University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Johann Beer'S 'Winternaechte' And 'Sommertaege': Non-Courtly Elements In The German Novel Of The Baroque Period

(USC Thesis Other)

Johann Beer'S 'Winternaechte' And 'Sommertaege': Non-Courtly Elements In The German Novel Of The Baroque Period

PDF

Download

Open document

Flip pages

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content This dissertation has been
microfilmed exactly as received 69-4532
KNOX, Edgar Guerin, 1929-
JOHANN BEER’S WINTERN&CHTE AND '
SOMMERTXGE: NON-COURTLY ELEMENTS IN
THE GERMAN NOVEL OF THE BAROQUE PERIOD.
[Portions of Text in German].
University of Southern California, Ph.D., 1968
Language and Literature, modem
University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan
C opyright (c) by
EDGAR GUERIN KNOX
JOHANN BEER'S WINTERN&CHTE AND SQMMERT&GE
NON-COURTLY ELEMENTS IN THE GERMAN NOVEL
OF THE BAROQUE PERIOD
by
Edgar Guerin Knox
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(German)
August 1968
U N IV E R SIT Y O F S O U T H E R N C A L IF O R N IA
TH E GRADUATE SCHOO L
U NIVERSITY PARK
LO S A N G ELES. CA LIFO RN IA 9 0 0 0 7
This dissertation, written by
Edgar. Knox....................
under the direction of h ^....Dissertation Com
mittee, and approved by all its members, has
been presented to and accepted by the Graduate
School, in partial fulfillment of requirements
for the degree of
D O C T O R OF P H IL O S O P H Y
o
Dean
Date..........................
f "Tn
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
Chairman
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION................. 1
Beer's Life and Intellectual Milieu
Modern Editions and Investigations of
Beer's Literary Works
Area and Purpose of This Investigation
PART I. STRUCTURE
Chapter
I. PLOT DEVELOPMENT............................. 20
II. STYLISTIC TECHNIQUE ........................... 48
The Function of the Narrator
Use of Direct Speech
Introductions and Direct Address to
the Reader
Realistic Portrayal
Unity
Crudeness
Didacticism and Humor
PART II. THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD VIEW
III. THE SOCIAL AND MORAL O R D E R ................. 92
Upbringing of Youth
The Landed Lesser Nobility
ii
Chapter Page
The Peasantry
The Moral Order
Middle-Class Town Life
Court Life
Women, Marriage and the Family
Individual Existence and the Need
for Friendship
The Circle of Friends and Peripheral
Characters
The Circle of Friends and Family
Relationships
The Musician
The Nature of Musical Portrayal in the
Two Novels
IV. FRIENDSHIP 147:
V. MUSIC 171
VI. RETREAT FROM THE WORLD 188
CONCLUSION 213
BIBLIOGRAPHY 222
iii
INTRODUCTION
Beer's Life and Intellectual Milieu '
i
| Richard Alewyn has done exhaustive research concerning
Beer's life.’ * ' It is therefore necessary to give only a
brief resume of the most important facts at this point.
Johann Beer was born on February 28, 1655 in St.
teeorgen, Attergau, Upper Austria, the son of an innkeeper.
i
!
Although a Protestant, he was educated in the Benedictine
Monastery in Lambach and from 1670 to 1676 in the Gymnasium
Poeticum in Regensburg. At the same time, he received pri
vate music instruction. In 1676 and 1677, Beer spent about
six months at the University of Leipzig, where he had ma
triculated as a student of theology. During this time he
appeared in the court chapel of Duke August von Halle-
Weifienfels-Querfurt as "musicus vocalis und Altist." He
held this position after leaving the university. In 1679
•^"Johann Beer. Studien zum Roman des 17. Jahrhunderts,"
Palaestra. CLXXXI (1932).
1
I 2
!
jBeer married the daughter and only heir of a deceased inn-
i
keeper in Halle, and thereby acquired the proprietorship of
the inn "Zum schwarzen Baren." In the following year, the
court moved to Weiftenfels and Beer followed. Most of his
jeleven children were born here from 1681 to 1696. Beer was
named concertmaster and court librarian in 1685. Although
his literary activity had long since ceased, he was at the
i
jheight of his career when mortally wounded in a hunting
1
i
Occident. He died on August 6, 1700.
| Of all the regions of Germany, the area of Saxony-
I
Thuringia was one of the most fertile from an artistic
standpoint. As in Silesia, the cultures of the Protestant
north and the Catholic south found a common meeting ground.
The artistic element in which both cultures met and mixed
jwas music. The middle-class element cultivated church music
and popular songs, while the courts furthered opera and
ioratorio. The two influences are marked in the works of the
musicians of the time and later in Bach and Handel.
The middle-class culture was located primarily in the
schools and churches, while the courtly culture was gener
ated from the many small residences, particularly from the
filial residences of Saxony. It was in this latter environ
ment that the individualistic nature of Beer found its
element and room for development.
Between these two cultural levels arose the academic
isymnasium in WeiSenfels, intended for the education of the
jnobility of the court as well as the civil servants of the j
court. It was based both on the educational tradition of
middle-class humanism and the way of life of the modern
|
Jcourt. Thus the teachers of the institution belonged to
that small but important group of men who combined the in
tellectual development of the middle class with the social
culture of the courts to create the new' "political" man3
formulated at the Weifienfels Gymnasium by its most important
I
and influential teacher, Christian Weise, in his four polit-
I
ical novels. Weise was active in Weifienfels from 1670 to
|l678. Although he left the city one year before the arrival
pf Beer, the latter knew and respected Weise (as indicated
I 2
by one of Beer's epigrams). Weise's successor was Johann
|
Riemer, who followed in Weise's footsteps with his own
|
political novels. Riemer and Beer probably knew each other
i
|
well (p. 54). Other literary and musical lights of the day
vere known to Beer, including Gottfried Vockerodt and Caspar
iPrintz, with whom he carried on a literary feud for a time
^Alewyn, "Johann Beer," p. 54.
(p. 57).
4
Modern Editions and Investigations
of Beer's Literary Works
The name Johann Beer was unknown to literary historians
until the late 1920's when Richard Alewyn, while systemati
cally working through little-known prose works of the seven
teenth century, noticed an unmistakable similarity among
works which appeared under varied pseudonyms. He was able
to establish common authorship for twenty novels, the author
being Johann Beer. But the relative inaccessibility of
these works has limited subsequent investigations which
jcould be based on the original editions, while the lack of
j
modern editions has proved to be an equally formidable ob-
! . -
i
btacle to Beer's reception by a larger reading public. In
the nearly forty years that have passed since Alewyn wrote
I
i
his outstanding work on Beer, the situation has improved
|
only a little. In 1943, Karl Winkler published a shortened
version of the Teutsche Winternachte with modernized spell-
3
ing and punctuation. In 1957, Alewyn published modernized
!
versions of Narrensnital and Jucundi Jucundissimi wunder-
4
liche Lebensbeschreibuna in a pocket book edition. Die
3Erfurt, 1943. 4Hamburg, 1957.
kurzweilicren Sommertaqe. which appeared in 1958 under the
editorship of Wolfgang Schmitt, is the only critical edition
5
of a work by Beer. A drastically altered version of an
other novel by Beer was published under the name Die Aben-
teuer des iunaen Jan Rebhu by Josef Friedrich Fuchs in
1960.^ In 1961, Fritz Habeck published a volume entitled
Per verliebte Bsterreicher oder Johannes Beer, in which
numerous passages from different novels are presented to
7
gether with a humorous literary portrait of Beer himself.
Most valuable is the inclusion of a shortened, modernized
version of Per verliebte flsterreicher. Richard Alewyn pub
lished in 1963 Die teutschen Winter-Nachte and Die kurz-
jweilicren Sommer-Taae with modernized punctuation and orthog-
raphy.
i
i
i In 1963 Beer's autobiography was discovered and subse-
j
guently published in 1965, but it is disappointing in that
! . . . . 9
jit contains no mention of his literary activity. It is
fruitful in that it describes many incidents from Beer's
^Halle/Salle, 1958. ^Vienna, 1960.
7Graz, 1961. ^Frankfurt am Main, 1963.
^Sein Leben. von ihm selbst erzahlt. ed. Adolf Schmie-
decke (Gottingen, 1965).
(personal life that are strikingly similar to incidents in
! . . .
jhis novels and that provide some basis for an interpretation
of his literary works.
i
Since only a limited number of Beer's literary produc- i
Itions are available, some of which are unreliable,, it is not;
i
Jsurprising that little has been done with Beer since Ale- j
t
wyn's ground-breaking work. Philological reference works
i
i
and literary histories limit their comments by and large to
|an abbreviated version of Alewyn's findings.
Only a few authors other than Alewyn have contributed
(to the literature on Beer's works. Hans Friederick Menck,
at almost the same time as Alewyn, dealt with Beer the musi
cian and was also able to establish him as the author of
I
|
several of his novels. Arnold Hirsch's pathfinding Bur-
t
Perturn und Barock im deutschen Roman analyzes the signifi
cance of Beer's work from the sociological viewpoint and
i
i
helps orient Beer's literary works in the larger framework
f
I .11 . . .
pf Baroque literature. Heinz Krause's dissertation xn
musicology contributes further to the understanding of Beer
10"Der Musiker im Roman," Beitraae zur neueren Litera-
turgeschichte. XVIII (1931).
U 2nd ed. (Koln, 1957).
_
7
12
the musician as well as the musical element in his novels.
Ilse Hartl's dissertation on Die Rittergeschichten Johannes
Beers is the first effort to deal exclusively with Beer's
literary works since Alewyn and is a valuable contribution
13
toward understanding Beer's earlier works. In 1965 Jorg- j
Jochen Muller's monograph on the so-called Willenhag novels
14
appeared. While Alewyn's approach to Beer is generous m
|
its evaluation of Beer's originality and freshness, Muller
takes an opposite, negative approach, seeing little of value
jin Beer's style as a novelist or in his outlook on life as
indicated in his prose.
Area and Purpose of This Investigation
Beer's works were written almost entirely within a
period of seven years, from his twenty-second to his twenty-
eighth year (1677 to 1684), after which he apparently fell
silent as a novelist. His earliest works are made up of
stories of knighthood, a result of his wide-ranging
I
I
•^Johannes Beer 1655-1700. Zur Musikauffassuncr im 17.
Jahrhundert (diss., Leipzig, 1935).
■^Diss., Vienna, 1947.
l^Studien zu den Willenhaa-Romanen Johann Beers (Mar-
burg, 1965).
! 8
j
acquaintanceship in this literature, mentioned in Sommer-
taae (p. 829). GrimmeIshausen's influence is clear in the
next group of works which are by and large picaro in style,
beginning with the Simplicianischer Welt-Kucker. His third
group of novels is satirical in nature, directed primarily j
i
against the small-minded, gossipy atmosphere of the town, !
i
i
|which Beer must have found particularly oppressive (see pp.
jl24-130 below). Beer's literary efforts culminate in Die
j
i
iteutschen Winternachte and Die kurzweiliqen Sommertaae. In
these two novels, Beer has found his own style, which is
i
Unmatched in any work by him or any other author of the age.
|
i
jThe instability (but not the frivolity) of the picaro has
|
been overcome, the narrative action broadens, and the
structure of the novels allows signs of an ethical develop-
i
j
jment on the part of the hero to appear.
These two novels are the subject of this investigation.
jAlthough they appear under different pseudonyms, there is no
i
question that Sommertaae is a continuation of Winternachte.
despite the different names given to the characters of the
story. The strongest proof for this assumption is the in
terior evidence provided by the two novels themselves.
Sommertaae begins approximately at the same point at which
Winternachte ends, with only a brief introduction which
provides Sommertaae with its own beginning and gives sepa
rate motivation to the first theme. This was undoubtedly
intended to make the book more acceptable to the reader who
had not read Winternachte. At the end of Winternachte. the
main characters determine to better their lives and become
hermits, while at the beginning of Sommertaae they make this
resolution reality. Following this general comparison, it
is not difficult to recognize the essential identity behind
the different names in the two novels. Zendorio a Zen-
jdoriis, the narrator of Winternachte. is identical to Wolff-
gang von Willenhag, who fulfills the same function in Som
mertaae . At the juncture of both books he is married, his
wife (Caspia in Winternachte) is now called Sophia in Som
mertaae . and they have an infant son. Zendorio's father,
I
Monsieur Pileman, is called Alexander in Sommertaae and is
|
the father of Wolffgang. The pious Irishman of Winternachte
becomes the pious Scotchman, Friderich, in the second novel.
Zendorio's first and best friend is Isidoro, while Wolff
gang 's best friend is called Gottfried, and Isidoro's broth
er, Ergasto, becomes Gottfried's brother Christoph of Som
mertaae . The fun-loving Ludwig of Winternachte is encoun
tered as the equally hilarious Philipp of Sommertaae. These
are the most definite and obvious relationships between the
•two novels and are sufficient to establish the two works as
i
!
continuous. A fact that carried the assumption of relation
ship and continuity beyond all doubt is that in various
1
places characters of Sommertace are otherwise inexplicably j
15
referred to by their corresponding names in Winternachte.
The titles of the two works read as follows:
Zendorii a Zendoriis Teutsche Winter-Nachte oder die
ausfuhrliche und denkwiirdige Beschreibung seiner Lebens-
Geschicht, darinnen begriffen allerlei Fugnissen und
seltsame Begebenheiten, curiose Liebes-Historien und
merkwurdige Zufalle etlicher von Adel und anderer Privat-
Personen. Nicht allein mit allerlei Umstanden und Dis-
! cursen ausfuhrlich entworfen, sondern auch mit taug-
lichen Sitten-Lehren hin und wieder ausgespicket, alien
! Liebhabern der zeitverkiirzenden Schriften, wes Standes
| oder Condition dieselben sein mogen, zu sonderlicher
Belustigung, nicht ohne dem daraus entspringenden Nut-
zen, entworfen und erstlich von dem Autore selbsten j
beschrieben, hernachmals aber zum bessern Gebrauch der j
Lesenden iibersetzt und mit saubern Kupfern gezieret an
den Tag gegeben. Gedruckt im 1682. Jahr
and
j Die kurzweiligen Sommer-Tage oder ausfuhrliche Historia,
| in welcher umstandlich erzahlet wird, wie eine vertraute
adelige Gesellschaft sich in heifier Sommerszeit zusammen-
j getan und wie sie solche in Aufstofiung mancherlei Aben-
teuer und anderer merkwurdiger Zufalle kurzweilig und
erspriefilich hingebracht. Zum allgemeinen Nutzen und
Gebrauch des teutschen Lesers entworfen, auch mit saubern
Kupfern gezieret, an den Tag gegeben durch WoIffgang von
Willenhag Oberosterreichischen von Adel. Gedruckt im
■^Thus, Ludwig instead of Philipp, ST. p. 505; Isidoro
Instead of Gottfried, ST, pp. 549, 683, 685; see Alewyn, ST,
; ?p. 867 and 869, "Anmerkungen.1 1 ________________________________
11
1683. Jahr
The texts used are Richard Alewyn1s editions: Johann
Beer, Die teutschen Winter-Nachte und Die kurzweilicren Som
mer -Taae (Frankfurt am Main, 1963), hereafter referred to as
WN and ST. These are based on the original editions of 1682
and 1683 respectively and have been somewhat standardized ini
regard to orthography and word usage (see pp. 860-861 of
Alewyn's editions above).
It is significant that Beer, as a Protestant, was en
gaged at a Protestant court. At a Catholic court the ebul
lient, individualistic spirit of Beer might have been sti
fled in the conservative atmosphere of conformism. Just as
the courtly ideal carries Catholic characteristics, so is
i
Beer's anti-courtly attitude based on Protestantism. The
I
^representative courtly-gallant type of novel for a man of
!
!
Beer1s temperament and Protestant background would be un-
i
}
thinkable. The lack of representation and the simplicity in
the way of life of his main characters is typical of Prot
estantism. The Protestant eliminated decorative detail from
his church and ceremonial pomp from his relationship to God.
The ideal of simplicity and genuineness carried over into
human relations. When Beer shows his distrust of the super-
ficiality of the courts and emphasizes the inner worth of
12
an individual despite his background or social standing, he
is representing in essence Protestant ethic. For the Prot
estant, man's relationship to God does not require servil-
!
ity. Just as God is the Heavenly Father, so is the prince j
whom the Protestant serves more a fatherly figure rather
16
than an unapproachable ruling lord. Beer's role at the
Protestant court of Weifienfels as revealed in his autobiog
raphy indicates this sort of relationship. Thus the Prot
estant can regard his fellow man as a "fellow," and in a
I
i
jlike manner the figures in Beer's novels can meet each other
as equals in trust and friendship regardless of differences
in social rank.
It is also characteristically Protestant that Beer em
phasizes service to a common good, in contrast to the court
ly ethic of personal success. Although the common good in
iBeer’s two novels is limited to a relatively small group of
!friends, they are dedicated primarily to serving each other
as a group rather than themselves as individuals. And they
are not concerned with a reward either in this life or the
hereafter. Such a group of individualists as Beer's group
of friends, who base their outlook on the religious
16As seen in Fleming and Gryphius.
13
individualism of Protestantism, letting their conscience
guide them in their conduct, are bound to find themselves in
opposition to the idea of absolutism because the absolute
state rests on the principle of unconditional subservience
of the individual will to the state. "Ein Christenmensch
i
jist ein dienstbarer Knecht aller Dinge und jederman unter-
i .
tan. Ein Christenmensch ist ein freier Herr liber alle Dinge
17
und niemand untertan." The human relationships expressed
in Beer's two novels stand on this expression of Protestant
ethic. However, Beer's attitude toward life cannot be
called middle-class. He points out in both Winternachte and
Sommertaae the reactionary small-mindedness of the typical
townsman as well as the growing influence of "Alamode" (see
pp. 128-129 below). By Beer's time, courtly customs and
mannerisms had already made strong inroads into middle-class
life, a process described by Erika Vogt:
Die Flugschriften urn die Jahrhundertwende arbeiten noch
mit der Formel der "uralten teutschen Redlichkeit'1, wah-
rend in der Literatur der Oberschicht das Hofische langst
zum allgemeinen Wertmesser geworden ist. Gerade die bur
ger liche Literatur aber, die angebliche Tragerin der
deutschtiimelnden Bestrebungen, bemachtigt sich in der
■^Martin Luther, "Von der Freiheit eines Christen-
nenschen," Ausaewahlte Werke. ed. H. H. Borcherdt and Georg
:Herz, 3rd ed. (Munich, 1962), II, 269.
14
Folgezeit mit einem ebenso groSen Eifer der hofischen
Lebensgrundsatze wie die eigentlichen Hofkreise, ein
Zeichen, daS burgerlich und hofisch durchaus nicht un-
vereinbare Gegensatze sind.-*-®
The same qualities that separate the circle of the
landed nobility in Beer's novels from the courtly milieu
create an equal distance between Beer and the middle-class
culture of the towns. The flowering culture of the middle
jclass of the sixteenth century stagnated in the seventeenth
i
jcentury to a conservatism that jealously guarded the status
I
jquo. Those who did not practice one of the recognized
middle-class professions in a conventional manner, such as
Jartists in general and musicians in particular, were not
I
^accepted into the mainstream of middle-class life. The
1
[
creative aspirations of the artist found relatively little
outlet, and thus the decision of many to turn to the courts,
jas did Beer the musician. But Beer the author found it
|
necessary to create his own milieu in order to express him-
i
Leif as an observer of his times, for he was not satisfied
|
with the alternatives. By basing his two most important
novels in the world of the landed nobility, Beer was able to
yiew critically life around him and at the same time to give
■ * - 8Pie aeaenhofische Stromuna in der deutschen Barock-
literatur (Leipzig, 1932), pp. 49f. ______
15
expression to the cornerstones of his view of life: friend-
iship and independence in an atmosphere of optimism and tol
erance. On these underpinnings, which he represents in all
19
earnestness, he was able to create the comic novel, whxch
is a manifestation not only of Beer's personal sense of
humor but also of a gradual change in the outlook on life
toward the close of the seventeenth century from pessimism
to optimism. Of equal importance to the creation of the
comic novel is the shifting of the social, economic and
I
^religious orientation of Beer's two works. The author as
well as the mood and the milieu of the novels are no longer
|
determined by courtly concepts, nor by middle-class concepts
j(as in the case of Wickram, for example), and therefore the
incidents are all the more genuine in their unrestrained
umor and vitality. The unhealthy intrigues of the court,
|
where personal ambition predominated and the enmity of one's
fellow-man was assumed, and the petty suspicions and small-
mindedness of the towns are nonexistent among the circle of
friends and their associates. Here, all differences are
resolved to the satisfaction of everyone in the well-
•^Herbert Singer, Der deutsche Roman zwischen Barock
and Rokoko (Koln/Graz, 1963), p. 109.
Imeaning, good-natured society of the lesser nobility. They
i
jare not concerned with an individual struggle for a place in
i
the sun or the favor of a ruler or the opinion of their
neighbors. In their independent state, they seek out each i
I
other’s company as well as the company of any like-minded j
individual of whatever station in life. Always prepared to
engage undertakings for their common amusement, they are
also willing to aid each other in order to maintain their
free existence.
j The non-courtly novel was a means of expressing oppo-
j
jsition to the elevated, esoteric Baroque way of life. Spe
cifically for Beer, his writings also provided him with a
counterweight to the taxing duties and formalities of court
jlife. He was probably glad of the opportunity to exercise
jhis imagination in re-creating what amounted to his own non-
courtly existence of past years for the amusement of his
i
'friends as well as for himself. Here he re-created what for
I
[
jhim must have been a genuine reality to balance the pomp and
i
jcircumstance which he was obliged to create as court musi
cian.
The opportunity to practice his musical artistry and
develop his talents was a benevolence he probably never
would have found in the confined intellectual atmosphere of
17
middle-class Regensburg. At the same time, he must also
have longed for the freedom of action that he appears to
have enjoyed as a youth. This he also re-created in his
novels. Beer presents the picture of an artist, a talented
musician, who in the confines of the formal practice of his
art, finds his artistic spirit in conflict with another side
of his being which longs to express itself in absolute free
dom. The whole man or universal man was possible in the
seventeenth century but is no longer limited to the courtly
man. The problem in Beer1s works is presented as simply man
the artist, man the sinner, man the God-seeker, without con
sideration of social rank. One sees an attempt by Beer to
bridge over not only the dichotomy of the flesh and the
spirit, or man and God, but other divisions and conflicts
that also threaten a harmonious existence; that of the
artist and society, the social difference of nobleman and
j
jcitizen, the conflict of the natural thrust of life and
|
morality. Beer's presentation of these seemingly natural
disunities is a tribute as well to his own unique but essen
tially harmonious nature that united such opposites. He was
unique in being able to find possibly the only category in
the baroque world that allowed him to give full expression
to his many-sided, turbulent nature— the court musician.
18
Here he had the opportunity and the means to practice his
art and at the same time to re-create the roots of his na
ture, so to speak, in his novels. Thus he establishes him
self in a position between the courtly and the popular
middle class, a position which corresponds precisely to the |
lesser nobility of Winternachte and Sommertaae. Courtly
life itself is rejected, as is life in the towns. Here is a
world as independent as it could possibly be in the seven
teenth century and in many aspects perhaps closer to popular
elements than courtly because of the necessary personal con-
i
I
tact of the nobleman with those in his employ and his immed
iate district.
Some of the important elements in the two novels have
sither been somewhat neglected by Alewyn because of the re
quirements of space and the necessity of dealing with almost
all of Beer's novels, or have been rejected as unimportant
and even distorted by Muller. By relying on the text it
self, with support from Beer's autobiography, the two most
important prose works by Beer will be investigated in detail
from the standpoint of style, content and view of the world.
The results will reveal the position of the two novels in
the non-courtly literature of the seventeenth century and
their unique contribution to this literature.
PART I
STRUCTURE
19
CHAPTER I
PLOT DEVELOPMENT
"Es war allgemach Mitternacht, als ich mich ganz ledig
aufier dem Schlofi befand, darinnen ich bis dahero mit tausend
Sorgen und Grillen gefangen gesessen" (WN, P. 12).
