Cheating and Cheaters in Pfaffe Amis and Reinhart Fuchs An Alsatian poet named Heinrich, writing around 1180, composed a beast epic, based on French sources, about a trickster fox named Reinhart. Some sixty years later, a poet known to us only as Der Stricker composed a work of similar length and structure, about a trickster priest named Amis, and his diligent efforts to cheat various anonymous individuals out of their money. Other works by this poet bear out the Stricker's consistent emphasis on strategy over brute force, prudence and intelligence over unconsidered actions. These stories both illustrate that power, when not directed by intelligence, is useless or dangerous, even to the one who wields it. Tricksters and cheating also appear in a surprising range of works contemporary to the Stricker's Pfaffe Amis and Heinrich's Reinhart Fuchs. Romances have their own trickster characters, conducting their cheats using methods and structures that recall those of these two Schwank-type epics. Cheaters like Amis, and Tristan's Isolde generate twin situations. One of them is true/hidden, and can influence the characters, and one is false/apparent, to which the victim characters are forced to respond. This artificial, apparent reality persists even after the cheater has left the scene, occasionally taking on a truth of its own. Both Reinhart and Amis, whatever their motivations, work evil everywhere they go; and yet the audience is expected to treat them as sympathetic characters. Because the trickster universe functions to turn systems upside-down, it also rejects the concepts of good and evil, forming a universe in which all that matters is who wins and who loses. The place of the villain belongs now to the fool; any character who becomes deceived deserves to be, and is treated with indignation by the narrator, just as the traditional villain might be.

Cheating and Cheaters in Pfaffe Amis and Reinhart Fuchs An Alsatian poet named Heinrich, writing around 1180, composed a beast epic, based on French sources, about a trickster fox named Reinhart. Some sixty years later, a poet known to us only as Der Stricker composed a work of similar length and structure, about a trickster priest named Amis, and his diligent efforts to cheat various anonymous individuals out of their money. Other works by this poet bear out the Stricker's consistent emphasis on strategy over brute force, prudence and intelligence over unconsidered actions. These stories both illustrate that power, when not directed by intelligence, is useless or dangerous, even to the one who wields it. Tricksters and cheating also appear in a surprising range of works contemporary to the Stricker's Pfaffe Amis and Heinrich's Reinhart Fuchs. Romances have their own trickster characters, conducting their cheats using methods and structures that recall those of these two Schwank-type epics. Cheaters like Amis, and Tristan's Isolde generate twin situations. One of them is true/hidden, and can influence the characters, and one is false/apparent, to which the victim characters are forced to respond. This artificial, apparent reality persists even after the cheater has left the scene, occasionally taking on a truth of its own. Both Reinhart and Amis, whatever their motivations, work evil everywhere they go; and yet the audience is expected to treat them as sympathetic characters. Because the trickster universe functions to turn systems upside-down, it also rejects the concepts of good and evil, forming a universe in which all that matters is who wins and who loses. The place of the villain belongs now to the fool; any character who becomes deceived deserves to be, and is treated with indignation by the narrator, just as the traditional villain might be.

Through an analysis of the four novels Sansibar (1957), Die Rote (196 1), Efraim (1967) and Winterspelt (1974), this thesis explores the development of the principles of freedom and truth upheld by the characters in Sansibar into the concept of the artistic outline found in the later novels. Crucial to an understanding of this is the Sartre quotation in Winterspelt . According to Sartre's ‘original project’, the individual human being starts off life as a rough outline, which lives itself subjectively, filtering objective reality through its own preconceptions and thus experiencing nothing which is not part of these preconceptions. As a painter creates an outline on a blank canvas, so we create the outline of our own lives and determin our destiny. In Andersch's novels, which are set against the existential void, the fate of the characters is never predetermined; rather, it is the individual's line of thinking which determines his or her course of action, and determines the nature of his or her relationships with others. As Andersch's characters become more aware of their freedom as human beings, they are able to develop conscious artistic outlines and so turn the existential void into a place of freedom. This thesis looks at four closely interrelated aspects of the artistic outline: ‘Lines of Thought’, ‘The Development of Outlines’, ‘New Directions’ and ‘Co-existence and convergence: the individual artistic outline as part of a whole’. By showing the development of these aspects across the four novels, it draws conclusions not only about Alfred Andersch's development as a writer but also about his vision of humanity. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Through an analysis of the four novels Sansibar (1957), Die Rote (196 1), Efraim (1967) and Winterspelt (1974), this thesis explores the development of the principles of freedom and truth upheld by the characters in Sansibar into the concept of the artistic outline found in the later novels. Crucial to an understanding of this is the Sartre quotation in Winterspelt . According to Sartre's ‘original project’, the individual human being starts off life as a rough outline, which lives itself subjectively, filtering objective reality through its own preconceptions and thus experiencing nothing which is not part of these preconceptions. As a painter creates an outline on a blank canvas, so we create the outline of our own lives and determin our destiny. In Andersch's novels, which are set against the existential void, the fate of the characters is never predetermined; rather, it is the individual's line of thinking which determines his or her course of action, and determines the nature of his or her relationships with others. As Andersch's characters become more aware of their freedom as human beings, they are able to develop conscious artistic outlines and so turn the existential void into a place of freedom. This thesis looks at four closely interrelated aspects of the artistic outline: ‘Lines of Thought’, ‘The Development of Outlines’, ‘New Directions’ and ‘Co-existence and convergence: the individual artistic outline as part of a whole’. By showing the development of these aspects across the four novels, it draws conclusions not only about Alfred Andersch's development as a writer but also about his vision of humanity. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Through an analysis of the four novels Sansibar (1957), Die Rote (196 1), Efraim (1967) and Winterspelt (1974), this thesis explores the development of the principles of freedom and truth upheld by the characters in Sansibar into the concept of the artistic outline found in the later novels. Crucial to an understanding of this is the Sartre quotation in Winterspelt . According to Sartre's ‘original project’, the individual human being starts off life as a rough outline, which lives itself subjectively, filtering objective reality through its own preconceptions and thus experiencing nothing which is not part of these preconceptions. As a painter creates an outline on a blank canvas, so we create the outline of our own lives and determin our destiny. In Andersch's novels, which are set against the existential void, the fate of the characters is never predetermined; rather, it is the individual's line of thinking which determines his or her course of action, and determines the nature of his or her relationships with others. As Andersch's characters become more aware of their freedom as human beings, they are able to develop conscious artistic outlines and so turn the existential void into a place of freedom. This thesis looks at four closely interrelated aspects of the artistic outline: ‘Lines of Thought’, ‘The Development of Outlines’, ‘New Directions’ and ‘Co-existence and convergence: the individual artistic outline as part of a whole’. By showing the development of these aspects across the four novels, it draws conclusions not only about Alfred Andersch's development as a writer but also about his vision of humanity. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Through an analysis of the four novels Sansibar (1957), Die Rote (196 1), Efraim (1967) and Winterspelt (1974), this thesis explores the development of the principles of freedom and truth upheld by the characters in Sansibar into the concept of the artistic outline found in the later novels. Crucial to an understanding of this is the Sartre quotation in Winterspelt . According to Sartre's ‘original project’, the individual human being starts off life as a rough outline, which lives itself subjectively, filtering objective reality through its own preconceptions and thus experiencing nothing which is not part of these preconceptions. As a painter creates an outline on a blank canvas, so we create the outline of our own lives and determin our destiny. In Andersch's novels, which are set against the existential void, the fate of the characters is never predetermined; rather, it is the individual's line of thinking which determines his or her course of action, and determines the nature of his or her relationships with others. As Andersch's characters become more aware of their freedom as human beings, they are able to develop conscious artistic outlines and so turn the existential void into a place of freedom. This thesis looks at four closely interrelated aspects of the artistic outline: ‘Lines of Thought’, ‘The Development of Outlines’, ‘New Directions’ and ‘Co-existence and convergence: the individual artistic outline as part of a whole’. By showing the development of these aspects across the four novels, it draws conclusions not only about Alfred Andersch's development as a writer but also about his vision of humanity. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Through an analysis of the four novels Sansibar (1957), Die Rote (196 1), Efraim (1967) and Winterspelt (1974), this thesis explores the development of the principles of freedom and truth upheld by the characters in Sansibar into the concept of the artistic outline found in the later novels. Crucial to an understanding of this is the Sartre quotation in Winterspelt . According to Sartre's ‘original project’, the individual human being starts off life as a rough outline, which lives itself subjectively, filtering objective reality through its own preconceptions and thus experiencing nothing which is not part of these preconceptions. As a painter creates an outline on a blank canvas, so we create the outline of our own lives and determin our destiny. In Andersch's novels, which are set against the existential void, the fate of the characters is never predetermined; rather, it is the individual's line of thinking which determines his or her course of action, and determines the nature of his or her relationships with others. As Andersch's characters become more aware of their freedom as human beings, they are able to develop conscious artistic outlines and so turn the existential void into a place of freedom. This thesis looks at four closely interrelated aspects of the artistic outline: ‘Lines of Thought’, ‘The Development of Outlines’, ‘New Directions’ and ‘Co-existence and convergence: the individual artistic outline as part of a whole’. By showing the development of these aspects across the four novels, it draws conclusions not only about Alfred Andersch's development as a writer but also about his vision of humanity. