Goethes „Weltliteratur“: Begriff oder Diskurs?

Based on Birus’ suggestion to understand Goethe as an “initiator of discursive practices”, the present study reconsiders the Goethean comments on World Literature (“Weltliteratur”) not in terms of a concept but rather in terms of a discourse. The initial point is the observation that Goethe’s comments on World literature share in two different notions of culture relevant at the time, namely culture as a technique of comparison that implies a competent and sober handling of cultural difference, as well as culture as ultimate foundation of a group that allows for enthusiastic reference on a community. By operating a combination of competence for comparison and enthusiasm, without however referring to a concrete community, Goethe’s comments constitute a new possibility of speech, the discourse of World literature.