German Romantic Literary Theory

Abstract

The emergence of a new theory of literature in the German Romantic period constituted a decisive turning point in the history of criticism. Prepared by new trends in critical thought during the latter half of the eighteenth century, a view of the literary work and the artistic process developed which diverged sharply from the dominant classicist understanding of aesthetics and poetics. It recognised the infinite changeability of genres, their constant mingling, and the frequent emergence of new literary forms, and asserted the rights of genius and creative imagination. It was also characterised by its intimate connection with the prevailing philosophy of its time, transcendental idealism. Professor Behler provides a new account of this crucial movement, illustrating each theoretical topic with close reference to a characteristic work by a major writer of the period.

Hermeneutiek in veelvoud

“…Aan die rest van het (niet-)begrijpen, hoe klein ook, schrijft hij dus -ironisch maar ook profetisch -'das Heil der Familien und der Nationen' toe 370). De ironie is de strategie van de onderbreking die even het doek van die ondraaglijke 'reële taal' licht om ze ook weer onmiddellijk en ad infinitum te verhullen (Behler 1993: 273-282, De Man 1996. Alleen: die dubbelslag van illusie en desillusie is zelf dus niet controleerbaar, vandaar de beroemde definitie van de ironie als 'eine permanente Parekbase' (KFSA 18: 85).…”

Comedy, love, irony: On Mauritz Stiller’s Thomas Graal’s Best Film

“…Schlegel's theory of romantic irony and permanent parabasis is never laid out in a systematic way, but its most dense formulations are found in a series (mostly fragments) in his short but productive period for the journal Athenäum (1798-1800) (Schlegel 1963). Good overviews are available in Behler (1993), de Man (1996), Miller (2001, Lacoue-Labarthe and Nancy (1988) and Gulddal (2000).…”

“…Romantic irony is ultimately about the freedom and flexibility of the authorial consciousness and the possibilities of art (Behler 1993 In the final image, she forces a stiff and dumbfounded Graal to bow to her parents. Graal, who had thought he was a hero in full control of a conventional story -the poor girl in need of a lover's protection -suddenly finds himself to be the alazôn.…”

The Texture of Culture

“…They advocated the infinite changeability of genres and the emergence of new literary forms instead of a fixed and static hierarchy; they opposed the creative power of genius and imagination to the mimetic and subsidiary nature of art. In general, if the neoclassicists viewed genre as a stable, prescriptive entity (an order), the romantics rejected all generic rules and lay emphasis on individual works (see Behler 1993;Szondi 1986, 75-94). 16.…”