Johann Karl Wezel
Johann Karl Wezel was an influential German writer of the 18th century, known for his sharp wit and distinctive style in portraying the excesses of nobility and the hazards of corruption. Born in 1747 in Sondershausen, Wezel was raised by his grandparents and educated privately before attending the University of Leipzig, where he studied theology, law, and philosophy. His literary career spanned just fifteen years, during which he created eight novels and fourteen plays, along with scholarly works. Wezel's notable publications include the satirical novel *Lebensgeschichte Tobias Knauts des Weisen*, which achieved considerable popularity, and the comic novel *Belphego*.
A staunch advocate for artistic independence, Wezel criticized the patronage system and attempted to support himself solely through his writing. His works often featured biting social commentary, leading to conflicts with critics and censorship. Despite his early success, a series of personal and professional challenges, including illness and financial difficulties, eventually led to a decline in his literary output. By 1788, Wezel had returned to Sondershausen, where he would not publish any further works until his death in 1819. His legacy continues to be recognized for its critique of societal norms and the exploration of freedom in creative expression.
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Subject Terms
Johann Karl Wezel
Playwright
- Born: October 31, 1747
- Birthplace: Sondershausen, Scwarzburg-Sondershausen (now in Germany)
- Died: January 28, 1819
Biography
Johann Karl Wezel was an eighteenth century German writer whose wit and style enabled him to effectively portray characters whose motivations and actions demonstrated the abuses of nobility and the consequences of corruption. His pointed satires and unconventional views of religion alienated critics, and his work was suppressed for many years. Although all of his work was written within a fifteen-year period, he is credited with eight novels and fourteen plays, as well as books which were scholarly and philosophical. Wezel objected to patronage and supported himself entirely on the proceeds of his work.
Wezel was born in 1747 in Sondershausen, Scwarzburg- Sondershausen (now in Germany). His parents were servants to Prince Heinrich and Wezel was raised by his grandparents, who relied upon a private tutor for his early education. In 1765, Wezel began attending the University of Leipzig, where he studied theology, law, and philosophy. After completing his studies, Wezel was hired as a tutor for two young children by their aristocratic father. In this position Wezel became informed about the political and economic state of the region.
Wezel published his first work, the operetta libretto Filibert und Theodosia, in 1772. He released his second work, the four-volume satirical novel Lebensgeschichte Tobias Knauts des Weisen, sonst der Stammler genant, between 1773 and 1776. It was an immensely popular book which quickly went into a second printing. In 1775, Wezel published Epistel an die deutschen Dichter, in which he encouraged German poets to become independent of the system of patronage. This was followed by a comic novel, Belphego (1776).
Wezel also began publishing stories in the journal Merkur. In the mid-1770’s, Wezel found work as a tutor for the children of the Prussian minister of justice in Berlin. Again, Wezel was in a position to observe the political figures of his country and the peculiarities of upper-class life. He was forced to resign from the position in 1777 due to illness and returned to Leipzig, where he published a number of works and contributed to a variety of publications. In the 1779, Wezel published Robinson Krusoe, a German translation of Daniel Defoe’s The Life and Surpassing Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner. Wezel was inspired to write a sequel to the book, Robinson Krusoe: Neu bearbeitet (1780). The book contained a great deal of biting social commentary, and it embroiled Wezel in a censorship scandal.
Wezel relocated briefly to Vienna but soon returned to Leipzig after failing to find acceptance in artistic circles. In Liepzig, he published philosophical treatises and various other works. By 1788, Wezel found himself financially destitute and moved to the town of his birth, Sondershausen. This proved to be the end of his career as a writer, for from this point until his death in 1819, he never released another book or article.