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Why did Thomas Carlyle study the German language and literature?

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Thomas Carlyle began his serious study of the German language during a period of intense personal struggle and isolation in his early life, while he was navigating a difficult transition away from his intended career in the ministry.1

He came to deeply admire and enjoy German literature, holding the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in the highest reverence. This engagement with German thought was significant to his intellectual development; for instance, his work Sartor Resartus is described as a blend of autobiography and German philosophy. His commitment to this field of study was further evidenced by his 1824 translation of Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship.12