
→
Recommend to library
Title Details
202 Pages
22.8 x 15.2 cm
Series: Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture
Series Vol. Number:
1
Imprint: Camden House
Political Change and Human Emancipation in the Works of Heinrich von Kleist
- Description
- Contents
- Author
- Reviews
Challenges traditional views of Kleist by situating his work in relation to the political and philosophical debates of his age.
The German writer Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) was an unconventional and often controversial figure in his own day, and has remained so. His ideas on art, politics, and gender relations continue to challenge modern readers, andhis complex and radically open texts remain the object of vigorous scholarly debate. Kleist has often been portrayed as a "poet without a society," whose writing served as escape from the realities of his social environment. Thisnew study challenges such a view by situating Kleist in relation to the central political and philosophical debates of his momentous age. The study first establishes the German--and Prussian--context of Kleist's day, and then provides a short introduction to Kleist's life, here seen in particular relation to the political world. Developing his argument in relation to Kleist's literary work and essays in a series of close readings, Elystan Griffiths showshow Kleist's writings responded to four pressing political issues: the relationship of national culture and the state; education and social reform; the theory and practice of war; and administration and the delivery of justice. Griffiths sheds fresh light on Kleist's writing by placing emphasis on its intricacy and rich ambiguity, which are often simplified or overlooked in political studies of Kleist. Thus Griffiths furthers the critical understanding ofKleist's political thinking by uncovering crucial tensions between a pragmatic readiness for compromise and a utopian longing for freedom and truth.
Elystan Griffiths is a Research Fellow in the Department of German Studies at the University of Birmingham.
Elystan Griffiths is a Research Fellow in the Department of German Studies at the University of Birmingham.
Introduction
Prussia and Germany in Kleist's Day
Kleist and the Political World
The Nation, the State, and the Subject
Education and Social Change
The Theory and Practice of War
Administration and Justice
Conclusion
Works Cited
Index
Prussia and Germany in Kleist's Day
Kleist and the Political World
The Nation, the State, and the Subject
Education and Social Change
The Theory and Practice of War
Administration and Justice
Conclusion
Works Cited
Index
"Satisfying a long-standing need in Kleist studies, Griffiths provides a thorough analysis of the political context in which Kleist (1777-1811) lived and worked and an assessment of his writings' political implications...this study is based in sound research, rich erudition and a good sense. Highly Recommended." CHOICE
"In calling critical attention to the depth, nuances, and variety of Kleist's literary and essayistic responses to political issues, Griffiths succeeds in highlighting the relevance and importance these texts have for the challenges we face in our own century.... [H]ighly readable and would make an excellent companion for scholars studying or teaching Kleist's texts in the context of his age." GERMAN QUARTERLY
"The strength of Griffiths' book ... lies in its ability to trace the discussion of specific political and social debates in Kleist's works, providing a more complex and concrete picture of the author's political stance." COLLOQUIA GERMANICA
Hardcover
9781571132925
October 2004
£85.00 / $99.00
Ebook (EPDF)
9781571136510
October 2004
£19.99 / $24.99
Title Details
202 Pages
2.28 x 1.52 cm
Series: Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture
Series Vol. Number:
1
Imprint: Camden House