Not since Luther, "whose words were battles," had German been written so direct from the heart and with such elemental force as makes words living things.
It has been a commonplace remark that 1773, the year of the publication of _Goetz_, corresponds in European literature to 1789 in European political history.

The remark may be exaggerated, but, if a work is to be named which marks the advent of what is covered by the vague name of romanticism, _Goetz_ may fairly claim the honour.

It had precursors of more or less importance in other countries, but, by the nature of its subject, by its audacious disregard of reigning models, and by its resounding notoriety, it gave the signal for a fresh reconstruction of art and life.

It gave the decisive impulse to the writer who is the European representative of the romantic movement, and whose genius specifically fitted him to work the vein which was opened in _Goetz_--a task to which Goethe himself was not called.

In 1799 Scott published his translation of _Goetz_,[107] and followed it up by his series of romantic poems in which the influence of Goethe's work was the main inspiration.