The story begins in darkness. The identity of the
narrator is unknown to the reader, just as the circumstances
of his imprisonment and release are unknown to himself. The
i
I
hero wanders along an unknown road, receives directions at a
nearby village, and on continuing his journey, encounters an
unknown castle, apparently in an isolated area. This is the
first opportunity for the author to allow the hero, Zen
dorio, to reveal more about himself. It is significant that
this first revelation takes place in the residence of one of
the landed nobility, the milieu of the novels in question.
For an unknown reason, an occupant of the castle (Isidoro)
calls Zendorio into the residence after he has been rebuffed
by the gatekeeper and questions him as to his circumstances.
20
21
jZendorio reveals the following about himself:
i
!
Ich bin von Profession ein Student und habe auf unter-
schiedlichen Universitaten Philosophiam gehort. Zu Ende
dessen nahm ich meine Reise in mein Vaterland vor, da-
selbsten meine Beforderung zu suchen, weil mir zu solcher j
schon vor langen Jahren gute Hoffnung gemacht worden. |
Ich bin etwas arm von Mitteln, aber nichtsdestoweniger j
von gut und ehrlichem Namen. Mein Vater war ein Mesner |
in einer berufenen Thumkirche, und weil ich lustigen
Humors war, nennte ich mich Zendorio, nur darum, weil
ich meinem Vater als ein Jungling die Lampen und Kirchen-
kerzen auf den Altaren habe anziinden helfen. In solchem
Zustande geriet ich auf die neulich vorgenommenen Reise.
(WN. p. 15)
From Zendorio's original description of his background,
i
jhe appears to be perhaps twenty years old (WN, p. 15) — a
isuitable age and situation for the numerous juvenile jokes
and adventures of the books; they are especially typical of
jthe circle of friends themselves in Winternachte. His en
counter with Isidoro places the latter at about the same
1-This assumption appears to be invalidated in the rules
pertaining to qualifications for acceptance and membership
in the society of friends (WN, p. 301): "Erstlich soil kei-
ner in den Orden aufgenommen werden, welcher unter fiinfund-
zwanzig Jahren sei." However, logical sequence and conti
nuity are characteristics which cannot be attributed to
Beer, and a strict chronological interpretation is not valid
here. The fact remains that the above estimate of Zendor
io 's age befits his and Isidoro's description, while the
reference in WN, p. 301 to a minimum age of twenty-five
(which allows him to be even older) corresponds to his new
status and responsibilities as the not inexperienced lord of
two estates and master of numerous peasants.
1 22
i
age: "dieser junge vom Adel” is the son of the widowed
owner of the castle and apparently still under her complete
authority, although old enough to engage in amorous adven
tures and be called out to a duel (WN, pp. 21ff, 48f). The
i
two young men see in each other companions of similar in
clinations.
I
The age corresponds to Beer's later Regensburg student
period and the few months which he spent as a student at the
University of Leipzig. It was in Regensburg that Beer en-
i
! joyed the circle of friends that evidently held so much
2
meaning for him and for whom he must have intended his
dedication (WN, pp. 10-11). He re-creates the origin of the
circle of friends by portraying a lone wanderer who stumbles
I
across his future comrades in a series of adventures. He
|
raises them to the rank of the landed nobility. It not only
dignifies them but also gives them the freedom of action to
conduct themselves according to every whim and to carry out
ievery joke that enters their minds. Beer's school friends
undoubtedly dreamed often of being free to do what they
wanted, to travel to distant lands and engage in various
adventures. Beer gave his characters the means to do so.
^Alewyn, "Johann Beer," pp. 24ff.
23
These fictitious members of the lesser nobility may not, in
many ways, realistically portray their class, but they un
doubtedly represent the way Beer and his friends would have
led their lives if they had had the means to do so.
The origin of Zendorio's name and its implication are
i ;
I
’ appropriate to the obscure beginnings in darkness of the
narration and the partial illumination which his first words
|cast upon himself. But this first revelation is only par-
|
|tial, because we learn later (WN* P. 84) that Zendorio's
description of himself is only partly true.
| Zendorio relates to his host the details of a projected
trip to his homeland, unnamed, to attend the university
there. The first incident to befall him is the theft of his
clothes. He states that the reason for the theft was later
made known to him, revealing at the same time that the nar
rator is able to view the story with some first-hand knowl-
|
edge and detachment. This is not normally the case. The
thief has left his own clothes in the room where both Zen
dorio and he had been sleeping. By putting on these strange
clothes, Zendorio unwittingly assumes the thief's identity.
Shortly after continuing his journey, Zendorio is seized by
four armed men and taken as a prisoner to the castle where
his narration began. The reason for his involvement in the
24
story is then revealed to him by his host. It is a case of
mistaken identity caused, by the change of clothing? the
host, of course, was the intended victim of the kidnapers,
i
i
I
who had changed clothing with Zendorio for the purpose of I
i
e s c api ng them.
This incident illustrates at the outset one of the
j >
jauthor's favorite devices to further the action, add sus-
l
i
pense and confound the reader. Cases of mistaken identity
are numerous in the two novels and are used in many situa
tions? it is not a question of disguise to conceal one's
iidentity, but actually that of assuming another role.
For an analysis of the story development of the two
!
Inovels concerned, it is worthwhile to continue with an exam-
I
i
jination of the series of events that make up the two opening
chapters. At the beginning, Zendorio is critical of the
young noblemen. His lack of genuine contact with his new
acquaintances is illustrated by an incident involving Isi
doro, his mother and Ludwig. Isidoro's mother has her gar
dener disguise himself as a Jewish money changer in order to
transport more readily a large sum of money for the purpose
of exchanging it for more convenient coinage. The gardener
i
meets Ludwig, Isidoro's best friend,- who considers what he
believes to be a Jewish money changer fair game. Ludwig
25
relieves the money changer of the money and later relates
the incident as a joke to Isidoro and his mother. The joke
is on Ludwig when he discovers the money actually belongs to
Isidoro. He then promises to conduct himself in a way be-
i
fitting his noble rank. Zendorio comments disapprovingly on
the trustworthiness of the nobility: "Ob ers aber gehalten
habe oder nicht, das weift ich nicht, denn die Edelleute ver-
sprechen zuweilen guldene Eier, und wenns dazu kommt, so
sinds kaum Ratzendreck" (WS., P« 57).
| Zendorio shows himself to be an outsider in his asso
ciation with these specific noblemen as well as the class at
large, although he does have a good deal in common with Isi
doro and Ludwig's frivolous outlook on life. At this point
i
she shows no awareness of his later association with Ludwig
i
I
or his intimate knowledge of Ludwig1s character. He passes
judgment on the noblemen's conduct and shows no deeply-felt
respect for them. Note the extremely unflattering descrip
tion of Isidoro's mother when she hears that the money has
been located and that Ludwig was the swindler: "...
welche noch in dem Bette zu lachen anfing, daft man ihr alle
Zahne sehen konnen, weil sie iiber viere nicht viel im Maul
hatte" (WN, p. 56). His critical attitude toward the nobil
ity reflects a feeling of injustice on the part of Zendorio
i 26
j
i
jwhich magnifies his own awareness of class distinction to a
i
[much greater degree than his aristocratic friends.
As a representative of the lesser nobility, Isidoro is
portrayed as an anti-intellectual. For example, he refuses
to let Zendorio continue reading a satire of a "Verslehre"
despite the pleadings of the latter and calls him a "Schul-
fuchs" (WN, P. 63). Here again is an indication of a dis
tinction between Zendorio, who represents the author of the
book, and the nobility which he later joins. He also shows
|a lack of pleasure in the carousal of Isidoro, Ludwig and
himself following the location of the lost money (WN, pp.
[ 57-58) .
j Isidoro apparently has little else in mind other than
the enjoyment of elaborate jokes without regard for conse-
|quences. When a letter from two other noblemen of the
f
I
'neighborhood falls into his hands, he is ready to masquerade
|
[in their place with the aid of Zendorio. He convinces the
[latter of the plausibility of his plan, while Zendorio hesi-
1
jtates and raises objections. When the two arrive at the
designated rendezvous, they are beaten soundly by a number
of soldiers in the employ of the sisters' brother, who had
intended to gain revenge on the two wooers of his sister.
Zendorio has to be persuasive to convince Isidoro of the
advantage of retreat to avoid further disgrace, while Isi
doro wants to pursue the matter and identify his attackers.
At this point in the story, Zendorio shows a conservative,
middle-class point of view, but can hardly go against the
wishes of his host. Zendorio even admits the ironic just
ness of their beating (WN, p. 73).
After Zendorio establishes his acquaintanceship with
Isidoro and Ludwig, the latter invites them to a festivity
at his residence * Here revelry and drinking are boundless,
as is typical of Winternachte. Zendorio finds himself ac
cepted by the society of the lesser nobility, but there is
once again an example of the cleft between Zendorio and the
nobility as a result of his conduct. He becomes so drunk
that he passes even beyond the far-reaching bounds of pro
priety that exist in this boisterous group— or so he be
lieves. He conducts himself shamefully, appearing in a
filthy undergarment before the assembled guests, and insults
some of the cavaliers present. On learning of his behavior
the following day from Ludwig and Isidoro, Zendorio is so
ashamed that he runs away from the residence with the re
solve never to appear again. He does not realize, of
course, that his behavior has not made him unacceptable to
his new friends, who are apparently insensible to his
28
degrading behavior.
After wandering about for eight days, he is taken in by
a local parson. The tone of the story is at once changed.
Zendorio is "normal” again. He is content to be away from
jthe society of the noblemen and with the parson, with whom
|
he can talk freely without the forced levity demanded in
Isidoro's company. The parson knows some of Zendorio's pro
fessors at the university; they have much in common. Zen
dorio, in other words, appears to. be back in his natural
Element and glad of it. The world of the nobility is not a
i
place to which he gravitates naturally. Until now, it has
1
I
pnly brought out the worst in him. In fact, his animal-like
behavior while in a drunken state represents a fall far be
low the level of behavior that is naturally his, despite his
low birth. The overnight stay with the parson is but a
brief interlude before the next adventure is pursued, but it
represents a moment of complete normalcy and shows Zendorio
for what he really is; a product of humble origins, edu
cated, capable of both serious and carefree moods, a root
less wanderer searching for an unknown goal. He is a wan
derer in a literal and also in a figurative sense because he
does not belong to any position or place in society. He is
f
not really a student any longer because there is no
29
indication that he wishes to pursue his studies. His por
trayal as a student— and his name too— perhaps serve to show
him as an enlightened person aware of life in a sense that
j
i
transcends any particular class of his time. Zendorio is i
(classless and searching for a position in life that will let
|
him express his outlook on life.
There is care taken by the author, through Zendorio, to
portray the lesser nobility in such a light that it becomes,
as such, an impossible instrument to serve as the real goal
bf Zendorio's wanderings and search for a position in life.
No matter to what extent Zendorio takes part in the debauch-
j
;eries of the nobility, there is an undercurrent of complaint
against their way of living life. The nobility has the
|
material means to enjoy itself as it sees fit but misuses
j
them in often degrading ways, which become manifest in Zen
dorio 's behavior while with them. For example, after dis
gracing himself at Ludwig's party, he flees in the mistaken
belief that he must have offended the noblemen. In other
words, he attributes to them the sort of taste and discrimi
nation they perhaps should have had, but did not.
His wanderings eventually take him to the castle of
Caspia, who, unknown to Zendorio, had fallen in love with
tiim during the festivities at Ludwig's. Caspia reveals her
30
continuing love for the as yet unrecognized and astounded
Zendorio, who then reveals himself in the course of his own
narration. The happy couple resolve to marry. Both Zen
dorio and Caspia are beside themselves with joy, when sud
denly Zendorio's alleged father appears (WS, P- 98), a skin
ner by trade, whose low station in life disgraces Zendorio
once again before his bride-to-be. He flees despite Cas-
pia's protestations of her continued love for him, deter
mined to take the road to Austria (WN, p. 99) and try his
jluck in war (WN, p. 104): "... eilete ich den Donaustrand
i
jhinunter, willens, mich in den Krieg zu begeben und zu su-
i
|
chen, ob mir da das Gliick favorisieren wollte, gleichwie es
willens gewesen, mich auBer desselben in die Hohe zu schwin-
gen" (WN, pp. 103-104).
Here Zendorio is once again about to embark on a picaro
jadventure when his good friend Isidoro appears and reveals
to him the secret of his true noble birth. Thus Zendorio is
returned to the circle of friends and the original drift of
the story can be continued.
Six months have passed (WN, p. 104), but Zendorio's
erratic wanderings have not yet ended. On the return jour
ney to rejoin his Caspia, he learns from a traveler: ". . .
es ist eine ledige Dam von adeligem Stande namens Caspia,
jwelche, wie mich die Leute berichtet, kiirzlich gestorben”
|(WN. p. 108). Zendorio accepts the traveler's story and,
l
j
believing his betrothed to be dead, gives himself up to his
i
grief. He is unable to find consolation despite the fact
that he is reunited with his true family and withdraws to a j
I
remote hermitage where he will be cut off from worldly life.J
Even here, however, he cannot escape his thoughts or ignore
t
I
the physical hardships of his existence in the wilds with a
hollow tree as his only shelter. To add to his misery, he
i
is beset by wolves, but finally rescued by the servants of
jLudwig who return him to his friends once more and above all
I
to Caspia. Her apparent death is attributed to an aunt with
the same name. The book ends with Zendorio1s marriage to
i
U .
jCaspia.
I
I The tone of the narration changes with the beginning of
i
i
Ithe third book. The first two books complete a story in
themselves: Zendorio*s abrupt ups and downs and final at
tainment of happiness, including wealth, position, family
and a beautiful wife. He has shown how man is subject to
the whim of fate, but only as long as he does not know how
to guide his life intelligently. He maintains that the only
reason he was unhappy was that he did not recognize his
happiness when he saw it. The fault was his:
32
Meine bis gegenwartige Stunde wunderliche Begebenheit
hat den Leser genugsam unterrichtet, wie in einer groBen
Miihsamkeit der Mensch stets und ohne UnterlaB in der
Welt herumschweben muB und was vor grausamen Verleitungen
er unterworfen ist, so er sich selbst nicht klug zu re-
gieren weiB. Er hat gesehen, daB es mir auch in meinem
hochsten Grad der Gliickseligkeit sehr widrig gegangen,
und bin nur allein deswegen ungliickselig gewesen, weil
ich meine Gliickseligkeit nicht erkennen konnen. (WN, p.
129)
If Zendorio's unhappiness to this point (the "present"
jhow, in the story) is his own fault, where has he failed?
What actions has he committed to bring about his unhappy
periods?
|
i First of all, he was a wanderer, a student on his way
1
to a university, intent on returning to his homeland where
he had hopes of "promoting." His wandering, even though
directed toward this goal (which is never again mentioned),
led him into an unintended change of identity with Isidoro,
imprisonment at the hands of Veronica's jealous husband, and
|
jescape from execution.
i
j
Second, he is befriended by Isidoro and Ludwig but con
ducts himself disgracefully at the latter's party and flees
out of embarrassment, apparently sacrificing a chance at
being accepted into a circle of the nobility.
Third, his wanderings take him to the residence of Cas
pia, who has fallen in love with him and proposes marriage,
jbut he flees this happy prospect when he believes he has
i
been revealed as a skinner's son.
Fourth, he is retrieved from new wanderings by his
!
friend Isidoro, who explains to him his true origins as the
i j
son of a nobleman. On the way home, Zendorio receives the
misleading report of the death of Caspia and flees once
again to a hermit's life in the wilderness.
Finally, he is retrieved by the efforts of his friend
Ludwig from his catastrophic exile and death by wolves. He
i
Is now able to claim his title and his bride. This ends the
j
second book.
Certain conclusions can be drawn from this series of
I
incidents which form a pattern of conduct on the part of
Zendorio and perhaps represent a definite statement by the
'author. Zendorio is constantly retrieved from embarking,
i
perhaps forever, on a picaro's wanderings. It appears that
I
|
jthe life of a wandering picaro is avoided if not condemned
by the author. This attitude is evident not only because
the picaro sometimes gets into serious difficulties, which
is only typical of picaro adventures in general, but because
the picaro's mode of life is placed in contrast to other
possibilities of living one's life. Here again is evidence
of a strongly didactic, moralizing tendency in Beer. He is
not simply relating a series of seemingly loosely connected
adventures only for their amusement value (nor to condemn
them), but is showing that there must be more to life than
aimless wandering and search for amusement. The implication
i
is that there must be a more stable foundation for the fun-
loving spirit. This lies at the root of Zendorio's mistake
in running away from Ludwig's party after having disgraced
himself. Lacking some sort of secure base by which he could
guide and judge his conduct, he accidentally goes beyond the
bounds of propriety and humiliates himself. He does not
j
hrealize that he is not held in less esteem by the guests,
although they ridicule him, either because of their own
j
boorishness or, as in the case of his friends Isidoro, Lud
wig, and his then unknown admirer Caspia, because they still
see in him those genuine qualities he displayed while sober.
Zendorio is deceived by the discrepancy between appear
ance and reality, not only regarding Caspia's apparent
death. His mistaken belief in her death drives him into an
almost fatal exile which was quite unnecessary and almost
cost him his chance at happiness. In each case of confusion
between appearance and reality, it is Zendorio's fault for
letting himself get into the situation or for relying on a
stranger’s word and not verifying the facts. The one time
35
j
that he did take the trouble to find out the truth of such a
situation (Faustus, Caspia's other suitor, had pretended to
hang himself in order to punish Caspia for her rejection of
jhim fWN, p. 87]), he was able to spare Caspia the grief that
she felt on hearing of Faustus' alleged suicide (WN, pp. j
'
93f). ;
From this early series of events, two elements of prime
importance to the author can be distilled: the need for
identity and the need for recognition of "reality," or one's
itrue relationship to his surroundings. Both are bound up
|
jwith the inability of the individual to cope with life and
jhis need to find a focal point in a social organization
I
which can help him cope with his existence. The story has
illustrated several times the consequences that can befall
the rootless individual. As noted, the story begins in
darkness, an environment which corresponds to the incapa-
j
bility of Zendorio to understand the reason for his impris-
j
onment or his altered identity. This obscurity continues
until Zendorio encounters Isidoro, a person with whom he can
identify, despite their difference in rank, because of the
similarity of their temperaments. In every instance in
which Zendorio has acted alone, depending on his own judg
ment without first verifying the truth of the situation, he
36
has encountered unhappiness and near disaster. When acting
in concert with his newly-won friends, he is able to avoid
such unhappy circumstances. Even Isidoro encounters the
same problem. When acting alone and giving free rein to his
emotional state, he, too, becomes involved in nearly disas
trous situations, either by almost falling into the hands of
Veronica's murderous husband or by running off and losing
himself in darkness and a dangerous forest (WN, pp. 28f).
The need of an individual for the support of a friend is not
I
•only emphasized here but continued throughout the novels.
It is Beer's variation of the Baroque theme "erkenne dich
i
jselbst," which, in Beer's interpretation, requires an in
dividual to realize his need to find a place in life, a po-
i
]
jsition in society where he can face the tribulations that
i
i
his existence is bound to bring and find the necessary sup
port to overcome them. Ideally, for Beer, this does not
i
require a sacrifice of one's individuality, but is actually
a reinforcement of it in the company of similar individual
ists .
In Books Three and Four, Zendorio is no longer the only
focal point of the happenings. It is almost as if he is
being given the opportunity by the author to adjust to his
new status. The reader is treated primarily to an inside
view of the life of the landed nobility and the particular
circle of friends with whom Zendorio is associated. The
setting is static, consisting almost entirely of the festiv
ities after Zendorio's wedding and of course the storytell
ing. As Ludwig tells the story of his life, it gives Beer j
an opportunity to portray the nobility for itself as well as
i
in contact with the middle class.
The wildest, cruelest and most irresponsible actions in
the two novels that are perpetrated by the friends them
selves take place or are narrated for the most part during
the first four books of Winternachte. The tone of these
books corresponds most precisely to the sort of student
|
| . ;
jprankishness that Beer and his school friends might well
|
have engaged in at the gymnasium in Regensburg.
i
After his marriage, Zendorio and the narrative undergo
a perceptible, although not necessarily consistent, change.
The ebullient irresponsibility of the friends as carefree
bachelors and spoiled sons of the nobility gradually sub
sides as they take on the responsibilities of marriage and
their family estates. The story now returns to Zendorio.
Several remarks at the beginning of Book Five indicate that
the story may have been resumed after a long interruption.
The first line, for example: "Wenn ich meine Feder wiederum
38
aufs neue ansetze und meine angefangene Schrift zu con-
tinuieren verlange . . (WN, p. 272). The author refers
to past events as if they were long past: "Unterweilen
wurde mein Weib— dazumal sind die Leute keine solche Narren
gewesen, daS sie die Weiber ihre Liebste genennet, wie man
heutzutag gewohnt ist . . ." (WN, P* 274) or . . denn
dazumal hat man die Edelleute noch nicht Ihr Gnaden hei&en
dorfen wie anitzo ..." (WN. p. 276).
The first two books seem more current and fresh in
tone, the middle two somewhat timeless, and the beginning of
the fifth book reflective through a distant perspective of
time. Zendorio is settled and sure of himself, having found
his station in life. Before, he was concerned with finding
himself and adjusting to his new friends and environment.
i
Now he faces the daily routine of the administrative prob
lems of the landed gentry. He is at ease in his new role.
The first chapter of the fifth book is entitled "Zendoriis
Haushaltung" and describes Zendorio's just treatment of his
peasants (WN. p. 275) and the financial considerations
necessary for the proper management of his estate (WN, pp.
276ff). Realistically, considering Zendorio's background,
Beer shows him as having more compassion for his servants
jand peasants than is apparent among his friends. Zendorio
39
jis concerned with their welfare and sees to it that they are
I
I
jtreated properly. He can easily identify with them. Prob-
i
ably for this reason, he finds it easy to win their respect
and confidence, as well as to draw them into his narration.
The portrayal of the landed nobility has changed from the
critical attitude of Books One and Two to an idealization of
the class with Zendorio as its chief representative; the
other members of the circle of friends are-patterned after
|
jhim.
| In the fourth and fifth chapters of Book Five, Isi
dore' s mother dies, leaving her estate to Isidoro, who
!
Jshares it with his newly discovered brother, Ergasto, the
huntsman. In chapter seven of the fifth book, the pastor
p.iscusses the evils of profanity, and Monsieur Caspar mar
ries Kunigund in the eighth chapter. Thus the pattern of
|
stabilizing and settling is continued.
j In the sixth and last book of Winternachte, Ergasto,
|
Isidoro's brother, marries. The narrative field of the
I
i
novel is expanded by taking up the first-person narrative of
the youthful escapades of a servant called Jost as well as
second-hand stories about persons not directly concerned
with the story. The novel attains a circular unity through
the telling of the death of the wicked Veronica, in whose
! 40
i
i
j
leastle Zendorio found himself imprisoned at the beginning
of the narration. Finally, Zendorio's servant Jost is mar
ried, giving cause for a final debauch of such dimensions
i
that all concerned resolve to take up a hermit's existence
in order better to contemplate the sinfulness of their ways.
In this way, Beer has provided his chief narrator, Zendorio,
an opportunity for a lengthy "Adieu Welt" on which the book
can conveniently end. At the same time he provides a con
venient point of connection with Sommertaae.
Despite the many diversionary frivolities in these last
i
j
two books, there is a definite continuation of the pattern
!of settling and maturing on the part of the friends. Their
i
i
juvenile attitudes and actions become somewhat dampened as
they are portrayed in new roles of responsibility. The
story expands to include the lives of servants, peasants and
middle-class personalities. As the friends become settled
i
in permanent roles, the narrative becomes timeless and lack
ing in sequence, except for the final retreat from society
in Winternachte and its aftermath in Sommertaae.
That a continuation was already planned and in progress
is evidenced by the "Kurze Nachricht an den Leser" (WN, p.
