Goethe’s inspiring phrases

In Goethe’s phrases we discover a humanist who believes in ethics as the way to give meaning to the existence of men and societies. We put ourselves in the hands of an unusual writer, who influenced Western thought as a whole.

Georges Eliot defined Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as the greatest man of letters in German history.. Therefore, referring to Goethe’s phrases is simply approaching the tip of the iceberg of an unusual writer and thinker.

He is considered one of the intellectuals most relevant of the 18th century and one of the best writers in history. In Goethe’s phrases you can glimpse his genius, but only by immersing yourself in his work is it possible to grasp the enormous dimension of this writer.

Goethe not only exerted a notable influence on all writers after him, but also It was decisive for the great philosophers Germans who succeeded him. Let’s look at some of those frequently quoted Goethe phrases.

“Sometimes our destiny resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would green up and bloom? But we hope that it is so and we know that it will be so”.

-Goethe-

The legacy for the children

This is one of those beautiful Goethe phrases that continues to find reflection in reality. He says the following: “There are only two legacies lasting things we can hope to give to our children. One of them is roots, the other is wings.”.

When he talks about roots, Goethe refers to childhood and the history that it shapes. Much of our destiny is written in some way at this stage. When he mentions wings, he alludes to the ability we have to project ourselves into the future.. Both, indeed, are great legacies.

Hypotheses and their value

Goethe tells us the following: “The hypothesis They are scaffolding that is placed in front of the building and removed at the end of the works. They are essential for the bricklayer, who however should not take the scaffolding around the building”.

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The scientific side is not really Goethe’s best known. However, he explored, although without much success, this field. Although This statement is addressed to science, it is also applicable to life. Just guesswork they are not the facts.

One of Goethe’s phrases about change

This is one of Goethe’s most beautiful phrases. He points out: “Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes”. The beauty of this statement lies in the simplicity with which it expresses one of the great universal truths.

In one way or another, it makes the concepts of statism and death equivalent. What does not change… is not alive. Everything alive is in permanent mutation and the wisest thing is to be prepared for this continuous transformation.

Dare

This is another of those Goethe phrases in which we find a very inspiring touch. He says like this: “Whatever you can or dream you can, start it. The atrevemient have intelligent, power and magic. start it now”.

It is very invigorating that he speaks in this way about daring. Not only does he see it as a virtue, but he also points out that it has a special force.. Seeking to make dreams come true and acting on that purpose is something that no one should postpone.

The little dreams

In this phrase Goethe also talks about dreams. He indicates the following: “Don’t dream little dreams because they have no power to move the heart of man.”. It is very interesting that you link the dimension of desire with that of motivation.

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It means that only large companies are capable of truly moving us to action.. Small goals, those that do not scare us or shake us, are also not strong enough to fully capture our will to act.

It is necessary to listen

As a celebrity of his time, Goethe was the subject of much praise, but also strong criticism. No one with as much authority as him to affirm the following: “It is a great virtue of the serene man to hear everything that is criticized against him, to correct what is true and not be upset by what is a lie.”.

This reflection calls for independence of criteria. Also to convert the negative actions of others into sources of growth. The condition to achieve this is only one: maintain serenity. Listen to criticism with your mind and not with your heart.

Talent and character

This is another of the fabulous phrases of the German genius; Specifically, this reflects a key to human reality. He says: “Talent is cultivated in calm; character is formed in the tempestuous waves of the world”.

What gives value to this sentence is the fact that it specifies the circumstances that favor the development of talent and character.. To polish and increase abilities and skills you need peace of mind. To develop character it is necessary to face great tests.

The Spanish philosopher George Santayana described Goethe as “the most enlightened man of humanity”. Maybe he’s right. What is admirable, in any case, is that this great German writer has been able to communicate his genius and his thoughts in such an original way.

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