Louisa May Alcott loved Germany and German literature. This is why Jo marries a German man. There was a great deal of discrimination towards Germans in 19th Century America so that Louisa gave Jo a German partner is remarkable. Louisa traveled to Germany. She visited Frankfurt in Goethe’s house. Goethe was her favorite writer and one of the models for Friedrich’s character. Louisa also visited Berlin. Is it a coincidence that Friedrich was a professor at the University of Berlin? In this episode, you will learn about the several mentions of Germany and Germans in Little Women.
Recommendations:
“Only gossip prospers” by Lorraine Tosiello https://tinyurl.com/y5hrbcma
“Singing Mignon´s song” German culture and literature in Little Women, by Christine Doyle https://muse.jhu.edu/article/42649/summary
