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.oe XHntvereit^ ot Cbtcago 
 
 FOUNDED BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 
 
 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY 
 
 The Novels 
 
 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTIES OF 
 
 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS, LITERATURE, 
 
 AND SCIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 CHICAGO IN CANDIDACY FOR THE 
 
 DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF 
 
 PHILOSOPHY 
 
 (DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC LANOUAOES AND LITERATURE ) 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRIETTA K. BECKER 
 T i R A /T 
 
 or THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 SCOTT, PORESMAN AND COMPANY 
 
 1904 
 
MARSH, AITKEN & CURTIS COMPANY, PRINTERS, CHICAGO. 
 
B39S 
 
 I desire to express my appreciation and gratitude to my teacher, 
 Professor Camillo von Klenze, for his valuable aid and inspiration in 
 the preparation of this work. I further owe thanks to Professors Starr 
 Willard Cutting and Philip Schuyler Allen, as well as to Dr. Martin 
 Schiitze, all of the University of Chicago, for suggestions and material. 
 
 ; i « 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION 7 
 
 I. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF INFLUENCE 9 
 
 //. INNER FORM 14 
 
 Compactness of Structure 14 
 
 Concentration upon Hero 22 
 
 Objectivity of Treatment 26 
 
 Content — Psychological — How Carried Out — Nature of 
 
 Hero 30 
 
 ///. OUTER FORM 42 
 
 Description 42 
 
 External Nature 47 
 
 Figures of Speech 51 
 
 Dialogue 54 
 
 Dramatic Pause 57 
 
 Favorite Motifs 60 
 
 Summary 65 
 
 IV. BOOKS AND ARTICLES QUOTED 69 
 
or THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 The close affinity between Kleist and Hebbel as shown by their lives 
 and their works has been stated in general terms by every literary his- 
 torian who has studied either of the poets. Heine with his intuitive 
 insight was the first to recognize the similarity. He expressed it in the 
 introduction to the French edition of his work, "Ueber Deutschland." * 
 Adolf Wilbrandt, Kleist's first biographer, remarked on Kleist's influ- 
 ence on the generation of poets that succeeded him.^ More specific are 
 the words of Friedmann,' who speaks of the new dramatic tendencies 
 called into life by Kleist and developed by Hebbel, Grabbe, and Ludwig. 
 Minde-Ponet* remarks briefly at the close of his study on Kleist's epic 
 style: *' Als Nachfolger Kleists in der Art der epischen Erzahlnng 
 konnten nur zwei gelten : F. Hebbel, dieser f eurige Verehrer unseres 
 Dichters, und F. Halm." Kuh^ quotes Kopke, the Tieck scholar, as 
 writing to him concerning Hebbel: ''Vielleicht derjenige, der sich am 
 nachsten an H. Kleist anschliesst, weil er, wie dieser, jenes nationals 
 Drama anstrebte, das in der Mitte stehen muss, zwischen Goethe und 
 Schiller, indem sich der Gegensatz zwischen Idealismus und Realismus 
 in vollen Gestalten aufhebt." Hebbel ranked himself with Kleist in 
 the estimation of his genius: "In der Halle der Litteratur werde ich 
 nicht zu finden sein, doch eine Nische neben der Kleists und Grillparzers 
 wird mir nicht versagt werden. "^ 
 
 An investigation of the extent to which this similarity is apparent 
 in the works of the two artists seems not without importance, since 
 Kleist and Hebbel not only stand out distinctly from their contem- 
 
 ^Cf. Kuh, Hebbel, II, 118. ^h. von Kleist, 421. 
 
 3 Das deutsche Drama des 19. Jhrh., 102. 
 
 *Sprache u. Stil, 95. "Kuh, Hebbel, II, 442. 
 
 » Kuh, Hebbel, II, 669. Cf. also letter to Schloenbach of May, 1855 (publ. first in Euph. V, 
 722, by Loeflaer), in which he speaks of Kleist and Grillparzer as the two "denen ich nicht zu 
 nahe zu treten wiinschte." Cf. also Bartels, "Der Sieg Hebbels" (Dtsch. Monatsschrift, II, 1); 
 Harden (Zukunft, XV, 87); Lemraermeyer, "Holtei und Hebbel" (D. R. IV, 319); Lublinski 
 (Litt. d. Gegenwart, III, 744); Jahn ("Zum 90. Geburtstag," p. 17); Bamberg, AUg. dtsch. 
 Biogr. ; Biographies of Kleist and Hebbel. 
 
 7 
 
8 INTRODUCTION 
 
 poraries, but bear in their works germs of several new phases in 
 literature that have come into a fuller bloom only within modern 
 times. The following pages deal with the narrative prose of the two 
 writers which has as yet received but scant attention.^ 
 
 » As originally planned, this investigation was to include the dramas as well as the novels 
 of Kleist and Hebbel. But during the process, the material for the second part grew to such 
 dimensions that it became necessary to make of it a separate treatise. In the light recently 
 shed upon the dramas by Scheunert, Schwerin, Georgy, Lex, and others, I hope to be able to 
 show in detail that Hebbel, carrying out the art-ideals of Kleist, became the hyphen between 
 Schiller and Ibsen. 
 
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF INFLUENCE 
 
 The external evidence of Hebbel's knowledge of Kleist and his 
 admiring appreciation of his works is derived from HebbePs own words 
 in his diaries and letters/ Between the lives of the two men but a 
 short space of time intervened. Kleist died in 1811, Hebbel was born 
 in 1813. Kleist at his death was well-nigh unknown, his works were 
 largely unpublished, his dramas had not been acted. During Hebbel's 
 youth there came a revival. In 1821 Tieck published a selection of 
 Kleist's dramas and all of the novels, and called attention to the 
 neglected author in an appreciative introduction. In 1846 appeared a 
 more nearly complete edition, with a fuller introduction by Julian 
 Schmidt. In 1848 Biilow published a volume of Kleist's Life and 
 Letters, and a few months before Hebbel's death (1863) Wilbrandt 
 gave to the public the first thorough and reliable Kleist biography. 
 Passages from Hebbel's diaries and letters show that he read Kleist's 
 works and life with avidity. More than thirty times he mentions 
 Kleist in these intimate confessions. Three detailed criticisms: "Ueber 
 Theodor Korner" (1835), "Kathchen von Heilbronn" (1848), "Prinz 
 von Homburg" (1849),^ show the care with which he studied his works. 
 A sonnet written in 1841 voices his high appreciation.^ Admiration 
 for Kleist on the part of a new acquaintance was a sure passport to his 
 respect and interest. An expression of this character found in the 
 works of Feuchtersleben so convinced him of this writer's worth that 
 he consented to undertake the editing of his works.* Heine also won 
 his admiration through his just estimate of Kleist.^ 
 
 In his views on Kleist, Hebbel underwent an interesting evolution. 
 
 * In the references, Bamberg's edition of the diaries and letters is used. 
 ' The references to Hebbel's works are to the new critical edition of R. M. Werner. 
 3Cf. Werner, Wks., IX, 180. ^Cf. Kuh, Hebbel, II, 496. »Br. I, 169. 
 
 9 
 
10 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 In the early part of his career, he admires him enthusiastically and 
 uncritically. The article of 1835,^ which he read hefore a literary 
 society in Hamburg, is an uiieqniYocal eulogy. A youthful tendency 
 toward strong contrasts appears in the following: "Wahrend der erste 
 von Beiden, Heinrich von Kleist, Alles hat, was den grossen Dichter 
 und zugleich den echten Deutschen macht, ist der Andere, Theodor 
 Korner, bloss dafiir ergliiht" (p. 31). Kleist's prose tales he classes as 
 the best that German literature has produced (p. 58), and of his 
 "Homburg" he speaks with unstinted praise (p. 39 ff.), a judgment 
 which he sees fit to modify later on. This article shows, in spite of 
 much that is immature both in thought and in style, that the twenty- 
 two-year-old writer, fresh from the seclusion of the Ditmarsh village, had 
 thought carefully on the nature of the various forms of literature: the 
 drama, the lyric, and the novel. It shows also that he found his 
 theories in accordance with the practice of Kleist. Significant for the 
 man is the originality and the daring with which he champions the elder 
 poet against the almost universally unfavorable estimation in which he 
 was held. The acumen of the youthful critic, who could thus dis- 
 tinguish between the glittering rhetoric of the popular hero and the 
 intrinsic value of the unknown writer, is as significant as is the instinctive 
 attraction which he here evinces for the nature and genius of the writer 
 with whom he had so much in common.^ During his early years, it is 
 the virile force of Kleist's works that calls forth his highest admiration.^ 
 He prefers Kleist to Tieck because the art of the former in its incom- 
 pleteness opens up an endless perspective.* He names Kleist in the 
 same breath with Shakspere, Goethe, Byron. '^ In 1838 he praises 
 Kleist's Kathchen as the expression of the purest, most genuine woman- 
 hood.® "Der zerbrochene Krug" appears to him to be the first German 
 comedy.'^ In 1839 his praise culminates when he places Kleist's 
 "Erziihlungen" beside Goethe's "Ottilie," because of the power of both 
 poets "Seelenereignisse und Geistesrevolutionen ohne Zergliederung und 
 Beschwiitzung unmittelbar durch das Thun und Leiden des Menschen 
 zu zeichnen."* During this period he defends Kleist against all 
 criticism. In 1837 he tries to refute Goethe's objection to the 
 "exceptional" character of Michael Kohlhaas.^ In 1838 he finds 
 
 ^ Ueber Theodor |K5rner und Heinrich von Kleist. Cf. Wks. IX, 31 ff. Cf. AUgemeine 
 Zeitung, Beilage, 1882, p. 4313. 
 2 Cf. Wks. IX, p. xiv ff. 
 
 3Tb. I, 159. In 1839 he writes: "Kleists Arbeiten starren von Leben." 
 ♦Tb. I, 92. 6 Br. I, 189; I, 45, 81. «Br. I, 81. 
 
 ^Br.KI, 66, 441. ^xb. I, 155. »Tb. I, 60. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 11 
 
 valuable psychological motivation in "Die Familie Schroffenstein"^ and 
 in *'Der Prinz von Homburg."^ 
 
 As time went on bis early enthusiasm underwent some modification. 
 His own careful reflections on literary form led him to apply a more 
 searching criticism to what he once had admired without question. As 
 late as 1843 he was embittered by Goethe's harsh condemnation of 
 Kleist;' in 1847 he judges more calmly.* It was after he had com- 
 pleted his thirtieth year that Hebbel became more critical of Kleist. 
 In 1844 he compares Kleist with Shakspere and finds that the former 
 did not deal sufficiently with the "realities" that are alone of lasting 
 value to the world. ^ In 1859 he is inclined to think Kleist extreme in 
 his detailed psychological treatment," and in 1861 he condemns the 
 mysticism of "Kathchen von Ileilbronn" as foreign and fantastic 
 when compared with such truly mystic coloring as we find in Shak- 
 spere's "Tempest.'" In the article "Prinz von Homburg" (1849) he 
 still praises with fervor the careful psychology with which the gradual 
 evolution and maturing of character is traced. But he now condemns 
 the sleep-w^alking scene which he had praised so ardently in the article 
 of 1835. 
 
 As a summary as well as a commentary on the modification of his 
 views, the last reference to Kleist in the letters will serve. Wilbrandt's 
 Life of Kleist, with its quotations from the "Letters," cast a vivid 
 light back on Hebbel's own life and showed him again the similarity of 
 his own state of mind to many a despairing cry of Kleist's, but it 
 showed him also the greater maturity in self-knowledge to which he, 
 Hebbel, had attained.* 
 
 It becomes evident from these passages that, while in early years he 
 had been carried away by the virility and dramatic power of Kleist, 
 later in life his own careful investigations into the nature and laws of 
 form^ rendered him sensitive to his favorite's shortcomings. However, 
 Hebbel never lost his admiration for the genius of his predecessor. In 
 1847 he wrote to Bamberg^^ advising him to turn his critical talent to 
 "Work en von entschiedener Bedeutung und abgemachtem historischem 
 Worth, . . . wenn Sie z. B. Heinrich von Kleist vornehmen, liber den 
 
 ^Tb. I, 107. 2 Tb. I, 101. 3 Br. I, 154. 
 
 4 Br. I, 293. 6 Tb. II, 108. eTb. II, 466. 
 
 'Tb. II, 509. Cf. also Tb. II, 130-3, and Wks. XII, 270 ff., for criticisms on the "unreali- 
 ties" of "Kathchen." 
 
 8,Br. II, 525. 
 
 9Cf. Schwerin, Hebbels tragische Theorie; Aleskiewicz, Hebbels aesthetische Ansichten; 
 Scheunert, Der Pantragismus, etc. 
 
 "Br. I. 273. 
 
12 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 ich alles geschrieben haben mochte, was ich leider nur noch gesprocben 
 babe, iind iiber den sicb unendlich viel sagen lasst, sowobl im positiven 
 als im negativen Sinn." After tbe criticism of "Katbchen von 
 Heilbronn" be adds tbat Kleist's migbty genius probibits any apolo- 
 getical praise. Kleist seems to bim great as tbe elemental forces of 
 nature are great, wbicb it is mere presumption to laud.^ 
 
 Tbree times Hebbel acknowledges direct influence on the part of 
 Kleist. In 1853 be traces bis "Scbon Hedwig" to Kleist's "Katbcben" 
 as source;* in 1837 be writes to Elise Lensing of tbe inspiration wbicb 
 be derived from Kleist's "Erzablungen,"' and finally in 1855, as be 
 looks back over bis life and productivity: **Aucb recbne icb mir die 
 Verwandtscbaft mit Kleist nur zur Ebre an. . . . Kleist bat sogar 
 direkt auf micb gewirkt, wenn aucb nicbt auf meine Dramen, sondern 
 auf meine Erzablungen. "* 
 
 It is seldom tbat an autbor makes so direct an acknowledgment to 
 tbe influence of anotber. Certain points of coincidence in place of 
 birtb and circumstance of life doubtless account for some of tbe 
 similarity of temperament, and rendered Hebbel more impressionable to 
 Kleist's influence. Botb were Nortb Germans witb many of tbe 
 cbaracteristics of tbeir birtb place. Wbat Klaus Grotb wrote to Hebbel, 
 September, 1857,^ may well be applied to Hebbel and Kleist: "Der 
 Ernst, die Einsamkeit, das Griibeln, Drang und Ringen nacb 
 Wabrbeit, Treue — diese scbaffenden Prinzipien in Ibnen erscbienen mir; 
 sie liessen micb empfinden, dass sie ein Norddeutscber sind, die 
 Verwandtscbaft im Streben mabnte micb um so mehr, Ibnen ein Zeicben 
 zu geben, dass sie im Vaterland erkannt sind." 
 
 Herman Grimm in bis essay "Heinricb von Kleists Grabstatte" 
 sbows witb sympatbetic insigbt tbe peculiarities of style wbicb Kleist 
 owed to bis northern birtb: *' Kleists Sprache bat das Scbarfe, ironiscb 
 GebaltvoUe, das beute nocb die beste Seite der Berliner Bildung ist. 
 
 »Tb. II, 133. "Br. I, 412. sBr. I, 64. 
 
 * Br. II, 214. Further references to Kleist, not in themselves important, but serving to 
 show how constantly Hebbel thought of Kleist and how familiar he was with his works, are 
 as follows: Br. 1,81, he compares K.'s "Kathchen"with Halm's "Griseldis," calling Kleist "den 
 gewaltigen, herrlichen, ungliicklichen," and praising his drama because the conflict lay within 
 and not without as in the case of Halm's; Tb. II, 280, he feels stimulated to take up the idea 
 of love as portrayed in "Kathchen" and carry it out consistently; Tb. I, 103, he thinks of 
 treating the story of the Maid of Orleans in a novel "a la Kleist"; Tb. I, 241, he compares 
 Kleist's "Toni" with Bulwer's "Ernest Maltravers," calling the former a work of genius, the 
 latter one of talent; Tb. II, 272, he speaks of Julian Schmidt's ranking him "sehr hoch, iiber 
 Kleist hinaus"; Tb. II, 310, he sympathizes with Kleist's sensitiveness to criticism; Br. II, 311, 
 he speaks of the interest with which he read Billow's Life of Kleist; Br. II, 488, he recollects 
 Kleist's last words. 
 
 * Br. II, 454. Cf. also Zeiss. Intr. to Works, I, 272. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 13 
 
 Lessing erwarb es erst bei uns, Kleist besass es von Natur. Seine 
 Satze, auch wenn er die kunstvollsten Perioden zu bauen versteht, . . . 
 brechen eben so gern kurz ab, seine Gedanken bediirfen weniger Worte, 
 er zeichnet mit entschiedenen Umrissen und malt mit triiben aber 
 genau wahrhaftigen Farben."^ Grimm dwells on the fact that few of 
 Germany's great poets had come from the North: '*Nur Achim von 
 Arnim ware hier noch neben ihm (Kleist) zu nennen." It is sadly 
 significant that Hebbel, whose best works with the exception of 
 **Nibelungen" and '* Demetrius" were at that time (1862) before the 
 public, does not occur to this contemporary critic in the enumeration 
 of great North-German writers. So much like Kleist's fate was 
 Hebbel's during his lifetime. 
 
 A glance over this material shows that from Hebbel's own words 
 we learn 1) that Kleist made a deep impression on him in the forma- 
 tive period of his life, 2) that, although the uncritical admiration of 
 his youth was modified in later years, he never lost his sincere 
 admiration for the older poet's genius and freely confessed his influence, 
 3) that the points in which Kleist attracted him were : the force and 
 vividness of his conceptions, the compactness and concentration of his 
 form and the penetration of his psychological insight. This shows at 
 once Hebbel's own natural bent and the lines on which we may look 
 for Kleist's influence on his productions. 
 
 * Published first in " Vossische Ztg." Feb. 23, 1862, later incorporated in "Fiinfzehn Essays," 
 316. 
 
V 
 
 II 
 
 INNER FORM 
 
 COMPACTi^ESS OF STRUCTURE 
 
 Since the most pregnant references to Kleist on the part of Hebbel 
 occur between 1830 and 1850, that is, during the time that Hebbel 
 wrote his stories, it is during this period that we should expect to find 
 the most direct influence. 
 
 ^ VV hen Kleist turned to novel writing after having proved his talent 
 in the drama, he seized instinctively upon the short story as the form 
 that lends itself most readily to dramatic treatment. At the time when 
 he began his tales (1805) this form of literature was entering upon a 
 period of great activity. The Romanticists found in the short story a 
 vehicle well adapted to their needs, requiring neither sustained effort 
 nor strenuous concentration, but giving scope to lyric outpouring and 
 the depictment of human action. The sentimentally mystic found 
 beautiful lyric utterance in Tieck's stories; the grotesquely mysterious 
 was rendered with astonishing realism in the tales of Hoffmann; 
 Fouque, Arnim, and Brentano evoked the spirit of the Middle Ages. 
 All unite in the effort to create an atmosphere ("Stimmung"), rather 
 than to narrate facts or develop character. 
 
 Diametrically opposite in aim were the productions of the school of 
 Weber, Spiess, Cramer, Vulpius, who with ruder weapons and coarser 
 motives were pouring forth in rough narrative the contents of the old 
 "Ritterdrama." Here all the interest centers on the outward action, 
 which, however rude, is not without dramatic power. ^ 
 
 Far more important is the species of short story called into life by 
 Goethe's "Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderten, " which Meyer^ 
 
 'Cf. MUUer-Fraureuth, Ritter- und Rauberromane, 8 ff. 
 »R. M. Meyer, Goethe, 266. 
 
 14 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 15 
 
 calls an epic drama. This formed the first important step in the 
 direction in which Kleist was to find the goal of his prose style. Here 
 the development of character under the stress of circumstances is the 
 center of interest ; the conflicts are brought about by inherent differences 
 of temperament, and the form is fairly compact.^ 
 
 Examining the tales of Kleist, we find him not uninfluenced by these 
 currents. The startling paradox in the introductory paragraph of 
 *' Michael Kohlhaas," in which the hero is called "einer der recht- 
 schaffensten zugleich und entsetzlichsten Menschen seiner Zeit," and 
 in which the problem is summed up in the words: "Das Kechtgefuhl 
 machte ihn aber zum Eiiuber und Morder," is a reminiscence of the 
 *'Eauberromane" so popular at the time.^ Kleist's "Erdbeben" 
 and "Verlobung" display in their setting the prevalent taste for 
 tropical lands- and semi-barbarous people. But it is to be noted that 
 Kleist surrounds his idyllic heroes with a most realistic world in the 
 negro uprising and in the fanatical mob. In this he differs essentially 
 from such purely sentimental productions as St. Pierre's *'Paul et 
 Virginie" or Chateaubriand's *'Atala" and their numerous imitators, 
 who all painted the innocent foreigner as pure and gentle until con- 
 taminated by the effete civilization of Europe. On the other hand; 
 while the tales of Arnim, Brentano, Fouque and Hoffmann have romantic 
 mysticism for their chief content, those of Kleist display it but rarely. 
 In "Kohlhaas" the witch-like figure of the gypsy, with the traditional 
 accompaniments of prophetic warnings, mysterious meetings, and 
 supernatural appearances, is but a foreign element in the otherwise 
 strictly realistic story.' I n the rest of the earlier an <l TH^^^ ^•Tnpnr^,f^T^f^ 
 st ories, mysticism does not enter at all, appearing again only in the 
 stories of the last year of his productivity, when, under the influence ol 
 the Romantic school, he wrote "Cacilie," "Bettlerin" and "Zwei- 
 kampf."* The last named contains, also, much of the stock in trade 
 of the romantic "Ritterroman," the assault on a fair lady, the 
 champion knight, the trial by combat, the recognition by a ring, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 But the method which Kleist adopted and developed with a force 
 
 » Cf. Fiirst, Vorlaufer, 189 ff. 
 
 ''Cf. MiJUer-Fraureuth, 1. c, 37 ff. Also Holzgraefe, "Schillersche EinfliJsse bei Heinrich 
 von Kleist" for a reference to similarity of conception in "Michael Kohlhaas" and "Verbrecher 
 aus verlorener Ehre." 
 
 ^Pniower (Michael Kohlhaas, 325 ff.) calls attention to the fact that Kleist found the 
 mysticism in his sources. 
 
 *Cf, Steig's "Berliner Kampfe," 536 ff. Note also the praise accorded the mysticism of 
 "Bettelweib" in Hoffmann's "Serapionsbriider" (Ed. of 1871, Vol. IV, 182 ff.). 
 
