"Travel Notes" is a famous work created by the famous German novelist Heine from 1826 to 1831.
From 1824 to 1830, Heine traveled around some of the places of interest in Deutscheland, went to England and Italy, and wrote four travelogues, collectively known as "Travel Notes".
The first part of the Journey of the Harz Mountains was written in 1826.
A Journey through the Harz Mountains is a sketch of the realities of German society in the 1820s.
The author poignantly satirizes the privileged class, vividly portraying the vulgarity of the city servants and the shallowness and narrowness of the civic class. On the other hand, he also expressed his love for the natural scenery of the motherland and his sympathy for the working people.
In terms of artistic technique, Heine freely combines lyricism and political discourse, integrating the author's subjective impressions, thoughts and emotions, and objective reporting of facts.
In a satirical, humorous, lively tone, he writes about the suffocating state of the german situation. This work marks the beginning of Heine's embarkation on a creative path that reflects reality.
The second book, Ideas – The Collected Writings of Le Grande, was written in 1827.
Glorifying Napoleon's progressive role in overthrowing feudalism in Germany in a recollective way, Heine contrasts a unified France with a divided Germany. As soon as the book was published, it was banned by the reactionary Prussian government.
The third part includes "Journey from Munich to Genoa" written in 1828 and "Lujia Baths" written in 1829.
It depicts the landscape of Italy and socio-political life, exposes the reactionary nature of the aristocracy and Catholicism, and criticizes the tendency of aristocratic writers of the time to blindly imitate the form of classical literature and detach from reality.
The fourth part is The English Fragment, written in 1831.
In 1827, Heine traveled to England. With a sharp eye, he observed the class contradictions in British society, which was at the most developed capitalism in Europe at that time. From behind the bustling metropolis, he saw the life of a poor and toiling masses.
The chapter "London" profoundly depicts the tragic scene of the lower classes he witnessed on the streets of London, pointing out that while the majority of the people are starving, there are a few people who indulge in the feast, they are the nobility and the big bourgeoisie.
These people create poverty for the lower classes, they are exploiters and oppressors. Heine scolded them as "thieves on their toes." At the end of the work, Heine predicts the inevitability of a revolution.