A critical study of Friedrich Hebbel’s and Otto Ludwig’s dramatic theory with special reference to their dramatic practice

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B r i g i t t e E, Sch atzky Bedford C o l l e ^

A b s tr a c t of M.A. T h e s is t o be su b m itte d In A p r il 1950 A c r i t i c a l stu d y o f F r i e d r i c h H eb b el's and Otto^Tudwlg^ 3 d ram atic tHeory w ith s p e c i a l r e f e r e n c e t o t h e i r dram atic p ra c tic e

The f a c t th a t F r ie d r ic h Hebbel and Otto Ludwig were c l o s e c o n tem p o r a rie s a t a v i t a l p e r io d In the l i t e r a t u r e o f t h e i r co u n try and were b o th accustom ed t o fo rm u la te t h e i r view s on the n atu re and form o f drama Is one w h ich Is im portan t f o r a tru e "understanding of the f a c t o r s u n d e r ly in g th e developm ent o f German drama In th e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y . The p r e s e n t t h e s i s has a s t r i c t l y com parative b a s i s and Is not Intend ed t o be a d e t a i l e d ex a m in a tio n of e v e r y a s p e c t of t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e dram atic t h e o r i e s .

I t c o n c e n t r a t e s r a t h e r on

t h o se problems w hich were o f common I n t e r e s t and s p e c i a l co n ce rn t o b o th p o e ts and w hich have Importance f o r drama In g e n e r a l . The main p a rt o f th e t h e s i s Is d ev o ted t o a s p e c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th r e e a s p e c t s w hich con cern b o th the c o n t e n t and the form o f drama;

t h e i r th e o ry of tr a g e d y as r e v e a le d In t h e i r

c o n c e p t io n of the t r a g i c h e r o ; of environm ent ;

t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o the th e o r y

and t h e i r c o n c e p t io n o f d ram atic s t r u c t u r e .

W h ils t ack n ow led ging the c o n s id e r a b le d i f f e r e n c e w hich e x i s t s b etw een Hebbel* s and Ludv/lg* s i n d i v i d u a l dram atic a c h ie v e m e n ts , a stu d y o f the t h e o r i e s of two p r a c t i s i n g d r a m a tis ts must a l s o

-

2-

take a cc o u n t of c e r t a i n a s p e c t s o f t h e i r p la ys and o f any e v id e n c e co n c e r n in g t h e i r c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s e s . On a cc o u n t o f the u n m eth od ical c h a r a c te r of Ludwig*s w r i t i n g s and the la c k of a d e f i n i t i v e e d i t i o n o f h i s work, h i s dram atic t h e o r y in g e n e r a l has n ev er b e e n f u l l y e x p lo r e d , w h i l s t the s p e c u l a t i v e language o f some o f Hebbel*s im portan t w r i t i n g s has tended t o render c r i t i c i s m o f h i s t h e o r i e s one­ sid e d .

By s i f t i n g a l l the a v a i l a b l e m a t e r i a l and b y exam ining

n ot o n ly t h e i r t h e o r e t i c a l w r i t i n g s and corresp on d en ce and d i a r i e s , b u t a l s o th e dramas t h e m s e lv e s , I have hoped t o g a in a more b a la n c e d view o f t h e i r c o n c e p t io n of the n a tu re of drama and the methods o f d ram atic c o m p o s itio n .

At th e same tim e , i t i s hoped

t h a t t h i s p ro ce d u re , by p r o v id in g a b a s i s f o r the a n a l y s i s o f t h e i r approach t o drama and i l l u s t r a t i n g the e s s e n t i a l d i f f e r e n c e s b etv/een them, as w e l l as s i m i l a r i t i e s where th e y e x i s t , w i l l throw l i g h t upon the r e l a t i o n b etw een the c r i t i c a l and the c r e a tiv e p r o c e ss.

A p r i l 1950

B, E. S c h a t z k y Bedford C ollege

IT CRITICAL STUDY OF EKIEDKICH HEBBEL *S AND OTTO LUDWIG *S DüAIvïATIC THEORY WITH SPECIAL KEEEAENCE TO T H S Iil DBAIIATIC PKACTICE

.

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

The s p e c t a c l e in th e

o f th e

a u th o r-c ritic

co n tem p o rary l i f e

appears

to

cross

of le tte rs.

ease,

is

ever c lo se r lin k s

w h ilst h is

sc ie n tific

in v estig atio n .

stru g g lin g

t o make h i s

n a n tly m a te r ia lis tic h a v in g to to s t a t e

co n v ictio n .

case to

T his

still

the ru le s

w ith th e o u ts id e w orld o f

cou ld h a rd ly be o th e rw is e ;

th e c re a tiv e

a rtist

e x i s t e n c e more t h a n e v e r b e f o r e

do t h i s , but

co u p led w ith

and

he m ust p o s s e s s not o n ly a keen and e x a c tin g

an i n f a l l i b l e

know ledge o f

e x te n t,

it

m ight be s a i d t h a t t h i s

o f p r e c a rio u s n e s s has r a r e l y been w holly a b sen t

the

and

©f h i s wwn a r t .

To a c e r t a i n

h isto ry

is

th e w orld w ith th e utm ost c l a r i t y

In o rd e r to

judgm ent,

and a n a ly s is

s m a ll v o ic e h e a r d i n a predom i­

a very su re sense o f purpose, c ritic a l

The p o e t o f t o - d a y

own w o r l d o f t h e i m a g i n a t i o n

environm ent,

ju s tify h is h is

a f a m i l i a r one

th e g u l f betw een c r e a t i o n

w ith in c re a s in g estab lish in g

is

o f German l i t e r a t u r e ,

p a rticu larly

sense

from t h e

in th e

case o f

d ram a, whose d e p e n d e n c e u pon f o r e i g n m o d els i n i t s

in fan cy fo s te re d a se lf-c o n sc io u sn e ss

and an a s s e r t i v e

d esire

w hich h a s h a d a l a s t i n g

to

e ffect.

d ev elo p alo n g i t s

The a u t h o r i t y o f G r e e c e an d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f

S)hakespeare a re th e w hich i s

own l i n e s

two d o m i n a n t f o r c e s

c h a r a c t e r i s e d by c o n s t a n t

in i ts

tra n sitio n s

e v o lu tio n , from one

—

a rtistic

2

—

m e t h o d t© a n o t h e r .

Each s u c c e s s iv e

became s o m e th in g i n t h e n a t u r e th e sense o f h is

own m i s s i o n ,

many o f Germ any^s fo rm u late t h e i r

d ram atists

personal

of a p a th fin d er, and i t

is

aim s

and to

e x cep tio n s,

creativ e

work o f one d r a m a t i s t ,

fac u ltie s

th e

endowed w i t h th at

th e u rg e to

e& press i n s y s t e m a t i c

and e ven w here t h i s

and t h e c r i t i c a l

thus

not s u rp ris in g

sh o u ld have f e l t

la n g u a g e t h e i r g e n e r a l v iew s on dram a. n o tab le

d ram atist

is

of course,

There a r e ,

com bination o f th e present w ith in th e

form w hich t h i s

com bination to o k

a n d t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h t h e tw o c o n d i t i o n e d o n e a n o t h e r d iffers

n e ce ssa rily

e a r ly p lays

te n d e d h i m s e l f to

c ritic a l

and p r a c t i c e S c h ille r,

case.

a c tiv ity ;

fu lly before re tu rn in g

to

plays o f h is

evolve h i s

creativ e

Th e s t u d e n t o f G e r m a n l i t e r a t u r e form h i s

tists, those to

but

also

from t h e i r

again ,

youth,

felt

production. is

th u s n o t unaccustom ed a r t n o t o n ly from

achievem ent o f su c c e e d in g

drama­

own t h e o r e t i c a l s t a t e m e n t s u p o n

fu n d am en tal p r i n c i p l e s

observe or ex h o rted o th ers

how ever,

or,

theory o f tragedy

th e o ry o f tra g e d y and dram atic

a s c ru tin y o f the p r a c tic a l

em phasis

G oethe a llo w e d t h e o r y

t© r u n p a r a l l e l t© o n e a n o t h e r ;

a f t e r th e spontaneous

whose

course o f the

p l a c e much o f t h e

w h ilst

t h e n e ed to w ith d raw and to

to

Thus L e s s i n g ,

d i d much t© s h a p e t h e s u b s e q u e n t

German d ram a, upon h is

from c a s e to

w hich th e y th e m s e lv e s to

observe.