V; 
 
 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 and originality that mark him as the pioneer of a new movement, is 
 that which we find indicated in Goethe's "Werther" and *'Unter- 
 haltungen." It Js th^ s^ lTITlff trf r piynlinlPr'^^-' T^Pfr^^^i t'h]*"^^^^ ^ 
 n ^iirative form tha f, apprnfl-ohea nlosply f,^ ^Tiq ^rQTnnfir> A careful 
 analysis of Kleist's tales reveals a structure compactly and logically 
 built up from initial incident to climax and catastrophe. *'Kohlhaas" 
 can easily be divided into five acts, each of which has its carefully 
 prepared climax.^ Act I contains, after the program-like introductory 
 paragraph, the initial action of the young lord's illegal detention of the 
 horses, and closes with the examination of Herse and the determination 
 of Kohlhaas to obtain legal redress (Zolling, Vol. IV, p. 72).^ Act II 
 shows Kohlhaas's vain attempts to obtain justice. These rise in 
 regular climax and culminate in his determination upon personal 
 satisfaction: "und mitten durch den Schmerz, die Welt in einer so 
 ungeheuren Unordnung zu erblicken, zuckte die innerliche Zufrie- 
 denheit empor, seine eigene Brust nunmehr in Ordnung zu sehen" 
 (p. 76). The third act represents the culmination of Kohlhaas's power. 
 He defeats first fifty, then one hundred fifty, then five hundred men 
 in a pitched battle, and the Elector is about to raise a regiment of two 
 thousand men against him when the peripetia sets in by means of the 
 intervention of Luther (p. 106). The fourth act begins with his sur- 
 render to the authorities and closes with the unfavorable turn brought 
 about by the scene with the horses (p. 116). The change here is very 
 clearly marked: *'Der Rosshandler, dessen Wille durch den Vorfall, 
 der sich auf dem Markt zugetragen, in der That gebrochen war, ..." 
 The catastrophe now appears near at hand, but this last portion of the 
 novel suffers from the same defects that we shall later on observe in the 
 dramas : a confusion of motifs and the introduction of startling, foreign 
 matter which unduly lengthens knd weakens the close. 
 
 Similarly in "Die Verlobung," the action is built up with extreme 
 regularity, rising from the initial incident of Gustav's arrival steadily 
 through the various stages by which Toni is aroused: thoughtfulness 
 and curiosity (p. 164), confusion (p. 166), introspection (p. 168), and 
 lastly pity (p. 170), to the climax of her complete surrender (p. 170). 
 The falling action presents the same symmetry of structure in the 
 narration of the various attempts made by Toni to save Gustav and his 
 family: first by expostulation with her mother (p. 172), then by the 
 
 * Cf. Gaudig, Aus deutschen Lesebilchern, 5, iv, 188 ff. 
 
 « The references to Kleist's works are from the edition by Zolling, in Ktirschner's National- 
 bibliothek, of which Vol. IV contains the stories. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 17 
 
 message sent to the waiting family (p. 176), and lastly by the desperate 
 device of binding Gustav to his bed (p. 180), which led to her death. 
 
 In ''Marquise von 0." we have the technique of the analytical 
 drama. We are at once introduced to theTalastfophe and gradually 
 become acquainted with the previous occurrences. The heart of the 
 mjstery, the identity of the ravish er, is not revealed by the author, but 
 brought to light in the course of the action. The climax of interest is 
 the Marquise's rise above the circumstances that threaten to engulf 
 her.^ The scenes of the Marquise's conversation with her physician 
 (p. 33 ff.), of her father's attempt upon her life,^ of her determined 
 action (p. 39), of her meeting with the count in the arbor (p. 42), of 
 the final discovery of the real criminal (p. 55), are fraught with high 
 dramatic power. 
 
 Like "Marquise," "Erdbeben" shows many points of resemblance to 
 the analytical drama. The deed for which the guilty couple are about 
 to pay the penalty of their lives lies in the past. At the opening of 
 the story we see them about to undergo their punishment, and the 
 author stops only to give the briefest possible explanation and hurries 
 on to the events that first retard, then hasten the catastrophe. The 
 culminating point of the drama thus becomes the finding of Josephe 
 and the child by Jeronimo (p. 5 ff.). The various steps of the action — 
 the earthquake, the flight, the meeting, the charming idyl in the 
 pomegranate forest, the kindness of their fellow-sufferers — are but the 
 final retarding incidents of the drama. This is very delicately indicated 
 in the premonitions of Donna Elisabeth (p. 10), which remind us, at 
 the moment when affairs seem to be taking a most favorable turn, that 
 the catastrophe has but been postponed.^ The steadily increasing 
 fervor of the fanatical preacher, to whom the victims listen as though 
 fascinated, and the wild excitement of the mob, are very dramatic in 
 their portrayal. Highly dramatic, also, was the scene of Jeronimo's 
 escape from the ruined city. 
 
 ^Otto Ludwig, in his treatment of the same motif, laid the stress upon the same point 
 (cf. R. M. Meyer, Euph., VII, 111), but carried it out in a much more sentimental fashion. 
 
 2 Note the similarity to this scene of that in Hebbel's "Zitterlein," in which the infuriated 
 father tries to take Agathe's life (VIII, 52-5). 
 
 8 This tendency to found the action of the story on past events (which we observe also in 
 "Zweikampf," "Findling" and "Cacilie") allies Kleist more with the Romanticists than with 
 Goethe, who usually, as in the "Novelle" (cf. Seuffert, 1. c, 147), makes the action arise, develop, 
 and terminate before our eyes. When Goethe introduces a past event, it is rather to have it 
 serve as an illustration or contrast to the events of the actual story ; in other words, it is an orna- 
 ment rather than an inherent part, as the uncle's narration of the fire in the "Novelle." In 
 Kleist's stories such past events are always organically connected with the present happenings, 
 as the fire in "Findling," on which not only the character of Elvire but the events that lead to 
 the catastrophe are directly founded. 
 
18 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 K contrast with the earlier novels, the last four show less unity of 
 ityle. The interpolation of romantic motifs becomes more and more 
 marked and a tendency to deviate from his strict concentration of plot 
 [rows npon him, culminating in "Findling" and "Zweikampf," in both 
 oKsrhich two absolutely distinct plots are superficially welded together. 
 In *'Cacilie" we can follow the process of the change, since two versions 
 are now before us.^ The one of 1810 keeps the plot clear and unified, 
 concentrates the interest on the young men and finishes the story with 
 the description of the change that came over them in the church ; the 
 version of 1811 inserts the mother and other extraneous characters and 
 removes the final scene a space of several years, thus breaking the 
 unity of the story. Nothing serves better to show the change that 
 came over Kleist during this last year, partly as a result of his general 
 disintegration, partly brought about by his close association with the 
 group of Eomantic poets then in Berlin, which relationship has for the 
 Jiime been clearly shown in Steig's valuable book.^ 
 
 But even with these deviations, the general attitude of Kleist in 
 regard to plot structure is clear. He builds up his stories on a regular 
 plan from initial incident to climax and catastrophe, keeps his plots free 
 from extraneous matter and carries out many scenes with sharp 
 dramatic effect. 
 
 When Hebbel groped about for the proper outlet for his talents, he 
 turned to the short story as a form that gave an approximate if not 
 adequate scope to the formative impulse within him. He was doubt- 
 less lead in this direction partly at least by his admiration for Kleist's 
 tales, which he considered the best in German literature.^ He certainly 
 employed for his narratives the technique of Kleist to a degree that 
 went far beyond his model and often culminated in mannerism.* The 
 
 » Reprinted from the " Abendblatter" by Steig, "Berliner Kampfe," p. 533 ff. Cf. also 
 Erich Schmidt's comparison of the two versions in V. f. L., Ill, p. 194 ff. 
 
 2 The theme of "Bettelweib," for instance, is found with some variations in the "Marchen" 
 of Grimm and of Arnim (cf. Steig's Berliner Kampfe, 523). Badstiiber (Kleist, 27) shows that 
 the theme of "Cacilie" was later taken up by Kerner in his ballad "Die vierwahnsinnigen Briider." 
 
 sTgb. I, 58. 
 
 * Werner doubts the influence of Kleist on "Zitterlein": "Denn Hebbel zeichnet hier eben 
 auch einen ungeheuerlichen Stoff nur ganz singularer Geltung." (Vol. VIII, p. xxx.) But it 
 is in the disposition of the material that the effect of Kleist is felt. When we compare the 
 technique of "Holion" (1830), "Brudermord" (1831), "Der Maler" (1832), "Die Rauberbraut" 
 (1833), with that of "Zitterlein" (1835), the difference is very striking. In "Holion" (1830 in 
 Ditmarser und Eiderstedter Boten, reprinted by Neumann, F, Hebbels Werdezeit, Zittau, 1899), 
 appear the romantic exaltation of sentiment which distinguishes Jean Paul and the horrible 
 imagery characteristic of Hoffmann (cf. Kuh, Hebbel, I, 32; Werner sees no trace of Hoffmann, 
 yill, p. xi). The other early tales are lacking in the objectivity which marks the later novels. 
 "Der Maler" ends with a direct appeal to the reader: "Weine Leser, und setze hinzu : Ruheihrer 
 Asche!" (p. 8). This story, moreover, abounds in long descriptions and in evident attempts to 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 19 
 
 dramatic note brought out by terse compactness and cumulative power 
 is most clearly observed in "Anna" (1836), concerning which he wrote 
 in his diary: **Zum ersten Mai Respect gehabt vor meinem dramatisch- 
 epischen in Erzahlang sich ergiessenden Talent."^ This is true to an 
 almost equal extent of ''Die Kuh" (1849), which aroused the enthu- 
 siastic admiration of Bamberg because of the compactness of form and 
 the close interweaving of cause and effect.^ In both of these stories 
 the dramatic structure is so evident as to make them appear like 
 skeletons without flesh to soften the outlines. What in Kleist formed 
 the basis of the stories, the framework about which the epic and even 
 lyric structure arose in pleasing outline and gracious color, remained in 
 Hebbel the raw scaffolding.^ '*Anna" is the most extreme example of 
 this. Not a moment's respite is left the reader, not a single peaceful 
 scene like those between Kohlhaas and his wife and children, or of the 
 Marquise in her arbor, resigned to her fate and making plans for the 
 future. Anna is driven by abuse after abuse to her destruction. The 
 personal insults of her master, the scorn of the servants, the deprivation 
 of all pleasure, and finally the jealousy of her lover follow one another 
 with remorseless rapidity. Hebbel himself felt the harshness, "die 
 Richtung zum Schroffen und Grellen," and condemned it: "N^mentlich 
 in der 'Anna' is das der Fall. Die Mishandlung durch den Freiherrn 
 und das Gesinde ist mit gar zu schreienden Farben gemalt, der Schluss 
 ein zu schneidender Misston."* Werner makes a very fine distinction 
 between the harm and the benefit which Hebbel derived from Kleist : 
 
 create atmosphere similar to those found in the stories of Hoffmann and Tieck, by means of 
 mysterious sounds and sights (p. 9). In "Die Rauberbraut" we meet with a violence of motiva- 
 tion, with a bombast of speech that rank it with the "Schauerroman" of the period. Such, 
 for instance, is the description of Victorin (p. 17), of the orgy in the grotto (p. 24), and of Gustav's 
 revenge (p. 31). Throughout all of them there rings a false, hollow sentiment, seeking to dis- 
 guise itself in sounding rhetoric that places these novels among the vast number of the unhappy 
 imitations of Schiller. When we come to "Zitterlein," which Hebbel himself designates as his 
 first novel (Tb. I, 14), a great difference is apparent. The language is much more simple, very 
 little straining for effect is felt, and the structure shows the regularity and compactness that 
 we have observed in Kleist's stories. Moreover, the paper on Kleist and Korner (cf. p. 10), 
 which showed so great an appreciation of Kleist's works, was prepared and read during the 
 very months in which "Zitterlein" was written. "Zitterlein" was in preparation from June 27 
 to August 1, 1835. The article was read July 28 of the same year. (Cf. Tb. 1,14, and Werner, 
 Wks. IX, p. xi.) Hence, for our study, we shall examine "Zitterlein" as well as the tales that 
 followed for signs of Kleist's influence. Hebbel's frequent revisions of the stories (cf. Werner, 
 VIII, p. xxviii ff.) make it impossible to follow his development chronologically. We shall 
 therefore consider the tales in the order of their importance only. 
 
 1 Tgb. I, 23. 
 
 2Cf. Br. I, 314. 
 
 3 For this he was criticised by his contemporaries (cf. Br. 1, 433, andlBartel's "Hebbel," 44). 
 Fischer (Klassizismus und Romantik etc., 145) shows that Hebbel owes this concentration to 
 Kleist, and not to Uhland, as Kuh has it. 
 
 * Tg. I, 227. 
 
20 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 "Die Aehnlichkeit steckt nicht in dem Haufen von Grasslichkeiten, 
 nicht einmal in der gedrangfcen Darstellung, sondern viel mehr in jener 
 dramatischen Lebendigkeit, die alle Personen deutlich vor Augen hat" 
 (Wks. VIII, p. xxxviii). 
 
 In **Die Knh" the effect is not quite so harsh, but the action has 
 the same pitiless sequence of cumulative effect. The exposition brought 
 about by the farmer's preparation for the payment of the new treasure, 
 the initial action of the lighting of the pipe, the climax of the peasant 
 rage culminating in the death of the child and the resulting catastrophe 
 that sweeps away the entire household — all these events follow one 
 another with breathless haste. 
 
 In *'Barbier Zitterlein," the introduction of Leonhardt into the 
 family, the beginning of the catastrophe, is announced in the first 
 scene ; his actual appearance, the steps by which the awakening love of 
 the young people is made manifest, the climax of Zitterlein's wrath, his 
 voluntary exile, follow one another closely. Not a word or a scene is 
 permitted to retard the hurrying action. The theme of the story is the 
 development of Zitterlein's absorbing love into mania, and from start 
 to climax there is no break or delay. The same is true to an almost 
 equal extent of "Matteo." We hear of his illness and its fateful 
 consequences. Step by step he is hurried into deeper misery and 
 despair, until we see him raise the knife to murder. Then follows a 
 rapid falling action as in a drama. A comparison of the novel form of 
 *'Der Eubin" with Hebbel's later dramatization of the plot shows how 
 little structural change was necessary to convert the tale into a drama. 
 A broader exposition, a concentration of time (in the drama the entire 
 action takes place in one day), the introduction of a few elucidating 
 figures, this was all that was necessary. The action proceeds in the 
 same sequence, the incidents follow in the same order, only the language 
 is made more antithetical, the characters more sharply contrasting. 
 
 The other stories, *'Schnock," ''Vagabunden," "Haidvogel," 
 *'Pattl," "Nacht im Jagerhause," *'Schlagel," are character sketches 
 rather than tales, yet even here a comparison with similar sketches by 
 Jean Paul (to whose *'Schmelzle" and '*Wuz," Hebbel was largely in- 
 debted for inspiration) brings into relief the closeness and compactness of 
 weave in the structure of Hebbel's tales. In '*Schnock" each trait of 
 the hero is brought out by some definite incident, often fraught with 
 dramatic if grotesque power. So the wooing of his wife, the scene in 
 the menagerie, the incident in the storehouse, etc., etc., each of which 
 is left to point its own moral as to the hero's nature, without any 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 21 
 
 interference on the part of the author. In **Paul," a single adventure 
 is told in such a manner as to lay bare the mechanism of the young 
 man's mind, yet so related as to make the events tell their own story. 
 Both "Vagabunden" and "Haidvogel" have a distinct plot which is 
 developed uninterrupted by lengthy explanations or deviations. 
 
 This dramatic c ompactness of structure is the first striking point Vf 
 similarity between Kleist an^ tlebbel, setting them apart from theii 
 contemporaries and marking a decided step forward in the direction oi 
 a new phase in the art of novel-writing. Among Kleist^s contem- 
 poraries, only E. T. A. Hoffmann made any approach to this technique 
 in a few of his novels. But even in '*Das Fraulein von Scudery," thi 
 most dramatic of his tales, the emphasis is not placed on the actual 
 occurrences, with their revelations of the soul-development of Cardillac, 
 but upon the impression of horror^ fear, and m ystery produced upon 
 the minds of the onlookers. Kleist would have placed Cardillac in the 
 foreground and made us live with him through all the horrors of the 
 crimes which he enacted. The same difference of conception is felt in 
 reading Brentano's *'Geschichte des braven Kasperl und des schonen 
 Annerl," which also, because of the form into which it is cast, belongs 
 rather to the impressionistic tale^ than to the dramatic. The romantic 
 tales of Tieck, Eichendorff, Novalis, with their lyric interpolations* and 
 reflections on extraneous matters, seem to belong to another field of 
 art. Like them in looseness of structure, however different in content, 
 are the tales of the Young Germans. Multiplicity of interests (in 
 Gutzkow's **Wally" the double theme of love and religion, in his 
 **Prinz von Madagaskar" the three heroes), interspersed reflections on 
 religion, social conditions, education, etc., interpolated anecdotes with 
 no direct bearing upon the main story (*'Wally," pp. 265 ff.), break the 
 continuity of interest and the dramatic tension. 
 
 The predilection for the analytical form of narration which we 
 found to be so characteristic of Kleist is found in a somewhat less 
 distinct degree in Hebbel. "Schnock," ''Haidvogel," '*Vagabunden" 
 most nearly resemble Kleist's tales in the method of exposition. In 
 each of these a characteristic act of the hero introduces the story for 
 which we obtain the explanation later on in the course of the narrative. 
 But "Anna," '*Kuh," "Zitterlein" also set in with the acts of the 
 
 ^ This tendency to intersperse prose narrative with lyric verse, which, according to Walzel 
 (A. A., 40, 424), the Romanticists learned from Goethe, and which the Schlegels laid down as 
 Inherent in the nature of the novel (cf. Gesprache iiber Poesie, Ath., 1800, Wks. V, 222, also 
 A. W. Schlegel, XII, 35), is entirely absent in Kleist, Hebbel has one instance of it only, and 
 that in his early novel "Zitterlein" (the gypsy's song, p. 66 fif.). 
 
22 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 catastrophe, leaving the motivation as well as all the preliminary steps 
 to be developed in the course of the narrative. Thus Hebbel as well as 
 Kleist displays the dramatist in his narrative style. 
 
 CONCENTRATIOlf UP02T HERO 
 
 The most important point that the analysis of the dramatic structure 
 of Kleist's stories brings out is the concentration of interest upon the 
 bearers of the action. Only in *'Findling" and "Zweikampf" is there a 
 secondary action^nd, except in the second part of "Kohlhaas," there 
 is no episode. ^A strong light is thrown at all times upon the hero and 
 the very small group surrounding or opposing him. The author so 
 completely identifies himself with these characters that we see and hear 
 everything only through the medium of those who are before us/) In 
 the first part of "Michael Kohlhaas" the hero never leaves the stage 
 and we learn of what happens in his absence only as he himself hears of 
 it. With him we see the condition of the horses and are left to 
 conjecture the true state of the case until he hears it through Herse 
 (IV, 68 ff.). We see him prepare his accusation and patiently await a 
 reply. With him we hear of the futility of his efforts and are obliged 
 to content ourselves with the half explanations and torturing uncer- 
 tainties that take the zest out of his life (pp. 75 if.). The adventures of 
 Lisbeth at the court are treated in the same way. Only the rumors 
 that Kohlhaas hears from the returning servants and her sad condition 
 when she is given back to him are made known to us. The disap- 
 pearance of the young lord at the sacking of Tronkenburg is unexplained 
 till Kohlhaas hears it from Herse (p. 87) . In the second part of the 
 story more scope is'given to the counterplay, but the figure of Kohlhaas 
 at all times overshadows the stage. The description of Junker Wenzel 
 after he has felt the avenging hand of the man whom he had wronged 
 in his wanton arrogance is a most convincing proof of the might of the 
 hero (p. 91). The same is true of the council scene (pp. 102 ff.), in 
 which the fear of Kohlhaas serves to bring out with fine dramatic art 
 the characters of those present. Throughout the story ex emplary 
 u nity is maintained !bv th i« pnpppnf.rfl|^jpn upon the hero. 'i'Jie only" 
 exception to this*is the interpolation of the romantically mystic element 
 at the close. Here the story of the Elector's early adventure, which 
 has only an outward and accidental connection with that of Kohlhaas, 
 is felt as a false note. 
 
 » Cf. Minor, Studien zu H. v. K., Euphorion, I, p. 587 ff., and Minde-Pouet, Sprache und Stil* 
 87 ff. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 23 
 
 111 '*Marquise" this technique is pursued even more consistently. 
 Only for the shortest periods of time is the heroine off the stage. Most 
 of our information is obtained through her. Thus we learn the identity 
 of the count: "Sie wusste schon, dass er der Graf F. . . . Obrist- 
 lieutenant . . . war" (p. 19). With her we believe in the false 
 reports of his death until he appears before her (pp. 21 ff.). The cause 
 of his eager wooing is as mysterious to us as to her. Even the mystery 
 of her condition is not explained until she learns of it in the course of 
 the action.^ Little over a page is devoted to the action of the count 
 when out of her presence, and then only the most necessary details are 
 meagerly given (pp. 41 ff .) . The same brevity is apparent in the descrip- 
 tion of the state of affairs in her father's house during her absence 
 (pp. 44 ff.). But it is noticeable that during this scene all is observed 
 from the point of view of the father and nothing is told except what he 
 knows. This reserve is very apparent in this incident: *'Als der zweite 
 Brief des Graf en F. . . . ankam, hatte der Commandant befohlen, 
 dass er nach V. . . . zur Marquise herausgeschickt werden soUe, welche 
 ihn, wie man nachher durch Boten erfuhr, bei Seite gelegt und gesagt 
 hatte, es ware gut" (p. 45). 
 
 In *'Das Erdbeben von Chili" the story opens in the prison cell of 
 Jeronimo (p. 1), and it is from his point of view that we behold all the 
 events of the story. With him we flee through the doomed city, viewing 
 the terrible ruin on every side, and only with him do we find Josephe 
 and the child and hear of their wonderful rescue (pp. off.). When 
 Donna Isabella whispers to her brother-in-law words which are too low 
 for Jeronimo to hear, we too are left to conjecture their import 
 (p. 11).'-^ The same method is found in *'Verlobung," where Toni 
 occupies the center of the stage every moment. Her meeting with 
 Gustav, her awakening love, her attempt to save him, and her death 
 form the materials of the story. Babekan's suspicions, Gustav's mis- 
 understanding, the condition of the hapless family are painted only 
 when they serve as a motive for her actions. 
 
 In Hebbel's stories the concentration upon the hero is even more 
 marked. In "Barbier Zitterlein" the attention is focused on the 
 unhappy old man from beginning to end, the love of Agnes and Leon- 
 hardt being treated only as it affects Zitterlein 's life. In every 
 
 * Yet the effect produced by this withholding of the facts is not thatof willful mystification, 
 as we feel to be the case in Hoffmann's "DasOdeHaus," in which the hero is continually teased 
 when on the point of discovery by a will-o'-the-wisp fate, and finally learns the facts not through 
 organic necessity but through an accident. 
 
 a Cf. Brahm I.e. 176. 
 
