Johann Gottfried Herder (jan 1, 1744 – jan 1, 1803)
Description:
a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism.Herder, Language, and the Nation
1. Herder can be seen as an intellectual bridge between the Enlightenment and German
Romanticism.
2. Herder argued that there was no universal human nature, nor universal human truth.
Folk Song, Folklore, and Folk Tales
1. Following Herder’s vision of human diversity and culture, folklore became the most authentic expression of a nation (those who spoke a common language).
2. He invented the word Volkslied (folk song) and published a large anthology of folk songs.
a. The Grimms brothers also partook of this fascination with German folk culture with their famous collection of folk tales.
Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 1, 1744
jan 1, 1803
~ 59 years