Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-v5vhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-22T04:43:59.947Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 37 - Postscript

Oracle Bones

from Part VI - Goethe’s Lasting Significance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2024

By
Frederick Amrine
Edited by
Charlotte Lee
Charlotte Lee
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Get access

Summary

This chapter is a meditation on Goethe’s 1826 poem ‘Im ernsten Beinhaus’ (‘On Contemplating Schiller’s Skull’). The chapter moves from poetic form (Dante’s terza rima), to weaving, to wisdom, to mystery. It emphasises the resonance between Goethe’s reflections here and the use of oracle bones for divination in ancient China, and closes with the famous non-closure of Goethe’s poem.

Keywords

Goethe‘Im ernsten Beinhaus‘terza rimaoracle bonesWilhelm Meister
Type
Chapter
Information
Goethe in Context , pp. 360 - 366
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×