24 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 chapter but one Zitterlein himself 'appears, and the action culminates in 
 its effects upon him. Even the tenth chapter, which begins with a 
 description of Agnes's awakening love, passes at once to Zitterlein. 
 His well-known antipathy to his daughter's marriage determines her to 
 renounce her lover and thus brings on the climax of the action. In the 
 twelfth chapter — the shortest of the story — he does not appear. It 
 tells of the marriage of Agnes and Leonhardt, but the thought of the 
 old man, driven from his home, hovers over the entire scene and casts 
 its shadow over it. In *'Anna" we follow the heroine from garden to 
 kitchen, then from kitchen to spinning-room; then in her flight from 
 the burning castle into the field, where she sinks down overcome with 
 horror; then into the village, where she makes her desperate attempt at 
 saving the people whose ruin she had caused. With one exception, the 
 scene in the kitchen that takes place while she goes to the well for 
 water, we see only what she sees, and know only what she knows. But 
 we have in this scene the same phenomenon which we observed in the 
 twelfth chapter of "Zitterlein": though the heroine is not on the 
 scene, she is, notwithstanding, the center of interest. The words of 
 good-natured Johann, of the spiteful gardener, of the fat little cook, 
 cast back the reflection which the injured girl with her proud aloofness 
 had produced on these vulgar minds, and Friederike appears as a foil to 
 Anna's pure maidenliness. In this story the entire action takes place 
 in one day, and rushes on without a break. . Lights are thrown on past 
 events simply as these occur to the actors of the little tragedy; *'Sie 
 erinnerte sich, dass der gestrenge Herr sie vor einigen Abenden in der 
 Gartenlaube gern leichtfertig gefunden hatte." "Da ging der Gartner, 
 der ihr langst nachgestellt hatte. "^ 
 
 The scene of "Die Kuh" is laid entirely within the little smoky 
 room of the hut. We see and hear everything from this one standpoint. 
 We see Andreas step to the door and lean against the post, we watch 
 him as he rushes to the foot of the ladder and climbs it so hastily as to 
 knock off his hat; but when he gets out of our range of vision we 
 simply read: "Nun verschwand er in der Lucke und bald darauf 
 knackte der Dachstuhl." We hear the sound of Geesche's voice, the 
 boy enters; we witness his search and his grewsome discovery; Geesche's 
 
 *In the same manner, Kleist, in "Die Verlobung," makes us acquainted with the early 
 history ofiToni and'.Gustav only as they relate it to each other. In both cases the effect of the 
 remarks is not only to elucidate the past, but decidedly to modify thefeelings and to hasten the 
 action of the characters. Anna's dumb rage is gradually inflamed to violence by the reminder 
 of past indignities. Gustav's suspicions are lulled by the knowledge of Toni's European ances- 
 try, whUe Toni's heart is touched with pity at hearing of Gustav's past sorrows. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL ' 25 
 
 swoon and the conflagration take place before our eyes. Of the sub- 
 sequent events the author pretends to be as ignorant as the reader, and 
 simply states the consequences. But not only is the action thus 
 visualized for the reader, the events are made known to him only as 
 they reveal themselves to the actors. We learn of Geesche's errand 
 only through the impatience of Andreas for her arrival with the cow. 
 Andreas's hard life is made known to us by means of the reminiscences 
 which the sight of his money calls up. The child's deed in burning up 
 the hard-earned bank notes is revealed only through Andreas's discovery 
 of it. Andreas's suicide is not made known to the reader until the boy 
 finds the dangling body. 
 
 In "Matteo" the minor characters enter only as they affect the 
 hero's life, and appear in the story only as they present themselves to 
 his eyes. Felicita and the ladies who had employed Matteo are not 
 mentioned except while he is occupied with them. When the man who 
 has taken the poor wretch into his service leaves him at the door of his 
 house, we also are left to conjecture his errand and are only with 
 Matteo introduced to the guilty wife and her lover. In "Haidvogel" 
 the entire action again centers upon the hero. Circumstances of the 
 past, necessary for the reader to know, are either incidentally mentioned 
 by him — as when he taunts his wife with her prosperous youth and her 
 former lover — or are told to him for some purpose connected with the 
 plot — as the death of his wife's uncle, related to him by the time-serving 
 Johann. Not for a monaent is our attention allowed to turn away 
 from the hero. In "Der Rubin," Assad is the center of the action. 
 We hear nothing of the effect that his sudden disappearance had on the 
 jeweler and the executioner. The story of the princess's enchantment 
 is made known to us only when it is related to Assad. Of the father's 
 grief we learn by the signs of it which Assad discovers on his face when 
 he meets him.^ 
 
 The concentration upon the hero, so marked in the two writers, 
 forms a strong line of demarcation between their style of narration and 
 that of pure epic as illustrated in the epics of the ancients.^ More 
 than any other one point of technique does this distinguish the dramatic 
 tale of to-day, like Keller's "Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe," from 
 the older type of tale with its frequent deviations, retrogressions, and 
 
 A This last peculiarity finds a noticeable parallel in Kleist's "Marquise von O.," in which story 
 the count's emotions are betrayed only by the flush which the others observe on his brow, his 
 haste and confusion. So also, in "Das Erdbeben," we hear of Josephe's escape, and subsequent 
 adventures when she tells them to Jeronimo. 
 
 a Cf. Zielinski, 15 ff. 
 
26 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 interpolations of new characters. Thus in "Heinrich von Ofter- 
 dingen," the hero disappears for whole chapters while a completely 
 new set of characters absorb the attention. Hoffmann in his short 
 stories seldom contents himself with one hero. In "Das Majorat" 
 three generations pass before us, Avhile the extremely subsidiary interest 
 of the young lawyer's love for Seraphine for a time crowds out the real 
 story. Of Hebbel's contemporaries, Gutzkow, whose famous law of 
 the "Nebeneinander"^ marks his deviation in principle from the 
 practice of Kleist and Hebbel, often lets us forget the hero altogether 
 for a while, in our interest in other personages, as in the adventures of 
 Feodore and Hugo in "Imagina," or of the minister's wife in 
 "Seraphine." 
 
 OBJECTIVITY OF TREATMENT 
 
 A result of this dramatic treatment of the actors in the stories is 
 the complete repression of the person of the author. No moralizing , 
 no reflection upon the deeds or sentiments of the characters appears. 
 We learn of their feelings only throup^h their own wor ds, actions and 
 
 I looks. We are left to form our own conclusions as to the ethical value 
 
 I of their deeds. 
 
 Thus the thrilling scene between Kohlhaas and Luther (IV, 971 ff.) is 
 recorded with the precision and terseness of a chronicler. The life and 
 passion which throb beneath the surface are not elucidated by the author, 
 who does not obtrude himself even in an adjective, but are felt throngli 
 the words and action of the characters. The same treatment is observ- 
 able in "Die Marquise von 0.," in the scene in which the heroine dis- 
 covers the identity of her ravager : "Die Marquise blickte mit todtender 
 Wildheit bald auf den Grafen, bald auf die Mutter ein; ihre Brnst flog, 
 ihr Antlitz loderte, eine Furie blickt nicht schrecklicher, . . . Diesem, 
 Vater, sprach sie, kann ich mich nicht vermahlen! Griff ein Gefass mit 
 Weihwasser, das an der hinteren Thiir befestigt war, besprengte in 
 einem grossen Wurf Vater, Mutter und Bruder damit, und verschwand" 
 (IV, 55 ff.). The deed of the count finds no direct comment from the 
 author. Only the consternation of the others, his own remorse and the 
 punishment visited upon him show Kleist's attitude. In the other 
 j(a!es a similar reserve is apparent. The legends "Bettelweib" and 
 f* Cecilia" present ample material for moralizing, but Kleist proceeds 
 /with the simple narrative style of the c hronicle r. The closing scene of 
 
 » Cf. Briefe eines Narren an eine Narrin Hamburg, 1832, p. 182. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 27 
 
 **Bettelweib" may have presented in this respect a model for the last 
 sentence of Hebbel's "Kuh": "Er war anf die elendiglichste Weise 
 bereits umgekommen, iind noch jetzt liegen . . . seine weissen 
 Gebeine in dem Winkel des Zimmers, von welchem er das Bettelweib 
 voii Locarno hatte aufstehen heissen" (IV, 192). In "Die Verlobung" 
 it is the feeliog of the bystanders that is expressed after Gustav's 
 terrible deed: "Adelbert und Gottfried . . . riefeii dem unbegreiflich 
 grasslichen Morder zu . . ." (IV, 187). The frightful closing scene of 
 "Erdbeben" is related with absolute objectivity, the more remarkable 
 because the dialogue increases in rapidity and fire as the action becomes 
 more exciting. Only by an occasional epithet does the author express 
 his view. Thus he speaks of Pedrillo as "den fanatischen Mordknecht, 
 der diese Greuel veranlasste," and Fernando is "dieser gottliche Held" 
 (IV, 15). In "Michael Kohlhaas" the equilibrium of ethical justice re 
 very delicately indicated by the refusal of Luther to grant the sacral 
 ment to Kohlhaas as long as his heart is filled with hatred of hi* 
 enemies. This Kleist did not find in his sources.^ Such sligh , 
 deviations from his usual reserve give a tone of warmth and sympathy 
 to Kleist's narratives which we miss in those of Hebbel. 
 
 Hebbel's objective sense is most clearly shown in his short story 
 "Anna." Not one adjective shows his indignation at the oppressor, 
 his contempt for the petty persecutors, or his pity for the harassed girl. 
 When the climax is reached, when the master commands the last 
 indignity to be offered the poor girl's dead body, the author drily closes 
 with: "Dies geschah." Julian Schmidt says:^ "Es ist unglaublich, wie 
 viel Coquetterie in diesem 'Dies geschah' sich versteckt; eine ellenlange 
 Polemik gegen die empfindsamen Beliettristen, welche diese Gelegen- 
 heit nicht voriibergehen lassen wiirden, zu klagen und zu achzen." A 
 great change is observable here from the closing words of "Der 
 Brudermorder," with its direct appeal to the reader's sympathy (p. 8), 
 a change which we observe also in the closing sentence of "Die Rauber- 
 braut" (1833): "Als die Sonne am anderen Morgen aufging, fiel ihr 
 erster Stral auf zwei zerschmetterte Leichname" (p. 32). Equally 
 restrained is the author in "Die Kuh." Not even an adjective 
 expresses his mental attitude towards the acquisitiveness and fiendish 
 temper of the peasant. His despair after the murder of his child is 
 shown only in his expression, "Ein schneller, scheuer Blick hatte ihm 
 
 * Cf. Pniower, Michael Kohlhaas, p. 335. Cf. also Feierfeil, Die Verlobung in San Domingo 
 etc., p. 17. 
 
 a Cf . Grenzboten, 1850, p. 727. 
 
28 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 gezeigt, dass das Kind laut und leblos . . . lag" (VIII, 248), and in 
 the trembling of his limbs. In *'Haidvogel" and *'Schnock" the 
 author makes no comment whatever on the characters he is portraying, 
 but lets the shiftless braggadocio of the one and the grotesque cowardice 
 of the other reveal themselves. Only in the contempt of Haidvogel's 
 wife for her good-for-nothing husband (VIII, 215) and in the very 
 evident amusement which Schnock arouses in all who come in contact 
 with him do we gauge the author's views. In the same manner 
 Zitterlein's growing madness and the revulsion of feeling caused by the 
 sight of his daughter's little child are left to make their own impression. 
 Nowhere does the author directly ask for the reader's pity or condem- 
 nation for the fanaticism and the suffering of his characters.^ We are 
 stmnk in t|]f> w^|»]^^ nf hnfh Hphhp.l a.Tirl TCIPiat hv thft fl.1mf|st p.npnplfttA 
 
 absence of the personal note, so strong in the eightee nth c e ntury nove l 
 
 and iy^ |.>|ft ro^a.^p'pr f.nift — wnar, ivi ftvp.r pairs "lias Knk-ftt.t.ifirAn rn\h 
 
 dem edleu Leser oder der schonen Leserin, das Buhlen um die geriihrte 
 Thrane."'' This trait, more perhaps than any other, marks a new 
 advance on the part of the short story in the direction of the drama. 
 As in the latter form of art, the object is to let the life as presented, 
 tell its own story and point its own moral. Only in the selection and 
 disposition of the material, in the arrangement of light and shade, does 
 the author seek means of impressing upon the reader his peculiar image 
 of that life. 
 
 ^ Whenever the author does insert a'reflection, he gives it, not as his own, but as the thought 
 of one of his characters, whom the logic of events has led to this conclusion. Thus in the 
 reflection of the young wife in "Matteo" (VIII, 214) and in the pity expressed by the jeweler in 
 "Rubin" for Assad's sad fate (VIII, 72). 
 
 8 R. M. Meyer, Die Litteratur des 19. Jhdts.,UO. AlsoIMinor, Studien zu Heinrich von Kleist, 
 I.e., 589; Minde-Pouet, Sprache und Stil, I.e., 78 ff. To quote only a few examples of the 
 Romantic tendency in Hoffmann's "Doppeltganger," one of the less subjective of his stories, 
 we have continually such interpolations as "Es ist nSthig, dem geneigten Leser zu sagen, dass 
 der feme Ort, von dem her der alte Amadeus Schwendy seinen Sohn nach Hohenfluh schickte, ein 
 Landhaus in der Gegend von Luzern war. . . . Es mogehier der Ort sein, dem geneigten Leser zu 
 sagen, wie sich alles begab am Hofe hes Fiirsten Remigius," etc. More crass still is the case of 
 Hoffmann's "Sandmann," where, in true Jean Paul style, he spends several pages in explaining 
 to the reader why he cast his story in this form and gives examplesof other forms in which he 
 might have presented it. The frequency of Jean Paul's interruption of the course of his 
 narrative by reference to himself as the writer of the story is too well known to need further 
 mention. (Cf. Nerrlich, Jean Paul, 203 and 229.) The practice is one that had been common 
 to all the eighteenth century novels. Wieland's "Agathon" and Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister" 
 are classic examples. But Goethe himself condemned the abuse of it in his theoretical expression, 
 and in his best novels he retires more and more behind the scenes, (Cf. Reimann, Goethe's 
 Romantechnik, 29 ff., and Spielhagen, neuelBeitrage, 116 ff.) Among the Young Germans also 
 this habit of addressing the reader was frequent. In his "Wally," Gutzkow comments on the 
 love scene between, Wally and Casar: "Sehet da eine Scene, wie sie in den'alten Zeitennicht 
 vorkaml . . . Ich zittre vor einem Jahrhundert, das in seinen Irrthiimern so tragisch, in 
 seinem Fluch so anbetungswUrdig ist." 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 29 
 
 This objectivity shows itself in a more subtle way in the evident 
 effort of the two writers to do justice to both sides of the controversy. 
 Thus in "Verlobung," Kleist distributes light and shade pretty equally 
 between the whites and theTlacKSon the ishmd, calling Hoango 
 **einen grimmigen Menschen," because he murders the master who 
 had shown him personal kindness, yet remembering that the negro was 
 **eingedenk der Tyrannei, die ihn seinem Vaterlande entrissen hatte" 
 (p. 156), and picturing him as going to war "um seinen Mit- 
 biirgern . . . beizustehen." Gustav, though indignant at the horrors 
 perpetrated by the blacks, is obliged to own that the treatment which 
 the white masters accorded their slaves was of a nature *'das ich . . . 
 mich nicht unterfangen will, in Schutz zu nehmen. " So in "Marquise" 
 the count is not treated as an unmitigated villain, but the circumstances 
 surrounding his deed are so arranged as to cast the most humane light 
 upon it. In *'Kohlhaas" the power which oppresses the hero seems 
 one of absolute tyranny, yet it also has within its ranks men of a 
 noble and just type, as the Elector of Brandenburg and Heinrich von 
 Geusau. Moreover, Luther reminds Kohlhaas of the wrongs that he 
 has committed in his search for justice and of the fact that human 
 limitations are often to blame for wrong, as well as willful malice. 
 Thus the scales are very carefully balanced and we are not requested 
 to enlist our sympathies blindly on one side, but rather to follow with 
 interest the picture of the world that is unrolled before us. 
 
 Hebbel's stories show this objectivity in a manner even more 
 striking. Possessing less artistic finish than bis later productions, these 
 early attempts often lay bare his method all the more completely. In 
 "Haidvogel" and "Schlagel" we get an attempt to paint two "mauvais 
 sujets" for their own sakes. There is no attempt here to point a 
 moral or illustrate poetic justice. The two rascals are produced almost 
 with naivete, as interesting specimens of the genus homo. In the same 
 manner Schnock and Paul are analyzed and accounted for. These four 
 become heroes of stories through their interrelation with others, whose 
 suffering by their acts, or whose effects upon them, are also related with 
 absolute objectivity. 
 
 This desire to do justice to every character, to lay bare the 
 mechanism of the scoundrel as well as of the noble-minded, Hebbel did 
 not necessarily derive from Kleist. It may be merely another point in 
 common, another instance of that affinity of their genius which led 
 them to select from the storehouse of the past the same seeds for 
 further cultivation. In Diderot's **Le Neveu de Kameau" we find a 
 
30 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 drastic example of that objectivity which paints a rascal with as great 
 artistic pleasure as a saint. Likewise, while Goethe's characters gener- 
 ally exhibit a family trait of distinguished nobility of soul, he gives us 
 within these limits a realistic picture of all sorts and conditions of 
 men. In Hebbel's case we may see in the juxtaposition of charac- 
 ters and the impartial treatment which they receive, an illustration of 
 his "dualistic Weltanschauung" which Scheunert^ shows him to have 
 held undevlatingly throughout his artistic development. 
 
 e case is different with the Romanticists. Here, where the essence 
 f the novel was self -rev elation on the part of the author, we get really 
 e character — that of the writer himself. Friedrich SchlegeP 
 acknowledges very freely "dass das Beste in den besten Romanen nichts 
 andres ist, als ein mehr oder minder verhiilltes Selbstbekenntniss des 
 Verfassers, der Ertrag seiner Erfahrung, die Quintessenz seiner 
 Eigenthiimlichkeit." For this reason he ranks the novels of Fielding 
 and Richardson beneath any autobiographical anecdote or collection of 
 letters and considers Rousseau's ** Confessions" a far better novel than 
 his^'Heloise." 
 
 CONTENT 
 
 Werner (VIII, p. xxxiii) sees the similarity of Kleist and Hebbel in 
 the '^dramatic vividness" of their style. Not only in the manner of 
 portrayal, however, but also in the subject-matter of their stories, in 
 that which they selected as of sufficient interest for narration, do we 
 find a great affinity between them. The ever recurrent theme of both 
 
 novelists is the flftVftlnp|j|]PTif. nf a n]^^Y^f>tov aq aknwTi h.r ^r^fiT^^' 
 
 ne traae-mark of the novel of the eighteenth century was the 
 strongly marked ** tendency." This might be the lauding of control 
 (**Gelassenheit")^ as introduced into Germany by Richardson and 
 imitated in Gellert's "Leben der schwedischen Grafin G.," or the 
 demand for free development of the passions, exemplified in Rousseau's 
 **Heloise" and culminating in the novels of Heinse. 
 
 As the novel developed, the psychological interest more and more 
 usurped the place of the old ^'purpose." But even Goethe's "Meister," 
 with all its rich fullness of life, does not claim to be free from a 
 pedagogical tendency. So Goethe says of his hero at a certain point of 
 the latter's development: **Da8 Interesse an unserem Helden beginnt 
 erst da wieder, wo wir ihn in einer Art von Thatigkeit und Genuss zu 
 
 ^ I.e. 287 ff. "~~~~~~~~ 
 
 •Wks. I.e., V, 223. 
 
 ' I have adopted the elassifications of Carl Heine, "Der Roman in Deutschland," p. 30. 
 
y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSIT 
 
 OF 
 
 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 31 ^SdkiiORIiii 
 
 finden hoffen." In this combination of activity and enjoyment, Heine^ 
 sees the two opposing tendencies, control ("Gelasseiiheit") and passion 
 combined. Thus *'Meister" would form the glorious apex of the 
 eighteenth century novel, an apex, however, which already bears within 
 it the seeds of a new development. This new growth, of which shoots 
 can be seen in various places, springs into tangible form in the novel^k 
 of Kleist. Here for the first time the purely human problem, the^ 
 objective delight in the drama of life, free from pedagogical or moraliz- I 
 ing tendencies on the one hand and symbolic mysticism on the other, I 
 is the center of interest. Michael Kohlhaas is changed by criiej V 
 injustice from a peaceful citizen to an outlaw and incendiary. The 
 Marquise has public shame and private grief put upon her until she is 
 bowed to the ground, only to rise in the power of her conscious 
 innocence. Toni learns through love to see her actions in a new light 
 and loses her life in her efforts to act according to her new convictions.'^ 
 In *'Oacilie" the change of heart of the young students forms the 
 nucleus of the story. In "Findling" we have the gradual unfolding of 
 a character whose innate selfishness and bestiality put to naught all the 
 ennobling influences of kindness, gentleness, and virtue by which he was 
 surrounded. In *'Zweikampf" the attention is concentrated on Litte- 
 garde's despair and her struggles against it.^ Only in *'Erdbeben" and 
 **Bettlerin" does the situation rather than the character constitute the 
 chief element of importance. But Kleist stands almost alone among his 
 contemporaries in this singleness of attention to the human problem 
 nor did he find a successor very soon. 
 
 The moralizing tendency of the "control" novel of the middle of I 
 the eighteenth century, and the rebellion against restraint which marked I 
 the storm and stress novel of its close, had given place in the early j 
 nineteenth century to the Romantic withdrawal from the world, thel 
 delight in the mystic, the symbolic, the horrible, and the fantastic. ^ 
 
 We saw that Kleist, while dallying now and then (second part of 
 **Kohlhaas," *'Bettlerin," ami *'Cacilie") with such motives, built up 
 his novels on a very different plan. In Hebbel's time, fantastic Roman- 
 ticism had given place to the socialistic and religions reform theories of 
 the Young Germans. The tales of Gutzkow, Mundt, and Laube are 
 the expression of their authors' views, and the characters of the stories 
 
 M.c.,p. 134. 
 
 'Kleist's careful motivation is best felt by a comparison with Korner's "Toni," in which 
 no change of heart is attributed to the heroine. Cf. Kade, Grenzboten, 1889, 173, and Feierfeil, 
 1. c, 10. 
 
 3Cf. Steig's "Berliner Kampfe," 536 ff., for an account of sources. 
 
 3 
 
32 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 are the bearers of these rather than real individuals as studied from life. 
 Thus Gutzkow's **Wally," with its subtitle **Die Zweiflerin," has the 
 author's views of conventional religion and conventional morality for 
 its theme. Mundt's *' Madonna" has the fascinating and vividly told 
 tale of the heroine buried like a hidden gem in a great mass of reflec- 
 tions and polemics, and the conclusion of her story is utterly unsatis- 
 factory because the author loses his interest in the heroine. 
 
 In Hebbel's novels, on the other hand, the delight in character is 
 even more strongly emphasized than in Kleist's. "Anna," *'Kuh," 
 *'Zitterlein," and "Matteo" have for their subject the agony of a soul 
 under stress of wrong inflicted from without. The pain, the rebellion, 
 the conflict, and the defeat are pictured with the greatest care. 
 '*Schnock," *'Nepomuk Schlagel," *'Vagabunden" are character 
 sketches with a comparatively slight plot. "Paul" and "Eine Nacht 
 im" Jagerhause" are devoted to the portrayal of one phase of activity: 
 the feelings of a human being in great bodily fear. "Der Rubin" is a 
 symbolic fairy tale the center of which is a youth in the struggle after 
 the ideal. Here is neither tendency nor lyric outpouring of feelings. 
 The author's entire power is concentrated solely upon the analysis of 
 his characters. 
 
