Rahel Varnhagen

""Rahel Varnhagen: A Portrait"" is a biographical work written by Ellen Key, which provides a detailed account of the life of Rahel Varnhagen, a prominent figure in German literature and culture during the early 19th century. The book explores Varnhagen's life from her early years as a Jewish woman in Berlin, to her rise to prominence as a salon hostess and intellectual figure, and her eventual exile to Paris. Key delves into Varnhagen's personal life, including her relationships with notable figures such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schlegel, as well as her struggles with identity and belonging in a society that was often hostile to Jews and women. Through extensive research and analysis, ""Rahel Varnhagen: A Portrait"" offers a fascinating insight into the life of an extraordinary woman who played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of her time.1913. With an introduction by Havelock Ellis. Varnhagen lived during the crucial period of assimilation in Germany, when it seemed imperative for Jews to escape their Jewishness. From the Preface: The following pages are not a study in literary history; no search has been made for new authorities, and no stress is laid on literal accuracy in the case of the sources that have been used. Such a work was within neither the aim nor the compass of this book. My aim has been to give a portrait of the greatest woman the Jewish race has produced; to my mind also the greatest woman Germany can call her daughter. Contents: Origin; Personality; Love; Religion; Fellow-feeling; Social Life; Goethe; Sense of Beauty; and Letters.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.