German poet, dramatist and philosopher, was born at Frankfort-on-Main on the 28th of August 1749. He came, on his father’s side, of Thuringian stock, his great-grandfather, Hans Christian Goethe, having been a farrier at Artern-on-the-Unstrut, about the middle of the I7th century. Hans Christian’s son, Friedrich Georg, was brought up to the trade of a tailor, and in this capacity settled in Frankfort in 1686. A second marriage, however, brought him into possession of the Frankfort inn, “Zum Weidenhof,” and he ended his days as a well-to-do innkeeper. His son, Johann Kaspar, the poet’s father (1710—1782), studied law at Leipzig and, after going through the prescribed courses of practical training at Wetzlar, travelled in Italy. He hoped, on his return to Frankfort, to obtain. an official position in the government of the free city, but his personal influence with the authorities was not sufficiently strong. In. his disappointment he resolved never again to offer his services to his native town, and retired into private life, a course which his ample means facilitated. In 1742 he acquired, as a consolation for the public career he had missed, the title of kaiserlicher Rat, and in 1748 married Katharina Elisabeth (1731—1808), daughter of the Schuitheiss or Burgcrmeister of Frankfort, Johann Wolfgang Textor.’ The poet was the eldest son of this union. Of the later children only one, Cornelia, born in 1750, survived the years of childhood; she died as the wife of Goethe’s friend, J. G. Schlosser, in 1777.
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It's interesting to read an English version of "Der Erlkönig". Reading it, I realize once again how difficult it must be to translate a poem with rimes.
I've had to learn this ballad in 6th grade. God a 1(best grade here) for my recite =) Memories come back. I feel old xD