Heinrich Von Kleist

by Mehigan, Tim

• ISBN13: 9781571135186
• ISBN10: 1571135189
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-12-01
• Publisher: Camden House

Summary

The question of Heinrich von Kleist's reading and reception of Kant's philosophy has never been satisfactorily answered, and, after having been neglected during the heyday of postmodernism, is returning to importance in Kleist scholarship. The present study pursues this question of influence, particularly in the light of Kant's newfound significance for the humanities today, arguing not only that Kleist was influenced by Kant, but also that he may be understood as a Kantian, albeit an unorthodox one. The volume integrates material previously published by the author in the form of articles and essays, now updated, with new chapters to form a greater whole. It approaches Kleist not merely as a writer, but also as a thinker - one whose seriousness of purpose and clarity of design compares to that of other early expositors of Kant's thought such as Reinhold and Fichte, though he uses the forms of narrative fiction, drama, and the essay to convey this design. The result is that Kleist becomes visible for the first time as a genuine and serious contributor to the tradition of post-Kantian thought and ideas. Tim Mehigan is Professor of German at the University of Otago, New Zealand.