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CHAPTER XXXIX
GERMAN LITERATURE
The article in the Britannica on German Literature (Vol. 11, p. 783;
equivalent to 55 pages of this Guide) is by Professor John George
Robertson, University of London, author of _History of German
Literature_. This article is divided into six sections, and following
this scheme the course of reading below is divided into six parts, in
connection with each of which the reader should first peruse the
correspondingly numbered section in the article GERMAN LITERATURE.
[Sidenote: Old High German]
I. _The Old High German Period, 750–1050_:—the articles ULFILAS (Vol.
27, p. 565), by Charles Anderson Scott, author of _Ulfilas, Apostle of
the Goths_; HELIAND (Vol. 13, p. 221), by Henry Bradley, author of _The
Story of the Goths_; EINHARD (Vol. 9, p. 134), by A. W. Holland; NOTKER
(Vol. 19, p. 824) and HROSVITHA (Vol. 13, p. 842), by A. W. Ward—and see
Prof. Ward on the medieval drama in the article DRAMA (Vol. 8,
especially p. 497).
[Sidenote: Middle Period]
II. _The Middle High German Period, 1050–1350_:—the articles ROMANCE
(Vol. 23, p. 500), by George Saintsbury; WALTHARIUS (Vol. 28, p. 298),
NIBELUNGENLIED (Vol. 19, pp. 637–640), GUDRUN (Vol. 12, p. 668),
DIETRICH OF BERN (Vol. 8, p. 221), ORTNIT (Vol. 20, p. 341),
WOLFDIETRICH (Vol. 28, p. 772), HELDENBUCH (Vol. 13, p. 218), LAY OF
HILDEBRAND (Vol. 13, p. 460), by J. G. Robertson; RUODLIEB (Vol. 23, p.
854), ARTHURIAN LEGEND (Vol. 2, p. 684), PERCEVAL (Vol. 21, p. 132), and
TRISTAN (Vol. 27, pp. 292–294), by J. L. Weston, author of _Legends of
the Wagner Drama_; HARTMANN VON AUE (Vol. 13, p. 37), GOTTFRIED VON
STRASSBURG (Vol. 12, p. 277), WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH (Vol. 28, p. 775),
by J. L. Weston; WALTHER VON DER VOGELWEIDE (Vol. 28, p. 299),
MINNESINGERS (Vol. 18, p. 547), FREIDANK (Vol. 11, p. 94), CONRAD OF
WÜRZBURG (Vol. 6, p. 968).
[Sidenote: 14th and 15th Centuries]
III. _The Transition Period, 1350–1600_:—the articles FRAUENLOB (Vol.
11, p. 42), REYNARD THE FOX (Vol. 23, p. 226), SEBASTIAN BRANT (Vol. 4,
p. 431), MAXIMILIAN I. (Vol. 17, p. 922), by A. W. Holland;
MEISTERSINGER (Vol. 18, p. 86) and EULENSPIEGEL (Vol. 9, p. 887), by J.
G. Robertson; HANS SACHS (Vol. 23, p. 972), TAULER (Vol. 26, p. 452),
GEILER VON KAISERBERG (Vol. 11, p. 553), ERASMUS (Vol. 9, p. 727), by
Mark Pattison and P. S. Allen, editor of the Oxford Erasmus; REUCHLIN
(Vol. 23, p. 204), by W. Robertson Smith; ULRICH VON HUTTEN (Vol. 14, p.
14), by the Very Rev. G. W. Kitchin, Dean of Durham; MARTIN LUTHER (Vol.
17, p. 133), by Dr. T. M. Lindsay, author of _A History of the
Reformation_; ERASMUS ALBERUS (Vol. 1, p. 504), THOMAS MURNER (Vol. 19,
p. 37), JOHANN FISCHART (Vol. 10, p. 425), PHILIPP NIKODEMUS FRISCHLIN
(Vol. 11, p. 232), JÖRG WICKRAM (Vol. 28, p. 619), AYRER (Vol. 3, p.
74), FAUST (Vol. 10, p. 210).
[Sidenote: Renaissance]
IV. _The Renaissance, 1600–1740_:—the articles PAUL GERHARDT (Vol. 11,
p. 768), JAKOB BOEHME (Vol. 4, p. 113), GEORG RUDOLF WECKHERLIN (Vol.
