German Fairy Tales and Heinrich von Kleist - Essay Example

?World Literature. Middle High German, German Fairy Tales and Heinrich von Kleist. Section Epoch: The Middle High German icism. 1a The Minnelied belongs to the genre of Minnesang or love poetry and as the labels suggest, it revolves around the subject of love, and it was intended to be sung. This means that the style is lyrical, containing sumptuous descriptions and a tone that is both reverential and relatively light. The rhetorical devices of metaphor and simile are common, since they are used in flattering descriptions of the lady who is the object of the poet’s admiration, and also in reflection on aspects of love, and how it affects the poet. Repetition, often in well- structured stanza form, underlines the poet’s unswerving devotion. 1b The Minnelied is based on a poet/knight figure who reveres a high born lady from afar. There is usually very little exact definition of the social status and real life relationship between the two, because the Minnelied intended to depict love in an idealized fashion. The poet addresses the lady with an almost religious level of adoration, and he emphasizes her serene beauty and his abject devotion. This love is a hopeless kind of love, because there is always a reason why the poet cannot turn his words into reality. Usually the reason is that she is married, and so this means that secrecy is an essential theme. There is a lot of discussion of matters which are visual and tangible, although it is all presented in a stylized way. Although the poet is resigned to his fate, he is also persistent and faithful, never giving up on his hopeless love. This is a given, despite the indifference and even coldness of the lady in question. She cannot show any signs of giving in to the poet’s flattery and entreaties because this would be adultery and would result in her losing the status of a noble and admirable woman. Paradoxically, it is her unavailability that the poet treasures so much. 1c In Middle High German Classicism there are also longer narrative works, which are usually given the label of “courtly romance.” There are some echoes of Minnesang in this genre, since knights and fair ladies occur regularly in them, but the focus here is much more on the brave exploits of the knights and the concept of chivalry. Besides these there are also heroic epics, which deal with historical subjects over a long period of time. These deal with dynasties and wars, illustrating how power is passed down the generations, and how famous warriors step up to the mark when acts of bravery are required. There are also political set pieces, often in praise of some king or other leader, and many different types of religious writing from songs and prayers, to commentaries, letters and treatises on religious themes, or topics relevant to monks and nuns, such as herbal medicine, miracles and the lives of saints. Historical works like chronicles are also common in this period and they recount religious as well as political events. 1d The period before Middle High German Classicism is known by different terms, depending on whether one is looking at it linguistically or in terms of literary production. From about 700 until about 1100 people spoke what we call “Old High German” – a collection of dialects which were mostly spoken. The language of literary composition was usually Latin, due to the influence of Christianity, and most people were illiterate. Early Middle High German is therefore more closely aligned with religious themes. Towards the end of the Middle High German Classical epoch, society was changing fast, with greater levels of literacy, and more people living in towns and cities. This created a new bourgeois class which developed its own taste in literature, much of which was factual (Sachliteratur) and dealt with subjects like commerce and legal issues, or recording of property deals and the like or specialized (Fachliteratur), dealing with practical subjects like farming, alchemy, different trades and the beginnings of scientific explanations for things. Literature was no longer confined to religious people and the nobility, and this is evident in the more prosaic tone and content of works in this period. 1e. Middle High German Classicism is important and relevant in the curriculum of a German school class because it shows the origins of modern German ideas about many important things like love, politics and history. It is also a period in which Germany was culturally important in Europe, leading the way in stylistic innovation, and taking influences like the troubadour styles of Provence, and spreading them further into central and northern Europe. Even thoroughly modern cultural features like pop songs and films owe a great deal to the concepts of romantic love that the poets in the Middle High German Classical epoch devised and explained. There are elements of religious worship, such as adoration of the Virgin Mary, which the poets captured and adapted to secular contexts, like a court poet pleasing a royal couple with fictitious songs of adoration for one or more noble ladies in that court. We can see elements of modern celebrity culture here, and we can learn also about universal human experiences, for example of love that is both painful and pleasurable. Reading this older literature makes us more aware of the continuity of the past with the present, and it reminds us that what we experience is nothing special or new. It gives us a sense of perspective, and allows us to appreciate the humanity and high skills of previous generations. There are emotional and also academic benefits in struggling to understand older language and previous world views that shaped our current society. 