Lorelai poem

Themes Across Cultures

The Lorelei Poem by Heinrich Heine

did you know? Heinrich Heine . . .

• first achieved fame for

a series of travel books.

• inspired thousands of

musical compositions

through his verse.

• had his work banned by

the German government

for over 100 years.

Meet the Author

Although Heinrich Heine (hFnPrGKH hFPnE) was a controversial figure in his native Germany, he was celebrated as one of Europe’s most renowned love poets. Like Blake, Heine wrote in a simple, musical style. However, Heine’s skepticism and emphasis on suffering and loneliness link him to late romantic poets such as Byron.

Changes in Direction Born to a Jewish textile merchant, Heine grew up in modest circumstances in the city of Düsseldorf (then part of Prussia). When his father’s business failed, Heine was sent to Hamburg, where a wealthy uncle tried, unsuccessfully, to make a businessman of him. Heine eventually earned a law degree but showed more interest in writing poetry. He reluctantly converted to Protestantism because government jobs were closed to Jews at the time. However, he was never offered any of the jobs he desired.

Love’s Pain Heine established his international reputation as a poet with

the publication of The Book of Poems (1827). Containing love

songs, ballads, and sonnets, the volume explored, among other subjects, Heine’s unrequited and unhappy

love for his cousin Amalie. Several poems in the collection,

including “The Lorelei,” also grew out of his interest

in German

folklore. According to legend, a maiden who drowned herself after a lover’s betrayal sits upon the Lorelei rock high above the Rhine River, combing her hair in the moonlight and singing a haunting song that lures boatmen to their death.

Critic of Society Although best known for his lyric poetry, Heine also wrote essays and verse attacking social injustice and government corruption in Germany. Throughout his life, he searched for solutions to these evils, exploring ideas ranging from various forms of socialism to the communism espoused by Karl Marx, an acquaintance of his. None of these models totally satisfied Heine, however, since he believed they would not lead to a more joyful human society.

Heine moved to Paris in 1831 and devoted his creative energy to writing essays criticizing the policies of the French monarchy and the militant nationalism he saw developing in Germany. These essays infuriated the German people, who considered them unpatriotic and dangerous. In 1835, the German government banned Heine’s work.

When he was 51, a serious illness confined Heine to what he called “his mattress grave.” Despite tremendous pain and the slow loss of his vision, he continued to write until his death.

Heinrich Heine 1797–1856

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READING 3 Evaluate the changes in sound, form, and figurative language in poetry across literary time periods. 7 Analyze how the author’s patterns of imagery reveal theme, set tone, and create meaning in metaphors, passages, and literary works.

What makes people reckless? Though we try to act rationally in most situations, we all fall prey sometimes to recklessness—whether it’s doing something without thinking or consciously deciding to act against our better judgment. In “The Lorelei,” you will encounter a man who is haunted by a tale of recklessness.

DISCUSS What circumstances or emotions make us act recklessly? Record your ideas in a word web, with the word recklessness in the center. Then, with a partner, discuss some of the reasons people act this way. Come up with some solutions for how people can avoid making a reckless decision.