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Literary Criticism General

The Federfuchser/Penpusher from Lessing to Grillparzer

A Study Focused on Grillparzer's Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg

by (author) William C. Reeve

Publisher
McGill-Queen's University Press
Initial publish date
Jun 1995
Category
General, German
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780773512986
    Publish Date
    Jun 1995
    List Price
    $125.00

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Description

Reeve provides a detailed discussion of Klesel's importance in Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg and examines possible predecessors for the Federfuchser: Wurm from Friedrich von Schiller's Kabale und Liebe, the Sekretär in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Die natürliche Tochter, and Leonhard in Friedrich Hebbel's Maria Magdalene. He focuses on the features they share, such as deep-seated resentment of social superiors who, by a mere accident of birth, have power over them and, above all, the cunning that they use to overcome their social disqualifications.

About the author

William C. Reeve is Professor Emeritus of German at Queen's University., is the author of Peter M. Pringle: Master Decoy Maker (McGill-Queen's University Press) and co-author of Nichol Decoys: The Smith Falls School of Carving (Quarry Heritage Books). He is also well known as a collector of fine furniture of the 19th century and a frequent contributor to The Upper Canadian Antique Showcase.

William C. Reeve's profile page