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This study contains a detailed interpretation of the fragmentary play Catharina von Siena by the Sturm-und-Drang (Storm and Stress) poet Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz (1751-1792). Although we have only drafts of this play, the topic, the structure, and the relatively long time Lenz spent on the drama indicate that it was nevertheless an important work. Over three chapters this study approaches the Catharina fragments in various ways, the main focus being on improving our understanding of the text. Before starting on the actual interpretation a few basic questions need to be examined, these relating to the conditions in which the play was created and developed, the choice of subject and themes, the manuscripts and their history, as well as the six editions of Catharina von Siena . For this reason the central interpretative chapter is prefaced by a chapter on the genesis of the play, as well as another chapter on the manuscripts and texts. Since it was not possible to work with original manuscripts, a microfilm and reader print copies of the manuscripts were used. The textual examination was based on the readily available edition by Damm. Where necessary the reading by Titel/Haug and the older text editions by Weinhold, Lewy, Blei and Freye were used to supplement these, and also for the purpose of comparison. A pluralistic methodological approach was applied. A more exact period of time for the creation of Catharina von Siena was defined, information about the way Lenz worked and about his intentions with regard to construction and effect was obtained as well. Through this detailed study of the fragments, correspondence and biographical data, we can establish reasons for the fragmentary character of the play, and are able to ascertain the special nature of the drama. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This study contains a detailed interpretation of the fragmentary play Catharina von Siena by the Sturm-und-Drang (Storm and Stress) poet Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz (1751-1792). Although we have only drafts of this play, the topic, the structure, and the relatively long time Lenz spent on the drama indicate that it was nevertheless an important work. Over three chapters this study approaches the Catharina fragments in various ways, the main focus being on improving our understanding of the text. Before starting on the actual interpretation a few basic questions need to be examined, these relating to the conditions in which the play was created and developed, the choice of subject and themes, the manuscripts and their history, as well as the six editions of Catharina von Siena . For this reason the central interpretative chapter is prefaced by a chapter on the genesis of the play, as well as another chapter on the manuscripts and texts. Since it was not possible to work with original manuscripts, a microfilm and reader print copies of the manuscripts were used. The textual examination was based on the readily available edition by Damm. Where necessary the reading by Titel/Haug and the older text editions by Weinhold, Lewy, Blei and Freye were used to supplement these, and also for the purpose of comparison. A pluralistic methodological approach was applied. A more exact period of time for the creation of Catharina von Siena was defined, information about the way Lenz worked and about his intentions with regard to construction and effect was obtained as well. Through this detailed study of the fragments, correspondence and biographical data, we can establish reasons for the fragmentary character of the play, and are able to ascertain the special nature of the drama. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This study contains a detailed interpretation of the fragmentary play Catharina von Siena by the Sturm-und-Drang (Storm and Stress) poet Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz (1751-1792). Although we have only drafts of this play, the topic, the structure, and the relatively long time Lenz spent on the drama indicate that it was nevertheless an important work. Over three chapters this study approaches the Catharina fragments in various ways, the main focus being on improving our understanding of the text. Before starting on the actual interpretation a few basic questions need to be examined, these relating to the conditions in which the play was created and developed, the choice of subject and themes, the manuscripts and their history, as well as the six editions of Catharina von Siena . For this reason the central interpretative chapter is prefaced by a chapter on the genesis of the play, as well as another chapter on the manuscripts and texts. Since it was not possible to work with original manuscripts, a microfilm and reader print copies of the manuscripts were used. The textual examination was based on the readily available edition by Damm. Where necessary the reading by Titel/Haug and the older text editions by Weinhold, Lewy, Blei and Freye were used to supplement these, and also for the purpose of comparison. A pluralistic methodological approach was applied. A more exact period of time for the creation of Catharina von Siena was defined, information about the way Lenz worked and about his intentions with regard to construction and effect was obtained as well. Through this detailed study of the fragments, correspondence and biographical data, we can establish reasons for the fragmentary character of the play, and are able to ascertain the special nature of the drama. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.