The Diagnoses of Young Werther: A Clinical Appraisal

The Sorrows of Young Werther is a genre-defining novel written in 1774 by the German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It is the story of a complex character by the name of Werther. The novel is a romantic tragedy with unrequited love, a love triangle, and a tragic ending. However, the reader who is following Werther eventually realizes that the protagonist is no longer a sympathetic character. This article explores the reasons behind Werther’s extreme emotions and drastic behaviors. A ‘clinical examination’ of the novel reveals elements of depression, traits of several personality disorders, and, finally, bipolar disorder. We also discover that The Sorrows of Young Werther was based on true events with Werther representing Goethe in his younger days. How many of Goethe’s own personality traits are reflected by Werther is unclear.