Reading Goethe at Midlife

This book explores the history of the idea of the midlife crisis, using the writings of C.G. Jung and Goethe to investigate its relevance for today.  Tracing how “the ages of humankind” became “the stages of life” in which the midlife crisis represents a pivotal moment, Paul Bishop offers a detailed analysis of a paper by Jung on this subject.  He then shifts the focus to Goethe’s interest in Orphic wisdom, and one of Goethe’s major later poems, “Primal Words.  Orphic” (Urworte Orphisch).  Using Jungian ideas to explore the psychological implications of this poem, Bishop draws on Goethe’s own commentary, and other background material, to uncover its vital message.Reading Goethe at Midlife reveals the remarkable symmetry between the ideas and Jung and Goethe. Jung’s analysis of the stages of life, and his advice to heed the “call of the self,” are brought into the conjunction with Goethe’s emphasis on the importance of hope, showing an underlying continuity of thought and relevance from ancient wisdom, via German classicism to analytical psychology.Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Preface to the second edition PART ONEChapter 1: The Stages of Life and the Midlife Crisis: A BriefHistory of an Idea Two Visual Starting Points – From the Ages of Humankind……to the Stages of Life -- The Stages of Life: An Idea Comesof Age – The Midlife Crisis – Walter B. Pitkin and EdmundBergler – Erik H. Erikson and Elliott Jaques – Gail Sheehy andDaniel J. Levinson – Other Approaches, Including the Return ofthe Noonday Demon – Jungian Approaches to Midlife –Literature of the Nineties – Recent French Approaches: ÉricDeschavanne and Pierre-Henri Tavoillot, Marie de Hennezeland Bertrand VergelyChapter 2: The Turning Point in Life: What Conflict the SunMust Experience at Midday!PART TWOChapter 3: Goethe’s OrphismThe Cult of Orpheus – Orpheus in the Age of Romanticism –Goethe’s Relation to the Orphic Mysteries – Creuzer andHermann, Zoega and Welcker – Faust as Orpheus – Orphism, and Primal WordsChapter 4: Primal Words. OrphicDaimon – Chance – Eros – The Necessity of Love; or, EroticNecessity – The Necessity of Necessity; or, Necessary Necessity –Hope – ConclusionIndex