413), which follows the end of Winternachte;
So dieser Tractat einziges Vergnugen bei denjenigen_______
41
angetroffen hatte, die den Kern aus dergleichen Schrif-
ten zu suchen' pflegen, erbietet sich der tJbersetzer,
ihrem Verlangen zu willfahren, die Teutschen Sommer-Taae
allerehestens auszufertigen und in den Druck zu praesen-
tieren. Indessen recommendiert er sich in des Lesers
beharrliche Freundschaft und bittet, weil er ein Mensch
ist, daB ihm die menschliche Fehler zugut gehalten wer-
den mogen. Vale. (WN, p. 413)
j
Sommertaae begins with a brief general introduction
entitled "Notwendiger Unterricht und allgemeiner Eingang zur
folgenden Histori." Here the theme of summer is carried on
and the friends are introduced. Including the narrator,
there are ten. They are described as attempting various
activities to pass the time and finally come upon the idea
|
of retiring separately to hermit's retreats:
Letztlich wurde der Ausspruch gemacht, die zeitliche
Freude auf eine Zeit aus dem Herzen zu bannen, indem
sich die meisten entschlossen, in die kuhle und schat-
tige Walder zu gehen, auch in solchen zu versuchen, wie
das einsiedlerische Leben schmeckte. (WN, p. 422)
The introduction serves its purpose by providing a general
!
beginning to Sommertaae for the reader unfamiliar with Win
ternachte . It is cleverly constructed to mesh with the
opening lines of the actual beginning of Sommertaae: "Bis
daher ist erzahlet worden, wie und auf was vor eine Art sich
unsere gefuhrte Lebensart belaufen ..." (]£N, p. 424).
The narrative continues with a description of the
friends setting themselves up in their respective exiles and
42
the difficulties they encounter. They soon find themselves
back together again. The reunion provides an opportunity
for each to tell at length the nature of his experiences in
the wilderness. The second and third books show a further
expansion of the action, involving for the first time the
evil "Barthel auf der Heide," a robber and leader of a band
of marauders who harass the countryside. The climax of his
involvement with the friends occurs when he leads a peasant
army against the castle of one of them and is defeated in a
pitched battle. Other secondary figures are introduced and
jtheir stories told, some of which are more in the courtly-
gallant vein (primarily in Book Two) and which add by and
large to a more mature tone. In addition, some of the wives
become pregnant, providing an unfamiliar note of domesticity
which is unusual in Baroque literature. Wolffgang's father
dies (ST, p. 598), leaving all his possessions to his son
jwith their added responsibilities.
A further indication of maturing and aging on the part
:of the friends is the gradual breaking up of the circle.
Several go their own ways to make their own lives. Philipp
takes a position in a large court, Sempronio becomes an
officer and distinguishes himself in the field, and Dietrich
and Christoph travel to Italy. Wolffgang remains at home
43
and finds his closest companions in new additions to his
household: Wastel, Jaeckel, the Student and Krachwedel.
Krachwedel, who is later revealed to be Wolffgang's
brother, appears toward the end of the third book and re
lates part of his own story. Krachwedel's role, as well as
that of the Student, who appears at approximately the same
time, become of major importance.
The action of the fourth book in Sommertage revolves
primarily around various servants in Wolffgang's employ and
their individual problems, as well as around Wolffgang's
lactivities. A good deal of the narrative is taken up by
i
favorite servants and other members of the household. The
first indication that the friends will separate occurs with
la discussion of whether Philipp should accept an official
post at court or in a city. At this point, the close asso
ciation of the friends is almost lost from sight as the em
phasis shifts to Wolffgang, his personal life and the mem-
i
bers of his household.
The passage of time and the process of aging is gradual
and unobtrusive until Book Five. Here there is a definite
disintegration of structure and sequence as well as a lack
Df consistency in Wolffgang's character. The main action is
concerned with the appearance of a ghost, which was
| 44
introduced in Book Four, in one of Wolffgang's residences,
and with Wolffgang's marriage to "die schone Liesel" follow
ing the death of his first wife, Sofia, who had suddenly
become seventy-two years old. After much unhappiness with
Liesel, Wolffgang is once again free as a result of her
I
death and reverts back to his normal role.
After once again having taken up a hermit's existence
in Book Six, Wolffgang is miraculously able to rescue Diet-
rich and Christoph in the Tyrolean wilderness. These two
friends of the circle had become involved in a series of
i
difficulties on their return from a journey to Italy.
Wolffgang returns home with them to find himself even weal
thier from the income of his two estates, the second of
which he had inherited on the death of his father.
At the end of Sommertaae in Book Six, another process
Of sudden aging takes place. Time references place Wolff
gang's age in the sixties, and his mode of life and his mood
correspond to his age. He becomes more and more pensive and
retiring. At Christoph's wedding, for example, the specta
cle of others dancing causes him to think of the words of
St. Augustine, that each step of a dance is a step to hell.
He speaks only to the village priest during the festivities
about religious subjects; after the celebration he returns
45
to his hermit's retreat. One cannot connect this restrained
tone in Wolffgang's life only to his enlightened religious
views because the .corresponding reference to his aging is
too definite to lack significance. We learn at the same
jtime that Philipp, the wildest and most impetuous of the
friends, has withdrawn from court life with the intention of
retiring to his residence. Wolffgang himself indicates the
lengthening of the time element in the novel: "Ob ich auch
wohl anfangs entschlossen gewesen, nur einen einzigen Sommer
zu beschreiben, hat sich doch dort und dar unter uns etwas
jzugetragen, das zur ganzlichen Histori eben wohl vonnoten
gewesen" (ST, p. 841).
In Wolffgang's final "Adieu Welt" he indicates the pas-
|
sage of time and his aging with the following lines: "Meine
junge Jahre sind in dir verzehret, und du bist so unver-
schamt und begehrest auch mein Alter" (ST, p. 846). This
i
jsixth and last book ends with Wolffgang again embarking on
i
la hermit's life, but with realistic frankness he admits his
I 7
uncertain resolve.
Although the circle of friends is no longer the focal
point of the story, it is clear in the way the friends oc
casionally reappear that they have not become unimportant.
It is simply that they are taken for granted as an integral
46
and necessary part of life, and are therefore unobtrusive.
The story thus returns to WoIffgang as it had begun with
i
I
Zendorio, his counterpart in Winternachte. But Wolffgang is
no longer just a wanderer, despite his insistence on return
ing to his hermit's retreat. It is clear that he has estab-
i
lished himself in a set pattern of worldly existence. His
repeated withdrawal to a hermit's life represents a recogni
tion of his human frailties and a desire to correct them,
but at no time does he actually renounce his worldly exis
tence or worldly possessions, despite his "Adieu Welt" be-
jfore each retreat. He makes certain that his properties are
in trustworthy administrative hands before each departure
and finds himself satisfyingly enriched on each return.
True renunciation would involve liquidating his worldly
possessions or dedicating them to religious and charitable
purposes. It is clear that Wolffgang has found a place in
the world that he is not willing to give up.
One can see through the welter of events a broad proc
ess of development in both time and character. Zendorio/
Wolffgang develops from late adolescence to old age; from
the total irresponsibility of a rootless, wandering youth to
a relative maturity that comes with age and experience. The
passage of time is paralleled by a marked change in
| 47
character and outlook on life that shows a definite ethical
development and that forms part of Beer's statement on man
and his life. There is no definite conclusion reached by
Beer, as evidenced by the uncertainty with which Wolffgang
contemplates his final retreat to a hermit's life. In a
broad sense, however; he does state an optimistic affirma
tion of life despite all the human setbacks that must be
suffered.
i
i
I
CHAPTER II
STYLISTIC TECHNIQUE
As an author, Beer was interested in entertaining his
reading public as well as presenting his own views on life.
In this way he could indulge in palatable didacticism,
offering his reader something of moral and ethical value in
an amusing manner.
i
I
j The Function of the Narrator
I
Beer's principal narrative technique is to reveal a
series of events in the same chronological order that the
narrator, who is normally a participant in some way, exper
iences them or hears about them. For example, in the open
ing incident in which Zendorio had become involved in a case
of mistaken identity, he relates his story to his unknown
host as completely as he knows it, but he obviously lacks
the knowledge to illuminate the reasons behind the events.
It is now up to the host to fill in the remaining background
48
and details so that the story is complete. Through suc
cessive narrations, the reader gradually accumulates the
details as if he were a third person standing by and listen
ing to the conversations of the interested parties. Al
though the narrator generally speaks in the past tense as
the normal narrative time element, the story unfolds as if
he does not always command an unobstructed view of the en
tire proceedings, as if he cannot look ahead to give an in
dication of future developments, but must let the story take
jits own natural course. This effect is enhanced by the
willingness of the author to hand over the narration to any
i
iof the characters involved and to let them continue the
i
I
story in direct discourse.
At one point early in Winternachte. Beer apparently
j -
appears to break from the technique of involving the reader
directly in the successive quality of revealing events in
j
their chronological order by appearing to give a prior in
dication of a future development. Zendorio makes an advance
reference to the discovery of his alleged low birth. During
the description of festivities at Ludwig’s castle, Zendorio,
the narrator, comments: "Und ob ich auch gleich keiner von
Adel, noch auch keines Mesners Sohn— davor ich mich zwar bei
Esidoro ausgegeben hatte— , sondern von einem solchen
Geschlecht war, dariiber sich der geneigte Leser kurz hernach
selbsten verwundern wird ..." (WN, p. 84). Fourteen pages
i
later, Zendorio's encounter with a skinner, whom he recog
nizes as his father, is related. It is the substance of
Iprior indication of a future event. This in itself is re
vealed to be a deception, however, when seven pages later
j
Isidoro reveals to Zendorio that he is after all of noble
birth. The bewildered reader is thus forced to the conclu
sion that nothing in the story is predictable, which indeed
is the case. Presumably, it is precisely Beer's intention
to awaken this feeling in the reader in order to draw out
his interest by making it impossible to predict the course
jof events. It is probable that Beer regarded his own life
!
as a series of unpredictable events guided more by good
fortune than by reason, and thus the style, from his point
of view, could be considered incipient realism. This con
clusion is borne out by Wolffgang, the narrator of Sommer-
taae. who excuses the formlessness of the book by comparing
its style to the vagaries of fate and the uncertainty of
life itself:
Es ist allbereit viel von meinem Leidwesen mit unterge-
laufen, und gleichwie sich das Gluck mit mir verwechselt
hat, also habe ich auch diese Geschicht untereinander
vermischet, weil unser Leben wie das Wetter allerlei
Abwechslungen unterworfen ist. (ST, p. 629) _
51
The above-mentioned confusion involving Zendorio's
birth could be regarded as an example of Beer1s apparent
formlessness and lack of direction, but this assumption
j
would be only partly true at best. There is a stronger in- i
i
t
dication here that Beer is literally searching for the form j
and style most suitable for his narrative purpose. He ap
pears to be writing literally according to his feelings;
[there seems to be no preconceived plan, except perhaps a
vague outline. Thus the particular suitability of the pi-
caro atmosphere in which the author's apparent aimlessness
'of purpose can be directly incorporated into the structure
i
of the narrative of the first two books. At the end of the
second book, the narrative takes a new course. Despite re
peated opportunities for the hero to embark on an individu
alistic, unattached picaro way of life, the author repeated
ly retrieves him and finally anchors him permanently with
family, estate, and friends. It is. almost with a sense of
relief, it seems, that the author turns in the third book to
new material— namely, an exposition of the lives of the
other friends. The permanence and stability that Beer has
given Zendorio is a totally new development in Beer's works
and undoubtedly did not come without an immer struggle to
find the most suitable means of framing what for Beer
52
amounts to a new expression of his outlook on life— an out
look which regards stability as a prime virtue. The reader
is thus treated to the spectacle of the picaro being re-
i
peatedly arrested in mid-flight.
i !
i
It is appropriate here to take notice of a statement byj
Muller in which he says that the reader's only knowledge of
the world of the two novels in question stems from the first
person narrator, Zendorio/Wolffgang.^ This is, of course,
I
|
misleading, as is illustrated by the situation noted above
I
|
‘ in which Zendorio learns of his noble ancestry from Isidoro.
i
jThis was only one example of several of the opening chapters
pf the book which illustrate how inadequate Zendorio's
knowledge of his own reality is, much more the real situa
tion of his new friends. His situation is that of one
stranger among many. All gradually become acquainted with
one another through their own individual narratives of their
past lives and present situations. All of this does lend
i
!
objectivity to the narrator, who writes about past occur
rences through the perspective of his memory, but in such a
way that the story line has a note of actuality about it.
This technique of actualizing past events requires the
^Muller, p. 19
53
subjectivation of the narrator so that he actually appears
to take part in a developing story incident. He appears not
to know what the future holds for him. It is perhaps point
less to speak of self-objectification (Selbstobjektivierung)
and ego division (Ich-Spaltung) at this point, terms used by
Muller to describe the process of the author writing about
2
himself in the past in a detached manner. This sort of
terminology is imposed upon Beer's text as the result of a
detached and misleading analytical process. If the narrator
I
i
(ostensibly Zendorio) were truly "objectified" and therefore
i
writing of himself in the past using a detached manner as if
he were writing about someone else (resulting in "Ich-
‘ Spaltung" ), the reader would feel this sort of objectifica
tion, would be constantly aware of reading a chronicle of
the past escapades of a group of friends. But it is pre
cisely this sort of objectivity that is often avoided. The
reader feels to a lesser degree in these novels than in most
i
of the narratives of the time that he or the author is de
tached from the circumstances described. The reason is
attributable to two devices which have already been
^Miiller, p. 20. "Der zwiefache Aspekt der Ichaussage
meint als letzte Moglichkeit eine Ich-Spaltung, eine Selbst-
obiektivieruna" (emphasis Muller's).
mentioned and should now be treated at greater lengthy
namely, the use of direct speech and the lack of prior
knowledge of future events on the part of the main narrator.
Use of Direct Speech
i
A good deal of the background of the individual charac-|
j
ters is given in lengthy first-person narratives by the per
son himself. An example is supplied by the festivities
given by Ludwig to celebrate Zendorio1s wedding. The occa
sion gives rise to a series of autobiographical narrations,
each guest being required to tell the story of his life.
Ludwig's narration alone extends over fifty pages or more
with interruptions and diversions. This creates the situa
tion in which the members of the circle of friends, as lis
teners, hear for the first time facts in the past tense
about the various narrators, just as the reader himself
idoes. The effect is to draw the reader into the circle of
I
listeners and to put him on the same basis as the friends
themselves. All of the friends are then able to react sub
jectively to what they hear and use direct discourse in ex
pounding on their reactions, including Zendorio, the prin
cipal first-person narrator. The result is more properly
termed a subjectification of Zendorio's role rather than an
55
objectification because he appears to experience or learn of
the various autobiographical episodes in the same way and at
the same time as the other members of the circle of listen-
I
I
ers and makes his own spontaneous comments just as they do.
When Zendorio reverts to his role as the principal first-
iperson narrator of the novel, using the past tense after
having given the first-person narrative to other characters
in the story, the change does not alienate the reader from
his feeling of a certain direct involvement in the develop
ment of the incident concerned, nor does the change tend to
objectify Zendorio's role as principal narrator— indeed, the
change is scarcely noticeable because the other narrations
have been in the past tense as well. This technique is used
regularly throughout the book and successfully actualizes
the entire narrative process despite the use of the past
tense.
Even the fact that the principal narrator is ostensibly
a semi-official chronicler of the friends1 activities does
not lend the sort of objectivity to the two novels that one
3
would normally expect. This is due largely to the
^This function of Zendorio/Wolffgang is cited at sever
al points: "Die Ursach dieser Schrifft ist nicht entspros-
sen aus einer eitlen Phantasie, sondern aus dem getanen
56
narrative technique described above. The passages referring
Specifically to the narrator as a chronicler of events occur
after episodes that he undertakes to record. He has just
learned of these events or experienced them, just as has the
|
reader, and then speaks of the necessity of recording them, j
The juxtaposition of the narration of events and the subse
quent mention of the necessity of recording them blurs the
objective distance of the usual past tense perspective. The
i
j
jchronicler, for example, is described as proceeding to his
jtask of recording that which has just occurred, while others
yersprechen, dafi ich alle diejenige Handlungen beschreiben
jwolle, welche mir und denjenigen, so bis dahin mit mir um-
igegangen, begegnet. Hab also mein Wort nicht widerrufen,
sondern soviel moglich, alle Stuck, derer ich mich entsinnen
konnen, ganz kiirzlich entwerfen wollen" (WN, P. 271). "And
re haben ihre Ergotzlichkeit auf eine Weise gesuchet, ich
aber satzte mich, dasjenige zu entwerfen, weswegen ich mich
jder Campagnie ... .so sehr verobligiert" (WJ£, p. 271).
l"Denn weil mir von unserem loblichem Collegio die Beschrie-
bung dieser Histori ist iibergeben worden, habe ich dort und
idar zusammen getragen und also die Geschicht nach ihrer Ord-
nung so viel einrichten mussen, wie ich gekonnt. . . ." (ST.
|p. 477). "Also nahmen wir dazumal voneinander Abschied,
nachdem ich zuvor gebeten worden unser bisher gefiihrte gute
pertraulichkeit zu entwerfen, auf daft die Nachwelt und in-
sonderheit unsere Nachkommen ein ewiges Zeugnis unserer ge-
pflogenen Freundschaft vor Augen haben" (ST, p. 752). The
concept of Zendorio/Wolffgang as chronicler fits in well
with the last stanza of the introductory poem, "Der Autor an
sein Buch" (WN, p. 11), in which he dedicates the book to
lis friends of bygone days (see pp. 151ff below).
57
are described as proceeding to other activities outside the
direct experience of the reporter, Zendorio/Wolffgang (WN.
p. 271). Or he is asked to record transpired events as the
friends prepare to take leave of each other, thus placing
i
i |
his reporting duties in the future relative to the time
j
(
level of the current action being described. The effect
once more actualizes the narrative process.
Zendorio/Wolffgang's narrative role as chronicler of
ithe events concerning his friends would appear to limit the
i
description of a person to his "outer self"; that is, he
icould only be seen by the chronicler from without and not
i
I
jfrom within because the narrator is obliged to remain true
|
j
jto the perspective of his first-person narrative. This is
the point of view taken by Muller (p. 21):
Das Gefesseltsein an die Ich-Origo ermoglicht nur, jeden
anderen Menschen "von auBen" zu sehen und darzustellen.
Nur die Aufierungen der Personen, nicht aber ihr Seelen-
leben und ihr unlautliches Denken, konnen von der Posi
tion des . . . Erzahlers wiedergegeben werden.
|
iFortunately for the depth of portrayal in his novels and the
amusement of his readers, Beer did not find himself re
stricted to the superficial presentation that this statement
would imply. Just as the principal narrator can legitimate
ly reveal his innermost thoughts and psychological reactions
■regarding various remembered events, so can each character
|who is given the gift of' direct discourse do the same. It
!is precisely by the means of the "liuBerungen der Personen"
j I
jthat the author is allowed to develop realistically an ex- I
! I
position of the inner man and circumvent this nonexistent j
problem. There is an example in the second chapter of the j
first book of Winternachte. Note the portrayal of Isidoro's
mental state as he despairs of Veronica's love:
"Ich satzte mich endlich zu Pferd und ritt so voll von
verliebten Grillen aus der Stadt, daB ich nicht sagen
kann, wie mir dazumal um das Herz gewesen. Ich sah
| keinen Menschen an, und es kann wohl sein, daB ich vor
| unterschiedliche Bekannte geritten, die ich entweder
| nicht gesehen noch beurlaubet habe, so gar hatte mich
| dazumal die Liebe eingenommen. . . . Ich sah auf der
j StraBe ohne UnterlaB zuruck und seufzete wohl tausend-
| mal." (WN, P. 28)
Before losing sight of Veronica's residence, he stops
his flight to deliver a valediction to her— but must inter-
i
irupt this as a crowd gathers to observe this creature who is
jnow lying on his back and apparently talking to himself;
i
I
! "Endlich schamte ich mich . . . stund demnach auf,
schwang mich zu Pferd und ritt immer im Galopp fort,
was das Pferd laufen konnte.
Auf eine solche Weise lief ich iiber Stock und Stauden,
daB es taugte, ja ich schrie unterweilen wie ein Pferd-
knecht, der hundert RoB zu commandieren hat. Letztlich
lieB ich dem Pferd den Zaun, willens, dahin zu reiten,
wohin es mich bringen wiirde, daraus ich schlieBe, daB
ich dazumal iiber drei Grad von der wahrhaftigen Wahn-
sinnigkeit nicht entfernet gewesen, weil ich keinen Weg __
59
zu finden gewuftt, dieser Passion zu entgehen. Mein
Gaul . . . brachte . . . mich . . . in einen Wald, davor
mir recht grauete . . . In Betrachtung dieser Gelegen-
heit kam ich wieder ein wenig zu mir selbst, obschon
viel zu spat, denn ich hatte noch nicht wahrgenommen,
dafi ich meinen Hut, meine Handschuhe und meinen Degen
zwischen dem GestrauSe verloren und zuriickgelassen. " !
(WN, PP. 28, 29) !
The scene corresponds to the confusion of his mind: "Gegen-
wartige Nacht war ein rechtes Vorbild meines Geistes, wel-
cher ganzlich mit einer irdischen Finsternis umgeben war"
(WN. p. 29).
This sort of portrayal of inner thoughts and reactions
is profuse in the many first-person narrations undertaken by
i
the different characters in the two novels. Muller com
pletely , ignores this extremely important function of direct
speech, although not the use of direct discourse itself:
i
j Die naturliche und, vom Standpunkt der Wahrheitstreue
aus, redlichste Form, die Worte eines anderen wiederzu-
geben, ist die indirekte. konjunktivische Rede. Sie ist
| am ehesten geeignet, die Vermittlerfunktion des Wieder-
| gebenden zu verdeutlichen und deren Bedingtheit zu erin-
j nern. Wird aber die Rede eines anderen— und das ge-
schieht in den Willenhag-Romanen iiberaus haufig— in di-
rekter Form wiedergegeben, handelt es sich dabei gar um
weit zuruckliegende Erzahlsituationen und sehr lange und
vielschichtige Reden, so iiberschreitet das die Grenze
der psychologisch glaubwiirdigen Moglichkeiten eines Er-
zahlers; er miiBte ja ein ubermenschliches Gedachtnis
haben. (p. 22)
The possibility that indirect discourse may be the most
"truthful" and "upright" way to recount the words of_________
60
another is of no interest to Beer. In the first sentence of
Winternachte. he disclaims any intent to relate factual
circumstances. He apparently does want to give the illusion
of reality, however, and what is more, the illusion of a
current reality into which the reader is drawn. The fact
'
that indirect discourse is the most suitable means to empha
size the role of intermediary which the reporter assumes may
well be the precise reason why Beer does not use it. It is
Shis intention to disguise the role of intermediary which a
narrator must normally assume and let the reader experience
j
directly the narration of a story just as other characters
in the novels do. Muller complains that these lengthy di
rect discourses, the content of some considerably removed in
time, transcend the bounds of psychological credibility be
cause the narrator would have to have a superhuman memory.
We cannot agree at this point, either. It is not incon
ceivable that a man of intellect (and with the gift of
facile conversation to fill out the gaps in his memory— both
characteristics attributable to Beer) could reproduce with
accuracy overheard conversations. Furthermore, it is the
narrator1s given task to record the conversations and inci
dents of interest in which the friends take part. The nar
rator reminds us of this function at several points (see n.
I 61
i
|
3, p. 55 above), and describes the necessity of setting
about the task before he forgets the events. He thereby
lays a foundation of credibility for his lengthy quotations.
