Why did the Brothers Grimm shift from studying law to literary research?

The Brothers Grimm did not abandon their legal studies due to a lack of interest in the law itself, but rather because their academic experiences at the University of Marburg introduced them to intellectual influences that redirected their professional focus toward folk literature and research.1

While studying law with the intention of entering the civil service, the brothers were deeply influenced by two key figures:

• Clemens Brentano: A Romantic writer who awakened in them a profound love for folk poetry.1
• Friedrich Karl von Savigny: A cofounder of the historical school of jurisprudence who taught the brothers a rigorous method of antiquarian investigation.1

This methodology provided the foundation for their later work, shifting their focus from legal practice to the study of the past. They came to view antiquity as the essential foundation for social institutions and believed that folk poetry was the only true expression of human experience. Consequently, they moved away from legal careers to dedicate themselves to the systematic collection and analysis of folklore and philology.21