1.f Walther von der Vogelweide’s famous poem “Under der linden” is much loved because of its lightness of touch and simplicity. It has some features in common with troubadour lyrics, because it is set in a pastoral scene, with a meadow “zuo der ouwe” (line 2) , flowers “bluomen” (line 12) and roses “bi den rosen” (line16) and a spot on the ground where two lovers lay. Unlike the usual Minnelied tradition, however, this poem is written from the point of view of a young woman, and it reflects a real life meeting, with actual contact between the two lovers. It is as if the poet has taken the usual features of Minnesang (distance and unattainability for the man) and has turned it into the opposite (intimacy and closeness spoken from the point of view of the woman). The structure of the poem is a three stanza set, with a chorus line “tandaradei” which means nothing at all, but is intended to imitate the sound of a stringed instrument, which the poet would play while reciting or possibly chanting or singing the words. The imagery of the poem is both natural and reverential, since the speaker exclaims “here frouwe” which is a reference to the Virgin Mary, and likens the state of being in love to the state of heavenly bliss: “daz ich bin saelic iemer me!” There is no indication of whether the couple are married or not, but the likelihood is that they are not. This makes the linking of the love scene with heavenly bliss something akin to blasphemy if taken seriously. The poem does not allow this thought to gain the upper hand, however, since the signs of the lovers’ meeting on the grass and flowers is cited as something that will make others laugh, since it reveals what happened there and yet there is no way of catching those who were involved. On the other hand, the female narrator is complicit in a pact of secrecy with a little bird who saw what happened. The poem shows a double morality at work here. There is the free and easy morality of the lovers who feel greatly blessed by their love, and enjoy the natural world which shields them and provides them with a bed to lie on. And then there is the world of organized religion and social customs which would make the narrator feel ashamed of what she has done if anyone knew about it “nu enwelle got so schamte ich mich” (lines 28-29) The poem draws the reader in to this little secret love nest, and that is what gives the poem such an intimate and memorable tone. It retains its relevance for modern readers because there are still social and religious constraints on people, and there is a tension between ideal moral standards and what people instinctively and naturally want to do. References Gibbs, Marion E. and Johnson, Sidney, Medieval German Literature. London and New York: Routledge, 2002. Hasty, Will (ed.) German Literature of the High Middle Ages, New York: Camden House, 2006. Section 2. Genre: Fairy Tales. 2a A fairy tale is quite hard to define. Such tales usually derive from an oral story telling tradition and there is some aspect which is not realistic. In German the word “Marchen” means that it is a “tale of wonder.” Jack Haney defines it as “a family-oriented but individually centered tale.” Maria Tatar defines it as “set in a fictional world where preternatural events and supernatural intervention are taken wholly for granted.” James Roy King states that fairy tales challenge norms and open up new possibilities. When read to children, they help children to form a sense of self, and to see how even weak and powerless characters can overcome their problems. They also often have some kind of moral or deep meaning to them, and this is why they are of interest to psychologists as well as literary scholars and historians. They reveal fantasies, dreams and imaginings that people have noted down through the ages. Ancient fears and archetypes are echoed there, going back far into human history and so there is a sense in which they record human emotional development. 2b The structure of a fairy tale is quite predictable, with an introduction, key outline of the good and bad characters, some dilemma that needs to be solved, and a resolution in the end that resolves that dilemma. Usually there is a happy ending, although sometimes quite gruelling tribulations have to be endured before it arrives. Motifs like prohibitions which are ignored, or quests that bring great rewards are common. The setting is deliberately vague, so that it can apply to a number of different places and cultures, for example a cottage in a forest, or a luxurious palace where kings and queens live. A number of formulaic elements are used, which help people to remember the details of the plot when they are recounting the tale in an oral version. There are often objects or characters arranged in threes, and sometimes also there are magical objects which unleash supernatural effects. 