!The question can be asked, which technique is more faithful
l
to reality, that of the omniscient, omnipresent modern au
thor who can describe and motivate in the most detailed man
ner every spasm of his character's psyche, or that of the
author who lets each individual tell his own tale and de
scribe his own reactions? The criticism that Beer's tech-
I
I
i
jnique in using direct discourse is not believable appears to
|
jbe the result of a preoccupation with technical grammatical
^requirements and conventional styles which are considered to
be correct. . Beer's style appears to stem directly from the
reality of narrative conversations of everyday life; the
rambling, leisurely style of his syntactical patterns cor
respond to this sort of unforced recounting of events.
|
These are the building blocks of his realistic style, ele-
i
ments which are expanded and magnified to build the total
structure for his novels. Beer's peculiar use of the first-
person narrative belongs to this style. If the cool, ana
lytical process of the modern critic determines the lack of
indirect discourse to produce a certain lack of credibility,
this is more than made up by the fresh spontaneity and
62
attendant realism of the various first-person narratives.
In a logical continuation of his argument, Muller cites
the technique of the author addressing the reader directly
|as a further example of "self-objectification" and as havingj
an alienating effect (p. 24). In a logical continuation of j
our own argument, we must take the opposite direction. It
has just been pointed out both from the standpoint of an ob
jective analysis of form and style as well as from the stand
point of the subjective "feel" of the narration that the
!
[reader is drawn into a personal involvement in the common
|
activities of the friends. He appears to be present at the
telling of events and thus experiences these stories, al
though at second hand, with the same actuality as the other
listeners. The reader is often, as it were, a member of the
circle. Since the narrator, Zendorio/Wolffgang, does most
of the storytelling, despite lengthy first-person narratives
on the part of the other friends, the reader has a particu
lar association with the narrator. The result is that he
I
i
has more frequent opportunity to enjoy the narrative ac
counts of the main storyteller. Zendorio/WoIffgang has, in
turn, a closer association with Isidoro/Gottfried and Lud-
wig/Philipp than with the other members of the circle. The
reader, therefore, has more opportunity to hear from them
63
of their adventures as well as about them from the primary
narrator. The change of narration from Zendorio/Wolffgang
to the others of the group is quite natural. When the pri
mary narrator continues his story without the presence of
I
i I
the other principal characters, the self-objectification of I
the narrator does not necessarily occur as Muller describes.
The personal involvement of the reader continues as a wit
ness to the most important narrative, just as he was engaged
as a witness by the narrations of the other characters.
i
^This sort of involvement of the reader and the personal
|
association of the reader to the narrator is not destroyed
|
by the fact that the author/narrator addresses the reader
from time to time. Indeed, the reader-narrator relationship
would tend to be strengthened, as we have described, and
direct address on the part of the chief narrator to the
reader becomes to some extent as natural as his direct ad-
I
S
dress to others in the story itself.
Introductions and Direct Address
to the Reader
Beer's use of direct address to the reader is an out
growth of his particular narrative style as well as the con
vention of the time. It was typical of the novel of Beer's
time to contain introductory, prefatory remarks; Beer has
64
followed this usage in the two novels treated here. Inter
estingly enough, although the two novels actually represent
a continuous work, the two prefaces are quite distinct in
what they pretend to reveal about the two respective works. j
|
|The preface of Winternachte is entitled "Unterricht an den
I
geneigten Leser," and thereby makes a direct and personal
approach to the reader from the outset. Beer then points
out in his first sentence "... daB dieser ganze Entwurf
mehr einer Satyra als einer Histori ahnlich siehet" (WN, p.
7). In other words, the story is represented to be a fic-
i
tion resembling reality rather than a factual narration.
Thus the reader is given the opportunity to interpret for
himself the nature and meaning of the events that transpire,
as well as their moral implication. By proclaiming the
narration to be non-historical, however, Beer has taken upon
himself the responsibility of the contents. He then pro
ceeds to remove this potentially dangerous burden from his
shoulders by announcing that it is impossible for anyone to
identify any real person, including himself, with incidents
in the work because the original manuscript had lain some
sixty years in an unnamed castle, and the author is now pub
lishing the translation of the manuscript. Thus the author
apparently removes himself from responsibility for the
i 4
work. Presumably, reference to the foreign origin of the
book explains the choice of a foreign-sounding pseudonym for
the author, Zendorio a Zendoriis.
The preface to Sommertage drops all pretense of foreign
origins for the manuscript and the pseudonym used is German,
|as are most of the other names in the story. This preface
is entitled "Notwendiger Unterricht und allgemeiner Eingang
zur folgenden Histori" (ST, p. 419). Although the title
lacks the specific personal reference to the reader (he is
referred to in the text of the preface), it is obviously
intended as a general introduction for the orientation of
the reader. Of greater significance is the use here of the
word "Histori" instead of "Satyra." Here the interpretation
given in the preceding paragraph for "Histori" is justified
by the tone of the introduction. The story to be related is
presented by the author as a truthful recounting of events:
Es sind zwar hierinnen keine kiinstliche Revolutionen und
Auflosungen zu finden, doch was geschrieben ist, ist
vielmehr zu einem Angedenken unserer Nachkommen entworfen
worden, auf daB sie auch solche Freundschaft unter- und
gegeneinander pflegten, gleichwie wir gepflogen haben.
(ST, p. 421)
The story is to serve especially as a testimony to the
^It is perhaps for this reason that the author quickly
irops the term "Satyra" and refers to the work as a "Histo
ri" in the first direct address to the reader.
posterity of those who take part in the story on the value
of friendship. As in the first preface, the author asks the
i
i
jreader not to take offense at anything presented in the
text, but to accept the portrayal of that which is evil as a!
warning against evil ways. There is nothing in the two
j
novels that is intended to slander individuals. The appeal
i
to the value of friendship corresponds to the second part of
the introductory poem to Winternachte entitled "Der Autor an
sein Buch" (WN, p. 10), which calls up the memory of old
friends to whom the author dedicates his book (see below,
Chapter IV, "Friendship"). The longer first part of this
poem emphasizes the moral-didactic purpose of the book as
well as the humor in which all is encased.
In summary, then, there are found in both prefaces
statements as to the nature of the stories (both fiction and
fact), their didactic purpose (to show the vices and virtues
of life), all of which is to be presented in a humorous
form. "Auf eine solche Art wird der Leser gleichsam lachend
unterrichtet, was zu seinem Besten dienet ..." (WN, p. 9).
These same elements are found repeated when the author
addresses the reader directly throughout the book. This
usually occurs at the beginning and end' of books and chap
ters . Often the reader is addressed specifically in the
67
i
third person as "der Leser" (e.g., WN, 72, 128, 129, 272,
340; ST, pp. 627, 701); often the address takes the form of
summary comments related either to the contents of the pre
ceding pages or chapters, or to the moral lesson which the .
author wished to point out. These comments are not ad
dressed directly to "der Leser," but are intended^to clarify
and summarize for his benefit. They are parenthetical in
nature. The most interesting and important use of this
style of summarizing in direct address to the reader is that
jthe chief narrator Zendorio/WoIffgang is capable of using
the same device with other characters in the novels. Nor is
the generalizing-summarizing tendency limited to the narra
tor. Others involved in the narrative action will undertake
the same function on hearing the relation of an incident.
The employment of this narrative technique has a direct
bearing on the apparent involvement of the reader, which has
i
i
already been mentioned above. The use of direct address
only to the reader could have produced an alienating effect
in those incidents where the author appears to step out of
the direct role he plays. But the author has skillfully
manipulated this conventional device so that the dividing
line between storyteller and reader is blurred. Beer takes
the conventional opening device of a preface addressed to
j 68
i
I
jthe reader, states certain general truths which it is his
purpose to employ and develop in the course of his narra
tion, and then repeats these same general truths in summar
izing passages to the reader located at strategic points in
jthe story somewhat in the fashion of "leitmotivs." But to
i
further the involvement of the reader, the author lets his !
narrator speak in the same way to other characters in the
povel. They in turn judge each other's narration, using the
I
jsame general truths which were originally presented in the
jpreface to both novels. Thus the dialogue originally taken
jup between the author and the reader is continued by the
chief narrator Zendorio/Wolffgang with the reader; it is
further carried on between the chief narrator and other
personalities in the novels. Finally, it is continued among
these personalities themselves, thus effectively blurring
the division between reader and story and effecting at the
same time a unique compromise for Beer between the need for
observing conventional form and his spontaneous tendency
toward realistic portrayal.
Realistic Portrayal
Zendorio (and the author through him) states that he
has composed many songs and verses, but has chosen not to
69
include them because they would expand the volume of materi
al too much and perhaps cause the reader to lose interest
(WN. p. 376). Here again the author shows his individuality
by not including a little of everything in his novel, in
contrast to a literary convention of which he was well
aware. At the same time, he makes an interesting proclama
tion for realism:
Etliche habens zwar im Gebrauch [i.e., the inclusion of
poetry], denn sie meinen, das Haus sei nicht wohl ge-
baut, wenn nicht ein Oder andre Reimzeile daran geschrie-
ben stunde. Aber, die Wahrheit zu bekennen, . . . bin
ich doch in der Sache und in dem Grund selbsten kein
grofter Liebhaber der Poesie, weil die Phantasie niemalen
mehr mit Lugen iiberdecket ist, als wenn man Verse schreibt.
(WN. p. 376)
Beer is concerned with entertaining his reader by deal
ing with plausible subject matter in a straightforward man
ner . His descriptions and narrations concern events which
require no particular flights of fancy on the part of the
reader. They are within the reach of everyone, so to speak.
Dn the other hand, he is totally unconcerned with literary
tradition and often underscores his individuality:
Diese Ursach habe ich dem Leser nicht verhalten wollen,
auf daB er nicht meine, ich hatt es etwan liederlicher-
weise ubersehen. . . . in diesem Stuck bin ich ganz einer
andern Meinung, weil ich einen Kopf vor mich habe und
mich nach andern Leuten so wenig richte als die Pranzosen
nach der schwabischen Mode. (W&, p. 376)
70
Of primary concern, in other words, is writing in a "natu
ral" way, meaning natural for Beer. This point should, per
haps, be mentioned in qualifying the use of the word "real
ism" without becoming involved in the controversy that the |
term has engendered. The two novels can be identified as
jrealistic in that they not only are not fantastic or super-
i
natural in their approach, but also in that they represent,
for Beer, a realistic treatment of the materials he has
chosen for his works as well as a realistic outlook on life.
In accord with this point of view, the portrayal of Zendorio
and the members of the nobility undergoes a marked change
after Zendorio himself becomes a member of the aristocracy.
i
The reader is shown how Zendorio experiences a new way of
life that stands between the court and the middle class.
His reactions reflect a new outlook on his part regarding
the nobility and the world at large.
Beer's portrayal of the circle of friends among the
lesser nobility in his Austrian homeland must thus be re
garded as an idealization. It is a wish-dream of the ideal
state which did not necessarily correspond to a given real
ity, except in the broadest sense. At best, one can say
that the circle represents the way the author at times lived
his life, or would have lived it if he had been born into
71
that station of life and had still received the same middle-
class influences of his real life. But even in detail, many
incidents seem to coincide with the reality of Beer's ex
perience as revealed in his autobiography. Otherwise it
must be attributed to pure phantasy. For example, the inci
dent of "der Seilfahrer" (later "der Student") being smug
gled into Veronica's castle disguised as a "Bad-Junge" (WN,
pp. 166ff and 334ff) may be based in part on Beer's boyhood
5
experience as a "Bad-Junge." The mentxon of ghosts cor
responds in its underlying serious presentation to lengthy
relations of stories involving ghosts in the autobiography
6
(pp. I49ff, 154). They are considered to be factual. Even
the repeated incidents in which characters in the novels are
discovered to be in reality members of the nobility and
long-lost family members (Zendorio, Ergasto and Krachwedel)
jare parallel to what Beer considered to be a reality, or at
least a real possibility, in his own life. He reports in
^Beer, Sein Leben, von ihm selbst erzahlt. p. 148.
Further passages citing Beer's autobiography will be re
ferred to in the text by "Autobiog." and the page number.
^"Eine sehr grofie Thorheit ist es, die Gespanste leug-
nen . . (Autobiog., p. 152). Since Beer believed in
1 hosts, their inclusion in the story from time to time does
ot contradict his "realistic" way of writing.
72
his autobiography (p. 77) that he received in January, 1699
a letter from a cousin, H. Christoph Bahr, who reported
finding documentation proving that the family belonged to
the nobility. The more detailed account on p. 115 of the
i i
[autobiography relating the adventures of Beer's grandfather
! 7
[corresponds broadly to Krachwedel's background.
After Zendorio's ascendancy to the nobility, there is
an abrupt change in the portrayal of the major characters in
Winternachte. This could reflect a considerable time lapse
in the author's work on that part of the novel. Possibly a
[change took place in the author's life that softened the
hardships of his earlier existence and is reflected in the
changed outlook of Zendorio and his friends. The latter
possibility is easily verified. Beer married Rosine Elisa-
I
I
beth Brehmer, "Herren Johann Paul Brehmers, Hochf. Mullen-
schreibers und Gastwirths zum schwartzen Bahren hinter-
!
jlassenen und Vater und Mutterlosen Waysen" (Autobiog., p.
i
!
23), on June 17, 1679, after having been engaged as a court
singer at WeiBenfels in October, 1676 (Autobiog., p. 21).
These two events meant a drastic improvement in Beer's
financial situation as compared with his student days at
^This account is not dated.
73
Regensburg and Leipzig. Not only can one assume financial
security and a comfortable living standard for Beer as a
result of these events, but independence in his mode of
life, especially because of his proprietorship of the inn
i
"Zum schwartzen Bahren." Because of his marriage, he becamej
a man of independent means comparable to the landed gentry
that serve as models for the nobility of his novels. Theor
etically, he could have made himself independent of the
|
i
Lourt, although he surely had no real desire to give up his
profession as a musician or his connnections at court. He
I
had indeed achieved a certain independence for himself, and,
ijust as important for the style and content of his novels,
j
he had gained ready access to the travelers from all walks
of life who passed through his inn and who populate his
stories. These facts in Beer's life, as well as his refer
ence to historical events in the two novels, support the
viewpoint that the author is writing from real life, from
his own personal experience, and that he is a realist in
this sense.
Unity
One is not justified in characterizing Beer's style as
formless, even though Beer himself admits to this quality in
his narrative. At the same time. Beer's use of a circle of
friends and their activities as the framework for his narra
tive provides unity in itself, a center point around which
svery event must revolve. The gathering of the friends in
variably results in a series of stories told by a few or all
of them. The stories are frequently long and detailed, but
no matter how wide-ranging these secondary narrations may
be, their conclusion must inevitably return the scene of the
action to the friends themselves. They comment on these
Istories, discuss them and usually draw some general conclu-
j
jsions regarding conduct, morality, or general outlook on
life. Their observations round them off and fit them into
the larger framework of the novel.
As a further unifying device, Beer shows a penchant for
relating the participants or subjects of the narratives to
each other and to others in the group. There are numerous
examples of this. For instance, Jost, Zendorio's servant,
tells the story of his life and Zendorio discovers that
Jost, as a boy, had taken part in some of the incidents
which were related by Ludwig as he told his life story (WN.
pp. 366ff). In Jost’s same narrative he reveals that he was
the earliest recipient of the favors of the love-crazed
Veronica, in whose castle Zendorio was imprisoned at the
75
outset of Winternachte. and who in turn is involved in four
other individual narratives. "Der Jager" is later revealed
to be Isidoro's long-lost brother, Ergasto, upon the reading
of their mother's testament and is accepted into the circle
of friends (WN, p. 301). In Sommertace. Krachwedel is in
troduced as nothing more than a vagrant veteran of the
Thirty Years' War who appeared at Wolffgang's door and was
taken into the household because of his gift for amusing
conversation (ST, p. 609). He is later revealed to be
Wolffgang's long-lost brother (ST, pp. 839f). The purpose
of these unusual revelations of hidden or unknown identities
is presumably not only to add an element of surprise to the
narration, but to provide a means of tying together other
wise disparate elements. It means that the introduction of
new characters is not random, with no function beyond the
immediate amusement of the reader, but that they have a cer
tain motivation of their own. They tend to play a more
meaningful role with added coherence and significance as
integral parts of the narrative as their true relationship
to the other characters and actions of the novels is re
pealed. They add body and depth, so to speak, in the course
of being unmasked, where they would otherwise be simply iso
lated elements of a potpourri. This aspect of Beer's
(technique is, of course, at marked variance with the picaro
tradition in which characters and events are introduced at
random for the moment's amusement, perhaps never to be heard
of again. Beer, however, does not normally let his charac- j
ters go. If they do leave the immediate sphere of the nar
ration, the narrator reports occasional news about their
circumstances that he has received by correspondence or
through third persons. The tendency for Beer to relate
characters to each other is so strong that Beer connects
Jost, the servant of the narrator Zendorio, to Isidoro,
I
!
i t , ( ( t
Zendorio1s best friend, m an incident told at second hand
in which the two were unknown to each other and which never
actually appears in the telling of any event that Isidoro
took part in. The reader could not know that Isidoro was
one of the figures involved in Jost's story. Zendorio ex
plains the discrepancy by saying that Isidoro told him the
story in secret.
Beer's insistence on retaining his characters and call
ing them back into the stream of the narrative from time to
time is skillful and natural. The circle of friends acts as
a rallying point for the narrative action; it is not un
realistic for one or more of the friends to encounter a
jperipheral character who had previously been associated with
77
another member of the circle. The individual can then be
brought into play again with ease. This sort of character
recall also reinforces the memory of the reader and allows
him to cope with innumerable incidents as well as a list of
over 200 persons in the two novels.
The author's method of bringing his figures back occa
sionally serves his didactic purpose as well as it does his
narrative. Wolffgang, the narrator of Sommertacre. relates
several occasions of criminal or immoral occurrences, or
unfaithful servants, and then delights in showing at a later
point the wages of sin by bringing the persons involved back
!
on the scene in a fallen state. "Der Schreiber zu Ichtel-
hausen" serves as an example. He is introduced as a deceit
ful, unfaithful servant of Friderich's who slanders the
administrator of Friderich’s second estate (ST, pp. 552-
559). He is punished and later runs away, to be encountered
again as a beggar at Wolffgang's door (ST, p. 600). Wolff
gang employs him as a scribe. At a later point, it is dis
covered that he has run away with the chambermaid, both
stealing what they could carry with them (ST, pp. 662, 663).
Still later, Wolffgang's servant, Jackel, stumbles across
"Der Schreiber" living like an animal in the forest, ragged
and half-starved, bewailing his own falseness that brought
78
about his fate (ST, pp. 688ff). Or an individual may be
introduced fleetingly, unidentified, with no apparent rela
tionship to the development of the story, only to be recog
nized in a later episode playing a relatively important
role. This occurs during Philipp's retreat to a hermit's
life when he sees a young lady ride by on horseback, weeping
and sighing (ST. p. 472). She refuses to identify herself
and nothing more is said of the incident until she reappears
disguised in male clothing, fleeing an unwanted suitor, and
jreveals that she is the same person. This type of incident
,is common; Faustus is introduced in this fashion, as is Er-
i
jgasto, "Der Advocat von Ollingen," "Barthel auf der Heide"
and Krachwedel.
As has been noted, the style and content of Winter-
hachte change drastically with the beginning of the third
|
book. The first two books were generally serious in tone,
showing the ups and downs of the hero and his eventual tri
umph. The narrator opens the third book with a brief men
tion of his career and states that it is now his intention
to relate his further experiences without intending to of
fend anyone. He makes an extensive apology and justifica
I 79
tion for the baseness of the events that follow, all of
which take place or are told at the wedding festivities.
The deliberate crudeness of the following pages is so ex-
jtreme and in such contrast to the foregoing that one wondersj
why this part is here or what function it could serve. The j
i
opening remarks of Book III presage the character of the !
!
i
following pages.
The author is following a tradition of crude humor that
appealed to the popular taste at all levels. It may also be
that this sort of ribaldry is fitting for wedding celebra
tions where the repressed sexualism which it represents
i
tiight most readily be brought out by the occasion. This is
i j
indicated when a scene is described during the wedding feast
in which Fr.aulein Anna, a guest, is attempting to tell a
i
[
Story about the origin of her musical ability and is con-
i
i
tinually interrupted by Ludwig, who insists on giving her
i
story a lewd interpretation. She is asked to continue her
story anyway and to disregard the interruption
weil ihr ohnedem zur Geniige bekannt ware, warum sie an
gegenwartigem Ort zusammengekommen, und das sie nicht
allein ein wenig lustig, sondern auch ein biJSchen grob
sein mufiten [emphasis added], welches gute Freunde unter-
einander nicht ubel auslegen wiirden. (WN. p. 145)
This sort of behavior was expected at the wedding party
80
and is not necessarily to be taken as standard for all fes-
j
i
tive occasions. The comment also motivates the innumerable
wedding celebrations in the two books. It is the favorite
background for the author to create a large variety of situ-;
; I
|
'ations, and particularly to display crude and lewd humor.
j
.These wedding celebrations also make the presence of women
I
mandatory, providing them with unusual opportunities to play
roles of uncommon variety and importance.
i
i
i In general, the inclusion of vulgarity, as well as
human vices at large, is in keeping with Beer's realistic
portrayal of life as containing both good and evil. He com-
I
pares his literary offering to a bowl of fruit: "... und
|
junter solchem ist gewift ein oder andere faule Birn" (ST, p.
!
*422) . And further: "... man weifi wohl, daft das Unkraut
j
auch in den allerherrlichsten Garten wachse und da6 sich das
(Sold oft mit Kot und Unflat vermischen muB" (ST. p. 423).
I
j
I Ludwig, in telling the story of his life, has told two
lascivious stories and made several of his typically crude
remarks. Frau von Pockau, one of the assembled guests who
lias shown a good deal of sensitivity to Ludwig's former
crudities, defends his telling two stories involving vulgar
ities, illicit love and marital deceit, as well as some of
the criminal acts of his childhood, by drawing up a list of
lessons and admonitions from them. Beer uses her, portrayed
jas a woman of refinement, to defend his inclusion of base
j
elements in the book and at the same time emphasizes his
didactic purpose. She says: . . .so hat man doch Gele- ;
jgenheit, eine Lehre daraus zu nehmen. Naturliche Sachen
I
sind endlich nicht garstig und deswegen werden solche Sachen!
jerzahlet, damit wir uns in der Gelegenheit derselben wohl |
j
iversehen und huten sollen'" (WN, p. 205). She then makes a
|
|
jcomparison to the courtly-gallant type of novel and shows
j
|the latter to be comparatively useless as a source of in
struction. At the same time, Beer emphasizes the necessity
I ' I
and benefit of realistic portrayal: j
j "Ich habe vor diesem in manchen Buchern ein Haufen Zeuges
von hohen und grofien Liebesgeschichten gelesen, aber es
waren solche Sachen, die sich nicht zutragen konnten noch
mochten. War also dieselbe Zeit, die ich in Lesung sol-
I cher Schriften zugebracht, schon iibel angewindet, weil
es keine Gelegenheit gab, mich einer solchen Sache zu
gebrauchen, die in demselben Buche begriffen war; aber
| dergleichen Historien, wie sie Monsieur Ludwigen in sei
ner Jugend begegnet, geschehen noch tausendfaltig und
absonderlich unter uns. Dahero halte ich solche viel
I hoher als jene, weil sie uns begegnen konnen und wir also
I Gelegenheit haben, uns darinnen vorzustellen solche Leh-
ren, die wir zu Fliehung der Laster anwenden und nutzlich
gebrauchen konnen." (WN, pp. 205f)
She continues in the same vein, criticizing the eso
teric quality of courtly fiction as unrealistic. Not only
is this soft of fiction impossible to apply to one's own
life, but it may actually be harmful. She cites her own
experience. As a girl she had read a story about a Turkish
iempress and decided to conduct, herself accordingly. She
I
rejected suitor after suitor as unworthy until she was left
alone. The moral of the story is that one should conduct
pneself according to one's position and genuine feelings
|
without making pretensions. She applies this admonition
jspecifically to the middle class:
!
| "Und ich glaube es sicherlich, dafi> dadurch gar viel
i Frauenzimmer verleitet worden, ihre sonst gepflogene
■ Gemeinschaft in dem burger lichen Wandel auf die Seite
zu setzen, und durch die Einbildung, grofie Frauen zu
sein, sich in ihrem eigenen Gemiite zu iiberheben und
! dadurch in ihr eigenes Verderben zu fallen." (WN, p.