 (Moreover, in the method of depicting these characters the two 
 ;7riters are singularly alike. Neither by direct description or elucida- 
 tion, nor by that favorite device of the time, the letter or diary,^ are the 
 individualities revealed to the reader. His own actions al ^r>Q o-g-p]^,j|i ih^ 
 hero, with here and there an incidental bit of description or dialogue. 
 Thus in "Michael Kohlhaas" the central figure is placed in situations 
 calculated to throw into bold relief his natural gentleness, patience, 
 gratitude, and tenderness, and the change which was gradually pro- 
 duced in his character. He remembers with emotion the kindness of 
 the old lord of the castle (p. 59) ; again and again he curbs his rising 
 wrath at the unjust retention of his property, sometimes because pru- 
 dence tells him "weilja doch nichts anders tibrig blieb," again because 
 he takes a certain amount of injustice for granted in "der grebechlichen 
 Noth der Welt." Even when indignation at personal insult has driven 
 him post-haste to Dresden to obtain redress, his sense of fairness makes 
 him halt until he can ascertain from his servant whether any blame be 
 attached to him, in which case he is determined to bear the loss as a 
 , punishment (p. 66). We see him caressing his children, he treats the 
 
 ^ A good example of the letter form as employed in the short story is Hoffmann's "Sand- 
 mann." Cf. also C. Heine, 1. c. 36. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 33 
 
 aged with gentleness and forbearance, strangers with a manly courtesy 
 (p. 135). The two crucial scenes, the one in which he arranges to sell 
 his land (p. 76) and the one in which he explains his situation and 
 states his intentions to Luther (IV, 97), illumine as with a searchlight 
 the road over which he had traveled in changing from a man of peace 
 to a breaker of laws. Almost without exception, Kohlhaas's actions 
 have been the sole means of elucidation to the reader.^ 
 
 In '* Marquise von 0." we read in the introductory paragraph the 
 brief description of the heroine: '*eine Dame von vortrefflichem Ruf 
 und Mutter von mehreren wohlerzogenen Kindern" (p. 16). Then 
 follows the startling advertisement, a brief statement of the incidents 
 preceding the opening of the story, and from that point she is left to 
 disclose her own nature to the reader. Overtaken by a mysterious and 
 shameful misfortune, cast off by her mother, threatened with death by 
 her father, she sinks down, *'matt bis in den Tod." Then her brother 
 demands her children and she rises in indignant protest, gathers 
 them into her arms and departs. Kleist comments: **Durch diese 
 Bchone Anstrengung mit sich selbst bekannt gemacht, hob sie sich 
 plotzlich wie mit ihrer eignen Hand, aus der ganzen Tiefe, in welche 
 das Schicksal sie herabgestiirzt hatte, empor. — Ihr Verstand, stark 
 genug, in ihrer sonderbaren Lage nicht zu reissen, gab sich ganz unter 
 der grossen, heiligen und unerklarlichen Einrichtung der Welt 
 gefangen." The scene in her country home, when we find her employed 
 in practical work and determined to rise above her misfortune, but 
 unwilling to involve any one else in her disgrace (p. 40); her hatred of 
 the count when his< dastardly deed is revealed to her and her refusal to 
 marry him whom she despises, though thereby she might save herself 
 much misery, are self-revealing exponents of her individuality 
 (IV, o4ff.).2 
 
 In '*Die Verlobung" again the character of Toni is the center of 
 interest. The awakening of her moral sense through her love for Gustav 
 is minutely traced. At first, when her mother calls her to her customary 
 task of decoying the stranger to his death, she responds as a matter of 
 course; her sole consideration is for her own safety: **Ist*er auch allein, 
 Mutter? und haben wir nichts zu befiirchten?" As she leads the half- 
 
 *An interesting contrast to this technique is to be found inTSchiller's "Verbrecher aus 
 Verlorener Ehre," in which the lengthy psychological discussion at the beginning is followed by 
 many paragraphs of philosophical reflection and description. 
 
 2Cf. Brahm, H. v. K., 166. Kleist's individualistic treatment can best be judged by 
 comparing his artistic version of the " Marquise" with the raw material of his sources. Cf . 
 Muncker, AUg. Zt. 1882, p. 2242, and R. M. Werner, Vierteljhrschr., f. L. Ill, 483. 
 
34 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 suspicious stranger into the house, she holds the h'ght so that the 
 brightest beams shall strike her seductive face. She is mischievous 
 and playful, with no thought of the wrong she is doing. But gradually 
 the stranger's personality exerts an influence upon her. She becomes 
 silent and thoughtful. The story of her European ancestry, told by 
 the old negress to allay Gustav's fears, seems to arouse dormant instincts 
 in her: "... worauf Toni, mit aufgestlitzten Armen in sein Antlitz 
 sah," "Toni fragte ihn, ob er einen solchen Herrn in Frankreich 
 kenne," "Toni, welche den Kopf gedankenvoll auf ihre Hand gelegt 
 hatte, fragte den Fremden, wer er denn ware, wo er herkiime, und wo 
 er hinginge." Then the cause of this hatred of race for race arouses 
 her curiosity. We are made to feel that heretofore she had accepted 
 the atrocities and horrors about her with the unthinking acquiescence 
 of a child, undisturbed by events that do not immediately affect its own 
 comfort or happiness. N"ow she asks: "Wodurch sich denn die Weissen 
 so verhasst gemacht batten?" Gustav's long explanation evidently 
 mclines her in favor of the white race. When he asks her if she could 
 be guilty of the treachery of the negro girl who inoculated her former 
 lover with yellow fever under pretense of an embrace, she seems 
 suddenly to become aware of her own duplicity: "Nein, sagte Toni, 
 indem sie verwirrt vor sich niedersah." Thus by means of gradually 
 awakening curiosity, interest, introspection, sympathy, she is led step 
 by step, until, won by his caresses and moved by pity for his grief, she 
 surrenders completely. From this point there is no more hesitancy. 
 Heart and soul she is on the side of her lover's race. Not only for 
 Gustav but also for his family she risks her life. Her sense of right 
 is awakened, and she declares to the utterly confounded Babekan, 
 "indem die Eothe des Unwillens ihr Gesicht iiberflog, dass es schandlich 
 und unertraglich ware, das Gastrecht an Personen, die man in das 
 Haus gelockt, zu verletzen." She disavows her past complicity in the 
 deeds of violence and is ready and willing to risk her life in resisting 
 them in this case (IV, 172). 
 
 Occasionally a minor person illustrates Kleist's technique. Thus 
 the impulsive, brave, laconic colonel in "Marquise" is delineated 
 with a few bold strokes. When the fortress of which he is com- 
 mander is attacked before his family has left it, he wastes no words: 
 "Der Obrist erklarte gegen seine Familie, dass er sich nunmehr ver- 
 halten wiirde, als ob sie nicht vorhanden ware; und antwortete mit 
 Kugeln und Granaten." When the inexplicable behavior of the young 
 count sets the whole family wondering, the colonel refuses to take part 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 35 
 
 in such idle and fruitless conjecturing: "Der Commandant sagte, 
 dass er von der Sache nichts verstehe und forderte die Familie auf, 
 davon weiter nichts in seiner Gegenwart zu sprechen" (p. 28). In 
 the same laconic manner he takes affairs into his own hands when the 
 excitement of the Marquise at the discovery of the identity of her 
 betrayer renders her incapable of explaining herself. "Der Vater, 
 der sie offenbar in einem uberreizten Gemiithszustande sah, erklilrte, 
 dass sie ihr Wort halten miisse; verliess sie und ordnete alles, . . . zur 
 Vermilhlung an." 
 
 The other' novels are not so purely psychological in their interest as 
 these three. Yet the character of Nicolo in "Findling" is finely 
 chiseled. From the moment when the kind-hearted Piachi adopts him 
 in place of the beloved child lost on his account, and the boy sits opposite 
 with a face "das ernst und klug, seine Miene niemals veranderte," 
 through the various significant acts related in the story, Nicolo 
 stands out clear in every outline. At fifteen he was seduced by a 
 cardinal's mistress (p. 207), and after his marriage with the niece of 
 his benefactor, he carries on the liaison (p. 209), mingling with it a 
 fanatical bigotry (p. 207). His absolute heartlessness reveals itself on 
 the night of his young wife's funeral (p. 211) and reaches its climax 
 in the attack upon the wife of his benefactor (p. 218), which displays 
 at once his sensuality, cruelty, and shamelessness. He is perhaps 
 unnatural in the extreme of his unrelieved wickedness, but the method 
 of drawing is unmistakably that of Kleist. 
 
 The two salient points in Kleist 's manner of characterization, as 
 seen in this analysis, are: his persons are self-explanatory through their 
 actions and speech, they are represented not as complete, but as 
 growing individualities. 
 
 Hebbel describes his own method in a letter to the Princess 
 Wittgenstein in 1858:^ "Er (Schiller) lasst den Sturm elementarisch in 
 seine Welt hineinbrausen, ich suche ihn aus Athemziigen entstehen zu 
 lassen; darin liegt aber auch die einzige Berechtigung meiner Arbeit."^ 
 Hebbel was writing in reference to his "Demetrius," but the same 
 method is observable in his early works. In his first novel, "Barbier 
 Zitterlein," the opening chapter lays bare, in a conversation between 
 Zitterlein and Agnes, the mainsprings of the former's personality. 
 We see his absorbing and exclusive love for his daughter: "Du bist 
 
 ^Br. II, 473. 
 
 2 Cf . also Tb. I, 56, where H. contrasts tne methods of characterizatiorfsQiployed by Schiller 
 and Goethe and places Kleist with the latter in his^ability to trace "die ewigen Modificationen 
 des Menschen durch jeden Schritt, den er thut." 
 
36 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 das einzige Gut, was meiii ist, das von Tag zu Tag inniger mit mir 
 verwachst; ich will nur dich, nur dich!" His misanthropy soon 
 becomes apparent: *'Doch sie (die Menschen) sind mir in tiefster Seele 
 verhasst, wenn sie mir naher treteii." When his daughter tries to 
 make him see the advantage of having an apprentice in the house, his 
 ever-ready suspicion leaps forth: "Du wirst weniger Langeweile haben, 
 nicht wahrV" As is usual with morbidly affected men, he indignantly 
 spurns the suggestion that he might be ill: "Xein, nein, ich bin 
 nicht krank, ich sehe bloss? voraus, wie alles kommen wird!" Very 
 delicately the signs of incipient madness are indicated: *'Giebt es nicht 
 Gesichter, die mich anstarren, wie Larven der Holle, Augen, deren 
 feindseliger, vernich tender Strahl mich todtet?" Very dexterously, 
 Zitterlein is made to bring about by his suspicions that very catastrophe 
 which utterly unbalances his mind. Similar to this is the motif which 
 Hebbel praised in Kleist's "Schroffenstein."^ Just as Euprecht's 
 suspicions lead to the commission of those very crimes which before 
 had had no existence except in his morbid imagination, so Zitterlein 's 
 suspicious actions bring the love of Agnes and Leonhardt to a climax 
 (VIII, 52 ff.). 
 
 In this story Hebbel makes a digression into the man's past in order 
 to motive his action more subtly.^ Zitterlein's isolation during child- 
 hood and youth, his thwarted ambitions, his marriage with a woman as 
 retiring by nature as himself, the loss of his adored wife — all these facts 
 are so told and arranged as to lay bare before the reader the progress 
 of his growth (VIII, 43 ff.)- 
 
 The hero's subsequent acts, from the first traces of madness in 
 the scene at his daughter's bedside to the monomania of the last 
 scenes, reveal his further development along the lines indicated by 
 the story of the past. No explanation by the author is attempted. 
 The climax shows a striking similarity to that of **Kohlhaas." 
 Both men attained an inward peace by determining upon a deed of 
 violence, a deed destined to bring them into conflict with the world 
 and its laws.^ 
 
 Similar to Kohlhaas is Anna, heroine of the story of that name. 
 Like him she is drivdn, by the injustice of the powerful, past the limits 
 of endurance. Then her vengeance falls on innocent and guilty alike. 
 As in "Kohlhaas," fire is the instrument of retribution — a fitting one, 
 
 »Cf. Tb. I, 107. 
 
 » Kuh, Hebbel, I, 653, says a propos of this passage: "Bei Kleist ist die Vorgeschichte seiner 
 Helden leise angedeutet, bei Hebbel ausgeftihrt." 
 
 » Cf. J. Schmidt, Introd. to Kleist's Wks., I, p. liv. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 37 
 
 since it is that one of the elements which, though set in motion hy 
 man, grows most completely out of his control. True to Hebbel's 
 conception of woman,^ she is not, like Kohlhaas, initiative in her 
 revenge, but when the accidental upsetting of the light sets fire to her 
 persecutor's castle at the very moment when her world seems crumbling 
 under her feet, she cries: *'Ei, was losch ich? lass! lass!" and shuts 
 the door upon the flames. The steps that bring her to this desperate 
 climax are most carefully traced. We see her at the commencement of 
 the story, busy and gay, rejoicing in her young strength and in the 
 bright world about her. Then we witness the uncalled-for harshness 
 of the young rake, her master, "who would gladly have found her 
 wanton in the arbor a few days before." Like Kohlhaas she makes a 
 struggle for self-control, only to meet with physical maltreatment (VIII, 
 230). Her fellow-servants, to whom she has shown nothing but kind- 
 ness, shower scorn and contumely upon her with all the petty malice of 
 the vulgar of soul against moral superiority (VIII, 232). And to all 
 this Anna can say nothing. The dumb rage which we see growing 
 within her bursts its bonds with elemental force when all her self- 
 control and strict adherence to duty bring on her the suspicions and the 
 defection of her lover. The extreme care with which liebbel brought 
 out the various traits of Anna's character is equal to that which 
 Kleist devoted to that of Kohlhaas. A few incidental descriptive 
 remarks are intended to show the impulsiveness of the girl: "Sie hatte 
 ein scbarfes Wort auf der Zunge, wiihrend ihr die Thranen unaufhaltsam 
 aus den Augen drangen." Like Kleist, Hebbel is fond of indicating 
 emotional excitement by a rush of blood to the head, so here: "Sie 
 ergliihte iiber und uber." "Da sie mit brennenden Wangen auf ihren 
 Teller niederblickte." This passionate impulsiveness culminates in 
 the sudden and unexpected attack upon the gardener. But the other 
 side of her character, the light-hearted, cheerful, kind and gentle side, 
 is also brought out. Her indignation at the scullery boy shows that 
 when he lay ill and neglected she cared for him. Before she is molested, 
 she sings gaily about her work, and the very extent of her anger at 
 being prevented from attending the dance to which her fellow-servants 
 set out so merrily, shows her pleasure-loving nature. Gentle modesty 
 and deep tenderness mark her interview with her lover, in the 
 flax-room where she had spent her long, lonely afternoon (VIII, 234). 
 I^n Hebbel's "Kuh" the opening sentence shows us Andreas engaged 
 
 ^ Tb. I, p. 186: "In der Judith zeichne ich die That eines Weibes, also den argsten Contrast, 
 dies Wollen und nicht KOnnen, dies Thun, was doch kein Handeln ist." 
 
38 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 in a most significant act: he is counting money. As each one of 
 the bank notes calls np the circumstance under which it was acquired, 
 the narrow scope of the man's life and his concentration upon thrift 
 and acquisition become more and more apparent. The low, smoky 
 room, the luxury of the Sunday pipe, give the fitting atmosphere. The 
 little child whom he evidently loves shows the vista of his hopes for the 
 future. His rage at seeing these hopes suddenly frustrated can find 
 no outlet in words, only a brutal blow can relieve him. There is a 
 horrible logic in the events that follow, and the terror is increased by 
 the inability of the participants to express themselves.^ 
 
 The character of Matteo, in the story of that name, is drawn on 
 very simple lines. More even than Anna and much more than Kohl- 
 haas, is he contented with the world as he finds it during his prosperous 
 days. Much greater, therefore, is his bewilderment and helplessness 
 when he is confronted with misfortune and injustice. Step by step 
 we are led to see this change. First we hear of his happiness in his 
 simple life; then comes illness and loneliness; for the first time he has 
 a strong desire ; then comes his first disappointment — the cruel blow of 
 Felicita's marriage — intensified by her too evident horror at the dis- 
 figurement that his illness brought in its train (VIII, 203). Her recoil 
 signified his exile from the world of love because of his ugliness; from 
 the world of work he is turned from the same cause. We see him 
 gradually realize his condition and then, in despair, sink step by 
 step, until he is an outcast waiting for an opportunity to murder. 
 Less clear, perhaps, is the turn for the better. The fact that he is 
 trusted for the sake of that very ugliness which had made him an 
 outcast soothes him, while the sight of the passion and guilt of the 
 other actors of the drama sobers him. The closing sentence, *'Er . . . 
 sohnte sich mit der ewigen Macht, die den Eeif wohl zuweilen zerbricht, 
 ihn aber doch . . . wieder zusammenfiigt . . . aus," reminds one of 
 Kleist's words concerning the Marquise: "Ihr Verstand, . . . gab sich 
 ganz unter der grossen, heiligen und unerklarlichen Einrichtnng der 
 Welt gefangen." 
 
 The rest of HebbePs stories are mainly character sketches. The 
 careful delineation which we have observed in the more dramatic tales 
 is naturally carried on here with even greater minuteness. In the 
 introduction to "Schnock" Hebbel declares his intention: "Ihn treu, 
 
 * The care with which Hebbel hewed out the form of this little tale is apparent in a note 
 of his diary (Jan., 1849): " 'DieKuh' geschlossen. Ich habe mich seit meinem letzten Aufent- 
 halt in Hamburg (1843) damit getragen, so klein sie ist." (Tb. II, 312.) 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 39 
 
 bis in das Haargewebe seiner Bestimmungsgrunde hinein zu zeichnen" 
 (p. 152). He therefore lets Schnock himself trace his fear of marriage 
 back to an experience of bis tenth year, when he saw his enraged mother 
 bite his father and vowed "niemals wieder einen Menschen an dem Ort, 
 wo er Zahne hat, zu klissen." His cowardice he attributes to his early- 
 training: "Ich durfte nicht an dea Bach gehen, denn meine Mutter 
 fiirohtete, ich mochte ertrinken." 
 
 Both in "Schnock" and in "Pauls merkwiirdigste Nacht," which 
 reads like a preliminary sketch for "Schnock," Hebbel delights in 
 showing the mental process by which a coward is driven into an 
 apparently brave action by fear. Schnock (who knows himself a little 
 too well) tells the motive of his one brave deed — the capture of the 
 thief with which the story opens — "nicht aus Tapferkeit sondern aus 
 Furcht, machte ich mich iiber ihn her, rang mit ihm, und warf ihn zu 
 Boden." 
 
 As "Schnock" and "Paul" are studies in cowardice, so "Die beiden 
 Vagabunden" and "Haidvogel" trace the sensations and the impulses 
 to action of irresponsible, selfish, happy-go-lucky yet not wholly vicious 
 scamps. In "Die beiden Vagabunden" Hebbel has carefully differenti- 
 ated little, dapper, clever Jiirgen, who takes an artistic pleasure in living 
 by his wits, from heavy, stupid Hans, who cares only for his creature 
 comforts, and whines and wishes himself back with his master every 
 time anything goes wrong. This Hebbel, like Kleist, does by means 
 of a few telling situations. When the goat looks in at the inn 
 window, thus accidentally confirming Jiirgen's yarn, Hans is as badly 
 frightened as the peasants for whose benefit the tale was concocted : 
 "Jiirgen sah Hans, der ganz blass geworden war, triumphirend an." 
 When the host caught Jiirgen in a palpable contradiction, the difference 
 between the two friends is marked: "I^ans hustete und strich sich mit 
 der Hand iiber die Stirn ; Jiirgen aber, statt in Verwirrung zu gerathen, 
 versetzte mit unvergleichlicher Unverschamtheit: *Ihr habt Eecht' und 
 fuhr ruhig fort" (p. 126). 
 
 Haidvogel reveals himself in the most natural and incidental manner 
 by his speech and actions. The underlying trait in his character, 
 which shows through all he does, is his personal vanity, though this 
 is never stated by the author. Almost the first words that we hear 
 him say show this. He speaks to his wife: "Warum siehst Du mich 
 nicht an? ziehst Du wieder, wie gewohnlich, im Stillen einen Vergleich 
 zwischen mir und dem Quacksalber von Doktor, der auch einmal hinter 
 Dir herhef?" This same vanity causes his downfall at the inn, where 
 
40 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 his desire for display leads to the recognition of the purse he had 
 found: *'Haidvogel wollte aber durchaus auch von ihm beneidet 
 werden." 
 
 A good example of Hebbel's careful delineation of a minor character 
 is Haidvogel's wife. Silently she broods over her hard lot — for it is to 
 be noted how few and short are her remarks — while a firmness of 
 will is slowly developing, which comes to the surface at the proper 
 time. A latent strength is apparent all the time in her maintenance of 
 innate refinement in these uncongenial surroundings, as shown in casual 
 remarks. When the children would delight in repeating to their father 
 the impertinent messages of the butcher and the baker to his request 
 for credit, she silences them: *'Euer Vater weiss Alles, nun zu Bett 
 miteuch." When Haidvogel received the gift of the cattleman with 
 sovereign ingratitude, she "trug ihm eine herzliche Danksagung auf." 
 The repressed bitterness which her silence covers occasionally breaks 
 out; when the servant who brings the news of her inheritance utters a 
 clumsy apology, she exclaims: *'Hattet Ihr das gewusst, so hattet Ihr 
 meinen Theodor zuweilen in den Garten gelassen, weil ihn die rothen 
 Beeren lockten." These are the signs that prepare us for the strong 
 stand which she finally takes when her husband plans to waste the newly 
 acquired wealth in the old way: " 'Nichts kannst Du,' versetzte die 
 Frau, die inzwischen ihr diinnes Umschlagtuch umgenommen und sich 
 zum Fortgehen angeschickt hatte, ' — ich werde dafiir sorgen, dass das 
 Jammerleben, das jetzt zu Ende ist, nicht wieder anfangen kann.' " 
 This rising above her troubles and providing for her children and 
 herself a life worth living, is a note very similar to that struck in the 
 **Marquise von 0." when the heroine leaves her father's house. Even 
 less than Kleist, in the above mentioned story, does Hebbel step in to 
 elucidate the inner life of the woman. Not one word of explanation 
 accompanies her action and speech.^ These sketches bear many marks 
 of the influence of Jean Paul, both in subject-matter and in the satiri- 
 cal method of treatment. Their relationship with Kleist consists in 
 the persistence with which the personages are made to reveal them- 
 selves to us in their actions, and in the absence of intrusion on the part 
 of the author. 
 
