Phil.-Hist. Fakultät - Universität Augsburg

Universität Augsburg
Ringvorlesung Amerikanistik
Timo Müller, M.A.
Romantik und Amerikanische Renaissance II:
Poe und die Anfänge der Kurzgeschichte
Edgar Allan Poe, „Review of Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne“
Were we called upon however to designate that class of composition which, next to such a poem as we
have suggested, should best fulfil the demands of high genius — should offer it the most advantageous field of
exertion — we should unhesitatingly speak of the prose tale, as Mr. Hawthorne has here exemplified it. We
allude to the short prose narrative, requiring from a half-hour to one or two hours in its perusal. The ordinary
novel is objectionable, from its length, for reasons already stated in substance. As it cannot be read at one
sitting, it deprives itself, of course, of the immense force derivable from totality. Worldly interests intervening
during the pauses of perusal, modify, annul, or counteract, in a greater or less degree, the impressions of the
book. But simple cessation in reading would, of itself, be sufficient to destroy the true unity. In the brief tale,
however, the author is enabled to carry out the fulness of his intention, be it what it may. During the hour of
perusal the soul of the reader is at the writer's control. There are no external or extrinsic influences — resulting
from weariness or interruption.
A skilful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate
his incidents; but having conceived, with deliberate care, a certain unique or single effect to be wrought out, he
then invents such incidents — he then combines such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect. If his very initial sentence tend not to the outbringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first
step. In the whole composition there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not
to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and skill, a picture is at length painted
which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction. The
idea of the tale has been presented unblemished, because undisturbed; and this is an end unattainable by the
novel. Undue brevity is just as exceptionable here as in the poem; but undue length is yet more to be avoided.
Arbeitsdefinition „Kurzgeschichte“
Die short story, wie sie sich im frühen 19. Jahrhundert in den USA herausbildet, ist eine symbolisch verdichtete
Kurzform narrativer Prosa, die mündliche und schriftliche Erzähltraditionen verbindet und aus der Diskrepanz
zwischen modernem Reflexionsbewußtsein und traumähnlichen Strukturen des Unbewußten Grenzerfahrungen
kultureller Normalität inszeniert, die die Krise oder den Bruch eines bestehenden Welt- oder Selbstbilds
bewirken.
Washington Irving, „Rip van Winkle“
He now hurried forth, and hastened to his old resort, the village inn—but it too was gone. A large rickety
wooden building stood in its place, with great gaping windows, some of them broken and mended with old hats
and petticoats, and over the door was painted, “the Union Hotel, by Jonathan Doolittle.” Instead of the great
tree that used to shelter the quiet little Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall naked pole, with
something on the top that looked like a red night-cap, and from it was fluttering a flag, on which was a singular
assemblage of stars and stripes—all this was strange and incomprehensible. He recognized on the sign,
however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe; but even this was
singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand
instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters,
GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Washington Irving, „The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“
In this by-place of nature, there abode, in a remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years
since, a worthy wight of the name of Ichabod Crane; who sojourned, or, as he expressed it, “tarried,” in Sleepy
Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity. He was a native of Connecticut; a State
which supplies the Union with pioneers for the mind as well as for the forest, and sends forth yearly its legions
of frontier woodsmen and country schoolmasters.
Edgar Allan Poe, „The Fall of the House of Usher“
DURING the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung
oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of
country, and at length found myself, as the shades of evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of
Usher. I know not how it was—but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom
pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because
poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or
terrible. I looked upon the scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the
domain—upon the bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows—upon a few rank sedges—and upon a few
white trunks of decayed trees—with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation
more properly than to the after-dream of the reveller upon opium—the bitter lapse into every-day life—the
hideous dropping of the veil.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, „The Maypole of Merry Mount“
BRIGHT WERE the days at Merry Mount, when the Maypole was the banner staff of that gay colony! They who
reared it, should their banner be triumphant, were to pour sunshine over New England's rugged hills, and scatter
flower seeds throughout the soil. Jollity and gloom were contending for an empire. Midsummer eve had come,
bringing deep verdure to the forest, and roses in her lap, of a more vivid hue than the tender buds of Spring. But
May, or her mirthful spirit, dwelt all the year round at Merry Mount, sporting with the Summer months, and
revelling with Autumn, and basking in the glow of Winter's fireside. Through a world of toil and care she
flitted with a dreamlike smile, and came hither to find a home among the lightsome hearts of Merry Mount.
Unfortunately, there were men in the new world of a sterner faith than these Maypole worshippers. Not far
from Merry Mount was a settlement of Puritans, most dismal wretches, who said their prayers before daylight,
and then wrought in the forest or the corn-field till evening made it prayer time again. Their weapons were
always at hand to shoot down the straggling savage. When they met in conclave, it was never to keep up the old
English mirth, but to hear sermons three hours long, or to proclaim bounties on the heads of wolves and the
scalps of Indians. Their festivals were fast days, and their chief pastime the singing of psalms. Wo to the youth
or maiden who did but dream of a dance! The selectman nodded to the constable; and there sat the light-heeled
reprobate in the stocks; or if he danced, it was round the whipping-post, which might be termed the Puritan
Maypole.
Literaturhinweise
Current-García, Eugene. The American Short Story Before 1850. Boston: Twayne, 1985.
Feeney, Joseph J. „The Structure of Ambiguity in Hawthorne’s ‚The Maypole of Merry Mount.‘“ Studies in
American Fiction 3 (1975): 211-216.
Hedges, William L. Washington Irving: An American Study, 1802-1832. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood P, 1965.
May, Charles E. Edgar Allan Poe: A Study of the Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne, 1991.
Pattee, Fred Lewis. The Development of the American Short Story: An Historical Survey. New York: Biblo and
Tannen, repr. 1970.
Zapf, Hubert, Hg. Amerikanische Literaturgeschichte. 2. Aufl. Stuttgart: Metzler, 2004. (Kapitel „Die Literatur
der frühen Republik“ und „Romantik und ‚American Renaissance‘“).
---. „Subversive Ästhetik: Struktur, Chaos und Selbstreferenz in Edgar Allan Poes Erzählungen.“ Subversive
Romantik. Hgg. Klaus Lubbers und Patricia Plummer. Berlin: Duncker und Humblodt, 2004. 79-89.