! 207)
j
The Irishman continues with a similar criticism of
i
stories of knighthood which he had read as a boy and which
i
led him to do ridiculous things in imitation: "'Meine Mut
ter verbrannt darauf alle Bucher, die mich zu einem solchen
. Vorhaben verleitet, und also fuhlete ich die Frucht derjeni-
i
gen Beschreibungen, die entweder nur ein Zauberer oder aber
bin sonderlicher Abenteurer nachtun kann'" (WN, p. 208). He
i
makes a precise parallel to Beer's (as well as to Don Qui
xote's) own youthful tastes in literature, if Wolffgang's
reading list as a boy can be so interpreted (WN, p. 830).
i 83
| On this note the company disbands.for the evening's
(festivities and resolves to continue their storytelling in
jthe round on the following morning. They stipulate that the
stories must be true so that the listeners will not be de- j
i
< ;
jceived, but bettered as well as entertained (WN, P* 209).
| |
| J
| Didacticism and Humor j
i
j
Beer's didactic strain is strong. In his foreword to
i
Winternachte. "Unterricht an den geneigten Leser," the au-
' i
thor explains the tone of the book and his intention in pub
lishing it:
j Ehe und bevor wir zu diesem Werk schreiten, ist es not-
wendig zu wissen, dafi> dieser ganze Entwurf mehr einer
j Satyra als Histori ahnlich siehet. Der geneigte Leser j
hat dannenhero Freiheit, nach seinem Belieben davon zu
| urteilen, wenn er zuvor von mir, als dem tlbersetzer,
! freundlich gebeten wird, sich die angemerkte Tugenden
zu einem Wegweiser und die bestrafte Laster zum Abscheu
dienen zu lassen, in den Wegen, die einem Weltmann tag-
lich unter die Fufie komraen. (WN, p. 7)
i
F
jAnd further:
j
i Wer hiervon [regarding a sinful life] auf beiderlei Weis
ein Exempel begehret, der durchlese diese Schrift, allwo
er eine genugsame Anzahl aHer dieser Tugenden und Laster
finden wird, die ihm wohl und iibel anstehen. Auf eine
solche Art wird der Leser gleichsam lachend unterrichtet,
was zu seinem Besten dienet, und kann dur.ch fremde Ge-
sichter seine eigene Gestalt erblicken, es sei darnach
gleich gut oder bos. (WN, p. 9)
The fact that Beer admits to the humorous vein in his
84
j
Writings precludes the assumption that his pious introduc
tion is a tongue-in-cheek way of leading the reader into his
i
[work under a moralistic guise, only to hit him over the head
i !
[with a slapstick. The author's natural humor serves the |
I j
purpose of making his harmless admonitions more palatable:
| Wenn ich eine lustigere Art als diese zu schreiben ge-
wufit hatte, so hatte ich solche unter die Feder genom-
i men und diese Miihe in eine andere Arbeit angewendet,
i aber zu solchem bin ich geleitet worden aus gewifier
j Hoffnung des groften Nutzens, der demjenigen daraus ent-
springen wird, der nicht nach der bloJSen Schale, sondern
| nach dem kern schnappt, der darinnen verborgen lieget.
(WN. p. 9)
No matter how gay and carefree Beer himself may have
been, he could hardly be expected to write with no deeper
purpose than to entertain. No Baroque literature of sig
nificance was devoted solely to pleasure. The Horatian
[edict of prodesse aut delectare was in effect; any writer
desirous of an approving public had to make some concession
to public taste. Beer may not have been concerned with a
i
llarge literary following, but he undoubtedly wanted to ap-
|
peal to those, at least, who were of the same temper as he.
|
jln writing the way he felt, it was natural for him to punish
[the sinful and reward the good. He did believe in this sort
[of moral order. It was part of life as he saw it and there-
1
jfore worthy of inclusion in his book. That this sort of
Ifinger-waving might conflict with the empty-headed foolish-
i
!
jness that takes up so much space is beside the point. Pun
was also a part of life as Beer saw it? if it led to trou
ble, it was of course to be regretted.
! Beer's individualism leads him away from the satirical !
! I
i • I
| ( I
style often encountered in the middle-class literature of \
| |
[the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries because this style !
[does not serve his didactic intent:
. . . es ist keine Kunst, einem Menschen seine Fehler
! vorzuwerfen, aber dieses kostet Miihe, seinem Nachsten
einen Weg zu zeigen, wie er sich bessern konne . . .
Und dieses Laster hangt vielen Satyricis gleich einem
Harlein an der Feder, indem sie nur schmalen auf die
Laster und aufdecken den Irrweg der Menschen, nicht
| zeigend noch weisend auf den Weg der Besserung noch
| instehenden Tugend. Eine solche Ziichtigung hab ich
j viel mehr als die Pest geflohen, weil sie nicht bes-
sert, sondern die Gemuter der Bestraften nur wider-
| wiilig gemacht. (WN* p. 325)
i
!Beer is concerned not only with criticizing human failure,
but also with showing the way to human betterment. His
(criticism of purely satirical writings, especially popular
i
i
In the sixteenth century, is a further indication of his
attempt to break away from the moribund traditions and taste
of that period. The style is also unsuited to his humorous
intent:
Ein solcher Satyricus bin ich nicht. . . . So gabe ich
auch durch solches aufziehen meinem Zweck keinen gerincren
86
^ j Stofi, welchen ich blofi dahin gesetzet, alle Lesende
| durch dieses Buch zu ergotzen in einer solchen Zeit,
I welche das Genviit des Menschens durch blofies Ansehen
| kann traurig und betriibt machen. (WN> p. 325)
Although Beer may not be such a satirist, he does employ j
satire in relating the shortcomings of his fellow man from
lall ranks and walks of life. A prime example is Isidoro's j
i !
j"lustige Comodia" (WN, pp. 390ff), which satirizes philoso- |
! *
! i
Sphers.
The use of satirical elements in the story means that
ithe author is not simply telling his story with objective
realism, a dispassionate recounting of events based largely
S !
on what are probably experiences from his earlier life, but
jis expressing a point of view with regard to himself and
j
Ithese earlier events. Satire implies a viewpoint, which
lleads even to a moral judgment. The author is passing
i
judgment on these events which he directly or indirectly
’ experienced, and this necessarily leads to the conclusion
i
jthat he is not simply a jovial raconteur telling his story
out of "Lust zu fabulieren," but that he is raising his
finger. He does have something to tell us beyond the story.
The use of satirical elements allows the author, from his
vantage point of relative maturity, to speak out his judg
ment of past experiences. A bridge is thrown over the gap
87
between the present narration and the past, providing deeper
i
{justification for what the author has to say. The natural
ifreshness of the original story material is tempered by the
i
i
mature man's satirical consideration of the events.
j
The author is torn between the desire to amuse and the
need to instruct. He cannot resist appealing to vulgar
pastes in humor, as illustrated, for example, by his de
scription of a fight between two servant girls and the rich
|
variety of profanity used by the two (WN, pp. 306f). But
then in an apparent effort to appease the finer sensibili
ties among his readers, Beer follows this action with a dis
course on the evils of profanity, giving the last word to
the pastor who is present (pp. 309ff).
| It is interesting to note that Beer does not allow a
I
i
rnany-sided disputation to develop, although there are others
|
Who would like to differ with the pastor. He provides a
counterweight to the extreme vulgarity. Once again Beer's
!
apparent distaste for the intellectual is illustrated in the
1
j
Way the physician, who would like to express his opinion as
I
|
contrary to the pastor's, is disposed of:
Aber wir lachten ihn nur aus und waren entschlossen,
| . . . ihn seine gelehrte Wege gehen lassen. Denn dieses
j halte ich . . . vor das beste Mittel, dafi man keinen vor
studiert halte, welche meinet, er sei studiert, und daft
man auch mit einem solchen Alfanser nicht viel
88
I
i
Disputierens mache, der eine klare Sach umzudrehen ge-
denket, sondern, ob sie auch gleich recht hatten, soil
man ihnen doch nicht recht lassen, und damit gute Nacht.
(WN, pp. 312f)
The characters in the two novels are often subject to I
I _ ;
variations of fortune: loved ones are victims of robbers,
! !
I !
i !
jexperience loss of property and wealth, suffer sickness and [
| i
death. One is reminded of the emphasis on such tribulations
so often encountered in Baroque literature. But the dif
ference in Beer, of course, is that the victim always re
covers his equilibrium, makes up his loss, learns from ex
perience and once again finds life worth living. An example
pf this sort of punishment and restoration is the case of
I
Dietrich, who barely escapes the clutches of an Italian j
I
j
iprostitute after promising her marriage and then is robbed
of all his possessions by a highwayman on his journey home.
Dietrich pays for his frivolity by being forced to wander in
rags through the wilderness in abject misery. He happily
finds Wolffgang, however. Immediately his fortunes change.
On their way home, the two friends not only stumble across
]
the highwayman— whom they arrest, thereby regaining all of
Dietrich's property in the process— but also encounter the
Italian prostitute, who has been pursuing Dietrich and whom
they denounce and send on her way. So Dietrich has been
jduly punished and restored to grace while the "genuine"
wrongdoers have received their just reward. The only perma
nent victims of these ups and downs are those who deserve
j ' |
jit, such as the evil "Barthel auf der Heide" and Veronica. !
i !
jThere is never a case of "senseless" suffering and tragedy
Jwithout some sort of recompense. Beer's optimism provides
jan order to all occurrences. Everything works out for the
!
1
i
jbest, thus providing an opportunity for a positive conclu-
j
;sion and moralizing. His summary of the Dietrich episode
j
if o Hows:
| . . . ich muftte mich von Herzen verwundern, daft Dietrich
gleichsam auf einen Augenblick zur Freiheit, der Morder
aber und sein betrogener Schandbalg zum unverhofften
Elende gerieten. Denn so geht es insgemein, daft der, so i
den andern mit betrugerischer Vorsichtigkeit erschleichen
und ins Garn bringen will, gemeiniglich selbsten in die
Grube fa lit und gar darinnen umkommet. (.ST, pp. 792f)
! Drawing a moral is part and parcel of the storytelling
|and an obligatory part. All stories are followed by general
Conclusions; their function is to serve the moral improve
ment of the listener (as well as the reader). The moral of
the story is so mandatory and automatic that it takes pre
cedence over the story itself. At one point when Zendorio
is riding to visit his newly inherited estate with Jost, his
servant, they arrive before Jost has had an opportunity to
;finish his tale, so that Zendorio feels obliged to interrupt
him in order to briefly summarize the moral lessons which he
i
I
j
has drawn as a listener (WN, p. 354).
The positive endings of all the seemingly hopeless sit-^
i
uations in which friends become involved could not come
! !
[about without the ties of friendship and the deep sense of '
1
[obligation that the friends feel for each other. This is
perhaps the most important lesson that Beer has for his
j
i 4
audience. It is invariably while acting alone and as in
dividuals that one or the other of the friends stumbles into
difficulties; it is only through the chance reunion with one
pr more friends that they can extract themselves (see pp.
|l54f f below) .
P A R T II
THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER III
THE SOCIAL AND MORAL ORDER
i
j
! All of Beer's novels contain numerous descriptions of
practical jokes and juvenile phantasizing. In principle,
|they all refer back to those happy days of camaraderie which
Beer tried to recapture in moods of gratefulness or loneli
ness. Perhaps his novels represent an attempt to escape the
rigorous demands of court life. But these humorous elements
i
Represent only one facet of Beer's creative personality.
That he was not insensitive to the serious and even sombre
i
I
Jside of life is demonstrated by his music and his autobiog
raphy.
!
! It was his talent to be able to combine the many sides
pf his abilities, interests, and personality into a har-
i
i
j
monious whole that overcame the rigid distinctions of rank
and origin. At court, Beer evidently gained recognition for
himself as a person, as an individual, as well as an artist
and court official. An entry in his autobiography dated
92
93
1
{
i
|"Anno 1677. im Monath 7temb." documents this:
i
In dieser Occasion ritte ich einsmahls mit Herzogen
Albrechten, hochbenanten Herren Administratoris jiingsten
| Printzen . . . spazieren, da sprach Er: Bahr, Ich gabe
viell darum, wan Ich Bahr und ihr Herzog Albrecht waret.
(Autobiog., p. 138)
It is unlikely that Herzog Albrecht made such a confession j
i
indiscriminately. He undoubtedly saw in Beer precisely
those qualities that differentiate him from the nobility and
the typical members of the court. Beer is unique, distinct
|from his surroundings, representing in the eyes of the Her-
!
|zog an unnamed state of existence and outlook that his ad
mirer envies. Through this balance of different qualities
|that make up Beer's person he has achieved a freedom of ac-
i
i
jtion that separates him from those around him. He is no
jlonger dependent upon his surroundings, origins, or patrons;
jhe has realized independence. This is precisely the por-
i
;trayal of the group of friends. Their mode of life and out
look on life reflect the tendency of the middle class at the
end of the seventeenth century to emancipate itself from the
reactionary stagnation passed on from the conventions of the
sixteenth century and to re-establish itself in the main
stream of contemporary life.
The conservative, restrictive way of life practiced by
94
jthe middle-class townspeople tended to stifle a rejuvenation
|
pf intellectual thought. Men of artistic talent, particu
larly musicians, were often forced to leave the towns in
order to exercise their abilities and profit from them.
They gravitated to the courts where the favor of a prince ;
I !
jcould make them comparatively wealthy and where they could J
perhaps gain fame. But even here Beer found objections, the
obvious ones that the modern observer would immediately
seize' upon: hypocrisy, vanity, deceit, intrigue, and lack
of privacy. He was undoubtedly grateful for the opportunity
that court life gave him, but at the same time did not see
in it an ideal for himself. Therefore, he turned to a com-
! 7
promise to find the ideal life for a man of his temperament |
i
!
| — the landed, lesser nobility. Here he could find a combm-
j
htion of the elements necessary to fulfill the requirements
iof an ideal existence for an individual: a respected posi
tion in society, seclusion from the meanness of the town and
the artificiality of the court, yet ready access to friends
pf a similar socioeconomic position (and therefore most
|
Likely to have a similar independent view of life), as well
as the financial base to conduct his life according to his
own desires.
The apparent paradox of Beer casting his characters in
95
the position of noblemen and expressing his view of life
through this milieu is only a superficial one. The setting
is the only means through which Beer could give "realistic"
expression to those elements of living that he considered
important. To attribute the conduct and adventures of
Beer's heroes to a townsman or to the hero of a ’ courtly-
gallant novel would have turned his novels into ludicrous
phantasy. In the world of the lesser nobility, they are
conceivable. A consideration of such alternatives helps
clarify the concept of realism as applied to Beer.
In later middle-class novels of the eighteenth century,
it is no longer necessary for the author apparently to leave
his class in order to cast his characters in roles which are
suitable to the expression of his view of life.'*' The middle
class undergoes change, liberalizes, gains in prestige,
asserts itself in its new role as intellectual leader and
becomes a segment of society worthy of general literary
treatment. At the same time, the courtly novel descends
2
into the world of the middle class and the lesser nobility.
■*-Por example, Gellert's Das Leben der schwedischen
Grafin von G . . . ; Goethe's Werther.
! ^Alewyn, "Johann Beer," pp. I88f, 215.
96
In establishing his hero Zendorio/Wolffgang in the
ideal setting, Beer gains a vantage point from which he can
gaze out upon the life of his times and pass judgment on
those elements of seventeenth-century existence that affect-!
ed him most directly. His treatment is not profound, but
; i
casual, random and spontaneous, as befits the general char- ;
acter of his novels.
Upbringing of Youth
A considerable portion of the two novels is dedicated
to the upbringing of youth and the dire consequences of im
proper upbringing. Ludwig's childhood is stressed as a
prime example of how youth can go astray through improper
education. Insight is given into the custom among some of
the landed nobles of placing their sons with middle-class
professions to further their education and preparation for
later life. This practice indicates the close connection
between the landed gentry and the middle class; it is a
relationship born of necessity because of the remoteness of
the country residence from the larger courts. For Beer, an
opportunity is provided at the same time to take these same
middle-class professions to task in a critical and satirical
way.
97
Ludwig is given first into the care of the schoolmaster
of his school, then to a pastor. The boy plays crass pranks
on these conservative, conventional men, even the extreme of
burning down the pastor's house (WN, p. 193). As in Wick-
3
ram's Knabenspiece1. one sees the pampering of a lax mother
i i
behind the antics of an ill-behaved youth. Young Ludwig is !
j
returned in the course of the story to his home after havingl
set fire to the pastor's house and is punished by his fath
er, while his mother tries to shelter him. His father's
beating is supposed to have injured him severely, but Ludwig
only feigned injury to arouse his mother's sympathy: "'Und
ob ich nichts Hauptsachliches empfund, stellete ich mich
doch nicht anders an, als hatte er mir eine Rippe in meinem
Leibe entzweigeschlagen1" (WN, p. 214). The mother puts him
to bed.
Ludwig is then given to a horse trainer, who fostered
several other noble sons, and finally to a tailor, where he
was to live while attending a Latin school. Here as else
where he practices his knavery, but concludes that he at
least learned something from his cruel and stupid jokes in
I
' ^Jbrg Wickram, Knabenspiecrel. in Anfancre des burger-
ilichen Prosaromans in Deutschland, ed. Franz Podleiszek,
jtfll (Leipzig, 1933).
98
the sense that one who is burned avoids the fire the second
time. In other words, experiencing life was of more value
to him than the formal, conventional training that had no !
real meaning or practical application. The same attitude
lies at the root of the satirical treatment of learned peo
ple in general. Once again, Beer has presented his message,
and at the same time he uses the opportunity to exact re
venge on middle-class society by making typical representa
tives of the professions and trades the butt of Ludwig's
cruel jokes.
The Irishman draws the following conclusions from Lud
wig's story of his boyhood: (1) the tailor has no business
acting as Hofmeister and should concern himself with his
trade, (2) the tailor gave Ludwig too much freedom, (3) one
sees how children are all too often led astray by doting
mothers, (4) teachers are at fault for being too easy on
pupils out of fear of parents on whom they, the teachers,
depend for their livelihood, (5) the father is at fault in
the first place for being careless in choosing those who are
concerned with his son's upbringing (WN, p. 231).
Such failings allow young boys to fall into slothful,
sinful patterns of behavior and lead the Irishman to an in
teresting conclusion regarding prevalent attitudes toward
99
jwomen:
"Doch geschicht es gemeiniglich, dafi diejenige, so in
| der Jugend in aller Unreinigkeit herumgezogen, in dem
erwachsenen Alter bei alien ernstlichen Sachen untaug-
i lich sind. Sie sind mit vielen Worten nicht zu der Ehe
■ zu bewegen, weil sie in ihrem Hurenweg schon zu tief
eingewurzelt. Dahero entstehet die Verachtung des
| Frauenzimmers, die Kaltsinnigkeit in der Affection, und
was man tut, geschicht aus keinem andern Grund, als die
Leute zu betrugen." (WN, p. 233)
i
The Irishman1s opinion can be regarded as Beer's own and
demonstrates his ever-present originality of thought. The
i
jnegative elements mentioned by the Irishman are precisely
the things that are avoided in the novels. Marriage is
honored, adultery and lasciviousness are punished, and women
i
[
treated with respect among the friends. A further example
j
!of the consequences of improper upbringing is provided by
1
Jost's narration regarding one of his former masters, a
young nobleman who was a thieving scoundrel and who finally
|
jfound his death in battle (WN, P* 374).
Carander contributes to the topic with the story of his
pwn youth. He relates how he, at the age of eighteen, was
given into the care of a schoolmaster who was not much older
than he. The schoolmaster was not only fond of the bottle
i
I
i
but madly in love with the daughter of a conib-maker. A
i
j
large part of his instruction of Carander consisted of his
100
writing poorly composed love letters which young Carander
was obliged to rewrite and correct under the pretense of
developing his style. Carander becomes generally involved
in the schoolmaster 's escapades and concludes: "'. . . und
daraus ist ja leichtlich abzunehmen, wie fromm die Jugend
werde, wenn man sie solchen Leuten zu versorgen aibt"1 (WN.
p. 155).
The Irishman tells the story of "Carl Heinrich von
Zweydig," who otherwise plays no part in the novels. He was
led to ruination as a youth by associating with boys of bad
reputation. His downfall lay primarily in the fact that his
father died while he was still in his early years, leaving
him in the care of his mother, who was too lenient with him.
He later finds his death at the hands of a passionate and
revengeful Italian courtesan.
The execution of four thieves who attempted to rob
Wolffgang's residence gives rise to general remarks on the
upbringing of children and the consequences of improper dis
cipline on the part of the parents. Ill-behaved children
can result from either too much discipline or too little,
pnce again, it is the mother who is too softhearted: "Man-
che Mutter laufet dem Vater, wenn er zuschlagen will und
jsoll, unter die Streiche, lasset sich lieber acht Schlage
101
als dem Kind einen geben" (ST, p. 671). But if the dis
cipline is too severe, the result can be just as bad: "Man
mufi aber auch nicht in sie hineinfahren noch zuschlagen wie
mit einer Schlagel-Hacken auf einen eichern Stock. . . . zu
wenig und zu viel, ist des Teufels Spiel" (ST, p. 672).
i
"Die allzu groSe Gelindigkeit der Mutter bauet dem Kind die
Stufen, und die allzu scharfe Harte des Vaters schlaget den i
Nagel in Galgen" (ST, p. 673).
In the case of Magdalena, the object of Christoph's
affections, the mother again bears the main burden of guilt
for the improper conduct of her children. Magdalena has run
away from home and entered a house of prostitution. Her
behavior results from her mother's mistreatment and domina
tion of her, even to the point of beating her. Wolffgang
persuades her to return home before any harm has been done
and the mother treats her with more respect. The role of
the mother in all of these incidents runs generally parallel
to Wickram's portrayal of the mother of an ill-behaved
child. Particularly in Knabenspieae1 does one find a pre
cise portrayal of the consequences of child-raising methods,
both good and bad. For Beer, two elements in the proper
raising of children are paramount: discipline tempered with
justice and the active role of the parents. The latter
102
appears to be of particular importance to Beer; his attitude
may well reflect his own upbringing and occasional separa
tion from his parents. At the same time, Beer believes that
children must become independent and be prepared to leave
home at an early age in order to cope with the world. This ;
!
again reflects his early experience. If children are
I
spoiled and kept at home too long, they will not be able to
start a life of their own without becoming involved in the
pitfalls that plague society at large. This is precisely
what the unfortunate individuals in the accounts just de
scribed did not do. Instead, they became involved in petty
bourgeois failings and characteristics, or in moral laxity,
which is usually but not always associated with the nobil
ity. The expressed attitude toward behavior at large fol
lows a similar pattern.
The Landed Lesser Nobility
Although the actions of Beer's characters as represen
tatives of the lesser nobility appear to be an unusual com
bination of the carefree thoughtlessness portrayed by the
; ■
student-picaro figure backed by the means of the lesser
nobility, the reality of life among them must not have been
far removed from Beer's characterization in many respects.
103
They were by and large free and sovereign within their own
land holdings and could live without restraint, which was
undoubtedly a major reason for their appeal to Beer. He
must have wished for himself such an unencumbered existence
and undoubtedly suffered to some extent under the burden of
his common origins. This is reflected in his portrayal of
Zendorio in the first part of Winternachte. as well as in
Zendorio's (and the reader's) reactions on encountering the
noblemen for the first time. Zendorio is an outsider in
both rank and point of view, as demonstrated by his low
opinion of the nobility in general, his lack of genuine
enthusiasm for Isidoro's pranks and his needless embarrass
ment at Ludwig's party (cf. pp. 25-27 above).
He despairs of his low birth and his apparently pre
destined life, and relates all the crimes that he has not
committed to deserve such a fate:
Dahero sah ich klar, daB jeder Mensch seinen gewissen
Ursprung hat, daraus er muB gepeinigt werden, so lang
er lebet. Ich hatte weder gestohlen noch gemordet,
weder geraubt noch die Hauser angezundet, so war ich
auch sonsten mit keinem hauptsachlichen Laster behaf-
tet, doch schmerzte michs unvergleichlich, daB mir
durch meine Geburt verschlossen waren alle Turen, wo-
wohl zur Ehre als zur Gluckseligkeit zu gelangen.
