiss. However, this only makes things worse.​

He knows that he can never be with her, and this knowledge drives him to despair. He decides to take his own life. ​

He borrows two guns from Albert, saying he is going on a journey.​

He then writes goodbye letters to Wilhelm, his friend, Albert and Charlotte.​

The next day, he shoots himself in the head. He survives for a short time after the shot, to finally succumb to his injuries. ​

The novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” is a reminder of the pain caused by unfulfilled love. It is a tale about the dangers of obsession and the importance of finding happiness in one’s own life.​