 Thus character forms the contents of the novels of Kleist and 
 Hebbel, and the people depicted betray a certain resemblance. Both 
 
 * Compare with this reserve Hoffmann's description of the character and attitude of Clara 
 in "Der Sandmann." Her sentiments, sufferings, attempts at reclaiming her lover and her final 
 release are given in full. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 41 
 
 authors prefer to show the man growing and changing under the stress 
 of circumstances rather than the completed personality whose strength 
 is merely tested by the adversities of life. Herein they are followers 
 of Goethe. But from Goethe's heroes, as well as from those of the 
 Romanticists and of the Young Germans, their heroes differ in that 
 they all display a definite and determined will. Here again we 
 recognize the dramatist. Kohlhaas, Marquise, Toni, and Gustav, as 
 well as Anna, Andreas, Matteo, and Zitterlein, shape their own fate by 
 a determined resistance to injury or a definite initiative action. They 
 are not driven hither and thither by mere accident nor are they 
 controlled by mysterious powers, as are Abdallah or William Lovell, 
 Ofterdingen or Wilhelm Meister,^ Casar in Gutzkow's *'Wally," or the 
 hero of Mundt's ''Madonna." 
 
 In the method of presentation our authors also proceed in the same 
 manner, making their heroes self-revealing by bringing together a 
 number of highly significant deeds and words which elucidate the 
 various phases of their being. 
 
 Concerning the inner form of the novels of Hebbel and Kleist we 
 note as points in common: (1) the closely knit, concentrated structure, 
 (2) the unity of interest, which remains fixed on the hero, (3) the 
 complete retiring of the author behind his figures, (4) the psychological 
 development of the characters, (5) the strongly initiative will of the 
 hero. In other words, the inner form of these tales is dramatic. 
 
 ^ Cf. Mielke, 1. c, 54. Also Donner, "Der Einfluss Wilhelm Meisters," 20. Ricarda Huch, 
 (Bluthezeit, 134) designates the heroes of the Lovell type as "gebildete Vagabunden." Minor 
 (Z. f. d. Ph. XXII, 218) describes the heroes of Eichendorff's novels: Die helden abenteuern 
 ohne sichtbaren zweck und deutliches ziel als echte romantische vagabunden heimatlos hin und 
 her. 
 
Ill 
 
 OUTER FORM 
 
 DESCRIPTION" 
 
 The dramatic objectivity noted in the general structure of the 
 tales is observable in the details of technique.^ Two points in Kleist's 
 descriptions are striking: (1) the vivid impression which his people 
 and objects make on the reader, and (2) the subordination of the 
 description to the action. Both traits are found bound up together in 
 all examples cited by Minde-Pouet and Feierfeil.*^ 
 
 Significant for both Kleist and Hebbel is the habit of introducing 
 a new person briefly and without any prolonged catalogue of fea- 
 tures or traits of character. The aim is to hasten on to the action. 
 Thus in Kleist's stories, "ein Rosshiindler namens Kohlhaas" (IV, 
 58), "ein junger, auf ein Verbrechen angeklagter Spanier" (IV, 1), 
 *'die verwittwete Marquise von 0." (IV, 16), "ein russischer Offizier" 
 (IV, 18b), "ein fiirchterlicher alter Neger, namens Congo Hoango" 
 (IV, 155), "eine juuge fiinfzehnjahrige Mestizze" (IV, 156), are briefly 
 brought before the reader. 
 
 The same technique is observable in Hebbel's stories, though not to 
 the same extent as in Kleist's. In "Barbier Zitterlein" the hero is 
 introduced with a simple mention of his name, and a little later we 
 read: "Eine helle Lampe beleuchtete das Gesicht des langen, diinnen 
 Mannes . . ." (VIII, 33). The heroine is only mentioned byname: 
 "seine Tochter Agathe" (VIII, 33). In "Der Rubin" the hero 
 
 * Minde-Pouet (Sprache und Stil) has somewhat unreasonably separated "Detailsschil- 
 derung" (pp. 69-78) from "Wie weit beschreibt der Dichter" (pp. 80-82), as if they were two 
 different things. Between them he inserts "Objectivitat" (78-80). This arrangement is 
 misleading, since accurate visualization of persons and vivid description by means of action 
 together arise from Kleist's objective relation to his problems and his dramatic imagination. 
 
 aCf. Minde-Pouet, 1. c, 64 ff.; Feierfeil, "Verlobung u. Toni," 14 ff.; Brahm, 154 ff. 
 
 42 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 43 
 
 receives brief mention: *' Assad, ein junger Tlirke" (VIII, 69), and 
 only in the accusation of the jeweler do we gather any details as to his 
 personal appearance (VIII, 70). Leonhardt is presented by the host 
 as "ein stiller, netter Bursch," and Zitterlein finds him "von 
 ahnsehnlicher Statur, hatte blaue Augen, blondes Haar und viele 
 Freundlichkeit im Benehmen" (VIII, 35). "Anna, die junge Magd" 
 (VIII, 229), "Paul" (VIII, 237), "der Bauer Andreas" (VIII, 245), 
 receive no further comment.^ 
 
 The two vagabonds and Nepomuk Schlagel are described more in 
 detail (116 and 250). Yet even these descriptions are conspicuous 
 for an epigrammatic terseness, and only the salient features that strike 
 the eye because of their characterizing quality are briefly mentioned. 
 
 Description by means of the effect produced on the onlooker is a 
 favorite method with both writers. In this manner we obtain the 
 exquisite picture of Toni: "Und wahrend das Madchen auf ihre Kuiee 
 vor ihm hingekauert, die kleinen Vorkehrungen zum Bade besorgte, 
 betrachtete er (Gustav) ihre einnehmende Gestalt. Ihr Haar, in 
 dunkeln Locken schwellend, war ihr, als sie niederkniete, auf ihre 
 jungen Briiste herabgerollt ; ein Zug von ausnehmender Anmuth 
 spielte um ihre Lippen und iiber ihre langen, liber die gesenkten Augen 
 hervorragenden Augenwimper; er hatte, bis auf die Farbe, die ihm 
 anstossig war, schworen mogen, dass er nie etwas Schoneres gesehen" 
 (IV, 167). Thus we receive the impression which Nicolo in "Findling" 
 makes on Piachi (IV, 206). In the same story Elvire's beauty was 
 not mentioned until she attracted Nicolo's attention by means of it 
 (IV, 212). In "Cacilie" the abbess is minutely described only when 
 the mother of the unfortunate young men sees her (IV, 202). In 
 "Erdbeben" the flight of the frightened people and the picturesque 
 encampment on the green are seen through the eyes of Jeronimo (IV, 
 3 £f., 9). The two excellent descriptions of Kohlhaas's horses are 
 given in the same manner. The first time the delight of the young 
 squires on beholding them gives a lively picture, full of motion such 
 as Kleist loves: "Sie flogen, da sie die glanzende Koppel sahen, . . . 
 in den Hof hinab; . . . der eine lobte den Schweissfuchs mit der 
 Blesse, dem andern gefiel der Kastanienbraune, der dritte streichelte 
 den Flecken; und Alle meinten, dass die Pferde wie Hirsche waren und 
 im Lande keine besseren gezogen wiirden" (IV, 61). As a contrast to 
 
 * Compare'with this the lengthy descriptions with which Hoffmann introduces his characters, 
 giving us a full catalogue of their features — color of eyes and hair, height, age, size, physical 
 and mental peculiarities. (Sandmann,V, 11 and21; Das Ode Haus, V, 148; Majorat, V, 172, etc.) 
 
44 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 this is the scene that greeted Kohlhaas on his return: *'Wie gross war 
 aber sein Erstaunen, als er statt seiner zwei glatten und wohlgenabrten 
 Happen, ein Paar diirre abgeharmte Mahreri erblickte; Knochen, denen 
 man, wie Riegeln, hatte Sachen aufhangen konnen; Mahnen und Haare 
 ohne Wartung und Pflege znsammengeknetet: das wahre Bild des 
 Elends im Thierreiche! Kohlhaas, den' die Pferde mit einer schwachen 
 Bewegung anwieherten, war auf das Aeusserste entriistet . . ." (IV, 
 64). These examples show plainly that no description is given for its 
 own sake or ostensibly for the reader, but in every case for the sake of 
 the effect which the particular object, by virtue of the qualities enumer- 
 ated, has upon the person through whose medium we see them. Thus 
 Toni's beauty aroused the admiration of Gustav and led to his caresses. 
 That of Elvire aroused the desires of Nicolo. The handsome horses 
 stimulated the greed of the young lord and his steward, and the dis- 
 graceful condition of the horses, as Kohlhaas found them, gave rise to 
 the scene in the courtyard, which was the first step of the action. 
 
 The same technique is observed in Hebbel's method of describing. 
 The inn in "Die beiden Vagabunden" is presented from the point of 
 view of the two adventurers, who are looking through the window (VIII, 
 118). The sight of this room, with its evidently opulent but bored 
 occupants, suggests an entire scheme of action to the nimble mind of 
 one of the onlookers. This scheme assumes more definite form from 
 what he notes of the demeanor of Jakob, upon whom he fastens as 
 the most gullible of those present (VIII, 127 and 134). In "Eine 
 Nacht im Jagerhause" we look through the window of the little hut 
 with the eyes of the anxious young students (VIII, 263). Again the 
 description of the room is given to show its effect on the action. The 
 sight of the uninviting interior causes that expression of distrust and 
 fear on the part of the students, which, overheard and resented by the 
 owner of the hut, leads directly to the adventures of the night (VIII, 
 263 and 272). The impression which the students receive of their host 
 is calculated to increase their suspicions and hence augment the hostility 
 of their attitude (VIII, 263 ff.). In "Der Rubin" we read: "Er 
 (Assad) erblickte einen altlichen Mann von hoher, gebietender Gestalt 
 mit edlen Ziigen, in denen sich ein tiefer, aber ins Innerste zuriickge- 
 drangter Lebensschmerz aussudriicken schien" (VIII, 77). Here the 
 effect of Fatime's disappearance upon her father is skillfully revealed 
 to Assad and to us by what the latter observed in one glance. In 
 "Matteo" the disastrous change which the terrible illness caused in 
 the appearance of the hero is not described by the author except in its 
 
KLEIST, AND HEBBEL 45 
 
 effects on the beholders. The horror of Felicita (VIII, 203), the 
 repulsion and fear of his former employers (VIII, 204), and his own 
 disgust at seeing himself in the glass (VIII, 205), form an artistic 
 climax. Thns his ugliness, which gradually appears to him as an 
 undeserved curse, embitters him and leads him to the threshold of 
 crime. The other characters are pictured only as they come into his 
 life. In the case of Felicita, only the effect of her beauty on him, not 
 the beauty itself, is described (VIII, 202). We observe that Hebbel 
 follows minutely Kleist's method of portrayal by means of giving the 
 effect produced on the onlooker with special reference to the action of 
 the story. 
 
 Besides these longer descriptions we find in both authors a Wealth 
 of incidental characterization by means of qualifying words, which, 
 without stopping the flow of the narrative, serve to dash off the figure 
 of the actor with a single telling stroke. 
 
 An extreme example of this peculiar point of technique is the 
 well-known picture of the wretched horses in the market-place of 
 Dresden and of the man who has come with them. Here the detailed 
 account of the appearance and actions of the beasts and the man who 
 seems but little above their level, is inimitable (IV, 111 ff.), though 
 Julian Schmidt is not altogether wrong when he says of this scene: 
 "Wo vielleicht des Guten etwas zu viel gethan ist."^ Another fre- 
 quently quoted example is found in "Die Verlobung," in which Babekan 
 gets Toni ready to decoy Gustav (154 ff. ). The description here fulfills in 
 every respect the demand made by Lessing for continued motion in 
 the picture.^ Equally well known is the distinct image which we get 
 of Iloango's house in the course of the narrative.^ 
 
 In "Kohlhaas" the appearance of the steward comes vividly before 
 us when we read: "Der Burgvogt, indem er sich noch eine Weste iiber 
 den weitlaufigen Leib zuknopfte"; and when Kohlhaas feels a strong 
 inclination *'den nichtswiirdigen Dickwanst in den Koth zu werfen und 
 den Fuss auf sein kupfernes Antlitz zu setzen." Of Junker Wenzei 
 we read: "Da eben das Wetter wieder zu stiirmen anfing, und seine 
 dlirren Glieder durchsauste" ; and Kohlhaas smiles "iiber den Witz 
 des diirren Junkers." The effect of Kohlhaas's vengeance on the 
 arrogant young nobleman is not described, but in a very graphic scene 
 he is brought before us. The Landvogt Otto von Gorgas, "der schon 
 
 1 J, Schmidt, Introd. to Wks., I, p. liv. 
 
 aCf. Bischoff, Lessings Laokoon und Heinrich von Kleist, Z. f. d. U. XII, 348. Compare 
 with this the description of the procession in "Schnock" (VIII, 144), 
 3Cf. Feierfeil, 1. c, p. 15. 
 
46 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 durch seine blosse Gegenwart dem Volk Ehrfurcht und Geliorsam 
 einzuflossen gewohnb war," visits the young nobleman in order to protect 
 him from the infuriated mob, though hardly able to conceal his own 
 contempt for the wretched author of all this trouble. He finds the 
 Junker, "der aus einer Ohnmacht in die andere fiel, unterden Handen 
 zweier Aertzte, . . . Als man dem Junker ein Wams angelegt und 
 einen Helm aufgesetzt hatte, und er, die Brust wegen Mangels an Luft 
 noch halb oifen, . . . auf der Strasse erschien, . . . wiihrend welchem 
 er mehreremal, ohne ihn zu vermissen, den Helm verier, den ihm ein 
 Ritter von hinten wieder aufsetzte. . . ."^ 
 
 That Hebbel had this same vivid realization of the appearance of 
 his characters is apparent in a letter written on the occasion of a visit 
 to Thorwaldsen's studio in Copenhagen in 1842, a time in which he 
 was in the midst of his novel writing. "Ich fragte ihn ob er jedes 
 Bild klar vor seiner Seele stehen habe, wenn er zur Ausfuhrung schreite; 
 er erwiderte: Ja. Ich horte dies gern, denn es geht mir in meiner 
 Kunst ebenso: ich kann mir von einem andern Verfahren gar keine 
 Vorstellung machen."^ Therefore he also mentions the gestures and 
 changes of expression which accompany the acts and words of his 
 people, so that we see them vividly before us: ". . . Agathe sah 
 ihren Vater lange an, dann legte sie die Hande kreuzweise iiber die 
 Brust und sprach." "Anna": ". . . wo sie ein Licht aus dem 
 Lichtkasten nahm und sich dann mit diesem, es mit dariiber gehaltener 
 Hand vor dem Zugwind schiitzend, in die Flachskammer zuriickbegab. " 
 *'Kuh": *'Um ihn herum, bald zum Vater auf die Bank kletternd und 
 ihm ernsthaft zuschauend, bald den durch die offene Thlir aus- und 
 einwandelnden gravitiitischen Haushahn jagend und neckend, spielte 
 sein Kind." "Hierbei klopfte er sein Knablein auf die Wange und 
 reichte ihm eine dem Hahn entfallene bunte Feder." "... diese 
 Leiter eilte er so schnell hinauf, dass ihm sein Hut, den er nach 
 Bauernsitte im Hause, wie auf dem Felde trug, dariiber entfiel." 
 "Nepomuk": "Dem Fleischer, der gerade, die messingne Brille auf 
 der Nase, die Bairische Landbotin liest, ist das Crimen entgungen." 
 "V^agabunden": "'Kind,' sagte die Mutter, und putzte mir mit 
 ihrem Sacktuch die Nase, ..."... "frug des Wirthes achtzigjahrige 
 Schwiegermutter, die, das weisse Haupt in die Hande gelegt und die 
 
 mother examples of incidental description are found in Zweikampf (IV, 225); Kohlhaas, 
 "finster und in sich gekehrt" (IV. 96); of dress, Kohlhaas (IV, 132 ff.), Zweikampf (IV, 235). 
 The effect of these details is vivid visualization. 
 
 aCf. Werner, Euph., I, 268. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 47 
 
 welken Arme auf die Kniee gestiitzt, in einem Winkel kauerte.' " 
 "Haidvogel": " *Er ist . . .?' sagte die Frau, ihr Auge zum ersten 
 Mai ein wenig erhebend, wiihrend ihre Hand von dem Haupte des 
 Kindes herabglitt." "Herr Haidvogel war so uberrascht, dass er den 
 Bchon halbangezogenen Rock ganz anzuziehen vergass und mifc dem 
 possierlich an der rechten Seite seines Leibes niederbaumelnden 
 Kleidungsstilck wie eine Vogelscheuche dastand."^ 
 
 Haidvogel's house and the hut in which the scene of "Die Kuh" is 
 laid are made familiar to us in the course of the action in the same 
 manner as Hoango's house in Kleist's "Verlobung."^ This method of 
 vivid but indirect description is very striking when compared to the 
 pages of direct description such as we find in the tales of Hoffmann, 
 Tieck, and Eichendorff. In "Das ode Haus," for instance, the water- 
 ing place, the inhabitants^ their mode of life, and the house in which 
 the story is to be laid are all painted with the greatest minuteness 
 before a single action has taken place, before even a single character 
 has been introduced. Evidently here the author's chief aim is to create 
 the atmosphere, to produce the proper impression on the reader's mind, 
 while Kiel St and Hebbel aim to interest him in the action. 
 
 In description, the technique of both authors shows the following 
 coincidences: (1) The characters are introduced in the briefest 
 possible manner, in order that the action may proceed at once. (2) 
 Later on, the effect produced on the actors by people or places is given 
 in lieu of direct description for the benefit of the reader. (3) These 
 descriptions are given only when the effect on the onlooker is of a nature 
 to hasten the action. (4) The clear visualization of both writers 
 appears in the incidental mention of characteristic gestures and 
 expressions which accompany the action. 
 
 EXTERNAL NATURE 
 
 The treatment of external nature in Kleist's novels is surprisingly 
 meager. His letters show a deep feeling for landscape and an apprecia- 
 tion of her various moods ;^ in his dramas he draws upon nature for his 
 
 ^ other examples of this focusing of his persons are to be found in tlie adequate epithets 
 bestowed upon the characters in "Anna" (VIII, 231 ff.), while the description of the fire in the 
 same story (VIII, 235 ff.) is given in connection with the actions of the people, fleeing, saving, 
 mourning, a description that places this passage side by side with the similar one in Kleist's 
 Erdbeben (IV, 3 &.). 
 
 2Cf. Feierfeil, 1. c, 15. 
 
 3Cf. Letters written during the Wiirzburg and Paris journeys, Biedermann, Briefe an 
 Braut, Breslau, 1884. 
 
48 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 Ai 
 
 \tc 
 
 figures with telling effect/ while the background receives full attention. 
 / Not so in his novels. Here the .concentration upon the action seems 
 to prohibit any dwell ing_^upon^ the , setting. As Minde-Pouet^ has 
 pointed out, Kleist confines himself almost exclusively to casually and 
 tersely mentioning the time of day and the state of the weather: "In 
 der Finsterniss einer sturmischen und regnigten Nacht," "in der 
 Einsamkeit eines finsteren Waldes," etc., etc. It is, however, 
 significant that this setting, though treated with seemingly scant 
 attention, is, nevertheless, extremely appropriate as a background to 
 the characters, and not infrequently, indeed, is used directly to furnish 
 an additional incentive for action. Thus Kohlhaas has his disagreeable 
 interview with the young lord on a raw and stormy night, and the 
 descending rain cuts short the wronged man's arguments and drives the 
 young nobleman into the house, leaving Kohlhaas to the mercy of the 
 bailiff (IV, 62). When the castle of Tronkenberg is burnt and 
 Kohlhaas proceeds on his destructive way, he does so "unter dem 
 Gemurmel eines entfernten Gewitters am Horizont," and the burning 
 of the cloister is prevented because at the moment of giving command 
 he is startled by an outburst of the storm: "Ein plotzlich furchtbarer 
 Eegenguss, der die Fackeln verloschend auf das Pflaster des Platzes 
 niederrauschte, loste den Schmerz in seiner ungliicklichen Brust" 
 (IV, 88). 
 
 In like manner in "Die Verlobung" the darkness of a stormy and 
 rainy night is a fitting background for the passionate scenes. At the 
 same time it motives Gustav's venture into the precarious haven of 
 Babekan's home and augments the distress of the fugitives who lie con- 
 cealed "zuniichst dem Mowenweiher, in der Wildniss der angrenzenden 
 Gebirgswaldung. " 
 
 pn lj^ in *'Erdbeben" do es nature receive a fu ller treatment. Here, 
 where the lyric raHlier than the dramatic noie is struck, nature isgiven 
 fuller scope. A gentle western breeze awakens hope in Jeronimo's 
 breast, the solitary pine offers a refuge to the mourning lovers, and 
 the pomegranate tree with its gracious foliage shelters them when they 
 are happily reunited. The beauties of the tropical night are described 
 at greater length than is usual with Kleist (IV, 6). In "Cacilie" 
 
 * For the treatment of background in "Penthesilea" cf. Niejahr, Kleist's Penthesilea, V. f. 
 L. VI, 521. 
 
 ' Sprache und Stil 82. In addition we may note that Kleist has a poetical way of telling 
 the time of day by mentioning the position of the heavenly bodies: " Er erinnerte sie, dass die 
 Morgensterne funkelten" (Verlobung); " Der Mond erblasste schon wieder vor der MorgenrOthe, 
 ehe sie einschliefen" (Erdbeben), etc. 
 
turH / 
 t we j ' 
 
 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 49 
 
 occurs a bit of nature symbolism, when the mother of the unhappy- 
 youths sees the dome of the church shining against a background of 
 stormclouds which send only vain and powerless bolts of lightning 
 against it (IV, 202). 
 
