Am sausenden Webstuhl der Zeit“: Untimely wefts on Goethe’s Italian Journey

Abstract

The biennium 2016-2017 marks the bicentenary of the original publication of Goethe’s Italian Journey. After decades, Goethe finally issues the last testimony of his Bildung, the autobiography of a radical transformation. Yet, the history of the text and of the original journey reveals that this story is far from being as simple and unidirectional as it seems, but is imbued with hesitations and retakes, mythical scenes and anachronous returns. This article’s aim is to map out the multiple layers – utilizing Reinhart Koselleck’s geological model – of time and, mainly, of untimeliness that are interwoven in Goethe’s Italian report. We intend to draw attention to some (other) treasures of Goethe’s work: its strong memorial pathos, its opposition to great men and works of his time, its enthronement in German literature, among others.