2c Fairy tales are a sub-section of the folk tale genre. Folk tales can be “animal tales, cautionary tales, religious and farcical tales, memorates and legends” but the key feature that separates fairy tales from these other varieties is the presence of supernatural beings who take an interest in human affairs. Fairy tales are different from children’s literature like nursery rhymes because they are usually in prose form, and derive from ancient tales that were designed for adults. They are distinct also from most modern fiction because they ultimately are an oral genre, told and retold in different times and places. In fairy tales the core story is usually well known, and it is the repeating again and again of the old story, with minor variations , that is cherished by readers and listeners. 2d It is possible to feel the spirit of the time of the 19th century in fairy tales because the world appears to be very regulated with specific roles for parents, children and other characters. There are rigid social class boundaries, and there is also usually a very strong didactic tone that sets out what it is proper for a person to do in a given situation. The issue of poverty is also a frequent theme, as in the stories of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel, and this reflects how industrialization had a very uneven impact on societies. The rich prospered and built fine houses and castles, while the poor starved in the outlying areas, or were engaged as lowly servants. The very marked difference between male and female roles is also a feature of fairy tales which reflects nineteenth century values. Some feminist critics see the force of patriarchy in figures like the prince who wakes up sleeping beauty. The role of women to be silent, beautiful and passive allows the dashing male hero to use his superior strength and take possession of her. This supports sexist notions of the time which kept women in domestic roles, and required men to play the role of provider and head of the household. 2e In the nineteenth century fairy tales served many functions, including that of providing pure entertainment for readers. They also set down moral codes which children were expected to follow, and depicted a secure and organized society in which fathers had to be obeyed, and children had to obey. Some of the evil characters reflected negative views of some aspects of femininity (for example witches were both clever and ugly) and of masculinity (for example giants and ogres were an example of too much aggression and forcefulness) which served as a warning. Little Red Riding Hood is an intriguing tale which may well have been used to teach children to beware of strangers, and not to be too curious in situations which could be dangerous. 2f Many of the original functions of fairy tales are still applied today, for example to entertain readers, and to present moral dilemmas which aid children in their development of self in relation to the complex world around them. At school fairy tales are excellent reading texts for beginners, because the stories are well known, and the plot predictable, which gives children confidence in tackling the texts. They can also be used to pose questions about past and present attitudes in society, for example the position of Cinderella is not readily visible in modern western societies, but the issue of poverty and unfairness in the world is very much still an issue. There are some dangers in the use of fairy tales, both in terms of its immediate effect on young readers and in terms of the hidden values that they convey. Many a child has been frightened by ideas and images in fairy tale books, films and oral stories and so care must be taken to ensure that children understand the difference between reality and fantasy. The hidden values of racism and sexism are also a danger, along with the all-too-easy equation of ugliness, or physical difference, with evil. These ideas should be made explicit to children, and discussed, so that the negative connotations that they bring are challenged, and do not enter the child’s belief system in a direct and harmful way. 2g Women play a variety of roles in fairy tales, but they tend to be polarized into good and week characters, or bad and strong characters. Princesses abound, but they are usually there only as a prize to be won or as a damsel in distress to be saved. This makes the good characters passive and a poor reflection of womanhood. The bad female characters, like witches and ugly sisters, for example, have some of the powerful features of male characters, but they are used for evil purposes. The message seems to be that woman should be patient and quiet, preferably pretty as well, or else they are likely to suffer some disaster or turn into the epitome of evil. 2h The tale of Hansel and Gretel is one of the most terrifying fairy tales in the Grimm repertoire. The names of the children are typical ordinary child names, making them representative of all children, and raising the possibility in the minds of young readers that such disasters can befall anyone. Children left without the protection of adults are a common motif in fairy tales. It is striking that the women in this tale are truly evil. The children’s step-mother wants to have them taken out into the woods and abandoned, because the family is too poor to feed all the children. The figure of