[MD] Moq_Discuss Digest, Vol 45, Issue 45

[MarshaV]

Elective Affinities 
  by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  

Eduard and Charlotte are an aristocratic couple who live a harmonious but
idle life in their estate. But the peace of their existence is thrown into
chaos when two visitors Eduard's friend the Captain and Charlotte's
passionate young ward Ottilie provoke unexpected attraction and forbidden
love. Taking its title from the principle of elective affinities the theory
that certain chemicals are naturally drawn to one another this is a
penetrating study of marriage and adultery. Inspired by Goethe's own
conflicting loyalties as he battled to maintain his relationship with his
wife and control his feelings for a younger woman, Elective Affinities is
one of the greatest works of the romance era: a rich exploration of love,
conflict, and the inescapable force of fate.