Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a German statesman and writer. He first received acclaim at the age of twenty-five with the success of his first novel,
The Sorrows of Young Werther. His works spearheaded Germany's Sturm und Drang literary movement.
The Sorrows of Young Werther had a profound cultural influence, inspiring young men to dress in the style of Werther.