the witch who cooks and eats children is every child’s worst nightmare, confounding all expectations that women should be motherly and nurturing. Cannibalism is taboo in most human cultures, and this gruesome tale shows how the children outwit the plotting of their parents and the witch by concealing pebbles, and then bread to show a path to freedom. The contrast between the woodcutter’s pitiful home and the gingerbread house shows an awareness of class difference, and there may be also hints of race difference in the way that the witch is portrayed with features that are ugly. It is interesting that in the end the witch and the step-mother die, one because she is tricked into the oven by Gretel, and the other more mysteriously, but the woodcutter father escapes punishment. This is an example of a nineteenth century double standard which punishes women much more than men, even though by any standards the father is just as guilty as the step-mother. Reference Davidson, Hilda Ellis and Chaudri, Anna. A Companion to the Fairy Tale. New York: D.S. Brewer, 2003. Section 3. Author: Heinrich von Kleist. 3a Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) was born in Brandenburg to a family which had a long and noble tradition of providing sons for glorious military careers. He duly spent his early life in the military but this lifestyle did not suit him and he complained that he was frustrated and appalled by its petty formalities and old fashioned approaches. The Prussian culture of the time was very formal, and strictly moral which did not suit him either, and a lot of his writing rebels against this kind of heavy social pressure to conform to a narrow set of rules. Like many young aristocratic men of his time he travelled around Europe on a kind of grand tour in order to learn about the world through an experience of different cultures and the hardships of travel. He gravitated towards artistic and Bohemian types of people, perhaps as a reaction against his upbringing. He was interested in literature, however, and met some of the greatest writers of the age, including both Goethe and Schiller. Towards the end of his short life he wrote eight fascinating narrative texts and several plays, but he committed suicide for reasons which are not entirely clear. This makes Kleist a complex character, not well understood in his lifetime, and nowadays recognized for his somewhat eccentric writings which have left a powerful impression. 3b Kleist’s writing fits into the Romantic epoch of German literary history and there are certainly some aspects of Romanticism in his work. He had read Moliere in French, and Shakespeare in a German translation, and of course he was influenced by Goethe and Schiller with their Sturm und Drang dramatic works. “Essentially Kleist is a masculine writer, terse, forceful and courageous. He has a fondness for strange, mysterious and bizarre events, and for scenes of violence” (March, 1954, p. 11) At the same time he is known for being an especially subtle writer who displayed a lot of intuitive insight, especially into his female characters. He was also interested in themes of sexuality and violence, and did not shrink from including them in his works, which made him something of a controversial character in his lifetime. In later times, when moral values had relaxed a little, the true genius of his work was appreciated more fully. 3c Kleist is important because he defies easy categorization. He has an interest in the dramatic and the extreme, and often depicts individuals up against a huge destiny or great forces of society and history. His treatment of strong emotions places him in the Romantic category, but he also has a fascination for detail and an interest in the scientific advances of the Enlightenment, which indicates a link also to realism which comes somewhat later. In this respect he was ahead of his time. 3d Kleist’s narrator in his narratives appears to be an objective outsider who does not get involved in the passions of the events that are going on in the story. In this his style is reminiscent of a historian, or maybe an ancient epic poet, rather than a modern novelist. The effect of this is to make his narrations sound somewhat forced and wooden, often just listing events as they happened without giving the reader too many clues as to how these things are to be interpreted. There are, however, subtle shifts in narrative tone, which can be detected for example there is often an opening statement which reveals something very important, and this gives the reader a filter through which to read the narrative that follows: “The first paragraph of Michael Kohlhaas, for example, describes in terse and graphic sentences, which have the hard uncompromising ring of a police report, the whole story of the worthy horse dealer…” Some critics detect an element of the dramatic in his narratives, which has something to do with shifting perspectives through “his fondness for incorporating into the narrative … audience responses and reactions to the usually exceptional and chaotic events, not simply through the medium of individual characters and the narrator but often via a collective “audience” of spectators” (Brown, 1998, p. 96) 3e Kleist’s dramas have large themes and they are the genre which best displays Kleist’s many talents. He has an