 Twice at least Kleist passed by a fine opportunity for the *'Natur 
 schwarmerei" that wa ^he delight of the Romantic School , and that 
 find so extensively used in *'Wertlier.^^ When the Marquise von 0. 
 retreats to her lonely estate in the country after being cast out by her 
 parents, she seeks refuge within herself, and for her beautiful country 
 home has only practical attention. '*Sie beschloss, sich ganz in ihr 
 Innerstes zuriickzuziehen, sich mit ausschliessendem Eifer der Erziehung 
 ihrer beiden Kinder zu widmen. ..." "Sie machte Anstalten . . • 
 ihren schonenaber . . . einwenigverfallenenLandsitz wiederherzustel- 
 len."^ Again, we find Kohlhaas in a situation somewhat similar to 
 that of Karl Moor in Schiller's "Rauber." An outlaw from society, 
 he broods '*in der Einsamkeit eines finsteren Waldes." But beyond 
 the mere mention of this fact we hear nothing — no description of the 
 gloom and the loneliness, and no hint of the effects of these most 
 appropriate surroundings on the mind of the solitary man.^ 
 
 In 1851 Hebbel wrote: '*Man sieht die Natur eigentlich nur so lange 
 als man den Menschen noch nicht sieht ; er drangt sie augenblicklich 
 in den Hintergrund, sobald er hervortritt." Thus in theory he agreed 
 with what we have observed in Kleist's practice, at least in the novels. 
 Turning now to Hebbel's own tales, we find that his practice cor- 
 responds to his theory. He, also, informs us briefly of the season of 
 year and the time of day that are the appropriate setting for the 
 events of his stories. When Assad first enters Bagdad, we learn: 
 **Es war an einem schonen hellen Nachmittag, ..." The second 
 part of the story begins: "Ein Jahr war verflossen. Es war ein 
 schoner Morgen." The background of the story "Die beiden Vaga- 
 bunden" is definite: "Ziemlich spat an einem rauhen Herbstabend 
 trafen zwei junge Leute in einem Dorfe ein." Haidvogel enters 
 his poverty-stricken home " — an einem Winterabend." When the 
 gypsy enters Zitterlein's house she finds a readier welcome because 
 of the season. "Es war ein kalter, stlirmischer Abend; es schneite 
 heftig." The story "Anna" opens "an einem hellen Sonntagmorgen," 
 but when Friedrich leaves her in a rage, the day has passed and the 
 
 1 The difference between this realistic treatment of solitude and Tieck's handling of a similar 
 theme in the "Waldeinsamkeit" of "Der blonde Ekbert," is striking. 
 
 « Note how in the climax of Schiller's "Rauber," the hero is mostldeeply affected by the 
 sight of the sunset. 
 
50 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 face of nature has changed. **. . . wahrend er in die sehr unfreundlich 
 gewordene Nacht hinausschritt." **Schnock" begins with a very 
 definite statement: "in den Hundstagen des Jahres 1836." 
 
 Examples of appropriate setting are to be found in *' Rubin," when 
 Assad in his despair flees the bustling town, once his delight, and 
 seeks the balm of solitude upon the river banks (VIII, 77). The 
 princess appears to him at midnight, the horrors and loneliness of which 
 are forgotten until the charm of her presence is removed. Then all the 
 gloom natural to night returns: '*. . . wie ein wirkliches Wesen 
 drangte sich die kalte, laut- und lichtlose Nacht an seine Brust."^ In 
 ** Pauls merkwiirdigste Nacht," the description of the lonely road in 
 the moonlight helps to elucidate the character of Paul, for he sees only 
 those features of the scene before him which his dread forces to his 
 notice, and the emotions aroused in him by the scene are only those 
 engendered by his fear. Nature herself has no influence on him. The 
 fitful moonlight shining on the headstones of the cemetery, the awful 
 silence, the hoarse caw of the crow, produce only terror. 
 
 The use of natural conditions as an incentive to further the action, 
 which we observed in Kleist, is found in "Eine Nacht im Jagerhause," 
 where the rainy night is used to enhance the feeling of discomfort and 
 loneliness, while the contrast of the bright hopes entertained by the 
 young students at the outset of their journey is deepened by the recol- 
 lection of the sunshine and the breezes which had so fittingly accom- 
 panied them. **Adolf, an eine solche Nacht dachten wir nicht, als wir 
 heute morgen ausgingen, um uns einen vergniigten Tag zu machen. 
 Die Sonne schien so hell und freundlich, ein frischer Wind spielte mit 
 unseren Locken und wir sprachen von dem, was wir nach drei Jahren 
 thun wollten." Here the inclemency of the weather is used as a 
 deeper motivation The students would not have entered the unfriendly 
 dwelling but for the gathering storm. 
 
 In **Zitterlein" the snowstorm drives in the gypsy, whose prophesy 
 considerably accelerates the action. Zitterlein's fiercest fight with 
 himself occurs in the fury of a March storm. When the storm is over 
 he yields to the tranquilizing influences of nature and returns home. 
 
 * In Kleist's "Verlobung" we found the same use made of night. Its gloom is insisted upon 
 and Babekan employs it as the symbol of the most unfriendly power : "Ihr seid gewiss ein 
 Weisser, dass ihr dieser stockfinstern Nacht lieber ins Antlitz schaut, als einer Negerin." This 
 idea of night as the natural enemy of man, as the symbol of fear, danger, and gloom — an idea 
 carried out in "Zitterlein," in "Vagabunden," and above all in "Holion," — is very different from 
 the romantic delight in its mysteries and peace, as we find it expressed by Novalis in his "Hym- 
 nen der Nacht" or, later, by ,Lenau (cf. Klenze, Treatment of Nature in Works of Lenau, 
 p. 74 ff.). 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 61 
 
 "Alles um ihn her war stille, nur rauschten iiber seinem Hanpte die 
 Baume. Der Mond schien hell. Zitterlein schaute sich um, ob er nicht 
 den Fusssteig, der zu seinem Dorf zuriickfiihrte, auffinden konne und 
 als er ihn gefunden, verfolgte er ihn eilig." When, worn by his year 
 of lonely wandering, he experiences a melancholy repose under the 
 influence of music and falling night, nature again seems to enter into 
 his mood. ". . . es war ihm, als rief der kiihle Nachtwind, der seine 
 gliihende Wange streifte, ihm zu: 'Es waltet ja doch ein Gott, der die 
 armen Menschen und auch Dich lieb hat und ihre Wunden gerne 
 heilte,' ..." 
 
 These examples show that while Hebbel was more verbose than 
 Kleist in his nature descriptions, evidently delighting in the pictures 
 for their own sake, he yet made a decided effort to sabserviate them to 
 the action of the stories.^ We look in vain for such full and often 
 effective treatment of landscape as we find in the stories of Hoffmann, 
 in whose "Majorat," for instance, the opening descriptions of the bleak 
 landscape and the dramatic introduction of the storm during the ghost- 
 scenes produce an effect at once weird and fascinating, or of Eichen- 
 dorff, whose novels owe much of their charm to the delightful descrii 
 tions of forests and meadows, sunrises and moonlit nischts. Neither is 
 
 there any indication of that i g^^stic interrelation between man and nature 
 in which Tieck's stories abound. 
 
 FIGURES OF SPEECH 
 
 The compactness of form which restricted the descriptions an^ 
 minimized the use of landscape as a background in the stories is 
 further apparent in the restrained use of figurative language. Pro- 
 tracted tropes are rare. Merely ornamental figures are scarcely toHDe 
 found. Those that are used serve to elucidate the action and are struck 
 off at a blow. 
 
 The most telling of Kleist 's figures are selected from the realm of 
 external nature and are used to give vividness to the action or to 
 elucidate the actor's mental attitude, never for purposes of mere 
 ornament. *'Zweikampf": *'Jetzt wogte zwischen beiden Kampfern 
 der Streit, wie zwei Sturmwinde einander begegnen, wie zwei Gewit- 
 terwolken, ihre Blitze einander zusendend, sich treffen, und ohne sich 
 
 > Most interesting is the contrast in this respect between the novels written under Kleist's 
 influence and his earlier work, "Holion," where the influence of Jean Paul and Hoffmann is 
 strongly felt, and where storm, clouds, darkness, and convulsions of nature are fulsomely de- 
 scribed to produce a general atmosphere of horror and gloom. 
 
52 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 zu vermischen, unter dem Gekrach hiiufiger Donner gethiirmfc um 
 einander herumschweben."^ "Die Gedanken, die ihn beunrubigten, 
 wichen wie ein Heer schauerlicber Vogel von ibm," *'Verlobung."^ 
 A few bold and happy instances of personification are found. "Cacilie" : 
 The storm sinks "missvergntigt murmelnd." "Erdbeben": "In- 
 dessen der Tod von alien Seiten Angriffe auf ihn machte, . . . hier 
 stiirzte ein Haus, — und jagte ihn in eine Nebenstrasse ; hier leckte die 
 Flamme schon, in Dampfwolken blitzend, aus alien Giebeln, und trieb 
 ihn ... in eine andere; hier walzte sich aus seinem Gestade gehoben, 
 der Mapochofluss auf ihn heran und riss ihn briillend in eine dritte." 
 
 A certain vividness and picturesqueness of style is produced by such 
 figurative terms as "Wirbel der Unruhe," "Flamme der Inbrunst," 
 "den Boden mit Brust und Scheitel kiissend," "der Friihling deines 
 Angesichts," "schon wie ein junger Gott," etc., etc. But there is 
 nothing remarkable, except perhaps their brevity, about these figures. 
 In all there are but sixty-one tropes to be found in the eight extant 
 tales of Kleist. Of these none are especially prominent in their position 
 in the story nor very conspicuous for beauty or originality.^ 
 
 Hebbel's tales contain eighty-eight tropes. Some of these show in 
 their length and rather over-strained content the influence of Jean Paul 
 rather than that of Kleist. Such are the long comparison between 
 certain characters and the parasite plant (Zitterlein, 43), which Kleist 
 would have struck off with much greater brevity ; the description of 
 love (Zitterlein, 52), which is compared first to a tender thread, then 
 to a raging petard; and the rather mixed metaphors of "Matteo" 
 (VIII, 209). 
 
 But Hebbel's figures are not only fewer in number (comparatively 
 speaking) than those of Jean Paul or the Romanticists, they resemble 
 Kleist's in being completely subordinated to the action; they are used 
 as a means to an end — elucidation of character. Thus even the long- 
 drawn-out comparisons in "Matteo," mentioned above, serve only as 
 an explanation of the mental condition of the hero, not as a vehicle 
 for abstract philosophizing on life on the part of the author. A study 
 of this figure and a similar one of Kleist's will serve to point out a 
 fundamental difference between our two authors and the Romanticists. 
 
 * other uses of lightning and storm as similes of contest or inner conflict are to be found in 
 "Verlobung" (p. 179), "Findling" (p. 210), "Cacilie" (p. 201), "Kohlhaas", (p. 118). 
 
 'Other figures from animal and plant life are found in "Verlobung" (p. 167), "Cacilie" 
 (p. 200), "Zweikampf" (p. 242), "Erdbeben" (p. 9). Two similes from water: "Erdbeben" 
 (pp. 4 and 12), "Marquise" (p. 46). 
 
 »Cf. BischofE's review of Minde-Pouet, Z. f. v. L., XII, 284. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 53 
 
 I select these two because in their outward form, in the accumulation 
 of simile, they seem rather to resemble the language of the latter. In 
 Hebbers "Matteo" we read: "Der unergriindliche Widerspruch des 
 Lebens packte ihn wie mit Krallen, die Welt kam ihm wie ein 
 unsinniges Kaleidoskop vor, das in buntem Gemisch kluge und dumme 
 Figuren ohne Zweck und Kegel darstellt, und die menschliche 
 Vernunft, wie der Versuch eines Kindes, auf dem Sturmwind, der 
 Alles bewegt und durcheinander schiittelt, zu reiten. — Ein Mord schien 
 ihm jetzt ein Nichts, ihm war, als miisste er sich mit einer schweren 
 That, wie mit Ballast, beladen, damit seine Gedanken nur nicht in's 
 Grenzenlose, in die unendliche Leere, hinein wirbelten." This accumu- 
 lation of figures we find in the later and less excellent of Kleist's 
 novels. So Littegarde protests her innocence (in *'Zweikampf"): '*Wie 
 die Brust eines neugebornen Kindes, wie das Gewissen eines aus der 
 Beichte kommenden Menschen, wie die Leiche einer aus der Sakristei 
 unter der Einkleidung verschiedenen Nonne!" We notice that in 
 both cases the piling up of simile was used only as a means to vivify 
 and elucidate a concrete idea. The reader is to be impressed with 
 the mental confusion of Matteo and with the innocence of Littegarde. 
 The Eomanticists, on the other hand, strove for expansion of idea. 
 A concrete fact was only the starting-point from w hich the mind 
 soared to a conce ption of the mhnlt^. ror instance, m tlie opening 
 paragraph oi .^w^^^g ''Lehrlinge zu Sais" the author, starting from 
 the concrete ioe^that the ways of men are manifold, expands 
 the thought "zu jener grossen Zifferschrift ... die man liberall, 
 auf Fliigeln, Eierschalen, in Wolken, im Schnee, in Krystallen und 
 in Sterngebildungen, auf gefrierenden Wassern, im Inneren und 
 Ausseren der Gebirge, der Pflanzen, der Thiere, der Menschen, in den 
 Lichtern des Himmels, auf beriihrten und gestrichenen Scheiben von 
 Pech und Glas, in den Eeilspanen um den Magnet her, und besonderen 
 Conjunkturen des Zufalls erblickt." Instances of this kind are 
 numerous.^ The Romantic theory of the object and mission of the 
 novel explains this phenomenon. Arnim holds that that which interests 
 us in a story is not man's wondrous journey from cradle to grave, but 
 "die ewige Begebenheit in allem, wodurch jede Begebenheit zu unserer 
 eigenen wird, . . . ein ewiges Zeugnis, dass alles Leben aus einem 
 erstand und zu einem wiederkehrt. "^ Wilhelm Schlegel indignantly 
 
 »The same tendency is observed in the Romantic treatment o f nature. Cjf. B i_^§eju.l« c»» 
 445 ft. — ' 
 
 2Cf. Huch, BliJthezeit, 303 ff. 
 
«k. 
 
 64 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 disclaims that *'Wilhelm Meister" is a novel **wo Personen und 
 Be^ebenheiten der letzte Endzweck sind."^ For Kleist and Hebbel, 
 as we have seen, persons — and events which characterize these persons — 
 are precisely this last end and purpose. Hence for them, figures of 
 speech were illustrations of the action merely. "Fnr i]i^ "^.niiLa.u.f,io.isl.s. 
 the action was a subordinate factor in the elucirlfttiimi nf th.^.t mystic 
 * ^..Wfil^nsch auuno- ' ' for which they- coulcl ^"^^ TnOTP «^^^^^^^^ axpies- 
 sion in symbolic figures. 
 
 DIALOGUE 
 
 r— — "fft Kleist's use of the dialogue the dramatic note is the most 
 
 I prominent feature. The vehement naturalness of the language as 
 
 contrasted with the smoother but more stilted periods of the classicists, 
 
 the sentences broken short by the excited interruptions of the listener, 
 
 the quick parrying of words and phrases, all these are well-known 
 
 Vijiejguliarities of Kleist. Minde-Pouet^ selected many instances from the 
 
 dramas; but the stories, though employing indirect speech to a very 
 
 great extent, show striking examples of dramatic dialogue as well. 
 
 *'Kohlhaas": "Ich . . . f rage, was auch giebts? was es giebt? antwortet 
 
 der Schlossvogt; — Wo will er hin mit den Pferden? . . . Ich sage, 
 
 wo ich hin will? Himmeldonner! zur Schwemme will ich reiten. 
 
 Denkt er, dass ich — Zur Schwemme? ruft der Schlossvogt. Ich will 
 
 *v^ dich, Gauner, auf der Heerstrasse nach Kohlhaasenbriick schwimmen 
 
 lehren." "Marquise von 0.": "Der Commandant, . . . sagte, — Herr 
 
 Graf, wenn Sie nicht sehr wichtige Griinde haben — Entscheidende! 
 
 fiel ihm der Graf ins Wort; ... In diesem Fall werde ich wenigstens, 
 
 fuhr der Commandant fort, die Depeschen — Es ist nicht moglich, 
 
 !^ antwortete der Graf, . . . Die Depeschen gelten nichts in Neapel ohne 
 
 \ mich. . . . Und die Briefe ihres Onkels? rief der Adjutant, . . . 
 
 ^ Treffen mich, erwiderte der Graf, in M. . . . Fahr zu, sagte der 
 
 Adjutant." It will be observed that this short conversation shows 
 
 every one of the traits mentioned above.* 
 
 But while the specimens of Kleist's dialogue here given are 
 ■ ' noticeable for their vividness and ruggedness, they form a very small 
 
 »Wks., 1846, VIII, 103. M. c, p. 27 ff. 
 
 3 Examples of this kind may be multiplied. So in "Marquise von O." IV, 42, 48, 61, 66; 
 "Verlobung" IV, 187; "Zweikampf," IV, 242. A typical instance of this style of lively dia- 
 logue is the incomparable little anecdote entitled "Anekdote aus dem letzten preussischen 
 Kriege": "Da! sag' 'ich, und schenk' ihm ein, da trink' erund reit' erl Wohl mag's ihm be- 
 kommen: 'Noch Eins!' spricht der Kerl; wahrend die Schiisse schon von alien Seiten ins Dorf 
 prasseln. Ich sage: noch Eins? Plagt ihn — 7 'Noch EinsI' spricht er, indem er sich den 
 Bart wischt, und sich vom Pferde herab schneuzt, u. s. w." 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 66 
 
 portion of the entire bulk of his novels. In spite of the strong dramatic y 
 note that we have observed in Kleist's entire method, he did not seek | 
 to break down the barriers that separate the epic from the dramatic / 
 forms of art/ The predominance of indirect speech tends to preserve / 
 the epic flow of narrative. Only when the action becomes exciting do / 
 the people break into direct speech.'' In this extensive use of indirect 
 discourse Kleist has gone back to the technique of the earlier eighteenth 
 century, before the Storm and Stress in its efforts to intensify and 
 vivify the literary forms had made of fJialngnA «. p^^^U. ih nt threatened y 
 often to overflow its legitimate limits.' In Hebbel's novels we fina 
 very little indirect speech. The dramatic dialogue had more attraction 
 for him. The relative amount of dialogue is greater than with Kleist. 
 In "Die Obermedizinalrathin" the entire story is written as a dialogue, 
 so that the interspersed descriptions are not much more than stage 
 directions (VIII, 62 tf.). As we observed in the concentration of the 
 material, Hebbel did not guard the limits of epic style so well as Kleist 
 and tended to exaggerate the peculiarities of his model. Neverthe- 
 less, the dialogue of the two writers shows many points in common. 
 The liveliness and naturalness of the conversation between the 
 characters is observable on almost every page. The following examples 
 illustrate this point. *'Anna": " *Ich muss doch sehen, . . . sie 
 fliistern allerlei!' *Du siehst!' erwiderte Anna schnell, . . . 'Dein 
 Herr ist ein Hundsfott!' brauste Friedrich auf und knirschte mit den 
 Zahnen. *Ja, ja!' sagte Anna. *Ich mocht' ihm begegnen, driiben am 
 Abhang' — rief Friedrich — *o es ist entsetzlich!' *Wie heiss hist Du!' 
 sagte Anna, indem sie sanft seine Hand fasste, — 'hast Du schon 
 getanzt?' *Wein hab ich getrunken, ftinf, sechs Glaser,' versetzte 
 Friedrich, 'komm, Anna, Du sollst mit, jedem Teufel zum Trotz, der 
 sich dreinlegen will.' *Nein, nein, nein!' sagte Anna. *Ja doch,' fuhr 
 Friedrich auf, und legte den Arm um ihren Leib, 'Doch I' 'Ganz 
 gewiss nicht!' erwiderte Anna leise, ihn innig umschlingend. 'Du 
 
 ^Cf. Brahm, 1. c, 151. 
 
 « It is most interesting to compare with this use of the indirect and direct speech together, 
 that of Goethe in the "Unterhaltungen." Here the theoretical conversations are given in the 
 direct speech, while the very passages which with Kleist and Hebbel would have been made 
 dramatic by rapid questions, answers, exclamations, when the clash of opinions or emotions 
 seemed to need such treatment, are rendered by Goethe in the dispassionate tone of the narrator. 
 Thus when the lover first becomes aware of the great gulf between himself and his beloved 
 (Weimar ed., XVIII, 219), we read: "AUein wie verwundert war er, ja wie besttirzt, als sie die 
 ganze Sache sehr leichtsinnig, ja man durfte beinahe sagen hamisch aufnahm. Sie scherzte 
 nicht ganz fein, etc." By this form of narration we remain in the attitude of the calm onlooker, 
 while Kleist and Hebbel draw us into passionate participation. 
 
 3Cf. Riemann, I. c, 286 ff. 
 
56 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 sollst, ich will's,' rief Friedrich nnd liess sie los. . . . 'Willst Du oder 
 nicht?' drangte Friedrich und trat dicht vor sie hin. 'Wie konnt' 
 ich?' entgegnete Anna, — 'Gut, gut,' rief Friedrich, 'Du willst nicht? 
 Gott verdamme mich, wo ich dich wiederseh'!' Wie rasend stiirzte 
 erfort."^ 
 
 Like Kleist, Hebbel breaks up the smoothness of dialogue by means 
 of repetitions and interruptions that come from the excitement of the 
 listener, who is unable, to await the completion of the speech.^ "Haid- 
 vogel" : " 'Er ist — ?' fragte die Frau, 'Todt,' versetzte Herr Haidvogel. 
 'Was wird aus den armen Kindern werden, wenn — ' 'Was wird aus 
 ihnen' — unterbrach sie Herr Haidvogel mit Unwillen, 'wenn sie einmal 
 eine Erbschaft machten, und ihr Vater ware weniger eifrig — ' 
 'Hatten wir das Gegentheil gewusst — ' 'So hattet Ihr meinen The- 
 odor zuweilen in den Garten gelassen, — '" "Schnock": " 'Kommt 
 er, so soil ihn — ' 'Da ist er schon,' kreischte sie." Those examples 
 bear the closest resemblance to Kleist, in which a word is seized by the 
 listener, caught up and tossed back. "Haidvogel": " 'Sie wissen, dass 
 ich nichts that, als was der Herr mir befahl, dessen Brot ich ass!' 
 'Ass?' fragte Herr Haidvogel gespannt. 'Ja, der gniidige Herr ist 
 am Schlag — ' 'Am Schlag?' unterbrach ihn Herr Haidvogel — , — 
 'das ist ja eine niedertrachtige Lage, — ' 'Heute Nachmittag, ja,' 
 versetzte Johann, 'aber jetzt nicht mehr! Leider!' — 'Leider?' rief 
 Herr Haidvogel — 'Gott Lob!' — 'Freilich, Gott Lob!' entgegnete 
 Johann geschmeidig. * Wahrscheinlich, ' entgegnete Johann zogernd, 
 'von dem Aerger, den — ' ' — Den ich 4hm machte,' sagte Herr 
 Haidvogel. 'Nun, Frau, kann ich — ' 'Nichts kannst Du,' versetzte 
 die Frau." This terse, pointed dialogue, rich in allusion, producing 
 certain effects by means of repetition and broken sounds, is much more 
 akin to the technique of Maeterlinck than to the contemporary writers 
 of Kleist and Hebbel. 
 
 But the point in which the dialogues of Kleist and Hebbel unite in 
 starting a literary innovation is their absolute "Sachlichkeit," their 
 complete subjugation to the action. The dialogue had only gradually 
 made its way into literature. Hirzel,^ in his epoch-making biography 
 of this form of expression, shows how it arose from philosophical 
 dialectics and only very gradually made its way into belles-lettres, and 
 here, also, merely as a means for the expression of contending opinions. 
 
 * other characteristic examples are found in "Eine Nacht im Jagerhause" (VIII, 267-8), 
 ♦•Haidvogel" (VIII, 217, 218, 225, 226, 227). 
 