(WN. p. 102)
After having run away from Ludwig's debauch, Zendorio
104
tells of his service as a famulus to a new master and how he
finally commits acts that he had just listed as implicitly
justifying such a status in life. The wife of his new mas
ter makes advances to him and buys him clothes and other
!
gifts, disregarding his low birth. She loves him for him-
i
self, she says. Zendorio punishes her for her lack of taste!
and disregard of social convention in pursuing a skinner1s
son by stealing her valuables and tearing up his bedclothes;
he adds that he would have set fire to the house if he had
had the means at hand (WN, pp. 102f). Beer/Zendorio has made
a ridiculous parody on morality and the consequences of not
maintaining social conventions. The woman, who claimed she
loved Zendorio for himself regardless of his birth, is pun
ished because she stepped out of her class and down to his I
At the same time, the author shows the reader the conse
quences of such a stratified caste system: the person at
the bottom of the social order is treated as an outcast,
practically as a criminal, and therefore feels no moral
obligation to conduct himself within the law.
Beer mollifies the situation somewhat by portraying the
woman as nothing better than a common prostitute, which may
justify Zendorio's mistreatment of her. But the whole situ
ation is too extreme and grotesquely unfair to Zendorio's
jmaster and benefactor to be explained as being a typical
i
(portrayal of the evil woman in the literary tradition of the
K 1
sixteenth century and the Middle Ages, particularly in the !
light of the tender portrayal of Caspia immediately pre
ceding this incident. (Beer's portrayal of women does not
follow a consistent pattern according to rank or morality. |
i , !
jSee below, pp. 131—146 ) . The criticism of class distinc- i
!
!
jtion, a theme emphasized at this point, seems all too clear
here to warrant any other explanation and helps explain the
f
i #
japparent illogicality of sequence and treatment of this in
cident .
| Among the nobility, emphasis is laid upon one's ability
I
jto look after the practical necessities of the estate, rath-
I
jer than formal representation in society. Ludwig speaks
i
I
with disdain of formal learning in school and at the univer
sity (although he has read widely on his own). This sort of
learning is of no value to him since it cannot be applied to
what immediately concerns him, i.e., the administration of
his lands:
"Denn die Definitionen taugten gar nicht in meinen Kram,
und es ist mir jetzt weit ein grofierer Nutze, daB ich
weife, wie und wann man das Feld pfliigen, das Korn saen,
das Gras schneiden . . . und dergleichen niitzliche Sa-
chen tun solle, als wenn ich ein groSer Doctor ware."
(WN, P. 238)
I 106
| On the occasion of Ergasto's wedding, Zendorio takes
Sthe opportunity to criticize the vanity of the foreign fe-
jraale guests, who apparently conduct themselves according to i
courtly custom and not according to the natural behavior of |
the lesser nobility: "An dem fremden Frauenzimmer war so
jgar extraordinar nichts Schones noch Ruhmwurdiges, es muBte j
i i
|denn nur sein, daB die Hoffart auch einen Ruhm nach sich zu |
|
i
jziehen pflegte" (WN, p. 389) . The author makes it clear
jthat he can do without the flowery mannerisms common to the
times, at least among his friends, as an unnecessary formal
ism that hides one 1s true feelings. When Friderich greets
jWolffgang after a not too lengthy separation, the latter
i
i
i
jcomments on his "courtliness": "Allein seine Hoflichkeit,
|
Idie ihm von Kindesbeinen an gemein gewesen, verursachte alle
jsolche unnbtige Complimenten, die er gegen mir, als seinem
jaufrichtigen und wohlbekannten Freund, wohl hatte unter-
j
jlassen mogen" (ST, p. 438).
|
Friderich himself speaks out against courtly formali
ties as prime examples of the falseness bred at court and in
the cities as well. He paints a ludicrous picture of the
courtiers' exaggerated politeness; he prefers the peasant's
simplicity:
"Man sprinqet geschwinde vom Pferd, eilet in Stiefel und
107
Sporn, was er laufen und eilen kann, gegen einem, so
gegen ihm gegangen koiranet, ziehet schon von Ferne den
Hut vom Kopf, nich darum, daft er ihm durch dieses eine
Ehre zu erweisen wiliens ware, sondern nur, daft er ihm j
solchen zwischen die Ohren werfen dorfte. . . . Ein !
Stuck Brot, das mir der Landmann backet, schmeeket mir
in der Einsamkeit besser als der kostlichste Hofbraten.
. . . Machen gleich die Bauren keine grofte Ceremonien
gegen mir, so mache ich auch keine gegen ihnen." (ST.
P. 451) |
i
In contrast to the shallowness of court and city life, I
s
Friderich delivers a panegyric on the bucolic peacefulness
and frugal prosperity of the landed gentry's country exis
tences
"Die Einsamkeit ist noch das hochste Kleinod und vor dem
Stadtleben urn ein merkliches zu loben. Da sitzet man
in seinem Zimmer, siehet anstatt der Gassenstutzer seine
Ochsen in dem Schlofthofe herumgehen, anstatt der haufigen
Gassenlummel siehet man die Esel Sacke in die Muhle tra-
gen. Anstatt der Nachtmusiken, welche haufig in den
Stadten vorzugehen pflegen, horet man den Hirten auf dem
Felde mit seiner Sackpfeife spielen, welches, ob es schon
keinen so angenehmen Ton gibt, gibt es doch bessere Brat-
wurste und Schweinskeulen. Anstatt der Zeitungen, daft
man uns in Stadten viel von groften Potentaten und Konigen
dahersaget, horet man in dem Feldleben bald diese, bald
eine andere Magd, die erzahlet, wieviel die Schweinsmutter
Junge geworfen, wieviel sie der Woche junge Kalber bekommen
und welche Huhner auf einer guten Brut sitzen. . . . So
bleibt es demnach darbei, daft das Feldleben vor jenem zu
erwahlen sei, weil darinnen eine grofiere Ruh ein steterer
Fried, eine bessere Andacht, eine emsigere Betrachtung
seiner selbst und endlich auch den Seinen ein grofterer
Nutze kann geschaffet und zuwege gebracht werden." (ST,
pp. 453ff)
The advantages of country life are not only material
but spiritual as well. Although Beer speaks primarily in
108
terms of the landed nobility, these advantages accrue to the
peasant also. The author entertains no romantic pastoral
illusions of reverting to an imagined pastoral ideal, but '
considers the actual possibilities and realities of country
life as it is and as it could be. He contrasts life in the
i
country with the realities of life in the towns and courts
as he knows it and decides rationally for the naturalness of!
the country. Beer's concept of life in the country and its
advantages is related to his concept of nature. Country
life and nature are enjoyed primarily for their usefulness
and for the benefits that they can bring to an individual.
i
Passages which indicate that the author or one of his char
acters actually enjoys nature for itself are rare, if they
really exist at all. An apparent exception might be the
location of one of Zendorio's hermit retreats above a lake.
Zendorio comments on the view and the spectacular nature of
the location, but this is in essence only proof that he has
accomplished what he set out to do; namely, to isolate him-
4
self from his fellow man. A scene quoted by Alewyn to
illustrate awareness and enjoyment of nature describes Zen
dorio going to sleep to the sound of rain (WN, pp. 114,
4"Johann Beer," p. 229.
116), but here again the natural phenomenon is enjoyed not
only because it is pleasant but more specifically because it
is relaxing and induces sleep: "... und durch dieses Mit-
tel schlummerte ich je langer je tiefer ein ..." (WN, P*
116) .
Nature is continually related to the individual and its
i
beauty is judged more in terms of utility rather than beautyj
per se. Even so, there is a fundamental difference between
5
Beer's view of nature and the courtly concept of nature.
Where the courtly ideal insisted upon formal gardens as an
extension of the Baroque residence, the members of Beer's
lesser nobility utilize nature, with little formal embel
lishments, as they find it. The residences are located in j
the natural beauty of the Austrian countryside. A nearby
lake is appreciated for the fish it produces. The surround
ing forests are admired for the opportunity to ride and
hunt. The view from an upper window is appreciated because
it reveals the cultivated fields and the ripening harvest.
The experiencing of nature is consistently oriented toward
the individual experiencing it. Where nature is stripped of
^Willi Flemming, Der Wandel des deutschen Naturaefiihls
jvom 15. zum 18. Jahrhundert (Halle, 1931) .
110
its utilitarian value, it can become something impersonal,
frightening, even deadly, as individual experiences of the
friends bear out. This is the view of nature that one re
ceives from Beer's diary; it contains numerous entries re
counting natural calamities and fatal or near-fatal acci-
I
dents. This note of being exposed to the vagaries of an
impersonal fate marks Beer as a product of his times; he
does suffer from "Baroque fear." More characteristic of
Beer and his fictional counterparts, however, is their abil
ity to remain optimistic in the face of fear. At the same
time, they cannot be subjective in their approach to nature
or find that intrinsic beauty which begins to characterize J
nature poetry in the eighteenth century. j
The Peasantry
Beer's emphasis on the ability of the individual to
deal with the practical side of life accounts for the re
spect he holds for the peasants as a principium und causa
sine qua non (WN. p. 240). Ludwig refers to them as doctors
in their profession, just as there are doctors in the major
fields of academic learning. Even the coarseness attributed
to the peasants is excused as no worse than that of the
nobility:
Ill
. . waren etliche unter uns gute Baren, so gabe es
nicht so viel schlimme Edelleute. Bauren, ob sie schon
nach unserer Meinung grob, schatzen sie uns doch nach
ihrer Meinung auch vor grobe Leute; und ich will schwo-
ren, daft wir ihnen in vielen Lastern den Rang abgewinnen.
Und also weift ich nicht, welcher unter beiden vor den
Besten soil gehalten werden." (WN? p. 240)
Beer does not paint the peasants in idyllic pastoral
colors, but simply points out the essential sameness of
peasant and nobleman from the standpoint of behavior. He
does often exalt the peasant figure and the simple man by
attributing superior wisdom to individuals who take the
roles of servants. Wastel, Wolffgang's servant, assumes
this sort of role when he relates various stories about his
past to his master during one of their journeys on horse-
One of his adventures concerns a peasant girl with
whom both Wastel and another peasant youth were in love and
about whom they frequently fought when one found the other
with the girl. Characterization of the willingness of the
peasants to brawl over any provocation is typical of the
peasant literature of the Middle Ages.^ Wolffgang follows
in this vein when he says: "’Du bist ein braver Courtisan
. . . ihr Bauren macht es nicht viel anders wie die
^See also the unrehearsed peasant comedy produced by
Isidoro, knowing it would end up in a general riot, WN, pp.
;390f f.
112
beifiende Hunde, wenn ihr sonst nicht konnet, lasset ihr euer
Amour mit Schlagen und Raufen aus"' (ST, pp. 721f). But Beer
takes the opportunity to show himself once again as a social
leveler when he lets Wastel reply in kind: "’Herr . . . Ihr I
macht es auch nicht viel anders. Wenns Euch ein wenig zu
!
nahe kommt, so fodert Ihr urn eines Frauenzimmers willen auf j
|
die Fuchtel hinaus, sto&t einander tot und fahret also mit
Leib und Seel zum Teufel'" (ST, p. 722). Wolffgang then
thinks to himself that Wastel's analysis is correct and
shows once again a tolerant spirit that bridges differences
in social rank.
Beer's comments regarding the nobility do not represent
an attack against them so much as a realistic evaluation; he|
!
i
actually evaluates all aspects of society. He recognizes
the essential qualities of the "good" peasant as positive
attributes which are fundamental to every rank and position
in society and humanity at large. He returns to the causa
sine qua non not only to illuminate the foundations of the
social order, but to point out how those elements of moral
ity and conduct grow out of the unaffected man who lives
according to his inborn sense of a proper way of life rather
than according to an imposed pattern. The point is illus
trated when one of Zendorio's peasants approaches him to ask
113
for the hand of the cook. Zendorio praises him for bringing
the matter openly to him as the master, and then presents
the peasant's suit in his name to the cook. She is, how
ever, conscious of her supposedly higher social position as j
a house servant and rejects the peasant's suit:
j
"Was", sagte die Kochin, "soil ich einen Bauernflegel
heiraten? Oh, das geschicht nimmermehrl Er kann mit j
seiner Werbung wegen meiner wohl zu Hause bleiben, wenn
kein anderer kommen will, so mag es dieser auch bleiben
lassen. Ich glaube nicht, daB ich noch ein Wort mit ihm
gesprochen, und er darf sich unterstehen um mich zu
freien? 0 der schandlichen UnbehutsamkeitI Ich sehe,
daft der Kerl ein Narr ist oder aufs wenigst den Sonnen-
schuft hat". (Wj£, p. 382)
The cook, although herself not far removed from the status
!
of a peasant, has expressed the prejudice that permeated allj
levels of society.
Zendorio then questions the peasant regarding his
wealth. The peasant answers: " . . an baren Mitteln habe
ich zweihundert . . . Reichstaler . . . vierhundert Scheffel
Wintergersten und neun Morgen Landes'" (HU, BP* 382f). Zen
dorio comments that if the peasant is so well off he should
content himself with chasing prostitutes rather than bother
ing with a household. The peasant's answer is based on
practical economics and has less to do with a conventional
sort of superimposed morality:
"Neiii, Herr, huren ist verboten. Ich hatte lieber ein
Weib als eine Hure. Es gewinnt keiner nichts mit der
Hurerei, und unsers Nachbars Stoffel hat oft gesagt,
wenn er den Huren nicht so nachgelaufen ware, er wollte j
jetzo um hundert Gulden reicher sein”. (WN, p. 383) !
The cook would prefer to marry the scribe or the
schoolmaster to satisfy her feeling of self-respect, regard-;
i
less of the worth of the man as an individual or the prac-
I
I
tical considerations of life. Zendorio criticizes her for
her attitude toward the peasant farmer. From his vantage
point as master and member of the nobility, and from his
wide experience in life, Zendorio is able to see through the
shallow attitudes of the cook as well as all others whom he
|
encounters. He knows the schoolmaster intimately because he)
has entertained him and is aware of his weaknesses compared
to the solidity of the peasant farmer. But the cook shows
herself to be just as class-conscious, vain and prejudiced
as middle-class and courtly society when she explains to
Zendorio her real reason for rejecting her suitor:
"Er wei£> und ist Ihm zur Genuge bekannt, daB ich all
meine Tage und meine meiste Zeit unter dem adeligen
Frauenzimmer zugebracht. Und wenn ich nun sollte einen
Bauer und Landmann heiraten, hilf Gott, wie sollten
mich diejenige auslachen, die mich zuvor gekannt oder
um mich geloffelt hatten. . . . mit klatschenden Handen
wvirden sie uber den Kopfen zusammenschlagen. . . . Gelt,
Euer Gestreng, das Ding sollte mich trefflich im Bauche
vexieren". (WS, p. 385)
115
Zendorio answers with his realistic viewpoints
"Das Reden der Leute tut nichts zur Sache. Wenn sie
sagen: 'Pfui Teufel, die Sophia hat einen Bauern ge-
nommen', und du iBest einen guten Braten, so ists bes
ser, als wenn sie sagen: 'Ach, wie wohl hat Sophia
getan, daB sie den Schreiber geheiratet', bei welchen j
du doch Sauerkraut essen muBt. Gelt, meine liebe So
phia, du merkest wohl, daB nichts an dem Urteil der
Menschen gelegen. . . . Lasse andere immer sagen, was j
sie wolien, wenn du deine eigene Frau bist, hast du
dich wenig nach fremden Leuten zu kehren. Mancher wird |
deinen Stand auslachen, der doch wohl froh ist, wenn du
ihn zu Gast bittest . . (WN, p. 386)
Zendorio then expresses this viewpoint in the following
words addressed to his wife, Sophia, as his personal philos
ophy of life:
"Ich bin ein Cavalier von sattsamen Mitteln, und solcher-
gestalten hatte ich schon lang ein Minister bei einem |
Hofe sein konnen. Aber die Vergnugung, welche ich in
der Niedrigkeit finde, halt mich billig ab von einem
Ruhm, der nur in der hinschwindenden Eitelkeit bestehet".
(WN, PP. 386f)
The Moral Order
For Zendorio, there is no essential difference between
his cook and himself as far as the values by which one
should conduct his life are concerned. The need to be an
individual free of pointless convention is paramount, re-
gradless of rank and origins. There is more satisfaction in
being true to one's self than in attempting to live
116
according to the opinions of superficial friends. But there
are conventions that must be observed, and Zendorio consid
ers it his responsibility to see that the peasants. under his
jurisdiction conduct themselves according to basic moral
precepts. After the cook finally marries the peasant farm- ;
i j
Jer, she conducts herself in a shameless manner, entertain- !
I j
ing various young men while her husband works the fields. |
Zendorio takes upon himself, as master of his estate, the
iobligation of chastising the cook and pointing out the con
sequences of her conduct. In assuming this function, Zen-
|dorio recognizes the need for some sort of order, a moral
Iframework within which the individual can function. It is
jclear that his fun-loving individualism does not demand
jabdication from order and restraint; at the same time a
Idistinction must be made between convention for its own sake
|and fundamental rules of conduct that are considered valid
jon any level of human existence. Zendorio's individualism
consists in following rules that have been tested; it is
essentially a conservative attitude. For him, town life and
court life suffer from the fault of having buried prime
human values under a layer of conventions that stifle the
j
individual spirit. In the milieu of the landed nobility,
he is able to strip away the fapade. He can also promulgate
117
freedom of spirit and action among others belonging to his
household and estate. By using the backdrop of life among
the landed nobility, a portrayal which must reflect a good
deal of reality, Beer is able to create a harmonious societyl
i
based on his conservative individualism. The necessity for 1
i
such a rejuvenation of the individual based on an open as- j
sociation with one's peers as well as one's subjects lies at)
the heart of Beer's didactic philosophy. The life of the
landed nobility is the ideal setting to portray in a be
lievable way these ideal relationships.
The idea of the nobleman and the individual at large as
the embodiment of a minimal concept of order devoid of un
necessary embellishment is evident when Zendorio acts as the
marriage mediator between his servant Jost and the milkmaid.
Zendorio is approachable. He has no use for formalities:
"Indem kommt mein Jost die Treppe heraufgegangen, und weil
ich vor meinem Stiiblein wenig Trabanten hatte, die da mit
Partisanen und Spiefien Schildwache stunden, ging er gleich
zu" (WN, p. 404). On hearing of Jost's marriage plans,
Zendorio once again feels obliged to make comments about the
responsibilities of marriage. His comments are light and
humorous ("Man fahret nicht stracks in Ehestand, wie du in
deine Stiefel hineinfahrest" [WN, P. 405]), but still have
; us
ia serious intent. Zendorio speaks to Jost at his own level
jand is not above lewd comments. Having performed his func
tion as master, Zendorio no longer stands on formality. He
has always shown fondness for Jost and treats him in many
respects as a friend. Their association is so lacking in
jformality that Zendorio stages a huge wedding celebration
j
ifor Jost and his bride. Beer uses the occasion to turn the
1
|social strata upside down by portraying the nobility as ex
ceeding the bounds of propriety and conducting themselves
!like actors in a peasant comedy. The debauch leads to the
lend of Winternachte with the resolution by one and all to
i
bend their ways. At the same time, it illustrates the human
weaknesses present in all of the figures in the novels, re-
j
[gardless of station. The moral order does not originate
j
with the nobility, nor do they alone possess knowledge of
right and wrong. But they do have the power to influence
the attitudes and behavior of others, and Beer appears to
imply that they have the obligation to do so.
i
\ In carrying out their obligation of maintaining order
|
[within their own sphere of influence, the nobles remain
jsovereign within their own landholdings; they take into
[their own hands the administration of regional law and
I
[order. They do not depend on higher authority to maintain
119
order, although they may turn criminals over to the courts
for punishment. In no instance do they call for help from
without.
The willingness of the friends to dispense justice and |
i
maintain order is illustrated by an incident in which Wolff-;
i
gang and Friderich are waylaid by robbers in an inn. The j
I
l
two friends manage to escape after killing several of their j
assailants and setting fire to the building. The following
morning they stumble across two of the remaining robbers in
a nearby forest. After gaining a confession from them,
Wolffgang and Friderich in their anger set upon one with
their swords, giving him such severe wounds that he dies j
I
within an hour. They deliver the other robber to the
authorities to be executed (ML, p. 529). A further illus
tration occurs when Barthel auf der Heide and his following
of peasants attack Oberstein, Philipp's castle. Here the
friends join forces and take upon themselves the task of
driving off a small army of 100 well-led peasants; they do
not call for help from the outside (ST, pp. 53Iff). In
another incident, Wolffgang's residence is broken into by a
group of robbers. They are captured and beaten before being
delivered to the town authorities for execution (ST, pp.
663ff).
120
These incidents and others indicate a high degree of
sovereignty on the part of the nobility if they choose to
exercise it. The fact that they often deliver criminals
involved in serious crimes to the authorities in a nearby
town appears to be more a matter of convenience than neces-
sity in order to avoid the unpleasant business of trials and
executions. In this respect, there is no mention of their
involvement in court proceedings. The word of the nobility
is considered sufficient to provide proof against a crimi
nal.
For breaches of conduct among the peasants and serv
ants, as well as against trespassers and poachers, the
noblemen wield absolute authority. They may employ beatings,
threats, discharge from employment and other means to en
force their rules. These rules of conduct are enforced not
only to maintain peace, but to provide a framework of order
that is beneficial to everyone. This is regarded as an
obligation; to this end the friends can go to whatever ex
treme they choose. Zendorio chooses to threaten, warn and
persuade rather than resort to physical punishment. In
chastising the cook for her loose ways after marrying the
peasant farmer, he admonishes; "’Meinst du nicht, ich hatte
Macht und Gewalt, dich entweder offentlich in der Fiedel
121
herumfiihren zu las sen Oder dir gar den Tact mit der Rute
auf den Buckel zu geben"' (WN, p. 402). But his main appeal
is to her sense of morality and the practical advantages of
proper conduct.
Beer's concept of ideal behavior is unique and in keep-;
i
ing with his outlook on life as represented by WoIffgang in '
i
Sommertaae. who expresses his wishes regarding the conduct
of a young wandering student whom he has taken in. He out
lines three points that the student must observe if he is to
be a welcome guest in the household:
"Erstlich, schwatzet mir nichts zu. . . . Vors andere,
so hiitet Euch, daft Ihr von keinem Bauren oder meinigen
Untertan einzige Schmieralien, seine Sache anders vor-
zutragen, als es an sich selbst ist, einnehmet. Vors
dritte, daft Ihr Euch mit Buhlschaft nit verplempert und
ohne meinem Verbewuftt, solange Ihr hie seid." (ST, p.
654)
Wolffgang states that he has learned these things from his
father, which implies the important role that the father
should play. This is a further testimony to the forthright
ness that Wolffgang insists upon in his own life and which
he can only achieve by being his own master and avoiding
both the cities and the courts. The Student acknowledges
the originality of Wolffgang's house rules by contrasting
them to that which he has experienced in the towns:
122
"'Herr . . . Ihr habt ganz einen andern Kopf, als sie in der
Stadt haben. Dort hat man nichts lieber als die Leisegeher,
Federklauber und Aufstecher1" (ST, p. 655).
The three rules against gossip, deceit and illicit j
courting make up a code of behavior expounded by the author;;
it is not promulgated according to religious dictates. j
i
There is a lack of orientation toward God, especially in I
those instances where one would normally expect to find it,
such as the scenes dealing with retreat to the hermit's
life (see Chapter VI below). It fits into the originality
of the author's heroes that they would work out their own
moral canons according to their own sense of right and
wrong, personal preferences and instinct, without reference
to God.
