Humor and irony in nineteenth-century German women's writing : studies in prose fiction, 1840-1900 / Helen Chambers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chambers, Helen, 1947- author.

Series:

Studies in German literature, linguistics, and culture (Unnumbered)

Studies in German literature, linguistics and culture

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

German literature--Women authors--History and criticism.

German literature.

German fiction--19th century--History and criticism.

German fiction.

Humor in literature.

Irony in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (222 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Other Title:

Humor & Irony in Nineteenth-Century German Women's Writing

Place of Publication:

Suffolk : Boydell & Brewer, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Nineteenth-century German literature is seldom seen as rich in humor and irony, and women's writing from that period is perhaps even less likely to be seen as possessing those qualities. Yet since comedy is bound to societal norms, and humor and irony are recognized weapons of the weak against authority, what this innovative study reveals should not be surprising: women writers found much to laugh at in a bourgeois age when social constraints, particularly on women, were tight. Helen Chambers analyzes prose fiction by leading female writers of the day who prominently employ humor and irony. Arguing that humor and irony involve cognitive and rational processes, she highlights the inadequacy of binary theories of gender that classify the female as emotional and the male as rational. Chambers focuses on nine women writers: Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Ida Hahn-Hahn, Ottilie Wildermuth, Helene Böhlau, Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Ada Christen, Clara Viebig, Isolde Kurz, and Ricarda Huch. She uncovers a rich seam of unsuspected or forgotten variety, identifies fresh avenues of approach, and suggests a range of works that merit a place on university reading lists and attention in scholarly studies. Helen Chambers is Professor of German at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK.

Contents:

Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and Ida Hahn-Hahn: overcoming seriousness?

Ottilie Wildermuth and Helene Böhlau: harmless humor or subtle psychology?

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach: satire, physical comedy, irony, and deeper meaning

Ada Christen and Clara Viebig: laughter and pain in the world of work

Isolde Kurz and Ricarda Huch: the humor of skeptical idealism.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. [203]-213) and index.

ISBN:

1-57113-691-6

OCLC:

647871644