 ''Friess (Fragraente, 25) attributes this peculiarity to^Lessing's influence. 
 8 Der Dialog. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 57 
 
 This was the case among the ancients^ as well as in the novels of 
 Wieland, Heinse, Goethe.^ 
 
 Hirzel places the gradual decline of the dialogue as a vehicle of 
 scientific demonstration at the beginning of our literary era.^ In 
 speaking of Goethe's "Unterhaltungen," he laments that "der Dialog 
 sich wieder einmal zum Vehikel von Erzahlungen hergeben muss."* 
 This "degradation" of the dialogue marks the beginning of a new 
 movement in novelistic art. And it is here that Kleist and Hebbel 
 took the first bold step. The current was flowing steadily in the direc- 
 tion of the dramatization of the novel. T^nt Klpiah -^aa f.^ft fi r s t t fl fi aafc 
 out all conversa tion that did not bear directly on the action of the st ory. 
 TEe "novels of (Joethe, as well as those ofthe liomanti cists and later 
 of the Young Germans, still abound in ^'^jn'^^^'^^^iiit ^nnvftr^^'-^nni] The 
 lengthy and frequent disquisitions on philosophy of life which permeate 
 the "Unterhaltungen" and almost spoil the "Wanderjahre" are 
 found in Goethe's "Novelle" as well. Heinse's "Ardinghello'^ 
 "Hildegard," those connecting links between the Classic and the 
 Romantic novel, often seem to dwindle into mere disquisitions on music 
 and the plastic arts. Of Tieck's novels Haym^ says with justice : "In 
 jener reflektierenden Gesprachsweise, die spater im Phantasus und in 
 den Novellen zur langweiligen Manier wurde, erblassen die Charaktere 
 zu blossen Konversationsfiguren."** Gutzkow's "Wally" contains pages 
 of dialogue whose content is divorced from the plot-interest. Mundt's 
 "Madonna" is mainly a collection of views and emotions cast sometimes 
 into the form of letters, sometimes into that of conversations, like the 
 hero's prolonged exposition of the mysteries of Christianity.'^ Not a 
 single instance of this kind is to be found in the stories of Kleist 
 and Hebbel. 
 
 DRAMATIC PAUSE 
 
 Tt^ lyinnift-n f s of extreme emotion or of a sharp conflict of passion, 
 Kl eist's heroes oftejo- do not speak at a^ll, .,A look, an expressive gesture, 
 at most a half -involuntary exclamation, suggest rather than express the 
 storm surging within.^ When, at the moment of Kohlhaas's deepest 
 
 »1. c, II, 153 ff. »1. c, II, 421 ff., 430. 
 
 3 1. c, II, 437ff. *1. c, II, 425. 
 
 ^Haym, Romant. Schule, 131. 
 
 •Even Hoffmann indulges largely in this tendency (cf. Wks., 1842, V, pp. 159 ff.). 
 
 7 Ed. 1835, pp. 108-145. 
 
 8 For a treatment of this point of technique as it appears in the dramas cf. Minde-Pouet, 
 Sprache u. Stil, p. 40. 
 
58 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 sorrow, during the funeral of his wife, a letter is handed to him in 
 which his final request for justice is refused with every accompaniment 
 of indignity, he says nothing: **Kohlhaas steckte den Brief ein und 
 Hess den Sarg auf den Wagen bringen." Later, when he hears that his 
 attack on the Tronkenburg was made in vain, that the Junker has 
 escaped alive, no words can express his chagrin: "Kohlhaas seufzte . . . 
 tief auf ; er fragte, ob die Pferde gefressen hatten." When he reads 
 Luther's proclamation, the condemnation of his action by the man 
 whose judgment he values most highly, his color and his expression 
 alone give a glimpse of his consternation (IV, 97). In *'Die Marquise 
 von 0.," when the rage of the colonel has reached such a pitch that he 
 is incapable of articulate speech and threatens his daughter's life, the 
 latter is shocked beyond the power of words. " *Herr, meines Lebens!* 
 rief die Marquise, . . . und eilte hinweg." In action alone does she 
 express her self-assertion and energy. Later, when her father has 
 become convinced of her innocence and his cruel injustice, he can 
 express his regret only with tears and caresses (IV, 52 ff.).* In ''Die 
 Verlobung" Gustav, when he hears that the girl whom he has killed 
 was not only innocent of the crime of which he had suspected her but 
 had even risked her life for him, is struck speechless with horror. ** '0 !' 
 rief er, ohne aufzusehen, und meinte, die Erde versilake unter seinen 
 Fiissen" (p. 188). The agony of the father over the dead body of his 
 child could not be rendered better than by the silence of Don Fernando 
 in "Erdbeben": *'. . . als er seinen kleinen Jungen vor sich liegen 
 sah, . . . hob er voll namenlosen Schmerzes seine Augen gen Himmel" 
 (p. 15). In the same manner his wife, from whom he had concealed 
 the sad truth, expresses her feelings of sorrow for the child and 
 sympathy for her husband in a symbolic action: ". . . weinte diese 
 treffliche Dame im Stillen ihren Schmerz aus, und fiel ihm mit dem 
 Rest einer glanzenden Thrane eines Morgans um den Hals und klisste 
 ihn" (p. 16). 
 
 Examining Hebbel's stories, we find this device constantly employed. 
 **Zitterlein": When Agathe refuses her father's request to vow never 
 to marry, thus confirming his morbid suspicion and shattering his 
 hopes, he says nothing but "Schlaf wohl, mein Kind," and hastily 
 leaves the room. And we read of her: *'Sie faltete die Hande und 
 betete." When the gypsy's prophecy has changed Zitterlein's worst 
 suspicions into certainty, he silently returns to his room. **Er setzte 
 
 » For Kleist's indebtedness to Rousseau's "H61oise" cf, E. Schmidt, Richardson, Rousseau 
 u. Goethe, p. 329 ff. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 59 
 
 sich auf einen Stuhl und stiitzte den Kopf auf den Tisch, 'Also auch 
 verloren!' rief er mit einem grasslichen Liicheln vor sich hin. Auf 
 dem Tisch lag sein Messerbesteck ; er zog ein Messer heraus, es funkelte 
 scliarf und blank ini Strahl der flackernden Lampe. Er stand auf und 
 blickte nach der Alkoventhiir (wo seine Tochter schlief), er that einen 
 Schritt vorwarts, aber da warf er das Messer schaudernd zu Boden und 
 schlug sich mit der geballten Faust ins Gesicht." Here we have an 
 entire scene of the most intense dramatic action, in which not one 
 word is spoken, in which the author does not step in to tell us what is 
 going on in the mind of the hero, and in which, nevertheless, we are not 
 only fully aware of every phase of the mental conflict, but are made to 
 breathe the very atmosphere he breathes. The lonely room, the dismal 
 ray of the flickering lamp, the temptation of the gleaming knife are 
 brought before us with startling vividness. At the climax of "Zitter- 
 lein," father and lover are so choked with passion that only the 
 briefest phrases escape them. We seem to hear the quick, gasping 
 breath that cuts short the words (VIII, 53). 
 
 All afternoon Anna sat working passionately, breaking her silence 
 only once, to laugli scornfully at herself. When her lover urges her to 
 defy her master's authority and go with him to the ball, "Anna ergriff 
 ohne etwas zu antworten, die Hechel und sah vor sich nieder." The 
 violent struggle between duty and desire is described no further. 
 When the catastrophe comes, Anna's despair is expressed only in action. 
 "Anna, mit der Tollkiihnheit der Verzweiflung, weinend, schreiend, 
 sich die Brust zerschlagend, dann wieder lachend, stiirzte sich in jede 
 Gefahr, rettete, loschte, und war alien zugleich Gegenstand des 
 Erstaunens, der Bewunderung und unheimliches Ratsel." 
 
 "Die Kuh": When Andreas returned and found that the child 
 had burnt up the treasure which to him represented all his dreams 
 of happiness, he stood still, "mit weit aufgerissenem Munde und 
 fast aus den Hohlen tretenden Augen, — " To the very end he 
 gives voice to but four brief exclamations: "Satan!" "Mehr, Du 
 Teufelsbrut?" "Mehr, noch mehr, viel mehr," and "Gute Nacht, 
 Andreas !" In utter silence the horrible resolve takes shape. 
 
 "Matteo": When Felicita announces her marriage, unconsciously 
 destroying the bright young hopes of Matteo, the latter receives the 
 news in dead silence: "Matteo sagte kein Wort, er wandte sich um 
 and kehrte langsam in sein Haus zuriick." When the full conscious- 
 ness of her wrong dawns upon the young wife, she indicates her 
 submission by an expressive gesture. "... rutschte sie auf ihren 
 
60 . KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 Knieen herbei, nahm den Fuss ihres Mannes und setzte sich ihn still- 
 Bchweigend auf den Nacken. . . . Der Mann liess sie gewahren und 
 sah nur auf den Knaben, ..." 
 
 "Der Eubin" : When the enchanted princess has told her story, 
 Assad finds no words to express his passionate longing and regret. 
 ** 'Ihr Leib, ihre Seele, 0!' seufzte Assad und starrte den Edelstein an, 
 die Lampe erlosch, wie ein wirkliches Wesen driingte sich die kalte, 
 laut- und lichtlose Nacht an seine Brust."^ 
 
 F AVOBITE MOTI FS 
 
 Certain favorite motifs of Kleisfc's we find recurring in Hebbel's tales. 
 Especially characteristic are : 
 
 In the study of the contents of Kleist's tales we spoke of the 
 '^_^1 tlfitfT'^'^^'^ ^"'^1 ^^ ^^e chara cters. This will comes into 
 so much at the call of carefully confeWSl^ed reason, as at the demand of 
 sudden, often violent impulse. The indubitable sign of this impulse 
 is the fact that neither the author nor the hero ever finds it necessary 
 to elucidate the motive of the action by anything but a reference to 
 the "Gefiihl" of the hero.^ Thus Kohlhaas when on the brink of 
 outlawry: ". . . und mitten durch den Schmerz, die Welt in einer so 
 ungeheuren Unordnung zu erblicken, zuckte die innere Zufriedenheit 
 hervor, seine eigene Brust nunmehr in Ordnung zu sehen." The 
 violent action of the Marquise von 0., when the identity of her ravisher 
 is established, is left unexplained except at the close: "er wtirde ihr 
 damals nicht wie ein Teufel erschienen sein, wenn er ihr nicht bei seiner 
 ^ersten Erscheinung wie ein Engel vorgekomme ware." jji "TTr^Vx^b^y" 
 the lovers follow the promptings of their impulse -^jt^j^nnt f|, b^"^ ^^ 
 
 * Many of these examples bear a very close resemblance to the famous passage in Kleist's 
 "Schroffensteiner" (I, 1), in which Ottokar, hearing that the girl whom he has loved is the 
 daughter of the house against which he has just sworn vengeance, instead of breaking into a 
 wild tirade, silently leans on the shoulder of his brother. Of this scene Brahm says (p. 78): 
 "So die Leidehschaft in ein die Empfindung nur andeutendes, nicht auschopfendes Wort, ja in 
 eine Gebarde zusammenzudrangen, ist von friih an Kleist Art gewesen: die Art des echten 
 Drajpatikers." Of. also: Minde-Pouet, 1. c. 54. We see that it was equally the manner of Hebbel. 
 
 In the narratives of the Romanticists such dramatic pauses are avoided, sometimes by 
 humming up the entire scene in a third-person narrative (Hoffmann's Majorat, where the inter- 
 views between the two rivaling brothers, their love for the same woman, the despair of the j^ounger 
 on discovering the elder's marriage, are all told in the cool words of the old lawyer), at others 
 by making a dispassionate character talk on calmly while we can imagine the affected person 
 struggling with his grief. This is the case in Tiecke's "Ekbert" (Wks., 1828, Vol. IV, p. 169), 
 where the old woman calmly continues her conversation with Ekbert after the latter has fallen 
 ^to the ground in the stress of his emotions. 
 
 ^ Of. E. Schmidt, Charakteristiken, 358 ff. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 61 
 
 mental struggle," and tliougli the world condemns them, the poet treats 
 then- actionals a matter of course. While the priestly fanatic and the 
 infuriated mob turn against them, the noble and refined family of Don 
 Fernando stand their firm friends and rejoice in the possession of their 
 orphaned child. Nowhere is this. motif. of impulsiveness more emphat - 
 i cally expressed thanin '^Die yerlobung." w ]prr TiiTll'ff --^-•— »^»Trr . 
 i^ k to soul-life dates from the rousing of he^instincta / "So iibernahm 
 sie, von manchen Seiten geweckt, ein menschliches Gefiihl; sie folgte 
 ihm mit einer plotzlichen Bewegung, fiel ihm um den Hals, undmischte 
 ihre Thranen mit den seinigen." In "Zweikampf" Friedrich needs no 
 proof to believe in Littegarde's innocence: "In meiner Brust spricht 
 eine Stimme fiir euch weit lebhafter und uberzeugender als alle Ver- 
 sicherungen, ja selbst als alle Rechtsgrunde, die ihr . . . fiir euch 
 auf zubringen vermocht. ' ' Nor is this confidence shaken by the apparent 
 condemnation of the combat. When Littegarde is in despair, he calls 
 to her: "Thiirme das Gefiihl, das in deiner Brust lebt, wie einen Felsen 
 empor, halte dich daran und wanke nicht, und wenn Erd' und Himmel 
 unter dir und fiber dir zu Grunde gingen!" 
 
 In Ilebbel's stories we find this note particularly clear in the five 
 tales in which passion plays a strong part. Zitterlein's mad rush from 
 home, his desire to murder, his sudden revulsion of feeling at the 
 gypsy's song, are the acts of an impulsive nature. Attention has 
 already been called to the similarity between this scene and the crisis in 
 "Marquise."^ In "Die Kuh" the catastrophe is brought about by 
 the same means — the yielding to violent rage and then to equally violent 
 remorse — which Kleist employed in ''Verlobung." In "Matteo" the 
 instinct to honesty and kindness defeats in each case his determination 
 to murder and rob. Even at the moment when he thinks he has 
 nerved himself to his first crime he instinctively stops on his way to 
 warn the unsuspecting owner, whom he sees about to be robbed. Anna 
 is a creature of impulse. In the catastrophe there appear the same 
 features of violent anger and despairing regret which "Verlobung," 
 "Kuh," and "Matteo" revealed. And her lover is as impulsive as the 
 heroine herself. His wild rush into the night after the scene in the 
 flax-room, his attack on the young lord, are prompted by the same force 
 of feeling. A strong reminder of Kohlhaas is Friedrich's acquiescence 
 in his punishment after his rage is satisfied: "Dann liess er die Bauern, 
 die sich auf Befehl des Schulzen seiner Person zu bemachtigen suchten, 
 ruhig gewahren." So, also, we read of Kohlhaas, his revenge being 
 
 »Cf. p. 17. 
 
62 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 satisfied, "Demnach glich nichts der Euhe mid Zufriedenheit seiner 
 letzten Tage." In "Findling" Piachi, after killing Nicolo, displays the 
 same calm: ''Dies abgemacht, stand er, indem er alle seine Waffen 
 abgab, auf, ward ins Gefangniss gesetzt, — " In all these cases the 
 satisfaction of the overmastering desire gives the feeling of absolute 
 calm and indifference to any mere external misfortune. In "Rubin" 
 Assad is willing to undergo death rather than part with the stone to 
 which he has no right that reason can defend: " '1st Dir dein Diebstahl 
 nicht leid?' fragte der Greis. 'Nein,' versetzte Assad schnell und 
 bestimmt, 'ich weiss nicht, waB mich an diesen Stein kettet, aber es 
 mag gut sein, dass ich sterben muss, denn ich fuhl's, ehe ich ihn in den 
 Handen eines Anderen liesse, konnt' ich mich mit Raub und Mord 
 beflecken.' "^ 
 
 As an outward symbol of this highly emotional impulsiveness, both 
 ^authors recognize the tendency to frequent and violent changes of color 
 in persons of violent temperament. Not less than fifty-eight times does 
 Kleist mention the change of color by which the strong emotions of his 
 characters are accompanied. He has a great variety of expression to 
 indicate the varying appearance of different individuals under the stress 
 of emotion. "Kohlhaas": "Der Kurfiirst — iiber und iiber roth." 
 "Der Knecht, auf dessen blassem Gesicht sich bei diesen Worten eine 
 ^Rothe fleckig zeigte." "Zweikampf": "Vor Entriistung flammend." 
 ^Marquise": "Seine Lippen waren weiss wie Kreide," "Indessen 
 Blasse des Todes ihr Antlitz iiberflog," etc., etc. 
 
 Not quite so frequent, yet sufficiently so to be worthy of remark, is 
 Hebbel's use of this feature. In all, he observes the change of color 
 thirty-one times, employing expressions as varied as those of Kleist. 
 "Nacht im Jagerhause": "Der Jager ergliihte und iiber." 
 "Zitterlein": "Ein letzter Anflug von Rothe kehrte auf seine 
 Wangen." "Anna": "Zorngliihenden Gesichts." "Mit blassen, 
 bebenden Lippen." "Rubin": "Kreideweiss geworden." "Schnock": 
 "Zur Leiche erblasst," etc., etc. 
 
 II. Pessimism 
 
 A strong no te of pessimism is struck several times in Kleis t's novels. 
 It TlHdS fi^pression directly m incidental remarks. "'KolilJiaas'": 
 "Ohne irgend weiter ein bitteres Gefiihl, als das der allgemeinen Noth 
 der Welt." "Denn ein richtiges, mit der gebrechlichen Einrichtung 
 
 *In Hebbel's fragmentary drama "Ditmarschen," the heroine exclaims, "Verwirrt mir 
 nicht mein Inneres," which sounds exactly like Kleist (cf. Fries, Fragmente, 17). 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 63 
 
 der Welt schon bekanntes Gefiihl." ^'Marquise": *'Um der gebrech- 
 lichen Einrichtung der Welt willen." Indirectly we find it as an 
 undercurrent in many of his stories. I n "Kohlhaas" the injustice of 
 thej^wMjat^lar^e is taken for granted. Not only"does the matter-of- 
 fact tone of the hero's remarks, which are quoted above, show this, but 
 also the fact that the intervention of the Elector of Brandenburg was 
 motived partly by the political situation (IV, 130). Self-interest, 
 corruption at court, the s uppressio n of the we ak by the stro ng, the 
 brutality of the Elector's boayguard, lliiiyy fOfbi ilie world that is here 
 displayed. Not much mor e c heerful is the world in which the Marquise 
 von 0. is led to forgive the deed of the count becausn af l,liH jtcttwrI 
 wickedness of mankind. (IV, 58). In ^^Erdbeben'^ fanaticism and 
 brut altlv uaii v tiho day o^m lu^o, repentance, and gentleness . In 
 *'Verlobung" tne display of the wild-beast instincts of a half civilized 
 people is less appalling than the mad inconsiderateness of the hero. 
 In "Findling" dishonesty, bigotry, sensuality, and selfishness are seen 
 to be too strong for the noble, the generous, and the pure-hearted.* 
 
 That Hebbel was impressed by this pessimism is evident from an 
 entry in his diary in 1838:^ *'Es fragt sich ob, wenn Heinrich von 
 Kleist das Gebrechliche der Welteinrichtung zeigt, er nicht dadurch 
 mehr erhebt, als wenn er sie priese." Many passages from his letters 
 and diaries show the same gloomy view of the world and man's chances 
 for happiness. '*Ich bin von Dank gegen Gott erfiillt," he writes* 
 when his * 'Judith" was accepted, '*furchte mich aber vor dem Ungliick, 
 das auf so viel Gliick folgen kann." In "Schlagel" he also speaks of 
 the "Unvollkommenheit alles Irdischen." 
 
 The undertone of Hebbel 's stories is more grotesquely pessimiatic 
 than that of Kleist's. The picture of a world in which the criminalX 
 sits on the bench of justice and pronounces sentence on the innocent, j 
 which Kleist paints in ''Der zerbrochene Krug," and which is carrie^/ 
 out to an almost farcical extreme in Hebbel's "Trauerspiel in Sicilien," 
 is presented in "Matteo''' when the would-be murderer catches the 
 would-be thief and finds that he has saved the property of a mean-souled 
 miser, who is at heart worse than the real criminals (VIII, 209).* In 
 "Vagabunden" the two scamps work upon the gullibility of a conceited 
 
 » Pinower/'Kohlhaas" 1. c, 333. "Tgb. I, 107; Br. I, 45. 
 
 3 Tb. I, 208. 
 
 * Note that Matteo, like Kohlhaas, stands astonished at the world, with its contradictions 
 and misunderstandings. Like Anton in "Maria Magdalena," both seem to cry out: *'Ich 
 verstehe die Welt nicht mehr." Hebbel's affinity with the Romanticists in this novel is pointed 
 out by Collin (Grenzboten, 1894, p. 148). 
 
64 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 fool and incidentally pose as honest men by catching the thief, who is 
 trying to rob their host (VIII, 133). In *'Anna" brutality, coarseness, 
 envy, and malice reign supreme, while the only good people are wrecked 
 by their passion and lack of restraint. In **Die Kuh" it seems as 
 though innocent childhood and inanimate objects united in a diabolical 
 scheme to wreck an entire family.^ Thus with both authors impulsive 
 men and women are set in a corrupt and perverse world which arouses 
 their antagonism without teaching them restraint and wisdom. 
 
 / //. Irony 
 
 Minor, who has touched upon this subject in the article on Kleist 
 already mentioned,^ says, "Fast in jedem Stiick darf er sich die kiihne 
 Ironie erlauben, dass die handelnden Personen das als ganz unmoglich . 
 vorau ssetzen, was zuletzt auf ganz natiirlichem Wege wirklich 
 ^eschieht." Among the numerous examples the most startling is in 
 i^^Margui se," where the hfirolr'^ Hia|y|^pgpa jn a joke her real conditio n 
 (IV, 22). In the same spirit Jakob, in Hebbel's "Vagabunden,." says 
 with delightful naivete: "Damals hielt ich mich namlich selber fiir 
 dumm." And Schnock is quite astonished that he should ever labor 
 under the hallucination that he is a coward: "Weil ich, Stunden wie 
 diese ausgenommen, selbst das ganze Jahr hindurch, Gott weiss woran 
 es liegt, selberg laube dass ich's (feig) bin. " Allied to this form of irony- 
 is tha t in which the speaker reveals a quality of his nature cim fe diffe rent , 
 * 'irom _wn ^ hm thinVi Jin in " i i ii ^' g Thus the rich brewer in 
 "Zitterlein" says as an example of his superior fortitude under stress of 
 trouble: "Schicksal, Schicksal, . . . Als hier vor ungefilhr zwanzig 
 Jahren das grosse Viehsterben war, verier ich dreizehn Ochsen und einige 
 Pferde, prachtige, wohlgenahrte Thiere, doch ich dachte: der Himmel 
 will's und ranch te ruhig meine Pfeife. Dem Barbier stirbt sein Weib, 
 und er wird verriickt. So geht's." 
 
