Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/600

 tic dramas of no great value, like "Genovera," and a novel of culture "Franz Sternbalds Wanderungen," which had much influence on German painting. After 1821 he turned to the short story, which he was the first to cultivate with success. A second group of romantic writers, the Younger Romantic School, gathered chiefly at Heidelberg. With them the national tendency is more pronounced. Their work shows great talent, but is often spoiled by a lack of artistic restraint. Especially is this the case with Klemens Maria Brentano (1778-1842), a highly poetic but very eccentric character, who together with Achim von Arnim collected and edited an important book of folksongs, "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (1805-8). Their friend Joseph von Görres (1776-1848), during his period of ardent patriotism, edited old German songs and folk-books; his later activity was largely devoted to the service of the Catholic Church, which found in him a zealous champion.

The patriotic tendency is much in evidence in the work of Friedrich de la Motte Fouque (1777-1843), whose fantastic chivalric romances are forgotten, while his fairy-tale "Undine" still lives. The only dramatic poet of a high order connected with the Romantic School is Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811), among whose dramas "Der Prinz von Homburg" (1810) is regarded as his masterpiece. His novels, of which "Michael Kohlhaas" is the best known, show a graphic power. Zacharias Werner (1768-1823), who ultimately became a Catholic, is chiefly known as the originator of the so-called "fate-tragedies," a gruesome species of dramas, in which blind chance is the dominating factor. Characteristic of decaying romanticism are the weirdly fantastic stories of E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822). The influence of the romantic movement continued for some time after the movement had spent itself as a living force. Almost all the poets of the first half of the nineteenth century were more or less affected by it. The national tendency fostered by romanticism was transformed by the Wars of Liberation into patriotic fervour which found expression in the stirring lyrics of Max von Schenkendorf, Theodor Koerner, and Moritz Arndt.

The poets of the Swabian School, who were romantic only in so far as they leaned towards medieval or religious subjects, excelled particularly in the ballad. Their leader was Ludwig Uhland (1787-1862), distinguished as poet and scholar. Besides him there were Justinus Kerner and Gustav Schwab. Some of Kerner's and Uhland's lyrics have become veritable Volkslieder.

Romanticism cast its spell over the lyric, which occupies a large space in the literature of this period. Prominent in this field were Adelbert von Chamisso, Wilhelm Müller, and Joseph von Eichendorff, a Catholic nobleman of Silesia, the most gifted lyrist of the group. Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866) was a voluminous but unequal writer of verse; his fame rest largely on his translations and imitations of Oriental poetry, the difficult forms of which he reproduced with amazing skill. In this he was followed by Count August von Platen (1796-1835), in whose verses form reached perfection, often to the detriment of feeling. The greatest lyric poet, and the most striking literary figure of the day, was Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), a Jewish convert to Protestantism. Unfortunately, his great gifts are marred by the insincerity and immorality of his character; his finest poetic efforts are often impaired or destroyed by a wanton, mocking irony. His prose works, for the most part fragmentary and journalistic in character, are written in a graceful, easy style, and with brilliant wit. The miserable political conditions of Germany were the object of Heine's bitterest satire; but unfortunately religion and morality also became a target for his mockery and cynical wit. Great as his influence was on literature, on the whole it was pernicious. His poems appeared in different collections under the titles of "Buch der Lieder," "Neue Gedichte," and "Romanzero." Of his prose writings the "Reisebilder" (1826) are the best. Another romantic lyrist of the highest order was the Austrian, Nikolaus Lenau (Niembsch von Strehlenau), the poet of melancholy. A strong individuality, uninfluenced by the literary currents of the day, reveals itself in the work of a noble Catholic lady, Annette Elisabeth von Droste-Huelshoff (1797-1848), whose writings throughout show a deeply religious spirit. Her collection entitled "Das geistliche Jahr," poems appropriate for the Sundays and Holy Days of the Catholic year, contains some of the finest religious poetry in the German language. Another genius who stood apart from the currents of the day was Franz Grillparzer (1791-1872), Austria's greatest dramatist. In his work classic and romantic elements were united. Of his many dramatic masterpieces we only mention "Die Ahnfrau," "Sappho," "Das goldene Vliess," "Des Meeres und der Liebe Wellen," and "Der Traum ein Leben." His compatriot, Ferdinand Raimund, is the author of plays deservedly popular. The dramatic productions of Christian Grabbe were too extravagant and erratic to be performed. The most popular playwright of that day, Ernst Raupach, is now forgotten.

The historical novel rose into favour during this period, largely through the influence of Sir Walter Scott. Von Arnim and Tieck had tried their hand at this genre, to be followed by Wilhelm Hauff, the author of "Lichtenstein" (1826) and Willibald Alexis (pseuonym for Wilhelm Haering). The latter took his subjects from Prussian history and gave the novel a patriotic tendency. A significant change is marked by the novels of Karl Immermann (1796-1840), who in "Die Epigonen" and "Muenchhausen" (1838) treated contemporary conditions in a satiric vein. The episode of the "Oberhof" in the latter work introduced the village and peasant story into German literature. In this field, Jeremias Gotthelf (Albert Bitzius) and Berthold Auerbach won success. Charles Sealsfield (Karl Postl) is known as a writer of novels of travel and adventure.

The hopes that patriots in 1815 had cherished of a united German had been rudely dispelled. Freedom of thought had been suppressed by the political reaction typified by the Metternich regime. The smouldering discontent broke forth violently at the news of the Paris Revolution (1830) and found its literary expression in the movement known as "Young Germany." The relentless war that was carried on against the existing political order was also directed against religion and morality. The "emancipation of the flesh" was openly proclaimed. Heine had led the attack, and the members of the coterie followed with essays, novels, and dramas, which for the most part, owing to their political and social character, were shortlived. Karl Gutzkow (1811-78) is the leading figure of the coterie. His novels, with their anti-religious and immoral tendencies, have to-day only historical interest, while his dramas, of which the best known is