The lack of formal dogma in the novels is also com
patible with what is known about Beer's background. He left
Austria, his homeland, with his Protestant family to take up
residence in Regensburg because of the pressure of religious
differences. But here in the conservative Protestant city
he found oppressive middle-class restrictions which he es
caped by joining the court at Weifienfels. The pattern of
123
7
Zendorio/Wolffgang1s life is similar. Left to himself,
Wolffgang develops an independent code of behavior which
influences his own conduct and that of those around him.
They must measure up to his tolerance, straightforwardness
and open-mindedness or they cannot be admitted into his
little world. The circle of friends would not, of course, s
change their ways in order to gain entry into society at j
large.
One can read into this attitude of self-reliance a
foreshadowing of the independence of thought that marks the
intellectual development of the eighteenth century. Wolff
gang and his friends state their awareness of their sinful j
behavior and the necessity of changing their lives, but theyj
I
I
do not call upon God's help. Instead, they rely upon con
templation of themselves to "root out," so to speak, their
wrongdoings, and they rely upon their own rationality to
find a way to change for the better. Their decisions are
often reached jointly after a degrading experience, a drunk
en brawl, perhaps, when they discuss their transgressions
and then resolve on a course of action to repair their ways.
^WoIffgang states at one point that he favors the Cath-
plic confession, but one cannot take him seriously (WN, p.
275) .
124
Repeated transgressions do not need to be taken too serious
ly because they mean an offense against oneself, not against
an absolute morality. They recognize themselves as fallible!
human beings. They do not attempt to measure up to an abso-
lute morality which would defeat them consistently. Instead;
I
they create their own code, partly stated, partly implied, !
which gives them the necessary earthly leeway to live life
for itself.
Middle-Class Town Life
A virtuous, happy life is possible in the country where
one is not pressured by society to conform to artificial
standards. In a discussion regarding the advantage of city
life as opposed to country life, the city is praised because
it offers the opportunity for daily conversation and news of
the world, respect according to station (a point which is
later contradicted), and opportunity to dress and be seen.
But this apparent praise contains its own criticism when
compared to the virtues of life in the country. The sim
plicity of country life lies in the fact that one can mind
his own business and not have someone else's forced upon
him. Where conversation is sought after, there is usually
much evil; conflicts arise out of differences of opinion and
lies. The propounded advantage of being able to show one
self in fine clothing in the city is in itself wrong because
it leads to vanity, deceitfulness and a waste of money.
The topics of pointless gossip are listed as money
worries, unfaithful friends, poor conduct of the authori-
i
ties, conditions at home, business concerns and war (ST, p. ;
448). Gossip is fruitless and can lead to no good end. j
Idle talk is regarded as filled with rumor and untruths
which are perpetuated. In other words, the reality of the
world is disguised by the sort of gossip that is bred and
spread in the towns. The same is true of newspapers, an
other form of gossip:
Die Zeitungen und Novellen anbetreffend, waren solche
meistenteils erlogen und erdichtet, indem sich ofter-
mals vier Schreiber zusammensatzen, und welcher unter
ihnen die beste Luge erdichten konnte, der mufite auch
die Zeitungen schreiben. (ST, p. 448)
The theme of falseness and unfaithfulness in human relations
pervades the comments of the author on town life.
The life of the country nobility differs from town life
not so much in form and detail as in freedom and means. One
sees, for example, that the members of the family do not
find it unseemly to serve themselves and others informally
in the kitchen. Ludwig tells of a surprise visit to a
126
cousin, who is absent at the time from his residence. He is
greeted by a daughter, who quite spontaneously prepares
something to eat with her own hands, even though there are
servants in the house (WS, pp. 193f). Caspia does the same i
for Zendorio: "Caspia hatte bei meiner Wiederkunft einen
i
Kaphan an den SpieB gestecket und einen Karpfen blau abge-
i
sotten" (WN, p. 376). Mention of such mundane household j
activities and other domestic characteristics, such as the
pregnancy of the wives, are rarely found in Baroque litera
ture but fit well into the realistic, detailed depiction of
the unpretentious life that Zendorio/Wolffgang, and appar
ently Beer himself, favored. An indication of the relative
simplicity of Zendorio's household is indicated by an inci
dent in which he is visited by a society tailor who is on
his way to Ergasto's wedding (WN? P- 378). Zendorio is able
to pass himself off as a tanner, a well-to-do handworker.
The tailor is impressed at the well-furnished living room,
but readily believes that Zendorio is a middle-class trades
man . It is an indication of the lack of formal decorative
ness and outward distinction employed by the members of the
landed nobility.
Beer uses a funeral procession to criticize the shal
lowness of middle-class behavior. He describes the reasons
127
why citizens take part in a funeral procession: as a social
obligation, to show one's rank by one's position in the pro-
i
cession, to show flattery to an important person and to be j
praised as a good Christian (WN, PP. 255f). All of these
reasons are typical of the hypocrisy of townspeople and, of
i
course, all are rejected as unworthy. Typically too, those
who take part in the procession leave it when they think
they are no longer observed; they do not go to the grave
side. The saddest part of it all, comments the author, is
the indication of a lack of friendship toward the deceased:
Wenn du in dem Sarg lagest und konntest durch ein Fen-
sterlein herausgucken, ich glaube, du solltest dich |
ohne Zweifel dariiber von Herzen betriiben, daB die !
Freundschaft derjenigen nicht groBer sei, welche sich !
dir Oder den Deinigen so oft verbunden haben. (WN> P*
257)
Women taking part in the funeral procession are criti
cized for gossiping about styles and trivialities instead of
conducting themselves appropriately to the occasion.
The greatest criticism, however, regarding vanity in
dress is directed not against women, but against the town
fop, who may be nothing more than a tradesman but who as
sumes a style of dress and mannerisms that are unbefitting
to his station in life. In Sommertaae. Friderich tells a
story of such a person in order to illustrate his own point
128
in this regard:
"Manchein geht es gar, wie ich einmals zu Coin gehort.
Daselbst kam ein franzosischer Offizier zu einer solchen
jungen Bursche, und weil diese recht auf die franzosi-
sche Art gekleidet war, redete ihn der Franzos franzo-
sisch an. Der junge Bachant nickte den Kopf, damit zu
verstehen gebend, daB er nichts verstiinde. Auf solches
gedachte der Obriste, er ware vielleicht ein teutscher
Studiosus, und redete Latein. Aber er verstund dieses
so wenig als das vorige. 'Ha', sprach der Obriste da-
rauf, 'Hut franzos, Wammes franzos, Hosen franzos,
Strumpf franzos, Schuh franzos, Degen franzos, Hand-
schuh franzos, Pariique franzos, Maul- Hunds-’ etc.
Damit hatte der neue Monsieur seinen richtigen Tauf-
namen, namlich: er war ein Hunds- etc., der nur die
franzosische Kleider, nicht aber solche Qualitaten an
sich hatte, die ihn hatten des Kleides wurdig machen
konnen." (ST, pp. 452f)
This criticism of "alamode" is included with a general
|
j
criticism of city life and unnatural conduct. There seems
to be no particular bitterness against the French— on the
contrary, their qualities are recognized as genuine— but
against the fools who emulate their outward characteristics
without any inner substance. By this time, the "alamode"
style was a German evil not to be differentiated from oth
ers, such as the small-mindedness of the middle class, and
is here associated with the middle class, not the nobility.
At one point, the contemplations of the friends during
one of their retreats from the world lead to general obser
vations on society in general. It is acknowledged that
129
every level of society is plagued with wrongdoing, but it is
not the social organization itself that is at fault so much
as the individuals who make up any particular social ele
ment:
Wenn ein Burger in einer Stadt zum Schelmen wird, so
geht doch dieses Bubenstuck seinen Nachbarn nicht an,
weil er mit falschen Practiquen nichts zu tun, noch
mit diesem Verbrecher eine Gemeinschaft im Laster ge-
habt, ob er gleich mit ihm, als ein Burger, vergesell-
schaftet gewesen. Denn sobald dieser zum Schelmen ge-
worden, hat er durch seinen begangenen Prevel das Biir-
gerrecht aufgehoben und sich also von den andern Mit-
burgern separiert. (ST, p. 681)
The statement shows generosity on the part of Beer, consid
ering his apparent feelings about city dwellers. However,
he does criticize city life sharply when the jovial Philipp
receives an offer of a distinguished position in both a
court and a city. He goes to Wolffgang for advice. The
latter first praises complete independence as the surest
source of happiness. "'Wer sein eigen sein kann und keinem
Herrn aufwarten darf, den schatze ich viel gluckseliger als
den Fursten selbst'" (ST, pp. 631f). He then launches into
a tirade against the shortcomings of city life. The caustic
satire that Beer employs to portray the townsman and his
ways is so marked that one must conclude that there is per
sonal bitterness behind his description. And indeed, from
130
Beer's personal life, particularly his experiences at Regens-'
burg, one knows that he perhaps had reason to attack the
narrow-mindedness of the townspeople. Wolffgang's criticism
leaves no one unscathed. Practically every major trade is
i
attacked. There is nothing good to be said about anyone
I
because there is nothing that an outsider such as Philipp
can do that will please the clannish citizens. "'. . . so
geht lieber nach Hof'," concludes Wolffgang, "'Du bist einer
vom Adel, und also dienest du billiger einem Potentaten als
gemeinen Burgern'" (ST, p. 632).
Court Li fe
Court life, on the other hand, is comparatively forth- !
f
j
right. One is entitled to and receives respect befitting
his position:
. . . ob man daselbst [at court] gleich so wenig als in
den grofien Stadten reines Garn zu spinnen pfleget, hat
man sich doch urn keine schuster- noch schneiderhaftige
Ungunsten zu beforchten, und da der Burgermeister in der
Stadt vor dir den Hut auf seinem Schadel sitzen lasset,
muft er solchen zu Hofe vor dir unter die Arme nehmen
und zu einem jeden Paragrapho, den er mit dir redet, ein
spanisches Compliment machen. (ST, p. 636)
Important is the element of respect and recognition for
one's accomplishments. "Wer etwas kann, den halt man wert"
(ST, p. 652). Philipp chooses what he and Wolffgang
131
consider to be the lesser of two evils and decides for the
court. Later, the friends speak about Philipp and his new
career at court. Dietrich expresses the feelings of the
rest of the friends when he says: . . . wenn ich an sei
ner Stelle gewesen, ware ich mein eigen gebleiben. Die
Freiheit ist doch allem Reichtum so weit als die Sonne den '
Stemen vorzuziehen1" (ST, p. 682).
For the friends, it is a question of personal freedom.
Philipp is described as being fortunate in that he enjoys
.r
the favor of the prince and therefore cannot be taken ad
vantage of or misused by the deception of his enemies. The
fact that he must have enemies at court is taken for granted
and is not a subject of conjecture. The friends recognize j
I
Philipp as intelligent enough to take advantage of his
favorable situation with the prince, which is essential to
whatever prosperity he may enjoy in his new position (he is
"ein vornehmer Minister" [ST, p. 683]). But the Baroque
court plays no part in the novels. It remains a peripheral
element.
Women. Marriage and the Family
Women are not ignored or only slandered, especially in
Winternachte. In the third and fourth books of Winter-
132
nachte. which are devoted to a series of stories told by
each member of the company, the women play a part almost
equal to that of the men. Their protestations that they
have nothing to relate of a personal nature that compares
with the adventures experienced by their male counterparts
is compatible with their feminine role. Nevertheless they j
I
must contribute to the assembled ring of guests regardless j
of the plainness and brevity of their tales. Although the
ladies are ridiculed as a result of innocent remarks which
are given an obscene interpretation, their very naivete
gives them dignity and raises them above the vulgarity of
the men. At the same time, they are able to deliver cutting
rejoinders. They are not above bawdiness that allows them
to maintain themselves in male company without losing their
feminine dignity. The important thing is that they are not
subservient to the men, nor are they looked down upon by the
latter. They are admitted to male company, but on male
terms without deference on the part of the men.
At times they are even capable of carrying out practi
cal jokes on an equal basis with the men. For example,
Caspar and Kunigunda are to be married (WN, pp. 32Off), and
the entire company has been assembled for the festivities.
A week passes and the bride has not yet appeared. A
133
messenger arrives and announces that Kunigunda has run away.
The messenger is Kunigunda in disguise, who allows the de
ception to continue for several days, during which riders
are sent throughout the countryside to determine the bride's
whereabouts.
Even when not present in the narration to help carry
the action, the wives are mentioned in the voluminous cor
respondence between the friends as to the state of their
health, happy home life, family relationships, or simply as
part of the final salutation at the end of a letter (Isidoro
to Zendorio: "Indessen lebe mit deiner Liebsten wohl" fWN.
P. 297]).
The fundamental difference between the treatment of
women by Beer and the role of women in other literary works
of the time is striking. The women are neither idealized
nor stereotyped. They are shown in many situations, from
that of a disguised noblewoman pursued and harried by an
evil suitor (Amalia, ST, p. 521) to the more mundane, color
less pursuits of the women as family members and housekeep
ers. It is this latter role of women that is by far most
common.
Scenes of genuine love and affection appear; if not
often, then at least where one would expect them. These
134
scenes show strong inner-family relationships. If they are
not dwelt upon at length, it is because they are taken for
granted. When Amalia takes leave of her mother after her
marriage to Friderich, their sentiments seem real and genu- i
ine:
. |
. . . Amalia nahm mit vielen Tranen von ihrer Frau Mut
ter Abschied und bedankte sich zugleich mit einer be-
weglichen Dankrede fur alle ihre mutterliche Wohltaten,
derer sie von Kindesbeinen an von ihr genossen hatte.
Hiermit fingen Mutter und Tochter an zu weinen. (ST .
pp. 589f)
Wolffgang has sent his wife home early from the same
wedding celebration because she is suffering from a severe
|
toothache. Wolffgang arrives home later and is saddened on
finding his child critically ill and near death. His af- j
|
fectionate reference to his wife, which occurs many times,
is also noteworthy:
"Ich fand meine Liebste wieder gesund, aber hingegen
mein Kind ganz krank und matt, daruber ich mich recht
von Herzen betrubte, also dafi ich fast die ganze Nacht
schlaflos zubrachte. . . . ich . . . fing schon an, an
dem Aufkommen meines kleinen Kindes, welches ich so
sehr lieb hatte, zu zweifeln, wie es denn auch mit
meiner unbeschreiblichen Herzensangst gestorben ist."
(ST. pp. 594f)
The author cannot be accused of showing a lack of feel
ing for family relationships, as Muller states (p. 92). On
the contrary, the passages are touching in their simplicity
135
and directness, such as the following:
"Hiermit ging ich hinunter und sah das Kind, welches in
grofter Hitze darnieder lag, noch zu guter letzte mit
nassen Augen an, und war mir leid, daft ich es nur eine
so kurze Zeit solle gesehen haben. Aus groftem Schmerzen j
ging ich wieder zurucke und brachte dieselbe Nacht in ;
steter Kummernis hin." (ST, p. 596)
i
Wolffgang's father dies at almost the same time as his |
child; the double tragedy multiplies his grief: "'Also ritt
ich mit vielen Tranen wiederum davon und muftte erfahren, wie
wehe es tue, wenn man seine Eltern und Kinder in einem Tage
a
zugleich verloren hat'" (ST, p. 599).
Wolffgang's reaction to the double tragedy provides a
test of his worldly point of view. Significantly enough for
the role of women in the two novels, Wolffgang gives recog
nition to the consolation he receives from his wife, who
herself was suffering from the loss of her child. He ex
presses one of Beer's strongest statements for making the
best of the world and finding joy in life:
"Ich gab mich endlich zufrieden und erquickte meinen
Geist durch Lesung lustiger Schriften, weil es sich ja
nicht anders machen, viel weniger das Geschehene wieder
zuruckbringen lieft. 'Wohlanl' sagte ich, 'wer in der
Welt lebt, mufi die weltliche Zustande ertragen; mann
kann nicht immer lachen, man kann auch nicht immer
weinen'." (ST, p. 599)
Beer's joy in life and worldly orientation are never more
136
manifest than at this moment. At the same time, it explains
why he cannot be expected to dwell on the inner reactions of
his characters to the tragedies of life. In view of the
entertaining purpose of his novels, he emphasizes the posi-
I
tive side of life, but he is obviously not insensitive to
i
the tragic.
Weddings play an important role in bringing the friends;
together, developing interesting situations and carrying the
narrative action along. The number of these occasions shows
an interest in developing roles for female characters as an
integral part of the narrative. And the institution of
I
marriage must have been considered important in itself be
cause the portrayal of wedding festivities was not the only
way or a necessary device to bring the friends together and
stimulate the development of a story line. The importance
that Beer attaches to marriage is expressly stated, as in
the following lines:
Insonderheit aber wunschten wir Herrn Priderichen bei
vorstehendem Abschied viel Gluck und Heil zu einer ge-
segneten Ehe, weil an dieser Gliickseligkeit namlich
sich wohl zu verehelichen, ein merkliches Stuck dieser
zeitlichen Vergnugung zu finden ist. (ST, p. 480)
This sentiment not only reflects on the importance of
marriage, but is an indication of the importance of taking
137
part in life and of Beer's general worldliness. Beer shows
the need of man to establish himself in a stable relation
ship in the world, and a "good" marriage is a long step in j
that direction. The question remains, what constitutes a
good marriage: marriage to a woman who can bring with her
both financial and social advantage, which would be in keep-'
ing with the typically ego-centered, pragmatic Baroque view,I
or a marriage based on mutual love and affection? The ques
tion is answered elaborately by Faustus' marriage to an
alleged peasant girl. Great care is given to indicating the
shock of the assembled wedding guests on hearing the news.
The news is reported by the lackey of a newly-arrived guest;j
I
the noblemen are shocked that one of their own kind would
marry beneath himself. Zendorio finds it hard to believe:
Die Rede des Laquayes kam mir ziemlich verdachtig vor,
deswegen fragte ich seinen Herrn, welcher ebenfalls be-
richtete, was zuvor sein Diener erzahlet. Er setzte
hinzu, daS der Brautigam Faustus hiefte, und hatte kein
Mensch erfahren konnen, warum er ein so hochwichtiges
Werk mit einer Bauersmagd vorgenommen, da doch das ganze
Land voll Adel steckte, und deswegen mufite er hierzu
absonderlich sein verleitet worden. Erst fingen wir an,
uns rechtschaffen zu verwundern. Ich, Isidoro und Lud
wig machten ein Kreuz hin, das andere wieder her, denn
es ist unmoglich zu beschreiben, wie sehr uns diese Zei-
tung besturzet. (WN, pp. 172f)
Zendorio, the narrator, continues:
Diese Erzahlung zerstorte all unsere Lust, denn wir __
.... 138
sahen augenscheinlich, dafi> den Faustus eine grausame
Raserei ergriffen, indem er eine solche Sache unter-
fangen, die entweder nicht bestehen oder aber in eine
grausame Reue konnte verkehret werden. (WN, p. 173)
He comments on the disadvantages of an unwise marriage,
which brings regret and cuts off the possibilities of ad
vancement in a nobleman's career. Another guest comments:
11’Es ist schad vor den rechtsschaffenen Menschen. Ich konn-|
te an ihm nichts verspiiren als absonderliche Hoflichkeit,
und wie ich von seinen Dienern verstanden, so ist er bei
vortrefflichen Mitteln [therefore, no reason to marry be
neath himself]'" (WN, p. 173). j
i
The true nature of his marital status is brought out j
i
when Zendorio visits him. Faustus is happy in his choice ;
!
!
and claims that the love he feels for his wife grows daily.
The difference in their social position is of no import; it
actually serves to raise him in his wife's esteem. The main
source of his happiness is that he finds happiness in his
wife; this is the ultimate criterion. His ideal is to re
tire to a lonely estate and live according to his own dic
tates. Here, courtly behavior is renounced and a realistic
pastoral ideal is substituted in which affectation is left
behind.
The fact that his wife of supposedly low birth is in
139
reality a noblewoman, long admired from afar but unrecog
nized by Faustus, is not essentially important. It can be
explained as a typical, unexpected turn of events, one of
the many coincidences that occur in the two novels with the j
intention of amusing and surprising the reader. Important
is Faustus' obviously genuine defense of his actions and thej
virtues of a simple life lived in mutual trust and love with
an unprepossessing woman. It is one of the significant
developments in the two novels.
There is no doubt where Beer1s sympathies lie. He
shows himself once again to be a social leveler. It shows
at the same time the lack of social significance to be at
tached to the fact that the main characters of the story j
I
belong to the nobility. Faustus says the final word on
those qualities which count most in marriage and life at
large:
"Bauerntochter sind auch keine Hunde, und ich schatze
weder Schonheit, Adel noch Reichtum, wo keine Vergnu-
gung zu finden. Ich habe nun das Hofwesen auf die
Seite gesetzet. . . . Die Hofleute mogen darzu sagen,
was ihnen beliebt, so weiB ich doch, dafi es keinem
unter alien so wohl gehet als mir, weil keiner unter
alien solche Vergniigung geniesset als eben ich."
(WN. p. 262)
Beer's treatment of women is not single-minded or con
sistent. He at times treats the courtly concept of ideal
140
woman, steadfast in the face of adversity, and at other
times he deals with the middle-class popular concept of the
frivolous, lascivious, trouble-making woman. But neither
type is portrayed as typical.of one social level, and this
is perhaps the most important point to make. Lasciviousness,
I
may be typical of the noble lady (Veronica), while the mean-;
est background may produce a woman of natural quality. Beerj
shows a willingness to accept people for what they are, re
gardless of their social rank.
The supposed sensuality of women is a recurrent theme,
but it is not considered to be a natural attribute of women.
i
There is a passage in Winternachte which shows insight into j
a possible cause for the alleged sensuality in women with I
leisure time. The observation is made by the "Seiltanzer"
(later Caspar):
"Frauenzimmer sind Menschen und dahero von Begierden
nicht entauSert. Ja, sie stecken von denselben viel
voHer als mancher Mensch, der sich durch schwere Ar
beit allerlei ttppigkeit befreiet. Die Faulenzereien,
welcher dasselbe unterworfen, stecket sie mit tausend
schadlichen Gedanken an.. . (WN, p. 163)
The important point is the apparent desire to give women
equality with men by showing that they are not inferior from
a moral standpoint, just as Faustus' statement, "Bauern
tochter sind auch keine Hunde," denies the inherent
141
inferiority of women (and peasants) from a social point of
view.
At the same time, the frequent discovery that people of
low birth actually belong to the nobility seems to imply ‘
that practically anyone may be worthy of esteem and there-
1
fore perhaps everyone should be regarded as having that po- j
I
tential. No one can be rejected because of his outward j
appearance but must be judged by merits which are manifest
in what he does. Thus, Zendorio/Wolffgang is prepared to
extend his hospitality to anyone and let him prove himself
as a human being. This is a large part of the motivation
behind Zendorio/Wolffgang's open-door hospitality ("'Ja, ich
kann es mit gutem Gewissen sagen, dalS kein Bettler sicher
vor mein Schloft passieren konnen, der mich nicht seinen
ganzen Lebenslauf von Wort zu Wort erzahlen miissen ’ " [WN, p.
377]), which brings about lasting friendships for him as
well as the discovery of his long-lost brother, Krachwedel
(ST. pp. 605ff).
In Sommertaae. the role of Wolffgang1s wife, Sophia, is
enhanced when she joins in the spirit of Wolffgang's retreat
;from worldly affairs by secluding herself in another part of
the residence. Wolffgang, on reaching a decision with Fri-
iderich to abandon his seclusion, discusses the problem with
142
his wife, giving her an important place in his affairs. At
the festivities following the return of the friends from
their first general attempt at retiring to a hermit's life, I
general observations are made regarding the weaknesses of
women. Vanity and talkativeness with undesirable people are
!
among them. The wives of the friends are excluded from
these generalizations, however, and are described as being
i
!
faithful.
