Gleichnis (Analogy, Likeness, Parable, Simile)

The concept Gleichnis—together with original phenomenon (Urphänomen) and metamorphosis (Metamorphose)—is key to Goethe’s worldview and one of his favorite terms due to its semantic polyvalence and ambivalence in German. Primarily in religious contexts, Gleichnis means “likeness” and “parable”; in rhetoric it denotes “figurative language” in general; in poetry it refers specifically to a simile; and in philosophical terms it is grounded in “analogy.” Gleichnisse feature prominently in Goethe’s poetry as well as in his scientific and philosophical writings. Since he uses this concept self-reflexively, his oeuvre amounts to a theory of Gleichnis. This entry showcases Goethe’s poetic practice of Gleichnis in prominent examples ranging from lyric, epic, and drama, and in so doing seeks to outline the basic structure of Gleichnis as a metapoetic form of reflection which aims to harmonize and transcend the disciplinary differences between theological, philosophical, and scientific discourses.