does su c h a m ethod s u g g e s t

professed

I n no o t h e r c a s e s ,

i t s e l f m ore n a t u r a l l y

-

3

-

t h a n i n t h o s e o f F r i e d r i c h H e b b el and O tto Ludw ig, though f i r s t

and f o re m o s t

each has l e f t

c o n c e rn e d w ith d r e a t i v e w ork,

an u n u s u a l l y l a r g e

w r i t i n g s . S in ce b o th , m oreover, p o raries -

lik e

for,

co llec tio n of th e o re tic a l were v e r y c l o s e

contem ­

W ag n er a n d B u / ^ c h n e r t h e y w e r e b o r n i n 1 8 1 3 -

a c o m p a riso n o f t h e i r view s on problem s m ay n o t b e w i t h o u t

sig n ifican ce

i f th e

affectin g

the

dram a

developm ent o f th e

German drama i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h

cen tu ry is

be se e n in i t s

tru e,

d ram atist ty

tru e

in h is

p ersp ectiv e.

own r i g h t ,

and b a c k g ro u n d ,

pursuing

and h a v in g seem in gly l i t t l e e x c e p t i n so But

it

is

of th eir

far

as

th ese

is

a

own' p e r s o n a l i '

h is

in te n tio n s

own i n d i v i d u a l

i n common w i t h t h e o t h e r ,

facto rs

w hich r e n d e r

trad itio n ®

a com parison

aim s and c o n s i d e r e d v i e w s o n dram a p a r ­

im p o rtan t;

th eo ries,

e v o lv e d as t h e y w ere a t

fo r in th e v ery d iv e r s ity

o f G e rm a n l i t e r a t u r e ,

the stra n d s

is

c o n d itio n e d by h is

tic u la rly

h isto ry

it

t h e y s h a r e d a common l i t e r a r y

p recisely conscious

Sach,

to

o f the p a s t,

selv es

and seem ed to

fu tu re

o f th e

of th eir

t h e same s t a g e

in th e

t h e i r work g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r

w hich were b o t h v a l u a b l e

provide

a firm

in

them ­

fo un d atio n fo r th e

dram a.

The tim e a t w h ic h H e b b e l a n d L udw ig w ere w r i t i n g w a s , in

fact,

a rtist a c le ar o f h is

a p erio d o f tran sitio n -

fin d s h im self at th e

cro ss-ro ad s,

a cc o u n t to h i m s e l f and to art,

and to

tu rn h is

a p e r io d i n w hich t h e

o th ers

fo rc e d to re n d e r o f the

face re s o lu te ly

purpose

in th is

er

^

th at

d irectio n »

p erio d ,

It

h e ra ld in g

has been c a l le d

a new e r a o f l i t e r a r y

and p o l i t i c a l r e a l i s m ,

and b u i l t

r a t h e r on th e im p a tie n t as

a pu rely l i t e r a r y

essay, to

a s e c o n d S t u r m m i d Dr an;»:

d esire

as w e l l

as s c i e n t i f i c

not upon a r t i s t i c

v a lu e s,

to b r e a k w ith th e p a s t .

the

The d r a m a

form h a d v e r y l a r g e l y b e e n o u s t e d b y t h e

th e no v el and o th e r v e h i c l e s - o f th o u g h t b e t t e r

express

but

su ited

t e n d e n t i o u s v ie w s o f t h e J u n ^ d e u t s c h i a n d movement -

t h e members o f w h ic h H e b b e l d e s c r i b e d u n c o m p r o m i s i n g l y as

"die

g a n z / p o e s i e l o s e n V e rs ta n d e s -K lu /é g le r d e r m odernen Z e i t ” ( l ) . L u d w i g t o o was a p p a l l e d b y t h e s h a l l o w n e s s o f c o n t e m p o r a r y lite ra tu re , new s t a r t ,

and becom ing i n c r e a s i n g l y ch aracterised

zenden K rankiieit

the

o f the

is

as

only n a tu r a l,

th at

the

tim e s h o u l d h a v e f e l t m ore a k i n t o

epochs o f the

past

w hich were a l i e n

to

th a n to th eir

des

der fra n z o ^ sisc h e n d e v o lu tio n "

th erefo re,

a

"Angest e c k t v o n d e r g l a ^ n -

des W e rth e ris m u s , d er S c h a m lo s ig k e it

D e u ts c h ia n d s , der U nnatur It

tim es

aware o f t h e n e e d f o r

tru ly

creativ e

th e g rea t

jung en (2). sp irits

c u ltu ral

t h e l i t e r a r y movem ents o f t h e

present

deepest co n v ictio n s

1 . F r i e d r i c h H e b b e l , S a B m t l i c h e v'/erke. H i s t o r i s c h - k r i t i s c h e A u s g a b e , b e s o r g t v o n d . M . W e r n e r , B e r l i n , 191^1 f f . A b t . I I 4 v o l s . T a;^ebuecher, l OOJ ( h e r e a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o a s T ) ; I V 6 1 4 4 , 21 May 1 0 6 3 7 2 . V . O t t o L u d w i g , G e s a m m e l t e S c h r i f t e n , e d . A. S t e r n , 6 v o l s . , L e i p z i g , 1 8 9 1 ( h e r a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o a s G S jT v o l . I ( c o n t a i n i n g S t e r n * s B i o g r a p h y o f L u d w i g ) p . 1 5 2 . C f l T l L e t t e r t o C .G . S c h a l l e r 3 M arch 184©; B r i e f c , e d • ^ o g t h e r - im A u f t r a g e d e s G o e t h e » u n d S c h i l l e r - A m r t V 5 \ — v o l . I (1834 - 1 8 4 7 ) , W eim ar, 1 9 ^ 5 , ----------------------p. 17.

5

-

about

art.

-

At t h e same t i m e , b o t h H e b b e l and Ludw ig w o u ld h a v e

d e n i e d v e h e m e n tly any c h a r g e o f e s c a p i s m , b e i n g

fu lly

th e

th e

need fo r

the p resen t th e best

a form o f drama w h ich w o u ld f u l f i l and p la c e i t

i n t h e Germany o f t h e i r

in te re s ts” (l). d eclared , all

on an in d e p e n d e n t

to t r y

tim es,

It to

n atio n s

day,

’’i t s ^ i g h e s t

w elches u n s e r

fu ^ r d ie G riech en w ar;

led ig lic h

aus

irgend w o ,

i r g e n d e i n s t w aren o d e r e n d lic h

e i n D ra m a

s e i n e n B edingungen e n t w i c k e l t , n i c h t

Aj^ther s e i n k o ^ n n e n ,

s o n d e r n w ie s i e

zu a l l e r

wie d ie s e Z eit

im

i n der N atur der G at-

u n s r e r Z e it und u n s r e r V o lk stiijém lich k eit gegeben,

w i r k l i c h s e i n k o jb n n e n u n d w i r k l i c h s i n d ; P o esie, aus

i d e a , Ludwig

and g e n r e s :

w ie das g r i e c h i s c h e

tung,

and t r u e s t

a new d r a m a o u t e f a m e l t i n g - p o t o f

” Im G e g e n t e i l e m u ^ s s e n w i r e i n D ram a s u c h e n , sei,

demands o f

f o o tin g w orthÿ o f

w ould in d e e d be a p r e p o s t e r o u s create

aw are o f

d ie s e l b s t

n ich t

aus

als

G attun g

e in e r

dem f l u ^ c h t i g e n T a g e , s o n d e r n

dem G r o s s e n u n d G a n a e n u n s r e s

w ir k lic h e n Lebens o rg a n is o h

hervorgegangen i s t ” (2). H e b b e l h a d an e v en m ore g r a n d i o s e o b lig atio n process "D ie

tow ards h i s

tim e,

o f w orld h i s t o r y

th e

co n cep tio n o f th e

im p o rta n c e o f w hich i n t h e

no o n e s a w m o r e c l e a r l y

d ra m a tisc h e Kunst s o i l

d ram atist* s

th an h e:

den w e l t h i s t o r i s c h e n P r o c e s s ,

1 . F r i e d r i c h H e b b e l, S a a m t l i c h e W erke#. H is t o r i s c h - k r i t i s che A u s ^ a b e . b e s o r g t v o n Â.M. W e r n e r . B e r l i n . 1 9 0 1 f f . A b k .""ï ( h e r a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o a s W); v o l . Z X I I p . 32 P r é f a c e 2 . GS V p , 4 2 . • Mû-rt'ix

d e r i n u n s e r en Tagen v o r s i c h g e h t und d e r In stitu tio n en

des m e n s c h lic h e n C resch lech ts , d i e p o l i t i s c h e n ,

r e l i g i o ^ s e n und s i t t l i c h e n ,

n ic h t um stu^rzen,

f e r begru^nden,

sie

en d ig en h e lf e n .