ability to create situations which throw up major moral and political themes of the day, while at the same time providing opportunities for comedy and detailed characterization. Some themes, like the fallible nature of human beings and the flaws in the criminal justice system that are in the play “Der Zerbrochene Krug” have been highlighted as precursors to the debates which led to the rise of the Nazi movement a century later. He refuses to submit to the classical demands of tragedy, and yet his plays have deeply tragic elements. Brown notes that his virtuoso mastery of multiple dramatic forms is his greatest strength: “The ability to control forms at opposite ends of the spectrum – serious or tragic, comic or satirical, either severally or in combination – … is allied to his aims at eliciting responses of mixed pleasure and pain in his audience or readership similar to his own and his characters’ response as spectators of the ambiguities of life.” (Brown, 1998, p. 398) 3f Penthesilea is one of Kleist’s most controversial works. Part of the reason for this is that it deals with themes of a sexual nature which were taboo in polite society of that period. Another reason was that it rejected classical notions of the unity of time space and action, and presented instead straightforward 24 scene structure. It deals with a classical Greek myth, but it subverts some of the cliches about masculine heroism and epic destiny in favour of an exploration of sexual violence on the part of both male and female characters. The play explores desire, lust, revenge, and madness and shows how they lead to frenzied extremes. It was too much for polite society, and even too much for the literary critics, resulting in a rejection that probably was one of the main causes of Kleist’s suicide. The character of Penthilesea is one of the most remarkable in the whole of German literature. As an Amazon warrior she takes on the heroic status of a man, and humiliates Achilles by bringing him down to the ground and mocking him. Her lust for Achilles gives her also a lust for battle, making her a terrifying murderess and insatiable lover. The traditional gender roles of Romanticism are completely destroyed in this depiction, and the play risks becoming a parody of tradgedy, and descending into a chaotic bloodbath with no redeeming philosophy or moral to make it meaningful. The character of Katchen is a mirror image of Penthesilea, since she is good to the point of idiocy, and subjected to excessive trials and tribulations which only prove her innocence all the more. The two women are extremes, not believable, but illustrations of the limits of femininity for good and for evil. 3g The narrator of “Das Erdbeben in Chili” is typical of Kleist’s prose narrator style. He relates a lot of detail about what is happening, and even explains some scientific or numerical facts at times, but he stops short of letting the reader know what is going on inside the heads of the characters. This makes him different from the classical omniscient narrator of the epic style, and from the more intimate narrator of the novel, who specializes in psychological and emotional explanations. This makes him appear to be objective, but because neither he nor the characters explain the motives behind what is going on, the reader suspects that after all he might be unreliable. What is clear, however, is that bigger questions like the capacity of god, or fate, to commit evil is matched by the ability of mankind, as demonstrated by the execution scene which is interrupted by the earthquake. The narrator does not explain this, or reach a conclusion, but just lets the parallel arguments develop in tandem. 3g The narrator of “Das Bettelweib von Locarno” seems to have an ironic stance at times, since the story is told in a matter of fact way, despite the elements of fantasy and extreme emotion that are described. It is almost like a newspaper report in its clinical description: “The tale is presented in terms of a simple pattern of guilt and retribution; there is little or no characterization. But the most remarkable feature is the incredibly effective build-up of suspense.” (Brown, 1998, p. 93) The use of aural rather than visual effects makes the text spooky and then this suspense is broken with the visual image of the bones of the Marchese in the corner of the room. This is clever, because it is the linguistic style of the narrative that makes the short story so horrific 3h Kleist is an interesting author for modern readers because there are so many parallels in his work with other genres such as gothic horror, ancient Greek plays, even post modern films. The reflections on big themes like justice and gender relations are still relevant today and the characters in the plays provide good starting points for debate on what is culturally defined and what is universal in human nature. There is also, in Kleist’s repertoire a good range of moral questions which could be traced from his time of writing, through to the modern day, showing what has changed and what has remained true. References Brown, Hilda M. Heinrich von Kleist: The Ambiguity of Art and the Necessity of Form. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. March, Richard. Heinrich von Kleist. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1954. Read More