28, p. 464), MARTIN OPITZ (Vol. 20, p. 129), GEORG PHILIPP HARSDÖRFFER
(Vol. 13, p. 29), SIMON DACH (Vol. 7, p. 726), PAUL FLEMING (Vol. 10, p.
494), von LOGAU (Vol. 16, p. 877), ABRAHAM A SANCTA CLARA (Vol. 1, p.
72), JOHANN VON RIST (Vol. 23, p. 366), ANDREAS GRYPHIUS (Vol. 12, p.
642), MOSCHEROSCH (Vol. 18, p. 890), GRIMMELSHAUSEN (Vol. 12, p. 603),
PUFENDORF (Vol. 22, p. 634), THOMASIUS (Vol. 26, p. 868), CHRISTIAN
WOLFF (Vol. 28, p. 774), by Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison; LEIBNITZ (Vol.
16, p. 385), by Prof. W. R. Sorley, Cambridge; SPENER (Vol. 25, p. 638),
von CANITZ (Vol. 5, p. 183), JOHANN CHRISTIAN GÜNTHER (Vol. 12, p. 730),
B. H. BROCKES (Vol. 4, p. 624), and, the dictator of the pseudo-classic
age, GOTTSCHED (Vol. 12, p. 279).
[Sidenote: Classical Period]
V. _The Classical Period of Modern German Literature, 1740–1832_:—the
articles J. J. BODMER (Vol. 4, p. 111), GELLERT (Vol. 11, p. 558),
RABENER (Vol. 22, p. 773), J. ELIAS SCHLEGEL (Vol. 24, p. 329),
KLOPSTOCK (Vol. 15, p. 848), LAVATER (Vol. 16, p. 291), GERSTENBERG
(Vol. 11, p. 907), GLEIM (Vol. 12, p. 118), GÖTZ (Vol. 12, p. 289), _Uz_
(Vol. 27, p. 828), RAMLER (Vol. 22, p. 876), HAGEDORN (Vol. 12, p. 813),
ALBRECHT VON HALLER (Vol. 12, p. 855), E. C. VON KLEIST (Vol. 15, p.
846), LESSING (Vol. 16, pp. 496–499), by James Sime, author of _A
History of Germany_, and J. G. Robertson, and Lessing’s
associates—WINCKELMANN (Vol. 28, p. 707), by James Sime and J. M.
Mitchell, MOSES MENDELSSOHN (Vol. 18, p. 120), by Israel Abrahams,
author of _A Short History of Jewish Literature_, and C. F. NICOLAI
(Vol. 19, p. 662)—; WIELAND (Vol. 28, p. 621), by J. G. Robertson; M. A.
VON THÜMMEL (Vol. 26, p. 898), A. VON KNIGGE (Vol. 15, p. 850), MUSÄUS
(Vol. 19, p. 43), BASEDOW (Vol. 3, p. 461), PESTALOZZI (Vol. 21, p.
284), HAMANN (Vol. 12, p. 869).
[Sidenote: Sturm und Drang]
On the _Sturm und Drang_ period, the articles HERDER (Vol. 13, p. 347),
the STOLBERGS (Vol. 25, p. 953), J. H. VOSS (Vol. 28, p. 215), HÖLTY
(Vol. 13, p. 620), BÜRGER (Vol. 4, p. 812), M. CLAUDIUS (Vol. 6, p.
466),—all of the Göttingen school; GOETHE (Vol. 12, p. 182), by J. G.
Robertson; his imitators and followers, J. M. R. LENZ (Vol. 16, p. 431),
KLINGER (Vol. 15, p. 846), FRIEDRICH (“Maler”) MÜLLER (Vol. 18, p. 961),
HEINSE (Vol. 13, p. 216), K. P. MORITZ (Vol. 18, p. 838); the great
dramatist of the late _Sturm und Drang_, SCHILLER (Vol. 24, p. 324), by
J. G. Robertson; A. W. IFFLAND (Vol. 14, p. 291), F. JACOBI (Vol. 15, p.
115).
On the classical period proper, the latter part of the article on Goethe
and Schiller, IMMANUEL KANT (Vol. 15, p. 662), and J. G. FICHTE (Vol.