I n diesem S in n e s o i l s i e ,

die s ic h n ic h t so h ra^n k t, Is

one to

sta tio n ,

also v or

assum e,

dem U m s t u r z s i c h e r n w i l l ,

duty o f th e

th at th is

d ram atist,

or,

h a v in g to

h a d t h e y n o t b e e n so

th e

encounter,

acute

co n scio u sn ess

convinced o f h is

face o f i t ,

hightf

it

m ig ht in d e e d

aware o f t h e u n f a v o u r a b l e

i n which t h e y were w r i t i n g ,

w orse s t i l l ,

P o esie,

f o r m uch o f t h e t h e o r e t i c a l w r i t i n g s

o f b o t h H e b b e l a n d L u d w i g ? On t h e

c o n d itio n s

w ie a l l é

be-

s e i n ” ( l )«

th erefo re,

was r e s p o n s i b l e

be argued t h a t ,

sondern t i e -

a u f Supers n o t a t i o n und A rabeskenw esen b e -

zeitg em a^ss

o f the im portant

die vorhandenen

a p a th y w hich t h e i r

and o f th e o p p o s i t i o n d r a m a t i c w o r k was

th e y w ould h a r d l y h a v e a c c o u n te d i t

w h i l e t o s p e n d s o m uch o f t h e i r

tim e i n

w orth

d isc u ssin g p o in ts

of

d ra m a tic th e o r y , however im p o rta n t th e s e m ight b e . For th e f a c t th at

certain of th e ir

v in d icatio n s h o stile

of th eir

th e o re tic a l w ritin g s own d r a m a t i c

in te n tio n s

p u b lic m ight w e ll s u g g e s t su c h

m ost im p o rta n t o f H ebbel*s w r i t in g s

are in th e

of

in th e

form o f face o f a

an i n e r p r e t a t i o n . th is

T he

k i n d - " M e i n W o rt

\v

uj^ber d as d irec tly

Drama"

and th e P r e f a c e to M a ria M agdalena -

or in d ire c tly

a d d re sse d to h is

c ritic s,

are

w h ilst

v e r y t i t l e o f L u d w i g *s o n ly s y s t e m a t i c Work o f t h e o r y d r a m a t i s c h e n A u f g a b e n d e r Z e i t - M e i n W i l l e u n d Weg" 1 . P r e f a c e t o M a r i a M a g d a l e n e . 1 8 4 4 ; W XI p . 2* V. GS V p p . 3 5 - S l . "

48

eith er

the "D ie

(2) i s

-

in d ic ativ e

of th e

7

-

a u th o r 's

d id ac tic

"D ie S c h w i e r i g k e j t t , das zu l 6 s e n , Ludw ig w ro te i n t h i s

was i c h a l s

co m p arativ ely l a t e

meinem T a l e n t z w e i f e l n g e m a c h t. nÜ tzen,

and r e f o r m a tiv e

d ie ih re K ra ft

Doch h a t

m a tik r e c h t f e r t i g t m eine o t u d ie n "

resp o n sib le

e x iste n ce

w o r k o f t h e two d r a m a t i s t s . th ey f a i l

to

account

ries

p o in ts

der to

to

o b tain

In the

a co m p reh en siv e

field

it

is

h t a n d d e r Drar

and t h e in c u l t e a ti o n o f are only p a r t l y

c a s e o f L udw ig,

(2),

for

exam ple,

w holly u n m eth o d ic a l w h ilst

the n ev er-en d - '

in d eed

o f th o u g h t

o f m ere s e l f - d e f e n c e .

p ictu re of th e ir

d ia-

j

In o r- |

approach to

the

n e c e s s a r y t o c o v e r a v e r y w ide

c o m p r i s i n g many d i f f e r e n t

ing over a lif e tim e

noch n i c h t v e r -

p roblem s o f dram a i n H e b b e l 's

a need beyond th a t

t h e o r y o f dram a,

a n d e r n zu

o f s o m uch d r a m a t i c t h e o r y i n t h e

fo r th e rh a p so d ic ,

p re o c c u p a tio n w ith th e

an

(l).

c h a ra c te r o f th e Shakespeare stu d ie n in g

der dedanke,

t h e m inds o f t h e i r g e n e r a t i o n

for th e

" h a t m ich o f t

Der j e t z i g e

But th e m o tiv e o f s e l f - j u s t i f i c a t i o n in to

A u f g ah e f a n d " ,

im n i n g e n m i t dem I r r t u m

z e h r e n m u s s t e n , m ich b e h a r r e n l a s s e n .

new v a l u e s

w ork,

purpose.

j

I

form s o f e x p r e s s i o n and extend-j and e x p e r i e n c e . L u d w ig 's S h a k e -

s p e a r e s t u d i e n alo n e c o n ta in innum erable a llu s i o n s

to e v e ry as­

p ect o f th e

p u b lis h e d by |

S te rn in th e

dram a, fifth

w h ilst

t h e m an y o t h e r w r i t i n g s

and s i x t h volum e o f h i s

alm o st i n e x h a u s tib le

fund o f

e d itio n provide

an

|

I

I* i* S â ^ p . 5 1 .- 2 .In th e absence o f a c r i t i c a l e d itio n o f th e I S h a k e s p e a r e s t u d i e n . th e p r e s e n t s t u d y i s b a s e d on th e c o l l e c t - ' i o n p u b l i s h e d by A . S t e r n . G esam m elte S c h r i f t e n v o l . V . I t s c h i e f ! d i s a d v a n t a g e i s t h e d e l i b e r a t e l a c k o f any a tt e m p t a t c h ro n o lo i g i c a l o r d e r , a n d I have t h e r e f o r e as f a r as p o s s i b l e a d o p te d t h e d a te s s u p p l i e d by M o ritz H e y d ric h i n N a c h la s s s e h r i f t e n O t-i t o L u d w i g s , L e i p z i g , 1 8 7 4 , v o l . I I (S h a k e s p e a r e - h t u d i e n l . j

8

-

argum ents,

aphorim s

and c r i t i c i s m s

-

and a p e rç u s ,

of in d iv id u al

over th e space of about ment o f a v a s t

d ram a tists.

(l).

r a c k e d by i l l n e s s every id e a , a h ith e rto w ell

th an k s

a frag­

i l l e g i b l e manu-

a n d i n d e f a t i g a b l y , e v e n when

as h e so c o n s t a n t l y w a s , L udw ig r e c o r d e d and i m p r e s s i o n ,

leav in g

alm o st u n e x p lo r e d s e a o f d i a r i e s and p la n s

o f a w ider

In gebbel*s

dram a

t o b e d e c i p h e r e d a n d m ad e g e n e ­

P a tie n tly

e v ery th o u g h t

as s k e t c h e s

references

form ing b u t

and c h a o t i c mass o f v e r y l a r g e l y

a v ailab le

on th e

T ogether th e y ran g e

tw en ty -fiv e y e a rs,

s or ip im m aterial s / t i l l w a itin g rally

o f o b serv atio n s

fo r h is

ap p lica tio n

case th e

a d d itio n

and l e t t e r s ,

as

in te r s p e r s e d w ith

(2).

prospect is

to h i s m ore o r d e r l y

w helm ing. N e v e r t h e l e s s ,

own p l a y s

in

s l i g h t l y m ore l i m i t e d

t u r n o f m in d , somewhat l e s s

t h e sum t o t a l

of h is

letters,

and,

over­ a ll of

w h ic h , w h e th e r t h e y be o f an i n f o r m a l o r a ” p r a f e s s i o n a l ” n a tu re ,

to u ch upon p o in ts

n i n e volum es for

(5),

affectin g

w h ilst h is

the

d iaries,

a r ig h t u n d erstan d in g o f h is

dram a,

e x ten d s over

eq u ally in d isp e n sa b le

d ram atic

th eo ry ,

are th e

1. A ll th e m a n u s c rip t m a t e r i a l is assem bled a t th e G p eth e-u n d S c h i l l e r - A r c h i v i n W e i m a r . L é o n M i s h a s made a f a i j r y e x t e n s i v e s t u d y o f i t a n d i n c l u d e s n u m e r o u s e x t r a c t s i n h i s "work e n t i t l e d "L es o e u v r e s D r a m a t i q u e s d * O tto L udw ig*', 3 v o l . , L i l l e , 1 9 2 2 . è . A p a r t from t h e works a l r e a d y m e n tio n e d , e x t r a c t s from Lud­ w igs m a n u s c r i p t s c a n be fo u n d i n num erous d i s s e r t a t i o n s on O t t o L u d w i g ’s p l a y s a s w e l l a s i n t h e m o s t r e c e n t , b u t i n c o m ­ p l e t e e d i t i o n o f h i s w o r k s , e n t i t l e l . " S â é m t l i c h e W e r k e " . e jL P a u l M e r k e r , 6 v o l . M û ç n c h e n Clnd L e i p z i g , 1 9 1 2 f f l e s p . v o l . V I : " Der E r b f o f r s t e r u n d s e i n e V o r s t u d i e n ) . 3. F r i e d r i c h H e b b e l, S & # m tlich e W erke. H i s t o r i s c h - t o i t i s c h e ^ Aus^(&be. b e s o r g t v o n ii.M. B e r n e r , A bt. I l l Bd. I - V Ï Ï 1 , ( h e r e a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o a s B r . )o ... '

