Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heinewas a German poet, journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Liederby composers such as Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Heine's later verse and prose are distinguished by their satirical wit and irony. He is considered part of the Young Germany movement. His radical political views led to many of his works being banned by German authorities. Heine spent...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth13 December 1797
CountryGermany
Life is the greatest of blessings and death the worst of evils.... all great, powerful souls love life.
And the dancing has begun now, And the Dancings whirl round gaily In the waltz's giddy mazes, And the ground beneath them trembles.
Our souls must become expanded by the contemplation of Nature's grandeur, before we can fully comprehend the greatness of man.
The arrow belongs not to the archer when it has once left the bow; the word no longer belongs to the speaker when it has once passed his lips, especially when it has been multiplied by the press.
Nothing is sillier than this charge of plagiarism. There is no sixth commandment in art. The poet dare help himself wherever he lists, wherever he finds material suited to his work. He may even appropriate entire columns with their carved capitals, if the temple he thus supports be a beautiful one. Goethe understood this very well, and so did Shakespeare before him.
It is only kindred griefs that draw forth our tears, and each weeps really for himself.
Every age has its problem, by solving which humanity is helped forward.
No talent, but yet a character. [Ger., Kein talent, doch ein Charakter.]
My heart resembles the ocean; has storm, and ebb and flow; and many a beautiful pearl lies hid in its depths below.
He is noble who both feels and acts nobly.
There, where one burns books... one, in the end, burns men.
Write . . . write . . . pencil . . . paper.
The nightingale appear'd the first, And as her melody she sang, The apple into blossom burst, To life the grass and violets sprang.
The air grows cool and darkles, The Rhine flows calmly on; The mountain summit sparkles In the light of the setting sun.