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One of the most controversial issues that literature throughout history has dealt with is the question of suicide. This topic is of utmost importance in The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe. The main character, Werther, has an argument about suicide with his friend Albert, the very same Albert who is going to marry Lotte, the women whom Werther loves with a passion. The argument is a foreshadowing of Werther’s eventual suicide. As their argument develops, each man will present clear and convincing evidence for their respective views, with Albert clearly against suicide, and Werther clearly for it. Albert is a stoic realist who believes that people have to endure what life sends their way, and Werther is a romantic who believes suicide is noble. Although each has sound arguments, Werther lets himself be controlled by his emotions and does not think through clearly the full impact of his argument, and his final act of suicide seems to be a cowardly act committed for the wrong reason.
In order to understand the positions that the two friends take regarding the question of suicide, it is important to point out that Albert and Werther are two totally different people. ... He is very unbending in his opinion about suicide. ... Werther, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. ... He thinks in terms of high ideals and great passions and believes that suicide is a very noble and just act. He speaks with high emotion when he argues for suicide.
The scene opens with Werther coming to visit Albert to asks him for a favor. ... Since Albert does not really like them anyway, he gladly agrees to give his pistols to Werther. Suddenly, as a joke Werther puts one of the guns to his head. Horrified, Albert quickly tells him to stop, and Werther asks why.
Approximate Word count = 1501
Approximate Pages = 6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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