10, p. 313), both by Robert Adamson; the historians SCHLOSSER (Vol. 24,
p. 342), MÖSER (Vol. 18, p. 895), and JOHANNES VON MÜLLER (Vol. 18, p.
962), by W. A. B. Coolidge; the scientists J. G. A. FORSTER (Vol. 10, p.
674), ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT (Vol. 13, p. 873), by Agnes Mary Clerke,
and KARL WILHELM VON HUMBOLDT (Vol. 13, p. 875), by Archibald Henry
Sayce; the dramatist KOTZEBUE (Vol. 15, p. 919); the novelist RICHTER,
“Jean Paul” (Vol. 23, p. 313); and the poet MATTHISSON (Vol. 17, p.
901).
[Sidenote: Romanticism]
On the romantic school: the articles on the founders, AUGUST WILHELM
SCHLEGEL and FRIEDRICH SCHLEGEL (Vol. 24, p. 328 and 329), TIECK (Vol.
26, p. 962), HÖLDERLIN (Vol. 13, p. 583), and NOVALIS (Vol. 19, p. 829);
in the second Romantic school, the more realistic Heidelbergers KLEMENS
BRENTANO (Vol. 4, p. 496), L. A. VON ARNIM (Vol. 2, p. 630), J. J. VON
GÖRRES (Vol. 12, p. 260), and, owing much to the interest in
folk-literature of the Heidelbergers, the brothers GRIMM (Vol. 12, pp.
600–602), by Dr. Henry Sweet of the University of Oxford, CHAMISSO (Vol.
5, p. 825); the patriot poets KÖRNER (Vol. 15, p. 913) and ARNDT (Vol.
2, p. 627); the North Germans KLEIST (Vol. 15, p. 846), ZACHARIAS WERNER
(Vol. 28, p. 523), FOUQUÉ (Vol. 10, p. 749), E. T. W. HOFFMAN (Vol. 13,
p. 561), EICHENDORFF (Vol. 9, p. 131), and RÜCKERT (Vol. 23, p. 813) and
WILHELM MÜLLER (Vol. 18, p. 963), who, like Byron, found romance, one in
the Orient and the other in Greek struggles for liberty; and, of the
Swabian school, UHLAND (Vol. 27, p. 563), KERNER (Vol. 15, p. 757),
HAUFF (Vol. 13, p. 65), and MÖRIKE (Vol. 18, p. 837); and the
philosopher SCHELLING (Vol. 24, p. 316).
[Sidenote: 1832–1870]
VI. _Literature since Goethe, 1832 onwards_:—Read G. W. F. HEGEL (Vol.
13, p. 200, by the late Prof. William Wallace of Oxford and Prof. J. H.
Muirhead, University of Birmingham), Schelling’s successor as a
philosophic force in Germany; the articles on the “Young Germans” HEINE
(Vol. 13, p. 213), by J. Walter Ferrier and J. G. Robertson; BÖRNE (Vol.
4, p. 255), GUTZKOW (Vol. 12, p. 744) and LAUBE (Vol. 16, p. 276); and
the historians and philosophers D. F. STRAUSS (Vol. 25, p. 1002),
GERVINUS (Vol. 11, p. 908), W. MENZEL (Vol. 18, p. 147) and FEUERBACH
(Vol. 10, p. 303); the dramatists—some more closely connected with the
preceding period,—GRABBE (Vol. 12, p. 306) and GRILLPARZER (Vol. 12, p.
596), IMMERMANN (Vol. 14, p. 335) and PLATEN-HALLERMUND (Vol. 21, p.
804), HOLTEI (Vol. 13, p. 619), RAUPACH (Vol. 22, p. 921) and MÜLLNER
(Vol. 18, p. 965), and, in Austria, besides Grillparzer, COLLIN (Vol. 6,
p. 690), MÜNCH-BELLINGHAUSEN, “Friedrich Halm” (Vol. 19, p. 2),
BAUERNFELD (Vol. 3, p. 538) and RAIMUND (Vol. 22, p. 861); the novelists
WILLIBALD ALEXIS (Vol. 1, p. 576), HAUFF (Vol. 13, p. 65) and ZSCHOKKE
(Vol. 28, p. 1046); and such poets of the ’30 and the ’48 as HERWEGH
(Vol. 13, p. 405), FREILIGRATH (Vol. 11, p. 94), DINGELSTEDT (Vol. 8, p.
275), HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN (Vol. 13, p. 561), and, in Austria, a
little earlier, AUERSPERG, “Anastasius Grün” (Vol. 2, p. 900); and the
possibly greater poets who were less interested in politics, GEIBEL
(Vol. 11, p. 550), LENAU (Vol. 16, p. 417), STRACHWITZ (Vol. 25, p.
976), and DROSTE-HÜLSHOFF (Vol. 8, p. 591).
On the mid-century period:—the articles on SCHOPENHAUER (Vol. 24, p.
372, by Prof. Wallace),—the philosopher of the new age; the natural
scientists VOGT (Vol. 28, p. 172), and BÜCHNER (Vol. 4, p. 719); the
fiction writers SPIELHAGEN (Vol. 25, p. 667), GUSTAV FREYTAG (Vol. 11,
p. 212), EBERS (Vol. 8, p. 841), DAHN (Vol. 7, p. 734), “CHARLES
SEALSFIELD” (Vol. 24, p. 543), GERSTÄCKER (Vol. 11, p. 906), STORM (Vol.
25, p. 968), GOTTFRIED KELLER (Vol. 15, p. 718); and, among those who
portrayed peasant and provincial life, BITZIUS, “Jeremias Gotthelf”
(Vol. 4, p. 15), AUERBACH (Vol. 2, p. 899), STIFTER (Vol. 25, p. 915),
FRITZ REUTER (Vol. 23, p. 210); the dramatists HEBBEL (Vol. 13, p. 165)
and OTTO LUDWIG (Vol. 17, p. 114); in the Munich School, BODENSTEDT
(Vol. 4, p. 109), SCHEFFEL (Vol. 24, p. 315), BAUMBACH (Vol. 3, p. 539),
HAMERLING (Vol. 12, p. 876), HEYSE (Vol. 13, p. 438); and the
Platt-Deutsch poet KLAUS GROTH (Vol. 12, p. 621).
[Sidenote: Since 1870]
On the period since 1870, see the articles LASSALLE (Vol. 16, p. 235, by
Thomas Kirkup, author of _An Inquiry into Socialism_) and MARX (Vol. 17,
p. 807, by Eduard Bernstein, Socialist deputy on the Reichstag) for new
economic views; and LOTZE (Vol. 17, p. 23), by J. T. Merz, author of
_European Thought in the XIXth Century_, and Henry Sturt, author of
_Personal Idealism_, and EDUARD VON HARTMANN (Vol. 13, p. 36) for
philosophical compromises between science and metaphysics and between
pessimism and idealism; the dramatists ANZENGRUBER (Vol. 2, p. 158),
PAUL LINDAU (Vol. 16, p. 717), and, composer and dramatist, RICHARD
WAGNER (Vol. 28, p. 236), by W. S. Rockstro, author of _A Great History
of Music_, and D. F. Tovey, author of _Essays in Musical Analysis_; the
historians SYBEL (Vol. 26, p. 275), TREITSCHKE (Vol. 27, p. 238), RANKE
(Vol. 22, p. 893), MOMMSEN (Vol. 18, p. 683) and BURCKHARDT (Vol. 4, p.
809); and Burckhardt’s friend, the early friend of Wagner and the type
of a new spirit in German letters, NIETZSCHE (Vol. 19, p. 672), by F. C.
S. Schiller, Oxford, author of _Studies in Humanism_.
The most important names of the last few years are SUDERMANN (Vol. 26,
p. 20) and HAUPTMANN (Vol. 13, p. 68). See, besides, the articles on
WILHELM JENSEN (Vol. 15, p. 321), WILHELM RAABE (Vol. 22, p. 765), W.
BUSCH (Vol. 4, p. 869), PETER ROSEGGER (Vol. 23, p. 734), FONTANE (Vol.
10, p. 608), EBNER-ESCHENBACH (Vol. 8, p. 843), FRANZOS (Vol. 11, p.
38), K. F. MEYER (Vol. 18, p. 349), RICHARD VOSS (Vol. 28, p. 215),
ERNST VON WILDENBRUCH (Vol. 28, p. 633), and for modern German drama, in
the article DRAMA (Vol. 8, especially pp. 535–536).