Roman Elegies XVII
Roman Elegies XVII - context Summary
Composed During Rome Stay
Written in 1788 and published with the Roman Elegies in 1795, this short elegy draws on Goethe’s stay in Rome and his intimate encounters there. It recounts a small domestic scene—annoyance at barking dogs transformed into tenderness because one dog once nearly revealed a clandestine visit—using that memory to evoke pleasure and recollection. The poem reflects the collection’s themes of love, immediacy, and lived experience abroad.
Read Complete AnalysesMany sounds annoy me, but still the one I hate most Is the barking of dogs: and their ear-splitting yelps. There’s only one dog whose yelp and bark can fill me With pleasure: the dog my neighbour has reared. He once barked at my sweetheart, when she crept here On the quiet, and he nearly betrayed our secret. Now, hearing him bark, I always think: she’s here! Or remember the time when I waited, and she came.
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