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The Messiah
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The Messiah

work by Klopstock
Also known as: “Der Messias”
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Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock's Der Messias (The Messiah) is a German epic poem that marked a shift from the rationalism prevalent in early 18th-century German literature. Inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost, Klopstock began planning this religious epic, with the first three cantos published in 1749, creating a significant sensation.12

The poem is written in unrhymed hexameters and focuses on the life of Christ. While Klopstock is widely known for The Messiah, which was translated into 17 languages, he also established his reputation as a lyric poet, utilizing free verse in his odes to achieve a more natural and expressive use of language.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock
  2. German literature - Early Enlightenment

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