German writer Johann Goethe’s novella ‘Elective Affinities’ is a singular book which attracts both creative minds and pragmatic minds. Romantics at heart will be drawn to the convoluted love affair; married couple Eduard and Charlotte invite two close friends to live with them on their idyllic estate for a short time. The innocent invitation takes an unexpected turn though, as each of the spouses become attracted to their guests. Eduard falls in love with Ottilie, the young and attractive niece of Charlotte, and Charlotte finds herself drawn to Captain, the down-on-his-luck friend of Eduard. What draws science-minded readers to the story is Goethe’s theory of elective affinities, or the relationship between certain compounds which means that they only react with each other under very unique circumstances. Goethe draws comparisons of science with sociology, allowing his characters to act and react with each other based on the elective affinity principle. The characters pairing up under the circumstances of their living condition creates a passionate, secretive environment that causes each person to reconsider their own morals. They want love, but how far are they willing to go to obtain it? Goethe pits two opposing ideas against each other: that people are slave to their desires and their own agents of free will. It is a dichotomy that has captivated audiences to return to ‘Elective Affinities’ for over two-hundred years.
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