With the West-Eastern Divan, Goethe begins his great poetic work of old age. It was misunderstood and even rejected for its strangeness well into the 20th century. Yet, early on, poets like Rückert, Platen, Heine, and Gautier, as well as philosophers like Hegel and Marx, counted among its ardent admirers. Even today, the West-Eastern Divan is considered one of the most challenging works of modern German literature. This edition presents a commentary of unprecedented accuracy and depth, bringing it up to date with current research and yielding new insights.