 T^nf.h fln tjinr" ahfuw u f^n ^ness for depicting the i^'ogy g^ fate. 
 Often tlie hero 's action is made to b ring about a result thej ^ery opposite 
 orthSl which he had plannea. this appears in Kleist in the fate of^ 
 TBti *iuulor Uf Saxony, in tne tragic result of Toni's diplomacy in 
 "Verlobung," and in the horrible fate brought upon Eoderigo and 
 Josephe in "Er dbehen." through the fanaticism of a priest, at the very 
 mom ent when their hearts were unlifted in wnrsl^ip. !r> MehlipL it 
 
 » Halm (Wks. XII, 253), whose own novels show the influence of Kleist and bear many 
 points of similarity to those of Hebbel, is struck with the "versohnungslose Pessimismus" that 
 forms the keynote of this novel. 
 
 aEuph. I, p. 582. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 65 
 
 appears in almost every story. Zitterlein's suspicions and rudeness 
 fairly force Agathe and Leonhardt together. Assad wins his princess by 
 the very act which he had expected would sever them forever; 
 Schnock's efforts to frighten Lene away from himself had the opposite 
 effect of attaching her the more closely to him, but bringing on him the 
 enmity of his able-bodied apprentice. 
 
 Incid entally we may note the recurrence of certain devices in both 
 writers, (^ire^s a favorite method with Kleist of hrinorinor ahmtt iha 
 catastrophe. In *'Kohlhaafl,^^ ^^ATarquise,^' ^^Findling," "Erdbeben,^^ 
 *^l!ettienn,^' a fire is most effectively used and is often described at 
 length and with great power. The same is true of Hebbel's "Anna' 
 and "Die Kuh," in the former of which the description bears some 
 similarity to that inKleist's ^'Marquise von 0." The horrible manner 
 in which the child is murdered in ''Erdbeben"(IV, 15) and in which 
 Gnstav dies in **Verlobung" (IV, 188) is repeated in Hebbel's '*Kuh" 
 (VIII, 248) and partly in "Matteo" (VIII, 213). 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 Glancing back over the way we have come, we find as definite results 
 from the analysis of the narrative prose of the two writers: (1) the 
 drama tic structure, which appears in the concentrated form and regular 
 bund 01 tn(§~TinT^" 'and also in the absolute retirement of the author 
 
 behind the characters; (2) t he g 9fl(;', ftnf,r^,t.fon nf infnrn n f i n w ^^hft rhn .ra.p- 
 
 t ers , who are, moreover, conceived not as complete but as growing and 
 changing. Again, the ^"^^fitiYity of tllf . fllltj?,f7° appears in the manner 
 in which these characters reveal themselves by their actions. These 
 points make the stories of Kleist and Hebbel the direct forerunners of 
 the modern novel as represented by Gottfried Keller and Theodor Fon- 
 tane. These traits appear in the outer as well as in the inner form of 
 the novels. Hence the te rseness of description , the slight scope given to 
 external nature, the restricted use of figures of speech, the curt, suggest- 
 ive dialogue. F inally we find a f ondQ ^sa for certain m otif s. We see tha^ 
 Kleist, while he struck his roots deep into the earth about him, developed | 
 a disjyjygnndmduality, essentially different from his compeers. With the 
 lOmanticigtif we saw, he had in common a number of traits and motifs, 
 stron as mysticism, love of the past and of foreign scenes, etc. From 
 them he differed most in his conception of the mission and the field of 
 art. For the Romanticists the novel was merely a vehicle for the most 
 intensive expression of subjective feeling. They declare this frequently 
 
 \ 
 
* 
 
 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 p. their theoretical writings/ and it is plainly apparent in their 
 roductions.^ They were strong in color and atmosphere, but weak in 
 he plastic art of shaping figures.' Their intense self -consciousness 
 anifests itself on the one hand in the poetiT^ron^wETcirnirneffTne 
 eapons of the author against his characters,* on the other in the 
 ^jl^^jjSi^jUi^Qt^^^^ his own person. 
 
 With Goethe and Schiller, Kleist showed the p^jyol^^lnyififll interest 
 and the clear narrative style which condemns intrusion on the part of the 
 author. The first German psychological novel worthy of the name was 
 Wieland's ''Agathon."^ In Blankenburg's theoretical treatment of the 
 novel* the development of character was for the first time announced as 
 the main object of the prose novel, and *'Agathon" was held up as an 
 example. Schiller's "Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre" has for its 
 object the development of character. To it Kleist's ''Michael Kohl- 
 haas" bears many points of similarity. The traces of Wolff's degeneracy 
 are followed to their earliest sources in much the same manner as that 
 in which Hebbel traces back Schnock's cowardice. Goethe's h^roej^ 
 also are ro j^ftinrTit'''^ '" *^"''* P^T^r^Txr^v. ^^^^ development as is best illus- 
 trated in "Wilhelm Meister." The Romanticists aimed at the same 
 r esult. W illiam Lovell, Heinrich von Ofterdingen, Franz Sternbald, 
 like Wilhelm Meister, are sent out into the world to acquire the art of 
 living, ^ iit we do not feel that they were more developed at the 
 than they were at the begi nning. ^ What Kerr says of Brentano is true 
 of them all: "Brentanos Thiitigkeit liegt zum allergrossten Theil darin, 
 fertigeVerhaltsisse zu erklaren, zum winzigsten sie vorwarts zu fiihren.'" 
 Added to this is the lack of initiative, of decisive will-power which all 
 
 *So Novalis could imagine tales "ohne Zusammenhang, mit Associationen wie Tra.ume." 
 (Cf. Kerr, Godwi, p. vi.) F. Schlegel (Wks., 1846, Vol. VIII, 26 ff.) in his discussion of Boccaccio 
 gives the most satisfactory exposition of the romantic view of the novel. "Die Novelle namlich 
 ist sehr geeignet, eine subjective Stimmung und Ansicht, und zwar die tiefsten und eigentiim- 
 lichsten derselben indirect und gleichsam sinnbildlich darzustellen. . . . Man isolire diese 
 natiiraliche Eigenart der Novelle, man gebe ihr die h6chste Kraft und Ausbildung, und so ent- 
 steht jene oben erwahnte Art derselben, die ich die symbolische nennen mOchte, in welcher sich 
 das subjective Geflihl in seiner ganzen Tiefe ausspricht, und die wenigstens, . . . sich immer 
 als der Gipfel und die eigentliche Bluthe der ganzen Gattung bewahren wird." 
 
 ''For this reason Novalis preferred t he fairy tale material (c f . Heilborn, Novalis, 197), and 
 Arnim's "Kronenwachter" loses much oTTBB"ffffW?Sr'fBSPrifoife and action deserve, through 
 the breaks in the motivation and the unequal flow of the narrative. 
 
 3Cf. R. M. Meyer, Litt. d. XIX Jhdts., p. 12. Also Rehorn, 1. c, p. 85. Also Farinelli 
 Grillparzer and Lope de Vega, p. 23. 
 
 * Kerr, 1. c, 81. F. Schlegel (1. c, 27) calls the short story: eine Geschichte also, die streng 
 genommen, nicht zur Geschichte gehOrt, und die Anlage zur Ironie schon in der Geburtsstunde 
 mit auf die Welt bringt." 
 
 "Rehorn, 1. c, 48 ff. « Riemann, 1. c, 192 S. 
 
 ' Kerr, Godwi, p. 97. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 67 
 
 these heroes inherited from Wilhelm Meister.* We have seen above 
 how greatly this differed from Kleist. To quote from Goedeke:^ *'An 
 Heinrich von Kleist's geschlossene Gestaltung reichte keiner von seinen 
 Zeitgenossen. " We saw that Hebbel laid the emphasis upon the same 
 point. Many expressions from his diaries and letters emphasize his 
 interest in objective characterization. To quote one of the most 
 characteristic: *'Ein Lump, der es so recht von innen heraus ist, kann 
 mit grosstem Recht zu Socrates und Plato sagen: nehmt mich, wie ich 
 bin, ich muss Euch ja auch nehmen, wie Ihr seyd."^ 
 
 We see, then, that Kleist followed in Goethe's footsteps in two 
 important points of his narrative technique: in objectivity of treatment 
 and in interest in characters. But however far Kleist remained behind 
 Goethe in breadth of view and aesthetic polish, he surpassed him in 
 sweep of passion and onward rush of action. Julian Schmidt has 
 brought out this contrast forcibly: '* Goethe sieht in seinen Novelleu 
 mit behaglichem Erstaunen den bunten Arabesken zu, die seine 
 Phantasie ihm eingiebt; man folgt ihm mit heiteren Antheil, ohne 
 grosse Aufregung; bei Kleist wiirde man gar nicht aus dem Krampf 
 kommen, wenn er nicht — wenigstens bis zu einem gewissen Punkt 
 hin, . . . diekiinstlerische Besonnenheit bewahrte."* This passionate 
 onrush of the action forms another strong point of deviation from the 
 willfulness of the Romanticists, whose wayward fancy now turned men 
 and women into stones and trees and again peopled the wilds of nature 
 with fantastic, half human forms. 
 
 The Young Germans, like the Romanticists, saw in the narrative 
 form of expression an organ for the propagation of their views on 
 social, political, and religious questions. What they lacked of Roman- 
 tic poetry and ''Stimmung," they supplied with intellectual aper9us 
 and philosophic reflection. Thus the structure of the novel was loosened 
 by multiplicity of interests, torn asunder by the insertion of extraneous 
 incidents, the dialogue was often foreign to the action, artistic 
 objectivity was lost through the obtrusion of the author. On the 
 whole, neither Romanticists nor Young Germans seem to have turned 
 to the novel as to an art form worth cultivating for its own sake. 
 
 In Kleist, the dramatist creates out of the subjectivity of the 
 Romanticists on the one hand, which threatened to burst asunder the 
 form of the novel, and the broad universality of Goethe on the other, 
 which excluded great force of passion, a form that was exceedingly 
 
 ^ Mielke, p. 31 flf. « Grundriss, VI, p. 375. 
 
 » Tgb. II, p., 47. * Cf. Schmidt, Introd. to Wks., I, p. ciii. 
 
68 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 well adapted for the modern ideas of which he was the pioneer. We 
 have seen that Hebbel, walking in Kleist's footsteps, was less successful 
 in his use of this form of literature. He was well aware of this. In 
 1840 he writes: *'Ich bin immer gleich zu Ende; wenn die Gedanken 
 aus sind, ist es mit der Schreiblust gewiss vorbei, und meistens schon 
 viel friiher. Deswegen taug' ich auch nicht zum Erzahler, so leicht es 
 mir sonst anch wird, Situationen u.d.gl. zu erfinden. Ich komme nie 
 ordentlich in den Gang, alles scheint mir so unwichtig, so liber- 
 fliissig, . . ."^ No better explanation could be found of the flaws in 
 Hebbel's narrative style. As we saw in the above sbudy, he insisted 
 on the dramatic note more strongly than Kleist, both in his use of 
 dialogue and the severe compactness of his form. Kleist evaded the 
 former danger by the extensive use of indirect discourse, keeping the 
 narrative flow of events unbroken except in moments of intense excite- 
 ment. He gives an epic calm to his style and a feeling of repose, 
 occasionally, by means of genre pictures such as that of Jeronimo and 
 Josephe in the moonlight pomegranate grove ("Erdbeben, p. 7), 
 Kohlhaas nursing his sick child (p. 134), the Marquise calmly "knitting 
 little stockings for little legs" in her arbor (p. 40), Elvire sewing by 
 the light of her lamp (pp. 215 ff.), etc. Hence Brahm said of Kleist: 
 "Er riickte die Erziihlung eng an das Drama heran und iibertrug auf 
 sie die kiinstlerischen Erfahrungen, welche er bei diesem gemacht; 
 aber er blieb sich auch des Trennenden gut bewusst und erschuf sich 
 selbstandig eine Gattung, welche in der Geschichte der Novelle eine 
 neue Entwicklung bedeutet."^ 
 
 We saw above that Hebbel used the direct dialogue more extensively 
 than Kleist, and in the rush of events he gave no resting place such as 
 we found in Kleist. His "Anna," "Kuh," "Haidvogel," "Matteo," 
 are gloomy pictures filled with horrible or squalid misery and without 
 a moment's relief. They seem like an exaggeration of Kleist's style and 
 manner, in the clearness and sharpness of the wording, which, without 
 any extenuating or explanatory softening, cuts like steel.' The sto- 
 ries pass in a series of sharply defined situations in which characters 
 clash upon one another and events follow events in a climax that is 
 painful in its pitilessness. 
 
 In later years Hebbel felt this very strongly himself: "... ich 
 fing mit Erzahlungen an und fand meinen Euhepunkt im Drama." 
 
 1 Bfw. I, 92. Also Bfw. I, p. 54; II, p. 164; II, p. 22; II, p. 220; also Kulke, Errinnerungen 
 an Friedrich Hebbel, Wien, 1878, p. 75. 
 2Cf. Brahm, 1. c, 151. 
 sCf. Kilhne's criticism of "Schnock," Bfw. I, p. 433, and Bartels, F. Hebbe , 44. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 IV. BOOKS AND ARTICLES QUOTED 
 
 EDITIONS 
 
 Werner, R. M.: Friedrich Hebbel, Samtliche Werke. Berlin, 1901. 
 Zolling, Theophil: Heinrich von Kleists Samtliche Werke. Deutsche National- 
 Litteratur. Berlin and Stuttgart s. a. (1885). 
 
 LETTERS AND DIARIES 
 
 Bamberg, Felix: Friedrich Hebbels Brief wechsel mit Freunden und beriihmten 
 
 Zeitgenossen. Berlin 1890-2. 
 Bamberg, Felix: Friedrich Hebbels Tagebiicher. Berlin, 1885-7. 
 Biedermann, Karl: Heinrich von Kleists Brief e an seine Braut. Breslau, 1884. 
 Koberstein, A.: Heinrich von Kleists Briefe an seine Schwester Ulrike. Berlin, 
 
 1860. 
 Werner, R. M.: Friedrich Hebbels Briefe, Nachlese. Berlin, 1900. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS 
 
 Aliskiewicz, A.: Friedrich Hebbels aesthetische Ansichten. Brody, 1900, 
 Anonymous: Heinrich von Kleist und Friedrich Hebbel. AUgemeine Zeitung 
 
 (Augsburg). Beilage, 1882, No. 293. 
 Badstueber, Hubert: Heinrich von Kleist, Sein Leben und seine Werke. Wien, 
 
 1902. 
 Bamberg, Felix: AUgemeine deutsche Biographie (Kleist and Hebbel). Leipzig, 
 
 1880. 
 Bartels, A.: Der Sieg Hebbels, Deutsche Monatsschrift. II, 1 (1902). 
 1/ Biese, Alfred: Die Entwickelung des Naturgefiihls im Mittelalter und in der 
 
 Neuzeit. Leipzig, 1892. 
 Bischoff, H.: Laokoon und Heinrich von Kleist. Zeitschrift f. d. dtsch. Unter- 
 
 richt XII, 348. 
 Bonafons, R. : Henri de Kleist, sa Vie et ses Oeuvres. Paris, Hachette, 1894. 
 v-^Brahm, Otto: Heinrich von Kleist. Berlin, 1884. 
 Bijlow, Ed.: Heinrich von Kleists Leben und Briefe. Berlin, 1848. 
 Collin: Die Weltanschauung der Romantik und Friedrich Hebbel. Grenzboten, 
 
 1894. 
 Donner, D.: Der Einflusz Wilhelm Meisters auf den Roman der Romantiker. 
 
 Berlin, 1893. Review by Walzel, Anzeiger f. d. Altertum, XXII, 219. 
 Farinelli, A.: Grillparzer und Lope de Vega. Berlin, 1894. 
 ViFeierfeil, Geo.: "Die Verlobung in St. Domingo" von H. v. K. und Theodor 
 
 Komers "Toni." Jahresbericht des offentlichen Stiftsobergymnasiums in 
 
 Braunau. 1892. 
 Fischer, H.: Klassizismus und Romantik in Schwaben zu Anfang unseres Jahr 
 
 hunderts. Tiibingen, 1891. 
 Friedmann, L.: II drama tedesco del nostro secolo. Milano, 1893. Transl. by 
 
 Weber. Leipzig, 1900. 
 
70 KLEIST AND HEBBEL 
 
 Fries, A.: Vergleichende Studien zu Hebbels Fragmenten nebst Miscellen zu 
 seinen Werken und Tagebiichern. Berlin, 1903. 
 
 V Fiirst, R.: Die Vorlaufer der modernen Novelle im 18. Jhrh. Halle, 1897. 
 
 V Gaudig, H.: Aus deutschen Lesebiichern 5, IV. Gera und Leipzig, 1899. 
 Georgy, Ernst: Die Tragodie Friedrich Hebbels nach ihrem Ideengehalt. Leip- 
 zig, 1904. 
 
 Grimm, H.: Fiinfzehn Essays. Erste Folge. Berlin, 1884 (3d ed.). 
 Hahn, F.: Wks. Wien, Gerold, 1856-72. XII, 241 £f. 
 Haym, R.: Die romantische Schule. Leipzig, 1870. 
 Heilborn, E,: Novalis der Roman tiker. Berlin, 1901. 
 Heine, Carl: Der Roman in Deutschland von 1774 bis 1778. Halle, 1892. 
 ' Hirzel, R.: Der Dialog, Vol. II. Leipzig, 1895. 
 
 Holzgraefe, Wilhelm: Schillersche Einfliisse auf Heinrich von Kleist. Cuxhaven, 
 
 1902. 
 Huch, Ricarda: Bliithezeit der Romantik. Leipzig, 1901 (2d ed.). 
 Jahn, O.: Friedrich Hebbel. Zum 90. Geburtstag, Progr. Trautenau, 1903. 
 Kade, R.: Zu Kleists "Verlobung in St. Domingo" und Korners "Toni." Grenz- 
 
 boten, 1889, 171 ff. 
 Kerr, A.: Godwi. Berlin, 1898. 
 Klenze, C. von: The Treatment of Nature in the Works of Nikolaus Lenau. 
 
 Chicago, 1902. 
 Kuh, Emil: Biographie Friedrich Hebbels. Wien, Braumiiller, 1877. 
 Kulke, E.: Erinnerungen an Friedrich Hebbel. Wien, 1878. 
 Lemmermeyer, F.: Carl von Holtei und Friedrich Hebbel (ungedruckter Brief- 
 
 wechsel). Deutsche Rundschau, Dec, 1897. 
 \ Meyer, R. M. : Die deutsche Litteratur im 19. Jhrh. Berlin, 1900. 
 Meyer, R. M.: Goethe. Berlin, 1898 (2d ed.). 
 Meyer, R. M.: Otto Ludwigs "Maria." Euphorion, VII, 104. 
 Mielke, H.: Der deutsche Roman im 19. Jhrh. Braunschweig, 1898 (3d ed.). 
 Minde-Pouet, G.: Heinrich von Kleist, Seine Sprache und sein Stil. Weimar, 
 
 1897. 
 ^'Minor, J.: Studien zu Heinrich von Kleist. Euphorion, I (1894), 564. 
 Minor, J.: Zum Jubilaum Eichendorffs. Zeitschr. f. d. Phil., XXI, 214. 
 Miiller-Fraureuth : Die Ritter- und Rauberromane. Halle, 1894. 
 Muncker, F. : Ein Nachtrag zum Studium der Novellen Kleists. AUgemeine 
 
 Zeitung (Augsburg). Beilage, 1884, No. 153. 
 Neumann, A.: Aus Hebbels Werdezeit. Progr. Zittau, 1899. 
 Nerrlich, Paul: Jean Paul. Sein Leben und seine Werke. Berlin, 1889. 
 Niejahr, J.: Kleists "Penthesilea." Vierteljahrschr. f. Litteraturgesch., VI, 506. 
 vPniower, Otto: Heinrich von Kleists "Michael Kohlhaas." Brandenburgia, X, 
 » No. 9 (1901). 
 
 Rehorn, Karl: Der deutsche Roman. Koln u. Leipzig, 1890. 
 Riemann, R.: Goethes Romantechnik. Diss. Leipzig, 1901, (Book form, 
 
 1902). 
 Scheunert, A.: Der Pantragismus als System der Weltanschauimg Friedrich 
 
 Hebbels. Hamburg, 1903. 
 "^ Schlegel, Fr.: Wks. Wien, 1846. 
 Schlegel, A. W.: Wks. Leipzig, 1847. 
 
KLEIST AND HEBBEL 71 
 
 Schlosser, R.: Rameans Neffe. Berlin, 1900. (Euph. X, 305.) 
 vSchlosser, R.: Heinrich von Kleists "Michael Kohlhaas." Zeitschrift f. deutsch. 
 
 Phil. XXXV, H. 4. 
 \, Schmidt, Erich: Kleists "Heilige Cacilie" in urspriinglicher Gestalt. Viertel- 
 
 jahrschrift f. Litteraturgesch. Ill, 191. 
 Schmidt, Erich: Heinrich von Kleist als Dramatiker. (Charakteristiken.) 
 
 Berlin, 1886. 
 Schmidt, Erich: Handschriftliches iiber Heinrich von Kleist. Vierteljahrschr. 
 
 f. Litteraturgesch. II, 301. 
 Schmidt, Erich: Richardson, Rousseau und Goethe. Jena, 1875. 
 Schmidt, Julian: Introduction to edition of Kleist's Wks. Berlin, 1863 (2d ed.). 
 Schmidt, Julian: Hebbel. Grenzboten, 1850, 725. 
 Schwerin, R.: Hebbels tragische Theorie, I. Rostock, 1903. 
 Servaes, F. : Heinrich von Kleist. Leipzig, Berlin u. Wien, 1902. 
 
 — Seuffert, B.: Goethes "Novelle." Goethe-Jahrbuch, XIX, 133. 
 
 - Spielhagen, F.: Theorie des Romans. Leipzig, 1883. 
 
 Spielhagen, F.: Beitrage zur Theorie und Technik der Epik imd Dramatik. 
 
 Leipzig, 1883. 
 Spielhagen, F.: Neue Beitrage zur Theorie und Technik der Epik imd Dramatik. 
 Leipzig, 1898. 
 -— • Steig, R. : Heinrich von Kleists Berliner Kampfe. Berlin u. Stuttgart, 1901. 
 ^ Steig, R.: Neue Kunde zu Heinrich von Kleist. Berlin, 1902. 
 
 Tieck, L.: Introduction to Kleists Works. Berlin, 1846. (First ed., 1821.) 
 Weissenfels, R.: CJber franzosische und antike Elements im Stil Heinrich von 
 Kleists. Braunschweig, 1888. 
 '^ Werner, R. M.: Kleists Novelle ''Die Marquise von O." Vierteljahrschr. f. 
 Litteraturgesch. Ill, 483. 
 Werner, Karl: Hebbel und Thorwaldsen. Euphorion, I, 268. 
 ' Wilbrandt, A.: Heinrich von Kleist. Nordlingen, 1863. 
 Zeiss, Karl: Introduction to Hebbels Works. Leipzig und Wien, s. a. (1900). 
 Zielinski, T. : Die Behandlung gleichzeitiger Ereignisse im antiken Epos. Leipzig, 
 Diss., 1901. ,.' 
 
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