<p>Goethe&#39;s novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, was Napoleon Bonaparte&#39;s favorite novel. In recent years it has become the subject of memes, and the &quot;sensitive young man&quot; archetype. How are we to understand this puzzling development? What is the connection between the Caesarist strongman and the hopeless lover? In this episode, we&#39;ll consider the historical background of the work: its inspiration in the story of Karl Wilhelm Jerusalem, the &quot;fever&quot; that swept Europe following its publication, and its controversies. We&#39;ll analyze the novel and try to understand Goethe&#39;s character as something more than simply a victim of unrequited love. And we&#39;ll consider Napoleon&#39;s meeting with Goethe and their conversation about the story, as well as some of Goethe&#39;s comments about it in conversations with Eckermann.</p><p><br></p>