9

-

-

in tim a te re c o rd o f every phase o f h is tv ;en ty -cig h t y e a rs . p ressio n

also

and r e v ie w s ,

in

B u t H e b b e l *s a c u t e c r i t i c a l

o f th ese

p u b lic atio n s,

are co ncerned w ith th e

and p ro v id e

and p re ju d ic e s

it

is

to h i s

t h e y w ould b r i n g ku h zu e r z i e h e n ” ,

deep i n s i g h t H ebbel*s

n a tu ra l

c ritic s,

”um s e i n e m

in to

w h ilst

n u m b e r w e r e no

d ram atisch en P ro d u k tio n en e in e M ilch own e f f o r t s

and o u tsp o k e n n e s s

work a p p e a r t o

at novel

as w e l l

ex ercise

the

d u ties

p o in t n o t o n ly to

as

th e

b u t to

a

tow ards t h e o r i s i n g . p r e v a i l i n g u n c o n g e n i a l c o n d i t i o n s m ay h a v e

d e v e l o p m e n t o f H e b b e l *s a n d L u d w i g *s c r i t i c a l

to le a d

a ll

an o u tw a rd

o f d ram atic c r i t i c ,

was o f a m o r e i n d i r e c t n a t u r e .

liv e s,

a larg e

personal b e lie fs

t h e m uch n e e d e d m a t e r i a l b e n e f i t

fiem ned b y f o r c e o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s , th eir

Some

t h e n a t u r e o f t h e dram a w hich c h a r a c t e r i s e

Any e f f e c t w h i c h t h e

c u ltie s

and

to u c h c l o s e l y upon H ebbel*s

as Ludw ig s a i d o f h i s

in c lin a tio n

had upon th e

tru e,

But th e s i n c e r i t y

c ritic a l

c o m p u lsio n to

articles

problem s o f dram a.

a means o f d e f e n d i n g h i s

doubt w r i t t e n w ith a view to

(l).

fo u n d ex­

t h e m ost im p o rta n t o f w hich, b o th on g e n e r a l

to p ic s,

w ritin g

sense

a v e ry c o n s id e r a b le body o f e s s a y s ,

sp ecific

own p l a y s

developm ent th ro u g h o u t

B oth o f them , b e in g c o n -

during th e

fo rm ativ e y ears

a l o n e l y e x i s t e n c e , -#^ey. w e r e

e v e n m ore u p o n t h e m s e lv e s by a h o s t i l e in s p iritu a l so litu d e .

fa­

of

driv en back

w o rld and f o r c e d to

w ork

The d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e m was t h a t ,

w h e r e a s Ludwig w elcom ed t h i s

so litu d e

1. L e tte r

? ï ç t l y 1 8 5 3 , GS V I p.

to E duard L e v r ie n t

a n d was o n l y h a p p y i n 576.

th e

10

-

quiet

s e c l u s i o n o f h i s home i n E i s f e l d ,

in tim ate

c irc le

o f lo v in g

o f th e o u ts id e w orld, during th e for

-

the

even w here t h i s

p art of h is

and s e l f - e f f a c i n g

first

life

d isp o sitio n

as m u s i c i a n a n d t h e n ,

an u n e v e n t f u l l i f e ,

from h i s

o f th e

to

in

a ll

th e record o f h is th in k in g ,

p a in fu lly

as

a d ram atist.

a

Thus he

receiv in g

th e on ly o u ts id e s t i ­

w hich n e v e r

failed

i m p r e s s i o n u p o n him

play ers

t o make a

(2 ). H is n o te s

t h e i r u n e n d i n g p r o f u s i o n a r e n o t s o m uch every thought

learn

and w ith h i s

and d e v e lo p h i s

w ith th e grow ing need f o r

as f a x o f t h e v e r y p r o c e s s o f

reV em ling t h e i n n e r s t r u g g l e

d e s i r e was t o se lf

and d e s i r e d n o t h i n g m ore

co n n ectio n w ith th e lo c a l

th e th e a tr e ,

p ro fo u n d and i n v i g a r a t i n g

"im­

d a i l y communion w i t h h i m s e l f a n d

p ast,

e n th u sia stic

and r a r e v i s i t s

and d i a r i e s

in

and

was c o n t i n u a l l y y e a r n i n g

i n u n d i s t u r b e d peace to s tu d y

the g reat s p i r i t s m ulus

in v o lv ed f r i c t i o n ,

L u d w i g was o f a n e s s e n t i a l l y r e ­

m o r e c o n c r e t e m edium o f e x p r e s s i o n , liv e d

and

f r ie n d s , Hebbel needed th e stim u lu s

of a ll k in d s" (l).

t h a n to be l e f t ta le n t

a sm all

c o n t a c t w i t h o t h e r men a n d f o r w h a t h e c a l l e d

p ressio n s tirin g

e arlie r

am ongtt

and e v e n t u a l l y to

o f a m ind whose one come t o

te r m s w i t h him ­

a r t . No o n e was m o r e c o n s t a n t l y

aw are o f h i s

own f a u l t s

and m ore p i t i -

and sh o rtc o m in g s i n r e s p e c t e 1 . L e t t e r t o E l i s e L e n s i n g , 13 S e p ÿ B b e r 1 8 3 7 ; ^ r . I p 2 2 4 . C f . a l s o L e t t e r t o E l i s e L e n s i n g , 10 Eeb 1 8 3 9 ; i b i d n . 3 8 8 . 2. A f t e r s e e i n g E m i l i a G a l o t t i he w ro te to h i s f i a n c e e : "so h a t m ich noch k e i n S tû ^ c k m it f o r t g e r i s s e n . A il e s a n d e re is t- L u m p e r e i d a g e g e n . Es h a t m i c h s o zum A r b e i t e n g e s t i m m t , d a s s i c h h e u t * m i t f r ü ^ s t e r a û ^ b e r d e n B e r n d t h e r z o g , a u s dem s c h o n j n o c h was w e r d e n w i r d " . B r i e f e . e d . c i t . p . 2 o 4 .

11

-

of h is

d rsm atic

an x io u s to

-

talen t,

come t o

b u t no o n e a t t h e s a m e t i m e m o r e

a f u lle r u n d erstan d in g .

v i s e r B duard D e v rie n t h e / w ro te : i c h w i l l ' f ' u n d i s t ’s e i n I r r w e g , aus

zu grossem E i f e r

nur darauf,

wenn i c h s i e

c h arac teristic the c ritic is m

h e s p a r e d no

dass

ich

zu s t o l z

to

etw a s t o l z

b in ,

n i c h t b e w S ^ ltig e n kann"

D ev rien t

v ario u s

stag es

drama i n

and r e - s h a p i n g o f h i s m a t e r i a l .

th ese

su g g estio n s

o n ly s e r v e d to

est

to

c ritic ,

in crease h is

in d eed ,

d ra m a tic w ork;

confirm h is o f his

by con­

For n o rm ally

own d o u b t s

and

own g o o d j u d g m e n t ,

s e n s e o f c o n f i d e n c e . L u d w i g ’s s t e r n ­

was L u d w i g h i m s e l f ; h e t o r m e n t e d h i m s e l f

c o n tin u a lly w ith p a in s ta k in g h is

q u e s t i o n was

com ply w i t h t h e i r s u g g e s t i o n s

though i n d i c a t i v e

W ith

o f developm ent ; and

a lte ra tio n s

d id l i t t l e

(l).

zu

even im p lo rin g

stan t

m is g iv in g s w hich,

ein e

auf

a n d J u l i a n S c ^ im i d t w h o s e

n o t o n l y when t h e

during i t s

effort

d ie

e i n e von m e in e n S chw S /-

Ich b in aber n ic h t

o f men s u c h a s

but

dass

m o d e s t y h e was a l w a y s i n v i t i n g ,

judgm ent he r e s p e c t e d , com pleted,

doch d i e W a h r h e it,

dèn ic h g e h e , so b i n ic h n u r

n ich t,

chen Ihnen unbekannt b lie b e .

v ersteck en ,

frien d ^ ^ad ­

d i e W a h rh e it zu s u c h e n a u f i h n g e r a t h e n .

U n d i c h m o ^ c h t e um A l l é s

d ie Schwa^chen,

”I s t * s

To h i s

and h i s

an aly ses

o f t h e weak p o i n t s

th e o re tic a l w ritin g s,

in

in clu d in g

h i s S h a k e s p e a re -S tu d ie n . are p u n c tu a te d th ro u g h o u t w ith s e l f critic ism s 1. L e tte r

and exirio rtatio n s

to

to E duard D e v rie n t,

new e f f o r t . 1 4 A u g . 1 8 4 9 ; GS V I ,

p.

362.

—

gaps

(l).

a esth e tic

■“

-But a t t h e s a m e t i m e h e n e v e r h a d a n y d o u b t judgm ent and n e v e r a c c e p t e d any id e a s

n o t by n a tu r e rien ce

13

and th ro u g h h i s

as to h i s

f o r w h i c h h e was

own p e r s o n a l c o n v i c t i o n a n d e x p e ­

prepared*

^ u c h s e l f - c o n f i d e n c e w asyto re m a in p e r p e t u a l l y w i g ’s r e a c h .

o u t o f Lud­

"Nun a b e r w i l l ’s m e i n S c h i c k s a l " ^ h e w r o t e i n 184© ;

"ich sehe re c h t gut

ein ,

dass

i c h ’s n i e

a u f e i n e n g r u ^ n e n Zweig

b r i n g en w erd e. H a ^ t t ’ i c h n u r e i n b i s s c h e n mehr S i t e l k e i t , M e s s e r s p i t z e mehr - E ig e n li e b e S elb stv ertrau en ), o f a man w h o , a lre ad y w an tin g . has

(d ie A rz n e i a u f diesem h e z e p t h e i s s t

so w a^re m i r g e h o l f e n "

(2).

These a ie

th o ug h g e n u in e ly c o n v in c e d o f h i s

found th e

first-fru its

of h is

dram atic

(3),

d iffered l i t t l e

talen t

as H e ytdrich in trig u es co m p letely

u n d er th e in f lu e n c e o f a by-gone p e rio d in l i t e r a t u r e . in fa c t,

was t h e s p o n t a n e i t y

of p resen ta tio n c h a ra c te ris tic

had

sad ly

from t h e v i o l e n t

o f t h e S t u r m a n d Ibrang d r a m a a n d s h o w e d L u d w i g s t i l l

o n ly saving g rac e,

t h e words

v o catio n ,

The e a r l y p l a y s o n t h e Agnes B e r n a u e r t h e m e ,

p o in ted out

ein e

T h eir

and im m ediacy

o f an e a r l y work -

w hich, how ever,

1 . "Wie l u j ^ c k e n h a f t , unzusam m enhà'jfenge nd, u n b e d e u t e n d s i n d m e i n e K e n n tn is s e î I n a e s t h e t i s c h e n B ingen w eiss ic h f r e i l i c h E in i g e s u nd e rk e n n e M anches, a b er m ir g e h t d ie F a ÿ h ig k e it ab, m eine I d e e n k S é r n e r zu z e r s e t z e n , m ein K o r n .z u m ah len u n d zu v e r b a c k e n " T i l 2 6 0 7 , 2 0 O c t . 1 8 4 2 . - O f . a l s o # 3 5 6 , 22 May 1 8 4 2 . 2 . L e t t e r t o C .G . S c h a l l e r , 2 M a r c n 1 8 4 o : B r i e f e . e d . c i t . p . 1 7 . 3 . o p . c i t . v o l . I ( S k i z z e n u n d F r a g m e n t e ) . H e y d r i c h h a s made a d e t a i l e d s t u d y o f t h e s e e a r l i e s t f ra g m e n ts w hich a r e n o t e x t a n t . >F

14

—

w ere p r e c i s e l y th o s e d emned*

q u a litie s

which t h e

a u th o r h i m s e l f con­

"In w ild e r H ast n ie d e rg e s c h rie b e n ,

w aren m eine E r s t -

lin g s d ra m e n w i ld la u f e n d e K in d e r des I n s t i n k t s , N o th w en d ig k eit e in e r Schule l e h r t e n . " ( l ) . tin u in g

Thus,

Ludw ig f e l t

w h ilst

in cre asin g ly

d ram atists

d ram atic p r o je c ts

ch aracters

and o f th e

p rin cip le s

i n w h i c h h e was i n

e n ta n g le d h a d to be fo u n d ,

to l e a r n

th at

govern in g h is

and to

(3),

but

as e a r l y

p lo ts

procedure.

It

losophy

and an x io u s

a lth o u g h he soon a fte rw a rd s

(4),

ev id en ce i n

b u t as the

far

being a n d t o

as t h e

is

in -

n a tu ra l bent

tu rn ed

for

th eo ri­

own

d r a m a was c o n c e r n e d , to

be fo u n d i n

th e f i r s t a letter

i n w h ich Ludw ig w r i t e s o f h i s

d isco n tin u e h is

m ore

s te e p h im s e lf i n co ntem p orary p h i­

av ailab le records

d a t e d 24 F e b r u a r y 1 8 4 7 , t e n t i o n to

to

and

new p u p i l t o

I n O c t o b e r 1 8 4 o we f i n d h i m b u s y r e v i s i n g h i s

a esth e tic s

own a r t *

as 184o M e n d e l s s o h n , u n d e r

b a c k on m u s ic , h e - n e v e r l o s t h i s

sing*

(2),

acq u ain t h im s e lf w ith th e

whom L u d w i g was t o s t u d y m u s i c , h a d a d v i s e d h i s g iv e up th e o r y

as

d a n g e r o f becom ing m ore and

o f dram a seem ed t h e m ost n a t u r a l

te re s tin g

h is

con­

the need fo r c o n c e n tra te d stu d y o f

Borne way t o h e l p h i m o u t o f t h e w e l t e r o f i d e a s ,

ru les

die

to w r e s t l e w i t h t h e Agnes B e r n a u e r them e as w e l l

w i t h a c o n s i d e r a b l e number o f o t h e r

o th er

d ie m ir

in ­

own d r a m a t i c w o r k f o r t h e t i m e

devote h im s e lf e x c lu s iv e ly to

the

an aly sis

of

1 . C i t e d b y M, H e y d r i c h . ± k ± A S k i z z e n u n d Fra,^GS V p , 2 1 6 , )Cf* S h i d * n , 1 1 4 . e m p h a s i s i n g L u d w i g ' s c o n c e r n f o r d r a m a t i c e f f e c t : "^s w i r d m ir immer k l a r e r , d a s s b e i S h a k e sn e a re C h a r a k te r is tik . M alerei der L e id e n s c h a fte n , In te n s it% t u n d Ex n a n s i o n d e r G e f f c l e a u s dem B e d ü r f n i s s d e s T h e a t e r s p i - l s h e rv o rv in g e n ”. - 3. O f.i b i d . p .lo 4 , 1857-58; c f . a lso i b id ^ p .-^ 52o, 1 861-65.

- 35 1 - x l y emph%5 i s e r i ( l ) .

Sq m uss d r r

Ch^.rakte*?r” ,

p o e t i s c h u n d s ch a u s n i e l # r i s c h , v o n An f a n g h i s ohne

dass

ihm a n g e k l e h t w / i r d e , was n i c h t

dem TypUü 1 : v i d u s l b e c o m e s i n v o l v e d on e v e r y l e v e l o f h i s e x i s t e n c e ; a s I , ’ GS V n . \ "

*

172. -

2.

W XI p . ^

^

'

44.

-

m a n o r woman, race,

as

trag io

as

a part

in

in to

a very s trik in g

d ram a tist saw t h e

a momber o f h i s

(l).

d e lib eratio n s

c o n tra st

hero

ap p eal,

in

and h e alw ays i n s i s t e d w ith w hich t h i s

to rs th e

of trag ic sta te

and to

-

take

so n a litie s

c o n f l i c t - m an a n d t h e

ten d s

in d e e d to

in su fficien t

o r D ie N i b e lu n g e n , fu rio u s

c o n test

to

assert

itse lf.

co n flict

H e b b e l c l a i m e d an e q u a l i n t e n s i t y dram as w here th e ly

trag ic

com plete p a s s i v i ty .

is

itse lf

th e

The fac­

in d iv id u a l

ab stract clash

same t i m e , for

ity o f per­

in

a

how ever,

those

a p o sitio n

and

a n d Ma r i a m n e

ag ain st w ill

of co n flict

Thus h e s a i d

im por­

waged.

as J u d i t h . H ero d e r

h ero in e ao cu p ies

p o ssib le

o f fo rm u la tin g th e

d iv in e,

At t h e

o f m ore t h a n

param ount

account o f th e v e ry r e a l

w here w i l l m a tc h e s

o f th e

d j r a m a t i s t who

the g r e a t e s t

o ver-em phasise i t s

p r e s e n t i n such p lay s

in such

than th a t

on t h e

m a n n e r i n w h i c h H e b b e l was i n t h e h a b i t

and form s

w hich s e e s

a c o n flict

plays

o f th e

a recurrent

upon t r a g e d y ,

as b u t one f a c t o r

o f th e in te n s ity

is

doubted t h a t th e

co uld g iv e h i s

com m unity o r

The p r o j e c t i o n

to L u d w i g t h e o r y ,

( 2 )* B u t H e b b e l n e v e r

personal sig n ifican ce

tan ce

p articu lar

t h e m ind o f t h e p h i l o s o p h e r r a t h e r

trag ic

d ram a tic

or her

th e h ig h e s t sp h ere o f l i f e

a l l H ebbel*s

an a p p ro a c h

-

o f hum anity i t s e l f

c o n flict

featu re

39

o f h is

o f ap p aren t­

o f Agnes B e r n a u e r : " I h r

1 . C f.H eb b el* s c o n c e n tio n o f th e c o n f l i c t i n J u d i t h - T I I 1958, 3 A n r i l 1 8 4 o . - 2 . "Wenn p h i l o s o p h i s c h ( n a c h H e g e l ) i m m e r e i n e h< 5 he re g e i s t i g e S t u f e d e s ^ T r a g i s c h e n g e f o r d e r t w i r d , s o s c h r e i -

s c h e n S k a l a schw% cher w i r d . . .

