Masters Theses

Kaveh Dabir

Date of Award

5-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

German

Major Professor

Ursula Ritzenhoff

Committee Members

John Osborne, Nancy Lauckner, Carolyn Hodges

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis and comparison of the father-son-relationship in two novellas of the 19th century: Der arme Spielmann. which Franz Grillparzer began in 1831, finished in 1842, and published in 1847, and Theodor Storm's novella Hans und Heinz Kirch, written between October 1881 and February 1882 and published in the same year. Numerous critics deal with these two novellas individually, but none explores the father-son-motive in either novella in depth. The thesis is divided into two chapters, each of which has two subchapters. Chapter one discusses the two fathers and chapter two is concerned with the two sons. The comparison shows that to both fathers the most important aim in life is the outward social esteem said the good reputation of their families. In Grillparzer's novella, the father wants to preserve the influential position at the imperial court. In Storm's novella, on the other hand, the son is supposed to achieve more than the father. He should become a captain of his father's ships and a senator in their city and, thus, expand the family's influence. Both fathers choose a good education as a means to achieve their goal. However, sons are not allowed to develop their own personality in suny other way but the one wanted by their fathers. The rigorous and loveless upbringing is similar in each case, even though it is achieved in a different way. Both sons are rejected numerous times by their fathers: Heinz, the son in Storm's novella, because of his independence and his objection to the father's mentality, and Jakob, the son in Grillparzer's novella, for his failure in an academic exam that bars him from advancing his career. Even though both fathers' conduct is the same in many aspects, they differ in a very important point. In Grillparzer's novella, the father dies without having recognized what he has done wrong in Jakob's upbringing. In Storm's novella, the father finally realizes his mistake, though too late for a reconciliation with his son. The two sons behave contrary to their fathers. There exist more differences than similarities. Jakob, who is a weak person, lives in the illusion that everything his father does is right. He accepts everything his father says and never fights against his wishes. Heinz develops a strong personality. He shows his independence from the beginning of his childhood and learns to stand up to his father. His attempts at reconciliation with his father are fruitless. Heinz und Jakob differ in an another important aspect. While Heinz recognizes his father's false mentality and acts upon that knowledge by staying away from his parents' house, Jakob believes to the end that his father's intentions were good and that he acted correctly. In one aspect, however, the sons are alike: after their fathers’ influence has ended, both sons live on the lowest social level, Heinz as a sailor on pirate ships and Jakob as a beggar-musician. It is as if both writers come to the conclusion that a rigorous and false upbringing which is based on outward social esteem and social reputation misses its mark and may lead to non-integration of the individual in the social stratum to which he or she belongs. In other words, such an educational aim may achieve the opposite.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS