Johann Wolfgang Goethe: Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre

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4 - this is what Wilhelm Meister thinks when he sees Mignon for the very first time - is not mentioned too often, but nevertheless she is omnipresent � Goethe said once that he only wrote Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre because of Mignon - because of her mysterious figure, Wilhelm first cannot decide if Mignon is a boy or a girl - but this is also what attracts him: her androgynous appearance - she is physically underdeveloped because of the circumstances of her childhood - when she is asked for her name she says: ,,Sie heißen mich Mignon”(Seite 98, Zeile 32). - never says ‘I am’ (Ich bin) - not only her appearance is mysterious but also her name: in this time male lovers of princes in France were called Mignon � this name also shows her sexual neutrality - when the story-teller talks about Mignon he often uses the words ,,Wesen, Gestalt and Kreatur” - Mignon has great problems with the German language and so she often prefers to sing and not to talk - after Wilhelm has bought Mignon off the tightrope acrobates she devotes herself to serve Wilhelm - Mignon wants to be dressed like Wilhelm, she identifies with him and this goes along with the development of her passion for him Mignon’s and Wilhelm’s relationship - there are three events which have a forming effect on Mignon’s life while she is with Wilhelm - the first event takes place when Mignon waits for Wilhelm to come home one night and presents the so-called “Eiertanz” - with the help of music and dance Mignon expresses her feelings which she cannot do with words, therefore the moment of the Eiertanz is one of extreme vulnerability - she submits to Wilhelm and looks at him as her master - as a countermove to this, he strokes her and she feels sheltered by him - what she does not know is that she is also the object of his desire for love - Wilhelm gives Mignon warmth and security, which she longs for so much � for her Wilhelm embodies father, protector and lover (but at the end of the novel the reader gets to know that Wilhelm fails concerning all three roles)
5 ,,Wenn sie kam oder ging, guten Morgen oder gute Nacht sagte, schloß sie ihn so fest in ihre Arme und küsste ihn mit solcher Inbrunst, dass ihm die Heftigkeit dieser aufkeimenden Natur oft Angst und bange machte“ (Seite 272, Zeile 8-12). - the second drastic event for Mignon is after the presentation of Hamlet when Wilhelm spends the night with a beauty ,, ,Erinnern Sie sich’, sagte der Arzt, ,eines geheimen, nächtlichen, weiblichen Besuchs nach der Aufführung des Hamlets?’ ,Ja, ich erinnere mich dessen wohl!’ rief Wilhelm beschämt, ,aber ich glaubte nicht, in diesem Augenblick daran erinnert zu werden.’ ,Wissen Sie, wer es war?’ ,Nein! Sie erschrecken mich um Himmels Willen, doch nicht Mignon? wer war’s? Sagen Sie mir’s!’ ,Ich weiß es selbst nicht.’ ,Also nicht Mignon?’ ,Nein, gewiss nicht! aber Mignon war im Begriff, sich zu Ihnen zu schleichen, und musste aus einem Winkel mit Entsetzen sehen, dass eine Nebenbuhlerin ihr zuvorkam.’ (Seite 548, Zeile18-31)“ - Mignon is no child anymore, she has become a woman, and what she discovers in that night means a breach of confidence for her - she considers this as a betrayal of her extensive love she feels for him - Mignon is always at Wilhelm’s side and when the group is attacked and Wilhelm is injured she wants to help him - but nevertheless it seems as if Wilhelm is just interested in other women which really hurts Mignon deeply - she feels replaced by Philine and Natalie, and even the role as a child is not hers anymore � Felix is the child now � there is a fight between Mignon and Felix - therefore she becomes estranged from Wilhelm (he never sees her as a woman) - the third and last event is another breach of confidence Mignon experiences and that probably leads to her death - this event is Wilhelm’s proposal of marriage to Therese which finally breaks his devotion he vowed when he adopted Mignon
Page 1 and 2: Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübing
Page 3: 3 Eighth book: Mignon’s secret is

Johann Wolfgang Goethe: Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre

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