-

GS V _ n .

172

- 4o S ch ick sal

z r i g t , dass

N atu r nach n ic h t

a u c h d i e h i os s e Sc?i8n V i e i t ,

also

die

ganz p a s s i v e h l o s s e

h rsch ein u n g

a u f d er h8c h s te n Spi.tze ohne i r g e n d

des

ein en

t r a g i s ch en C o n f l i c t

T h e tw o p r o t a g o n i s t s ^ Hehhel

felt

brought

th e

Agnes

face,

and i t

is

fu n dam ental i s s u e s

zu e r z e u g e n v e rra a g ” ( l ) .

an i n t e n s e clear

in te re st,

th at,

in v o lv ed

e a c h o f whom

in

as

th e

th e

are n w e r

p la y pro­

co n flict

w hich

e n s u e d b e t w e e n them f o r c e d t h e m s e l v e s on H e b b e l ' s m in d w i t h

such urgency th a t obscured. b e r's

The

lev el

d au g h ter

dual

o f th e

c o n flict

i n w hich t h e

f i n (is h e r s e l f i n v o l v e d c a n i n fu ll

sig n ific an c e

c lo sin g scen es,

^nd S t a t e

h im self,

t h e im m e d ia te human s t r u g g l e b e ca m e so m e w h a t

q u a lity o f th e

prehended in i t s

are

how ever,

if

raised

where t h e r i v a l

d eb ated w ith u n u su a l

the

ex clu siv ely

fro m t h e human a p p e a l o f t h e

n ice tie s

of a th e o re tic a l

and " p o s itiv e " vance

for

losopher:

the

f u l l m eaning o f th e

rig h t

fact to

"Ich glau b e,

co n flict

the

th is

in te lle c tu a l of in d iv i­

a n d was

c o u ld be

ch aracters

d i s t i n c t i o n b etw een

and d e t e r m i n e d t o dass

o n l y b e com­

claim s

( 3 ) , H e b b e l was c o n s c i o u s

d ram atist

sim p le b a r ­

d e lib e r a te n e s s • Hebbel

saw n o t h i n g un d r a m a t i c i n

v in ced th a t

the

e in H in z u tre te n

and H erzog ^ r n s t , f o r

d iffe re n t stag es

fa c e to

gressed, had

at

doch i h r e r

zum H a n d e i n , g e s c h w e i g e z u e i n e m d i e N e m e s i s

au f r u f e n d e n H a n d e i n g e ] . a n g e n k a n n ,

W illen s

d ie

leav e

e s M o m e n te g i e b t ,

d eriv ed

( 2 ).

As f o r

"ab so lu te"

of its it

con­

to

irrelreth e

p hi­

wo d a s p o s i t i v e

1 . L e t t e r t o Adolf P i c h l e r , 11 May 1 3 5 1 IV p . 29. 2 . C f . L e t t e r t o F r a n z S c h u m a n n , 21 J u n e 1 8 5 3 V p .lo 8 3 * C f . L e t t e r t o F r a n z D i n g e l s t e d t , 26 J a n . l 8 5 2 ; H r , . I V p . 3 5 o .

— 41 ** K'*'cbt 7 i i . i r i i c k t r e t fïn m u s s ” , îBidded: n ich t sich

w rote to

N a ^ e l n Slfj m ich n i c h t

i n d i e s e m eine W orte ; i c h b i n

d e r Mann d e r j ^ e f l e x i o n e n ; ein m al,

darfifler d ich t"

@er P h i l o s o n h J a c o b i d r G c k t

w enn i c h m ic hX n i c h t

aus,

a frie n d in 1854j but

irre,

u n d d e r Comment a r m e i n e s

im A i i T ^ â l l v o r t r e f f l i o h

Gedankcns b i l d e t m ein Ge-

(1 ).

SucVi a n a t t i t u d e

vjas, a t 1 e o s t i n t h e o r y ,

fu lly

w i t h L u d w i g ’s c o n c e p t i o n o f dram a tic p r e s e n t a t i o n , sta ite n

"F&r

d e r t r a g i s c h e n KSmpfer” , h e w r o te o f t h o s e

whose prim e sie

in keeping

c ritic s

c o n c e r n was t h e t h o u g h t c o n t e n t o f d r a m a ,

k e in e n S inn.

Ih n e n s c h ie n nun d ie H a u p ts a c h e

d i e Ge-

”h a t t e n

d e r Kampf

d ieser

w i r k l i c h e n o d e r v e r m e i n t l i c h e n B o r e c h t i g u n g en d e r P e r -

sonen,

n ich t

mehr d ie But

as

d e r Ksmpf d e r P e r s o n e n s e l b s t / i n

an s i c h

far

as

the

fundam ental

the

d iv erg e n t.

For th e form er th e

th eo ries

b e t w e e n two f o r c e s

litie s

p rin cip le

i n them selv es

tra g e d y he f e l t

he /iv ro te w hile s t i l l sein ,

q u ality of tra g ic

co n flict

is

o f H e b b el and L udw ig c o u l d n o t b e m ore

o f w h i c h h e was f i m l y for

v iel-

g le ic h g ü ltig e n T r^ger von je n e n sah e n ” ( 2 ).

concerned,

a tru th

denen s i e

und erly in g

eq u ally

conv in ced ,

u n ab le to

ju stifie d

a c o llisio n c o n stitu ted

and whose p o t e n t i a ­

ig n o re.

"Das G u te s e l b s t " ,

en g ag ed on J u d i t h , " k a n n F e i n d des Gut en

d i e Hose kann d ie L i l i e v e rd r& ig e n w o lle n .

ex i s t e n zb e re c h t i g t , aber nur L ins h a t L x is te n z 1 . L e t t e r to F r i e d r i c h U e c h t r i t z , 2 . GS V p. 420 3 . T : 1 1 8 2 3 , 7 Dec. 1 8 3 9

B eid e s i n d

(3)» L u d w i g ,

1 4 D e c . 1 9 5 4 ; Br.,ZV p ,

2o5

- 42 -

I i

on th e

o th e r hand,

su sp ic io n , T rag éd ie it

a n d thr^ f a c t

speculc?.tion

was es

it

w ith

to

d isso ciate

it

from t h e r e a l m

( l )# Thus h e w r o t e o f h i s

(2):

w e s e n tlic h m it

"Hebbel

th u t

als

ganz v e rk e h r t,

wenn e r

/ J i d e r s p r u c h v e r l e g t ” (3 ) ,

c la sh

b e t w e e n two a p p a r e n t l y i f reso lv ed in to

daÿ

in

suprem e e x p re s s io n w ith in

50,

h is

found and

w i t h whose Dr azna" h e das

Drama

7,11

thun

ein en t h e o r e t i -

a n d h e was c o n v i n c e d t h a t

e cu a lly ju s tif ie d

forces

a c la s h b etw een r i v a l

in g

he

d e s Mens c h e n

das T r a g i s c h e

schrn

p o ssib le

D ra m atik er,

r!

s o - c a l l e d 'j

o f p h ilo so p h y

co n tem n o rarv ,

der p rak tisch en S e ite

profound

th e

th at

t o Ma r i a Ma; : d. a l en a and ”M e i n W ort ■fiber d a s

fam iliar

h a t,

t h a t he i d e n t i f i e d

d e r ^leicV ien B e r e o h t ig n n g e n " s u g g e s t s

d iffic u lt

P refrce

alw ays r e g a r d e d s n o h a t h e o r y w i t h

a

was o n l y

p assio n s,

the t r a g i c hero h im s e lf

(4 ).

