The relationship between a mother and her son is essential to the emotional development of a child. Insufficient bonding between the two can lead to a host of emotional complications ranging from behavioral problems to attachment issues. In The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the relationship between the main character Werther and his mother is strained to say the least. The instability of their relationship pushes Werther to look outside his family for the emotional and fulfilling connections he desires. Lotte, along with her siblings, provides Werther with a picture of the idyllic family he dreamed of having, but, at the end of the novel, Werther is forced to learn that the ideal can never be achieved. Werther's mother is barely mentioned throughout the novel. the novel. In fact, we never find out his name or anything extremely substantial about him. At no time does Werther contact his mother directly; instead, he relies on Walheim to pass on any information he deems necessary for her to know. He is not at all interested in what is happening in his mother's life nor does he care to provide many details about what is happening in his own. In most of the passages where his mother is mentioned, Werther simply seems bitter and resentful. Although this may seem to indicate that she is an insignificant character in the story, her very absence in the novel makes her instrumental in understanding Werther's actions. The first mention of Werther's mother refers to a situation relating to a disagreement between his mother and her son. aunt. He's obviously taken care of this problem for her, but he doesn't write news of the situation directly to her, instead going through Walheim as usual. ""Be kind to... middle of paper... he needs, he has no choice but to commit suicide. Werther's relationship with his mother quietly influences many crucial events in The Sorrows of Youth. Werther. If Werther had a strong relationship with his mother, the outcome of the book could have changed dramatically. Since he failed to maintain a strong relationship with her, he had to fulfill his role in her life elsewhere. of a mother he can connect with, but it ultimately becomes apparent that his idealized vision of her fails to connect with the real Lotte. The novel proves how tumultuous emotional bonds can be and how imperfect relationships between a mother and son can lead to misfortune. results.Works citedGoethe, Johann Wolfgang von. The Sorrows of Young Werther Ed. Nathan Haskell Doyle Trans. RD Boylan, January 2, 2009. Web.. 2011.