Gustav Benjamin Schwab (19 June 1792 – 4 November 1850) was a German writer, pastor and publisher.

Life

Gustav Schwab was born in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

, the son of the philosopher Johann Christoph Schwab. He was introduced to the humanities early in life. After attending

Gymnasium Illustre The Gymnasium illustre was a school and publishing house in Durlach and is now the Bismarck Gymnasium Karlsruhe. History The ''Gymnasium illustre'' was founded in 1586 by Ernest Frederick, Margrave of Baden-Durlach. It was located in the cente ...

, he studied as a scholar of '' Tübinger Stift'' at

University of Tübingen The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (; ), is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The University of Tübingen is one of eleven German Excellenc ...

, his first two years studying Philology and Philosophy, and thereafter Theology. While at university he established a literary club and became a close friend of Ludwig Uhland, Karl Varnhagen and Justinus Kerner, with whom he published a collection of poems under the title ''Deutscher Dichterwald''. In the spring of 1813, he made a journey to northern Germany, where he met

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

Friedrich Schleiermacher Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (; ; 21 November 1768 – 12 February 1834) was a German Reformed Church, Reformed theology, theologian, philosopher, and biblical scholar known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Age o ...

Friedrich Rückert Johann Michael Friedrich Rückert (16 May 1788 – 31 January 1866) was a German poet, translation, translator, and professor of Oriental languages. Biography Johann Michael Friedrich Rückert was born 16 May 1788 in Schweinfurt and was the e ...

, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué,

Adelbert von Chamisso Adelbert von Chamisso (; 30 January 1781 – 21 August 1838) was a German poet, writer and botanist. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso (or Chamissot) de Boncourt, a name referring to the family estate at Boncourt. Life ...

and others. In 1818 he became a high school teacher in

, and in 1837 he started work as a pastor in Gomaringen, near

Tübingen Tübingen (; ) is a traditional college town, university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer (Neckar), Ammer rivers. about one in ...

. In 1841, he moved back to Stuttgart, where he was first pastor and then from 1845 educational counselor for Stuttgart's high school system. In 1847 he received an honorary Doctorate from his old university. Schwab's collection of

myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

s and

legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...

s of antiquity, ''Sagen des klassischen Altertums'', published from 1838 to 1840, was widely used at German schools and became very influential for the reception of classical antiquity in German classrooms. There is a still available English translation with a foreword by

Werner Jaeger Werner Wilhelm Jaeger (30 July 1888 – 19 October 1961) was a German-American classicist. Life Werner Wilhelm Jaeger was born in Lobberich, Rhenish Prussia in the German Empire. He attended school in Lobberich and at the Gymnasium Thomaeum i ...

. In his later years, he traveled regularly to Überlingen am Bodensee to enjoy the waters at the city's spa.Alfons Semler, ''Überlingen: Bilder aus der Geschichte einer kleine Reichsstadt,''Singen, 1949, p. 173. He died in Stuttgart in 1850.

Works

*''Gedichte'' (1828) *''Das Buch der schönsten Geschichten und Sagen'' (1837) *''Sagen des klassischen Altertums'' (1838–1840) **'' Gods and Heroes: Myths and Epics of Ancient Greece'' ()

Citations

External links

* * *
gutenberg.spiegel.de
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwab, Gustav 1792 births 1850 deaths Writers from Stuttgart People from the Duchy of Württemberg 19th-century German Lutheran clergy German male writers People educated at Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium Morgenblatt für gebildete Stände editors Mythographers