Georg Forster: German Cosmopolitan

Georg Forster (1754–1794) was a German writer and translator who was famous during his lifetime, notorious after his death, and largely forgotten by the later nineteenth century. This book explores his life and work, revealing his importance for other writers of the age. It engages with themes such as authorship, multilingualism, the representation of primitive societies, Enlightenment ideas about race, and early forms of ecological thinking. Forster's peripatetic life, malleable sense of national identity, and fluency in multiple languages contrast with the image of the solitary genius in the "age of Goethe." This book restores Forster to his rightful place within the German literary tradition and urges us to reconsider the age of Goethe as multilingual and malleable, local and cosmopolitan, dynamic and decentered.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2022
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Georg Forster (1754–1794) was a renowned figure during his lifetime, gaining notoriety posthumously, and largely being forgotten by the later nineteenth century. Today, he is remembered for his remarkable journey alongside Captain Cook as well as his significant role in the revolutionary Republic of Mainz. In addition to his maritime adventures, Forster was a prolific writer and translator, leaving behind two travelogues, a collection of essays on various subjects, and numerous letters.

This comprehensive examination of Forster's work and life highlights his significance for other writers of his era. Todd Kontje delves into the major intellectual themes and challenges present in Forster's writings, seamlessly interweaving close textual analysis with his rich yet brief life. Each chapter engages with themes that resonate with the ongoing debates in eighteenth-century literary and cultural studies, encompassing evolving notions of authorship, multilingualism, the portrayal of so-called primitive societies, Enlightenment ideas about race, and early forms of ecological thinking. As Kontje demonstrates, Forster's itinerant life, flexible sense of national identity, and proficiency in multiple languages contrast with the stereotype of the solitary genius prevalent during the "age of Goethe." Thus, Forster presents a distinct model of authorship and citizenship that is better understood in the context of an increasingly globalized world.

Convincingly argued and captivatingly written, this book restores Forster to his rightful place within the German literary tradition, urging us to reevaluate the age of Goethe as multilingual and adaptable, local and cosmopolitan, dynamic and decentered. It will be of great interest to specialists in German studies and the Enlightenment.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271093260