fin d -; Even

| |;

rig h t part

b e lie f

th e id e a o f

"o b jectiv e"

was n o t s o m e t h i n g a b s o l u t e , o f th e

deed,

fu lly

T h is

and " s u b j e c t i v e "

but ra th e r

c h a r a c t e r s , .s h o w s t h a t h e n e i t h e r un d ersto o d the is s u e

c o u ld h a r d ly be o th e rw is e

w ig b e l i e v e d rity

th at

the

t r a g i c hero

a d e l u s i o n on t h e accepted n o r,

in ­

i n v o l v e d i n H e b b e l Is t h e o r y . i n view o f th e

to' be f u l l y

o f t h e o p p o s in g power ev en w h i l s t

fact

aw are o f t h e

actin g

t h a t Lud­ su p erio -

in c o n tra d ic tio n

1 . The te r m " B e r e c h t i , n i n g ” i s f r e q u e n t l y u s e d by H e g e l (v ^ e s p . h i s V o r l e s u n ^ e n fiber d i e A s t h e t i k . e d .H . G .H otho , A b t . i l l p p . 5 5 5 , , f f . " a n d A b t. i p . 262, t o w h i c h L u d w i g h i m s e l f r e f e r s i n GS V 0 . 1 8 2 , I 8 6 0 - 6 S ) . A l t h o u g h H e b b e l ’s t h e o r y b e a r s m u ch r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h a t o f H e g e l and h e h a d f o r so m e y e a r s b e e n f a m i l i a r w i t h c e r t a i n a s n e c t s o f t h e l a t t e r ’s w o r k , i t was n o t u n t i l h e h a d

2 ! c f r ^ ^ p.360; 1851-55:-

4.

C f .

i b i d .

p .

2 4 9 .

*1

~ 43 " to

it,

hr; l o t ' l l * c r i t i c i s r î d h i s

it su

ici^ n tly

t.i.n c tiv e ly v e n tio n al m eant

to

olfîar t h a t

to be r i ^ h t

ju stic e

th 4 4 2 , - 5» Of S h a k e s p e a r e s Homeo u n d J u l i e t h e w r i t e s ; " S l e l e i d e n das S u s s c r â t e n u r d u r oh iVir e i g n e s H a n d e l n , auch t r i t t d i e s e s d u r c h _ d a s g a n z e S t r l c k h i c h t a l s g e w a l t s a m e s , s o n d e r n mehr i n d e r Form des L e i d e n s , a l s o s e l b s t d i e S c h u l d M i t l e i d e r r e g e n d a u f " - i b i d o p . 189% 1851-55 e

1

ans a on” ( l ) .

51 h an(3elnd d i a S c h u l d v e r g r ^ s ,s e r n d f o r t s e t -

NotViinj: nond.d h ave h c c n f u r t h e r from ludvu.g Is i n -

t e n t i n n s t h a n t o p o r t r a y d-'^novova, m \ \ s s i j p a s s i v ” (2 )^

i.e .w ith o u t

as H .^b'nl h a d houo ^

11 d-

any a c t i v e p r o v o c a t i o n o f g u i . l t

on t h e c o n t r a r y , hy e x p l o i t i n g t h e i d o a n f G c n o v e v a /s l o v e f o r CtqI o , o n l y ' ü m l y h i n t e d - t i n T i e c h ’s v e r s i o n o f t h e same s u h jo -t

( f ) , he

(4).

” Is

hnr g u ilt the

"c^.usa movens" o f t h e w hole

(l-:o;f j,m L e i d o n d e n ” , l u d w ir w r o t e - ^ ith e r d u r i n g o r

i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r h i s work on t h i s

play,

’’n i c h t h l o s s

die go-

m a r t a r t e , h i l f l n . s e S i n n l i ^ h k e i t e r s c h a i n e n , das l e i don muss m ^ g l i c h s t i n Frrm e i n es H a n d e l n c r s c h e i n e n , w ie i n d e r S c h u l d d as H u d el n i n Form e i n e s l e i d o n s ” ( 5 ) . On e x a m i n i n g t h e e a r l i e s t o f H e h h o l i s t h e o r e t i c a l w r i t i n g s from t h i s o h ift

p o i n t o f v i e w , one i s made aware o f a v e r y d e f i n i t e

o f e m p h a s i s . Thus i n an e s s a y o f 1355 H o h h e l d e f i n e d ,

t r a g e d y a.s ”S c h i l d e r u n g j d e s Gedan n n s , d e r T hat w e r d e n w i l l d urch H andeln oder lu ld e n "

(o),

and by p o i n t i n g t o K l e i s t ’s

P r i n z F r i o i c h v o n Homburg s u g g e s t e d t h a t t o i n v e s t t h e t r a ­ g i c h e r o w i t h one d o m in a n t t h o u g h t o r i d e a w hich w ould i n f o r m h i s w h o l e p e r s o n a l i t y was t h e f i r s t

and most o b v i o u s r e o i j i s i t e *

o f dromao Y e a r s l a t e r H e b b e l t e s t i f i e d from h i s wwn e x p e r i e n c e ! • GS V p . 5o8, 1 3 6 1 - 6 5 " - 2. l e t t e r t o F r a n z l i n g e l s t e d t , 14 J u n e 1 3 5 8 ; VI p. 143 : "G enoveva s e l b s t , an s i c h n i c h t e b e n Hjrmlich a u s g e s t a t t e t , h a t man do ch m i t K e c h t zu b i l d m ”— s s i g p a s s i v g e f u n d e n . Das k o m i t e f r e i l i c h , b e i m e i n e r A b s i c h t n i c h t " a n^ d e r s s e i n , a b e r m es T . f r a g t sM i c« h , r« ob/ich d i e s e A b s i c h t hor _ ' ^

/- i

c lU ls lib id .llh .-

K l e i s t " , 1 8 3 5 , I IX p . 39

___

_____

•

_

^ 1-..

K8 r n e r uïïïï H r l n r l c É v o n

to

the

in n o ssih ii.ity

•'^n i l o a ,

of creatin g

anH al t h o u g h i n h i s

h e l^from o h i l o s o n h i c a l i->,

indeed,

id ea of racter in

not

id ea

w hich, fix e

cou ld only

trag ic

g u ilt

an e n t i r e l y

m aking i t

cle ar

T his

co n sisted

in

and p a s s i v i t y ,

durch

h u t w 'th

the in e v ita b le

ex iste n ce ,

and i r r e s p e c t i v e

no l e s s

in

t h a n C olo

C h aracters

such

th e

i t Èe l f

ouest ion o f

the

"Durch D u ld e n T hun:

d i a r y o f 1859

th e

hy v i r ­

to s a y :

( ^ ) , thus " D e r V/eg z u

concerned,

q u a li t y o f h e r g u ilt®

actio n s

in d iv id u a l

or in h is

o f what H eb b el c a l l e d t h e

"causa

as Agnes o r R hodope a r e t h e r e f o r e

whose o v e n f e e n i n g p a s s i o n s

selv es

i n some p a r t i c u l . a r

v irtu e

of th e ir 's e x ,

the

to

very

a c c o r d a n c e w i t h H e b b e l ’s c o n c e p t i o n o f t r a g i c or H erodes,

cha­

set

ten d en cy o f th e

w hether m a n ife s te d i n h is

(5K

th e

H ehhel,

d i e S i i n d e " , h e was i n f a c t

dedd,

th at

actio n ,

new p e r s p e c t i v e .

iso latio n ,

prim a"

alw ays

B ut w h e r e .a s L u d w i g h o l i o v e d t h a t

he had n o te d in h is

n o t 3 0 m u ch w i t h h e r

nay not

o ften m an ifests

t h a t when he c a u s e d J u d i t h

m einer That geht

th is

and h e i d e n t i f i e d w i t h

fin d ex p ressio n in

a c tiv ity

des W eihe s ",

in

(l).

e ou a t i n g

Idee

th eo ries

in p r a c tic e ,

tu ally

in

later

characterF j w ith o u t su c h

f r o m L u d w i g ’s c o n v i c t i o n

a dram a m ust r e s i d e of th e hero,

trag ic

connot at io n s , th e n .n lo rly in g y r i n c i p l c /

d issim ila r

a so -c al.lo d id ee

th is

^2 -

and c l e a r l y m o tiv a te d

reveal actio n .

" a c tio n s " of th èse tra g ic

loCfoSW VI p . 2 5 5 , w h e r e L u d w ig s p e a k s o f r i g h t as d e s S r b f S r s t e r s ' l - 2 , T 1 1 5 1 6 , 24 F e b . 1859* 5 . " M e i n V\fort û b e r d a s D r a m a " , 1 8 4 5 , W %I p . 5 1

g u ilt them ­ For by

h ero in es "die

fix e

may Idee

t ak(? t h r

form o f o o s a i v e s u r r s n d f ^ r ,

them from £ ; n i l t ,

sin ce

th e

in d iv id u a l

ces

of in d iv id u atio n .

