Man and the Law in the Dramas and Novellen of Heinrich von Kleist

Even on first reading, the works of Heinrich von Kleist reveal that he was unusually preoccupied with the theme of crime and punishment. The purpose of this paper is to study the problem of man and the law in twelve of Kleist's major works. Die Familie Ghonores is not treated in as much detail as Kleist's other works, since it is his first drama and does not give as much evidence of preoccupation with the law as his later writings do. Die Hermannsschlacht has not been considered because it is non-representative, Robert Gniskard, because it is a fragment. Das Bettelweib von Locarno is not dealth with because of its brevity and because it, like Die heilige Cäcilie oder die Gewalt der Musik, is not centrally concerned with the problem of man and the law. In this study Kleist's use of trials and hearings in twelve dramas and Novellan will be considered. Scrutiny will be given to his portrayal of criminals and their prosecutors, of crimes and their causes and motivations, and of the justice and injustice to which man is subject when his actions conflict with the law by which he chooses to live or is compelled to live.