Anton Reiser

work by Moritz

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June 18, 2026

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Anton Reiser is an important autobiographical novel by German writer Karl Philipp Moritz, published in four volumes between 1785 and 1790. It is considered one of the most mature German novels of contemporary life from the 18th century, alongside Goethe's Wilhelm Meister. The novel explores the life of its protagonist, reflecting Moritz's own experiences with poverty and his struggles to find his path in life. It is noted for its psychological depth and its portrayal of a lower-middle-class protagonist, aligning with the emerging trend of autobiographical novels during the late Enlightenment period in German literature.12

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Karl Philipp Moritz
…novels, Andreas Hartknopf (1786) and Anton Reiser, 4 vol. (1785–90). The latter is, with J.W. von Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister, the most mature 18th-century German novel of contemporary life.
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…novels, Andreas Hartknopf (1786) and Anton Reiser, 4 vol. (1785–90). The latter is, with J.W. von Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister, the most mature 18th-century German novel of contemporary life.
Read More