Fielding, Wieland, Goethe, and the Rise of the Novel

Exploring the evolution of the Bildungsroman, this work delves into the journey of self-discovery and societal roles in literature, emphasizing its origins in German-speaking countries. It highlights the influence of 18th-century English novels, particularly Fielding's "Tom Jones," on German authors like Wieland and Goethe, who redefined the genre. The narrative illustrates the interconnectedness of world cultures and literature, presenting a scholarly analysis that contributes to the understanding of cultural globalization, originally presented as a Ph.D. thesis in 1953.