While Werther’s mother is an important character in Werther’s life, she never makes a direct appearance in the book. Readers only understand her importance through Werther’s mentions of her in his letters to Wilhelm. She was left a single parent when Werther’s father died, and has an unknown source of wealth that Werther sometimes taps. Werther often expresses regret that his lackadaisical lifestyle will cause her pain, but little else (including the reasons for her absence from Werther’s life) is known about her.
Get the entire Sorrows of Young Werther LitChart as a printable PDF.
Werther’s Mother Character Timeline in The Sorrows of Young Werther
The timeline below shows where the character Werther’s Mother appears in The Sorrows of Young Werther. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book Two: March 15-May 25, 1772
...result of his humiliation, Werther resigns from the court. He asks Wilhelm to let his mother know, though he hopes that she will not try to stop the court from accepting...
(full context)
