Johann Jakob Breitinger
Johann Jakob Breitinger was an influential Swiss literary critic born in the early eighteenth century in Zurich, known for his significant contributions to German literature. Alongside his colleague Johann Jakob Bodmer, Breitinger challenged the prevailing classicist theories of Johann Christoph Gottsched, who favored structured and rule-based approaches to literature. Instead, Breitinger and Bodmer advocated for a greater appreciation of imagination and the influence of English literature. They collaborated on various projects, including the publication of "Sammlung von Minnesingern," a collection of medieval literature released between 1758 and 1759. Their joint efforts also included the journal "Discourse de Mahlern," which played a critical role in shaping German poetry during the eighteenth century. Breitinger expressed his own literary theories in his work "Kritische Dichtkunst," published in 1740, emphasizing creativity in poetry. His academic background included studies in theology and philology, and he served as a professor at the Collegium Carolinum in Zurich, teaching various subjects including Greek and Hebrew. Breitinger’s legacy continued until his death in 1776, marking him as a pivotal figure in the evolution of literary thought in the German-speaking world.
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Johann Jakob Breitinger
Philologist
- Born: March 1, 1701
- Birthplace: Zurich, Switzerland
- Died: December 1, 1776
- Place of death: Zurich, Switzerland
Biography
Born at the beginning of the eighteenth century in Zurich, Switzerland, literary critic Johann Jakob Breitinger markedly influenced German literature, along with Johann Jakob Bodmer, the colleague and writer with whom he often collaborated and with whom he is often associated. Breitinger studied theology and philology, eventually joining the Collegium Carolinum in Zurich as a professor. He taught Greek and Hebrew, and also lectured in Latin, logic, and rhetoric.
With Johann Jakob Bodmer, he challenged the classicist theories of Johann Christoph Gottsched, who favored the French literature of the time and who advocated form, structure, and rules in the composition of drama and poetry. Breitinger and Bodmer, on the other hand, preferred English literature and encouraged the use of imagination over form. Partly as their response to Johann Christoph Gottsched’s arguments, the pair compiled and published Sammlung von Minnesingern, a collection of medieval literature, between 1758 and 1759. The two also impacted German poetry in the eighteenth century through their journal, Discourse de Mahlern, from 1721 to 1723, and collaborated on Thesaurus Historicae Helveticae. Breitinger expressed his individual theories on poetry and his support for creativity in 1740 with Kritische Dichtkunst. The writer died in 1776.