Hebbel. w o t e n ich t

th is

C h ristia n

wh e t h e r

c o n n ectio n ,

D ie O rd n u n g

done t o

der

( 1

( 2 ),

or n o t.

deserve h e r

co n seq ien -

B em isstsein f a lle n d e ,

sie

).

1

T his

bein g s n , g u i1

to ta l ly

d istin c t

i n c u r r e d by a l l Thus t o A gnes* crttel

w erd en kann!

an a t t i t u d e

a d ram atic p o in t

o f view .

d ie n e fle x io n n ach w eist,

F r f o r de m i s s e sin n lic h

in

er w irk lich

fin d en ,

also

a,s

rep lies: dem

( 3

nur noch nach U r-

) bo th

f r o m a.

" S o n s t v e r l a n g t e man,

"dass

der t r a g i s c h e H eld jetzt

ge-

e r h a b e d i e ph i l o s o p h i s c h e n

zum t r a g i s c h e n H e l d e n ; s o n s t m u s s t e s e i n e S c h u l d

d i e Augen f a l l e n . . . J e t z t -^in e S c h u l d h a b e ,

w i l l lo*lrl i c h e ,

from

alik e,

fa te F reisin g

den s i n n l i c h e n S i n d n u c k ( i b e r w S l t i g e n d raachen m fis s te , dass

in

q u estio n

was v j h o l l y u n t e n a b l e ,

h e w r o t e b e t w e e n 1861 a n d 1 8 6 ? ,

nfigt,

of

e n tf r e m d e t , e in e n Z ustand h e r b e i g e f ü lir t,

s a c h * u n d W irkung g e f r a g t

and from

ex n rcssio n

ein e u ra n f ^ n p lic h e ” ,

dem n i c h t m e h r n a c h S c h u l d u n d U n s c h u l d ,

F o r Ludvjig s u c h

absolve

'.'Veit g e s t f l r t , V a t e r u n d S o h n e n t z w e i t ,

V olk s e in e n F d r s te n

m oral

eq u ally th e

as t h e im m e d ia te

an a m o ra l c o n d i t i o n ,

th e y be aw are o f i t

does n o t

" v o n dem B e g r i f f d e s M ens c h o n

ge :et z t "

co n cep tio n o f ) s i n

what s h e h a s

in

and i s

is

" Dios o S c h u l d i s t

dem L c b e n s e l b s t

H e b b e l Vs e y e s was

to

acquiescence

p e rso n ality ,

in

but th is

z u t r e n n e n d e u n d kaum i n s e i n

i s t m it

th e

53 -

v ielleich t

und d esh alb n ic h t auch wohi w elche

genftgt n a c h z u w e l s e n ,

e in u n b ew u sstc o d e r un­

ohne Grund s e i ,

em pfinde"

dass

L e i d e n zu emp-

(4)#

1 . " M e i n W o rt ( \ b e r das D r a m a " , 1 8 4 3 , W p. 3 1 . - 2 . i b i d * p . 3 o . 3#Agnes B e r n a u e r , Act V . s t c . i i . - 4. GS V pp. 496 f .

To

>1

n

n m -n rj-r

54 -

co n ce p tio n

o f nornl it]/ v i r tu e

o f n e o s s s i t y m utuall^^ e x c l u s i v e , to

suffer

Thus h i s rea d ily

aith o n t

deduced

- p i ay su c h from

(1

F r-n/olns

" n d T'-' opl ay c a n h e of 3

a real

in h e id e r L ich e,

(2 ).

allow ed

and p o s i t i v e

i o n o*^ t h e h e r o In h is

a l r e a d y made h y h i m

s a m e s u b j e c t : ”Es i s t

13e m i t y , h e n a i n t o - i n e d ,

) 0

h e r o who i s

a s H e h h e l Va Ay n e s B e r n a u e r

a c ritic ism

v o n X * J r r i n g *s p i " y o n t h e Spur ein e s

\^je-re made^,

o h v i o u s m i s deni e a n o u r c a n o n l y "he o f f e n s i v e .

c o in ion o f he

and th e t r a g i c

and g u il t

w ith

or h ero in e,

a g lance

and t h e r e f o r e such

ah o u t

|

ein m al

a t S c h i l l e r ’s Max

i n c u r r e d hy th e

p lay s,

,

sin d sehr tu g c n d h a ft"

t o p e r i s h -only i f

kin d ,

own e a r l i e r

sie

n ich t

can

it

cont ain s

a ctiv e

g u ilt

tran sg res-

|

w orthy o f p u n ish m en t

as Die H e c h t e

des H e rz e n s

| li

a n d D ^ r S n y e l v o n A n g g h u r m , Ludwj.g h i m s e l f h a d c r e a t e d c h a r a c ­ ters

who s u c c u m h s o l e l y

e x •ten r e s s i n a h i s I hr

wag t e

Drum t r a t Urn i h r "Ich m ein:

th e v ic e s

t h e o r y o f t r a g e d vV i n

n ich t

U

der Srde L u st

der Schm erz,

zu d i e n e n ,

d ram atic

in stin c t

th e

of o th ers,

f o l l o w i n g^te> w o r d s :

j

.I

ist,

,| zu i h r ,

i

zu v e rk l& ren ,. n ich t,

;! w eil

das L ehen s e i n

d a s L e h e n s e i n n i c h t w e r t h i s t " (3 ) . occupy h im s e lf s e r i o u s l y

and th e

activ e

But

w ith S hak esp eare

h a d t a u g h t him t h e i m p o r t a n c e

p r o p o r t i o n betw een punishm ent

•

zu nshien,

d as E d l e muss u n t e r g e h e n ,

e v e n b e f o r e h e cam e t o

and i n t r i g u e s

der h e il* g e r

urn s i e

F e in d i s t , so n d ern w eil

h is

to

of a ju st

p ro v o catio n o f

1 . ^ V p . 343, 1855-56 2% i b i d o ^ / . p . 5 4 o , 1 3 6 1 - 6 5 ; c f . a l s o i b i d . P o 5 4 . 3 o L e t t e r t o E d u a r d D e v r i . e n t , 5 D ev. 1 3 4 6 ; ^ V I p . 3 4 7 .

^

'in a '13 e n r l y

55 -

as 184 7 h e w r o t e o f h i s

file t r o . ^ i s o h e I r o n i e hon,

or s - i h o s t i m m t , aus

auC auw -rfon,

o n l y

out

nm os u n w i s s o n d a n s i c h

( l ).

in

T h is b e l i e f ,

th at

the

nor fo o t

of h is

actio n s

and b y y r e s a n t i n g h i s

i ' c v i t a b l e outcom e

exam ple o f S h a k e s p e a r e ,

dram a,

w hetlier

an cien t

"Ohne

a llés

S chuld,

g u ilt,

was t o

o r m odern.

W u n d er f o l g t

K reon,

w irk lich

so lb st

3

zu v e i l -

;

zusajn-

|

tr a g e d y coulb

^ rise

n e ce ssa rily

u l.tim ate

d estru ctio n

su p p o rted

as i t

was b y

c o l o u r L u d w i g ’s v i e w o f

!

a ll j

Thus h e w r o t e o f S n h p o c l e s ^

kann,

stirb t o ci.b st

N othing

d i e S t r a To n i c h t

dor t r a g i s c h e H old,

G -'^liobte s e i n e s

t t ag ic

zirm h i c h t o r

A n tip o n e:

trag ed y

sich

h is

o f

|

zn. g l . a u - ,

flor V c r b r c c h o n u n d S t r a f e

b e c r - a t ' ^ d b y m a k i n g t h e h e r o ’s g u i l t

as t h e the

dor s i c h horausnim m t

dor P - r th o i h e r a u s , s ic h

j.n d o r s o l b o n T h a t ,

mon TUo I t "

ih n ,

E rb fg i's te r :

b o i m W o r t o njjnmt u n d ihm d a s S t r a f r o c h t

zu d b o rg o b o n s c h c i n t ziohon,

:

Sohnes ; d ie s e r ,

ih r

t S t et

n a c h : ih m d i e M u t t e r ,

im H i g e n s i n n e

d ie

und so h a t

der H eld

g e s t r a f t " ( 2 ).

t h an" h i s

"L, .L

fig u re

; ; '

approach to

th e ent.ire s ig n i f ic a n c e o f t h i s found i n th e

a u f d ie

da e r s i e \ n i c h t r o t t e n

c o u ld be m ore c h a r a c t e r i s t i c

"u ilt

a ll e in

o f H e b b e l ’s t h e o r y o f

t h e same t r a g e d v . W