Grillparzer’s Libussa: The Tragedy of Separation

303 Pages·1999·17.743 MB·English

by  William C. Reeve

Grillparzer's Libussa
The Tragedy of Separation
In Grillparzer's Libussa William Reeve provides an important interpre-
tation of a work that has received little detailed attention from
European and American critics. The play has been dealt with in a
broader context in numerous monograph-length overviews or intro-
ductions to Grillparzer, but this is the first time that it has received
the careful consideration it deserves. Reeve not only offers a close
textual analysis of the drama focusing on the theme of separation but
shows how Libussa and its author fit into the development of the
history of ideas in nineteenth-century Europe. He contends that
Grillparzer's work anticipates Bachofen, Nietzsche, Freud, Neumann,
and Lacan.
Using Freudian psychoanalysis, Neumann's investigation of the
female archetype, and anthropological studies, Reeve argues that
Grillparzer's tragedy portrays the struggle between matriarchy and
patriarchy, nurturers and warriors, and rural and urban cultures.
Since Libussa proves unable to overcome the gender bias of her male
subjects, the play concludes with a symbolic statement of masculine
superiority as man and woman remain intellectually and physically
apart. Reeve's analysis draws parallels with Grillparzer's other two
completed posthumous tragedies, Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg and
Die Judin von Toledo, relating his findings to the greater context of
nineteenth-century German drama.
WILLIAM c. REEVE is professor of German studies, Queen's
University.
Kaiser Joseph 11 am Pflug by J.B. Bergmuller. See p. 91.
Reproduced with permission from the graphic collection of the Albertina, Vienna, Austria
Grillparzer's Libussa
The Tragedy of Separation
WILLIAM C. REEVE
McGill-Queen's University Press
Montreal & Kingston • London • Ithaca
McGill-Queen's University Press 1999
ISBN 0-7735-1831-2
Legal deposit first quarter 1999
Bibliotheque nationale du Quebec
Printed in Canada on acid-free paper
This book has been published with the help of a grant
from the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of
Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
McGill-Queen's University Press acknowledges the
financial support of the Government of Canada through
the Book Publishing Industry Development Program for
its activities. We also acknowledge the support of the
Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing
program.
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Reeve, William C, 1943-
Grillparzer's Libussa: the tragedy of separation
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7735-1831-2
1. Grillparzer, Franz, 1791-1872. Libussa. 1. Title.
PT2272.R33 1999 832'.6 098-901422-3
Typeset in Palatino 10/12
by Caractera inc., Quebec City
Fur meinen deutschen Onkel, Wilfried Messier,
in Dankbarkeit
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 3
The Inescapable Paternal Legacy: Act One 9
Cooperation/Integration versus Competition/Separation:
Act Two 58
Likes Repel: Act Three 97
Jockeying for Position and Apparent Reconciliation:
Act Four 135
The Final Separation(s): Act Five 185
Conclusion 247
Notes 259
Works Cited 283
Index 289
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Acknowledgments
This project, having lasted many years, owes much to many people,
but in particular I wish to single out Prof. Ernst Wangermann (Salz-
burg) for his freundliches Entgegenkommen, Dr. Wera Zelenka, Austrian
Embassy, Ottawa, for her help in obtaining material, Bill McConnell
for his patient typing of the many versions, and my family for their
continued support and understanding.
The second chapter, "The Inescapable Paternal Legacy: Act One,"
contains a slightly enlarged version of an article entitled "Divisive
Fore-play in the 'Vorspiel' of Grillparzer's Libussa" which appeared
in the "Special Franz Grillparzer Issue" of Modern Austrian Literature
28 (1995): 169-188. The author wishes to thank the editor of Modern
Austrian Literature for permission to reprint this essay.
A grant awarded by the Social Science and Humanities Research
Council of Canada enabled me to pursue this research interest in
Vienna and collect much of the material needed to write this mono-
graph. Needless to say, I am grateful to the Council for its vote of
confidence. I should also like to express my gratitude to the Advi-
sory Research Committee, Queen's University, for financial support
to obtain some supplementary documents in Vienna.