The sudden removal of Sophia, Wolffgang's wife, from
the scene by the author is so abrupt that one must look for
motives. It seems apparent that Beer wanted to show the
other side of married life. None of the friends had exper- i
i
ienced marital difficulties. On the contrary, all were
happy with their choice of wives. The various marriages
provided background and motivation for a good part of the
action in both novels. One sees the portrayal of women
among the circle of friends as anything but typical of the
middle-class and peasant tradition of the Middle Ages. In
the two novels, the wives are pictured in part as the butt
of male jokes when the company is mixed, but they are gen
erally able to defend themselves with dignity. The more
typical, traditional interpretation of women according to
the middle-class literary heritage is relegated to the
periphery of the novels, to the secondary stories related by
the friends and others. Now, it seems, Beer wants to bring
out more strongly the possible pitfalls of marriage, but he
does not confine the blame to the "bose Frau" and ignore the
man. He prepares the ground for Wolffgang's infatuation
with Liesel, the beautiful daughter of a neighboring noble- !
man, by suddenly turning Sophia into a sick, seventy-two- I
year-old woman. Wolffgang describes himself then as strong
ly attracted to Liesel, who is a little over twenty years
old (ST, p. 724).
The callous disregard for Sophia is attributed not only
to Wolffgang, who admits in his narration that he wished her
dead, but to Wolffgang's friends, who only pretend to be
saddened by the news of Sophia's impending death: "Diese
Post, ob sie schon in der Wahrheit ihrer vielen nicht trau-
rig vorkam, zumalen meines Weibs continuierliche Krankheit
ohnedem landkiindig war, so stelleten sie sich doch, als ware
es ihnen leid" (ST, p. 734).
Gottfried not only expresses his sympathy for Wolff
gang 's unsatisfactory marriage with Sophia but has helped
Wolffgang court Liesel (unknown to them both) and places his
residence at Wolffgang's disposal for his impending marriage
to Liesel after Sophia's hoped-for death. Wolffgang's joy
144
at this revelation is boundless: "Nach solchen unter uns
vorgelaufenen Reden begab ich mich wieder in mein bestimmtes
Logament, daselbsten die iiberige Nacht in tausend Freuden
verbringend, und achtete wenig, ob meine Frau zu Haus ach-
zete oder weinte" (ST, p. 737). The abrupt change in Beer's;
portrayal of Wolffgang and his friends could be attributed |
to a lapse on the part of ..the author in properly motivating j
Sophia's demise. In any case, it does not properly reflect
the character that one would attribute to the friends if the
wife of one of their circle, who had taken part in so many
good times, were near death. On the other hand, Wolffgang's
lack of sympathy does serve to contrast strongly with his |
i
later regrets at his behavior and lack of faithfulness.
Following Sophia's death, Wolffgang compounds his er
rors by all but disregarding the proprieties during the year
of mourning. He is not allowed to engage musicians for his
entertainment, but he plays music with the organist from
Ollingen and the Student. Since custom prohibits entertain
ing women guests in his residence, he dances with the ser
vant girls.
Wolffgang's disregard for his spouse's welfare, who has
never been revealed as anything but a good wife concerned
jfor her husband's well-being, as well as his failure to
; .....* 145
observe the customs of mourning following her death, set the
jstage for disaster. It is not long in coming. The author
has the opportunity to bring home his point concerning the !
pitfalls of marriage seen from the standpoint of a man who
i
is blinded by his baseness. After the marriage, Wolffgang
sees Liesel for what she really is. Her qualities corres- j
pond to the "bose Frau" of the late Middle Ages: she drinksj
too much, is lax in managing the household, cannot cook,
wash or bake, and is wanton. Wolffgang sees the error of
his ways and the justness of his punishment:
Aber dieses alles hatte ich mit dem wohl verdienet, daft
ich der alten Frauen so gern ware los gewesen. "Oh",
sagte ich oft zu mir selbst, "o liebe Sophia, konnte
ich dich mit meinen Nageln wieder aus der Erden hervor-
kratzen". (ST, p. 743)
But Liesel reminds Wolffgang that it was he who pressed her
during the courtship and who urged her to marry. 'After
three years, Liesel dies and Wolffgang is released from his
suffering.
It seems that Beer found it necessary to motivate
Wolffgang's marriage with an evil-tempered, loose woman by
8
Iportraying a lapse in his conduct. Otherwise, the
I . >
I
®After the Liesel episode, mention is made for the
‘ second time of the various undertakings of the friends which
1 .... ..' ' _ ...... 146.
marriages directly concerned with the story are happy and
the partners are worthy of each other. The most significant
part of the incident is the placing of equal, if not the
major part, of the blame on Wolffgang. This is a further
emancipatory act toward women.
break up the circle temporarily. Since Friderich and Diet-
rich have not yet left for their trip abroad, it is probable
that the Liesel episode with its three-year time lapse has
been interposed at some later date, or else Beer possibly
interrupted the narration for an extended period and ignored
the continuity of the story when he again resumed writing.
CHAPTER IV
FRIENDSHIP
i
An important presentation of the friendship theme in
the prose novel is found in the works of Jorg Wickram. The i
1
significance of friendship in these novels has been es
pecially well brought out by Clemens Lugowski,"*" who directs
his investigation toward the question: When and how does
i
German prose begin to represent man as an individual? Lu- !
gowski shows how events in early German prose works occur
according to a strict ordering of phenomena within an all-
encompassing framework. Individual circumstances belong to
a well-defined, predetermined whole which is known in ad
vance, and therefore precludes true individualism. The
structure of prose prior to Wickram corresponds to this view
of a universal order in the strict linearity of themes and
their treatment, all of which are shaped by the imposing
^Die Form der Individualitat im Roman (Berlin, 1932).
147
order toward a predetermined end which is everywhere evi
dent. Basically, every occurrence is motivated by the all-
encompassing order, which must prevail. Wickram's novels
show this structure, but they also show a loosening and
breaking away from a preconceived totality. The process is
most obvious in the treatment of the friendship motif in
2
Galmv. The friendship between Galmy and Friderich, which
is original in Wickram's treatment of the Galmy theme, is
represented as a deep, personal relationship. The friends
engage in long, personal conversations and give each other
advice and help regarding love affairs and other personal
problems. Friendship is not tied to the sphere of knight
hood but goes beyond the restrictions of class. It is a
human relationship existing for itself, separate from social
forms and conventions, and has therefore an individualizing
effect. This individualization is clear in the figure of
the friend Friderich, as well as in other secondary figures,
who are not limited to a functional purpose in the story but
gain individual meaning and existence which goes beyond
their function in the lineal development of the story as
^In Geora Wickrams Werke. ed. Johannes Bolte and Willy
Scheel (Tubingen, 1901-06).
i 149
; 3
imere accompaniment for the hero. This process marks the
beginning of the portrayal of the individual, according to
jLugowski. He sees in this development "einen ersten VorstoB
jauf die Autonomie des Einzelmenschen" (p. 95), "den ersten
Keim im dichterischen Bewufltsein fur die spatere Selbstdar- ■
stellung des Menschen in einem Einzelnen" (p. 107).
A preliminary indication of the later development of I
the friendship experience lies in the fact that this in
dividualization is first presented within the sphere of the
friendship motif and that in the experience of friendship
human existence is first comprehensible as individual exis
tence. It is significant that the intensity of the feeling
of Friderich's friendship in Galmy is accompanied by a de
emphasis of his social rank and perhaps explains, in part,
Vfickram's choice of a middle-class setting for the novel
i .. 4
Von cruten und bosen Nachbarn. in which friendship is the
'central theme of the story. It is the basis for a series of
relationships and portrayals of exemplary conduct.
The characteristics of middle-class individualism found
i
|
| ^See Lugowski1s analysis of this process, pp. 97ff.
| ^In Anfanae des biiraerlichen Prosaromans in Deutsch
land .
lira Wickram1 s works are not lost in the seventeenth century,
i
j
jbut are by and large obscured because the literary focus
ishifts from the middle class to the courtly man with his
i
i
t ;
jattendant subjugation to a new spiritual and political
jtotality. The ties of friendship do not exist outside of
j i
jthe social order, as in Wickram1s novels, if they exist at !
' 1
jail. Instead, such personal relationships are subjugated toj
the social order with its formalized relationships, its
rules of conduct, norms and laws.
It is all the more unusual that Beer was able to break
away from the prevailing restrictions of his time since he
was in part a product of both the limiting social order of
: i
the middle-class towns as well as the representational way
of life of the courts. Their vertical ordering left little
room for personal relationships at the same class level that
ithe cultivation of such associations would demand. For this
reason, one finds the often repeated complaint in Baroque
iliterature that true friendship at the courts is not to be
i
i
-found. Court literature since the translated writings of
Guevara appeared in 1600 was skeptical of steadfast friend
ship and preached the necessity of distrust of friends. In
his work Von Beschwerlichkeit und tfoerdruft des Hoflebens.
I
|
jGuevara maintains that a man lives freer and more quietly in
151
the country and conducts himself in a more straightforward
and trustworthy manner. One cannot count on friends at
jcourt.
With this admonition in mind, Beer's choice of geo
graphic location and social milieu is understandable. The
Austrian lesser nobility provides the ideal means to escape J
! [
Ithe very qualities of the town and court that he found in- I
tolerable. It is an environment that Beer as a youth un
doubtedly came to know firsthand. Here is the ideal situa
tion in which he could exercise his feeling for the need of
an individual existence and still pay tribute to one of the
most significant forces in his life: friendship. The situ-|
i
ation is ideal for developing an association of friends
closely bound together by mutual feelings and common inter
ests. At the same time each leads his own life as a landed
nobleman, a master unto himself, free of any restraining
social order. Also, it is a situation taken out of the
reality of life, allowing Beer to give a realistic background
to his work, an element that develops strongly in the course
i
of his writings.
i If the scene of the novels corresponds to the geo-
i
i
jgraphic reality of Beer's youth, the concept of a circle of
i
jfriends must have had a different origin, probably from his
student days in Regensburg. There are numerous references
in Beer's writings to student life and they most likely re-
I . I
jflect his personal experiences or the experiences of those j
jclose to him. It is probably for his student friends that j
Beer intended the last part of the dedication of Winter-
! i
nachte, "Der Autor an sein Buch" fWN. pp. lOf). The dedica-'
! !
tion begins with a lengthy rhetorical apology for the criti-j
I
leal, satirical parts of the book, followed by the dedication
itself, which is set off from the main body of the passage
and follows here:
Ihr Freunde, die mir noch zum Trost und Freude leben,
Nehmt diese meine Schrift zu euren Diensten an.
Ich weiB euch anders nichts als dieses Buch zu geben,
Darin ihr mich und ich euch wiedersehen kann. j
Ich denke oftermals an jene siiSe Stunden,
Da wir in voller Lust beisammen konnten sein;
Die Laute ist verstimmt, die Zeit ist nun verschwunden,
Das Finstre folget stets auf klaren Sonnenschein.
Der wohnet gegen West, der andre gegen Morgen,
Der auf erhabnem Berg und jener in dem Tal,
Bald sind wir frohen Muts, bald wieder voller Sorgen,
Die Menschen sind doch nur des Gluckes Wunderball.
Zu denen gehe hin, wo ich nicht hin kann gehen,
Mein Buch, und sprich, daB ich noch voller Flammen leb,
Auch, daS in solcher Glut mein Leben wird bestehen,
Bis ich der Eitelkeit mein letztes Vale geb.
j Since the tone of the dedication is not in keeping with
i
t
|the traditional rhetoric of the introduction, the strophe
!
reflects only sincere feelings of friendship. It is a ref
erence to a former happy time that became one of the high
153
points of the author's life and therefore a fitting theme as
;the central point around which the two novels revolve. The
iapparent genuineness of the dedication is borne out toward
|the end of Sommertaae. where the ostensible reason for writ
ing the book is again given: to record for the world and
the friends' posterity an eternal testimony to their friend
ship (ST, p. 752).
The importance of friendship for Beer is further indi
cated by an entry in his autobiography dated October 23,
1697, in which he mentions a friendship at court: "Ich kame
damahls mit Herren Johann Caspar Eichelmann, Geheimden
Cammerir daselbst, in briiderliche Preundschafft, Ein Mann
der dem Hoff wohl anstehet, und zu vielen Verrichtungen
;qualificiret" (Autobiog., p. 63). The specific reference to
this friendship implies perhaps both the scarcity of friend
ships at court as well as the importance of friendship for
Beer. But it is probably also true that the Protestant
courts of Saxony did not reflect the same courtly outlook as
the larger Catholic courts to the south. The courtly ethic
jof success for the individual at the expense of his fellow-
i
i
ban could not have enjoyed the same popularity among the
Protestant courts as it did in the Catholic areas. Personal
i
relationships were therefore not as incompatible with
courtly life.
Individual Existence and the
Need for Friendship
Beer's chief narrator in Winternachte. Zendorio, is j
first encountered in the darkness, his identity unknown even;
to himself, attempting to escape from imprisonment. "Es !
; ' i
jwar allgemach Mitternacht, als ich mich ganz ledig auBer dem
iSchloB befand. . . . Die finstre und dunkele Nacht taugte
mir zu einem vortrefflichen Deckmantel, meine Person da-
hinter zu verstecken'1 (WN, p. 12). As long as the hero re
mains in this state he is without identity and can find no
i
ianchoring in life. The substance of his story is not how
he maintains his individual posture in the face of adver
sity, not how he overcomes one adversary and danger after
|
|another, but how he eventually finds his ident: .y and finds
what is for him the only desirable way of life. Alone, he
;is without purpose, in contrast to the courtly-gallant novel
where the hero does not question his role in life. Several
i
of Beer's heroes in the two novels, however, do not know who
i
[they are— only that they were foundlings or orphans of un-
j
known background. They gain no identity until they estab
lish themselves with a friend or a circle of friends; they
are then able to demonstrate their true worth and play a
iproper role. The essential thing is not only finding out
who they are but becoming attached to others like them-
Sselves. The process requires the individual to reveal him-
i
jself to others in whom he recognizes similar qualities.
I Zendorio wanders alone, apparently aimlessly, encoun-
I
j
|tering nothing of significance, until he meets Isidoro, a
|
iyoung nobleman, to whom he relates his circumstances. He
feels a friendly attraction to Isidoro, who is likewise
disposed to him:
|
i
Der junge Edelmann war ein ausdermaften lustiger Kopf,
und allem Ansehen nach waren unsere Affecten in einem
Model gegossen. Dahero hielt ich mich sehr vertraut
zu ihm, und er sagte, daft ihm durch meine Gegenwart
die Zeit noch so angenehm falle. (WN. p. 40)
Isidoro loses little time in leading Zendorio into his
household. He introduces him to his mother with the inten
tion of making his presence acceptable:
i
| Sie fragte ihren Sohn [isidoro] heimlich in das Ohr, wer
I ich sei. Da gab er ihr zur Antwort, daft ich vor diesem
| auf Universitaten sein bester Freund und Camerad gewesen,
auf welchen er sich in dem allergefahrlichsten Zustand
am allermeisten hatte verlassen konnen. (WN, P* 47)
i
Here is an indication of Beer's concept of friendship. It
Ls conventional perhaps in its depth; namely, faithfulness
and willingness to help even in danger. Isidoro uses this
i
i
fabrication to justify the presence of Zendorio, whom he
156
recognizes as a potential friend. He therefore attributes
qualities to him that would make him a friend. One of the
(most important is the sharing of university days, an impor-
i
tant period in a young person's development when he is ex- j
jposed for the first time to life as an independent person,
i |
(The personal friendships that develop in these circumstancesj
jare of their own making, and likely to be genuine. j
Of further importance in the introductory situation in
i
1
yhich two friends find each other is the connection with the
|
(family of Isidoro, specifically with his mother, the only
surviving parent. Beer could have found another way to be
gin the involvement of his hero in the novel. As a travel
ling student, Zendorio is in a position to begin the rootless
Wandering from one adventure to another that characterizes
(the picaro type. But it is obvious from the opening pages
that this is not Beer's intention. We become acquainted
With Zendorio as he escapes from one such adventure and
Appears to be on his way to another, but he meets Isidoro
i
and is ushered into his world, that of the landed lesser
! *
1
(nobility.
Zendorio's introduction to Isidoro's mother underscores
the meaning of friendship for Beer. The bonds of family and
friendship are not unrelated; both provide a foundation of
mutual relationships. Although family relationships are not
'extensively portrayed in the two novels, they are not in
significant, and the juxtaposition of family relationships
jand friendship is significant in itself (see above, pp.
:131f f).
The first meeting of Isidoro and Ludwig in the story isj
| i
described: "Isidoro kennte ihn alsobald, daft es Monsieur !
t 9
jbudwig ware, welche ehedessen mit ihm zu Geneve und Mompel-
gart hatte reiten gelernet. Sie waren tausend Briider zu-
sammen, und wegen alter Vertraulichkeit lud ihn Isidoro zu
Gast" (WN. p. 56).
We find here the basis of the friendship between Isi
doro and Ludwig. They are old friends and had learned to
! I
|ride together. They have, in other words, shared an im-
!
iportant period in their upbringing as young country gentle-
jmen. The phrases "tausend Briider zusammen" and "wegen alter
Vertraulichkeit" are statements of binding friendship; there
iis perhaps no more genuine friendship than that which begins
i
|in adolescence and is nourished through the adult years by
jcommon interests.
! The introduction of various friends aids in the devel
opment of a framework within which actions can be presented.
But to give unity to the novels as well as to the circle of
158
jfriends, Beer lets them cement their relationship with a
jformal pact and form the "Orden der Vertrauten" (WN, pp.
j
|301f). The organizational details of the association are
not of significance, for the most part, but the fact that a j
jformal union is considered necessary points out the unusual ;
inature of a circle of friends associating out of their per- 1
jsonal feelings for each other. They are aware of the gulf
(separating their personal interrelationship and the closed
j
jego of the courtly man. Therefore, the unusual openness of
itheir friendship is marked by a formal relationship in order
perhaps to give it more substance. Such secondary indica
tions of the genuine nature of Beer’s portrayal of friend
ship are important because descriptions of individual emo- j
I I
| I
itions are not dwelt upon. Their relationship is character
ized by cordiality and boisterousness rather than senti-
I
mentality.
j One proviso of the society of friends is that they must
]
not hide anything from each other. This is an important
j
jstep in overcoming the courtly belief that each individual
must be an island unto himself, trusting no one with his
personal feelings. The courtly man avoided individualiza
tion with its endangerment of the ego and successfully in
tegrated himself anonymously into the pattern of courtly
! 159
!
j
'society. The feeling is so rooted in the times that the
friends find it necessary to enter into a formal agreement
to break down the barriers of distrust. The significance of
Beer's circle of friends not concealing anything is the j
i
j
willingness to express the inner man and thereby avoid the j
courtly mold of the seventeenth century.
In Sommertage there is an additional indication of the
nature of genuine friendship. The author lists the require
ments. They are not the superficial prerequisites belonging
|
jto a formal organization:
Denn dazumal waren die Briiderschaften noch etwas Sonder-
i liches und dahero nicht so gemein wie heutzutage. Man
| hat solche dazumal vor ein unauflosliches Band einer
herzlichen Vereinigung geheiSen, da sich die Duzbriider
nicht sowohl mit Worten als mit dem Werk zusammen ver-
bunden und vereiniget haben. Und man hatte auch damals,
meistens aber in unserer Landschaft, drei hauptsachliche
Punkten, welche wahre bruderliche Freunde mit- und unter-
einander eingehen mufiten. Als erstlich, das sich jede’ ' *
| seines Orts auf einen recht christlichen, ehrlich und
| lobwurdigen Tugendwandel beflissen und sich in seinem
Leben also erzeigen soli, damit er das Zeugnis eines
frommen Christens von alien Menschen davontragen mochte.
Vors andere soil und muBte er sich verbinden, seinem
bruderlichen Freund, dafern er ihm in Noten und andern
Unglucksfallen rechtmaBig beistehen konnte, behiilfliche
Hand zu leisten. Vors dritte war jeder seines Orts ver-
bunden, seinen Bruder von alien solchen Fehlern abzu-
halten und abzumahnen, die ihm zum tJbel und Nachteil
ausschlagen mochten. (ST, pp. 487f)
Beer stresses "eine herzliche Vereinigung" proven by deeds,
not words. The first specific point is that a friend must
160
prove himself to be a virtuous Christian. True friends must
have a common spiritual background in order to enjoy an
inner accord. But a spiritual relationship (and, one might
infer, an intellectual relationship) is not enough to devel-|
op the sort of interaction necessary for Beer's friendship. ;
One must stand by a friend, help him in time of need, and |
!
even restrain him from entering into disadvantageous situa- j
tions. The first requirement provides a vertical spiritual
relationship to God; the second two indicate horizontal
interaction; the three requirements together provide a new
orientation in the world, combining the spiritual and the
j
human elements that have been considered important in
Christian man since Luther and the Reformation. Here is
evidence once again of a breaking away from a preconceived
unity described by Lugowski (pp. 97ff), which marks the
individualization of man beginning in the sixteenth century
(see above, pp. 147ff). There is no mention of God, al
though one may argue that the call for Christian virtue
implies a relationship to God. But this would indicate
substituting the new totality of a religious community for
the former binding social unity. The strongest argument is
the interpretation of Beer's religious orientation as the
recognition of the need for a Christian humanity which is
161
essentially worldly in nature and determines the ideal re
lationship of man to man, or more precisely, friend to
friend. It is especially apparent in the light of the jux
taposition of the spiritual and human associations called
for in the three points described.
Wolfdietrich Rasch describes the process of individu- |
i
alization and friendship in the eighteenth century as a re
sult primarily of pietism:
In dieser Individualisierung liegt die entscheidende
Bedeutung des Pietismus fur die Herausbildung des neuen
Freundschaftgefixhls, das fur dieses Menschentum charak-
teristisch ist. Der Pietismus lost den Menschen aus den
naturlichen, sein Leben selbstverstandlich umschliefien-
den Verbanden der kirchlichen Gemeinschaft, in denen
gerade bei den Angehorigen der unteren Schichten, beim
Kleinburgertum, das wesentliche GemeinschaftsbewuStsein
uberhaupt beruhte. Und zugleich lost er den Menschen
aus den Zusammenhangen der weltlichen Gesellschaft, deren
Element Ehrgeiz, Machtstrebung, auftere Geltung ist, und
aus der weltlichen, lebensfreudigen Geselligkeit, von
der die pietistische Lebenspraxis den Frommen uberall
und oft mit rigoroser Strenge fernzuhalten sucht. So
macht der Pietismus den Menschen einsam, aber er ver-
weist ihn gerade damit fur sein personliches Gemein-
schaftsbediirfnis, das sich nun um so heftiger regt,
auf die unmittelbare Beziehung zu religios gleichge-
sinnten Menschen.5
According to Rasch, it is the mutual religious
^Freundschaftskult und Freundschaftsdichtuncr im deut-
schen Schrifttum des 18. Jahrhunderts vom Ausaana des Barock
bis zu Kloostock (Halle, 1936), pp. 44f.
experience and loneliness brought about by the individual- I
ism necessary for the pietist that brings them together into
associations of friendship. Beer's circle of friends, how
ever, do not lend themselves to this argument on the later
development of friendship in tb eighteenth century. The
attempts by the friends to undertake a religiously oriented
mode of life are the most unsuccessful. Furthermore, their
religious feelings are general and not specifically oriented
toward God. Spiritually, the friends are more concerned
with the ethics than the nature of God, the hereafter and
the human soul. It is apparent that Beer's characters take
a different road than the pietists to "individualize" and
"fraternize."
A comparison of characteristics of Winternachte and
Sommertacre with Wickram's Von cruten und bosen Nachbarn jus
tifies the assumption that the process of individualization
[
i
i
in Beer's works has different origins from those emphasized
by Rasch for the friendship cults of the eighteenth century.
In his last novel, Wickram portrays an ideal program for
conducting one's life in a middle-class environment. In
order for Robertus, the leading character and patriarchal
head of the family, to lead an ideal existence, it is neces
sary for him and his family to leave the town in which they
164
|
Iteachings, as well as the Renaissance dictum of giving free
j
jrein to the talented individual. Man not only has a right
! I
but an obligation to apply himself to his worldly task and I
ihelp his fellow man do the same. The interrelationship of
human beings is stressed as an important element of life.
! i
| In Beer, one finds a similar exposition of this worldly!
ideal. He also finds it necessary to separate his charac- I
i
jters from the restraints and pettiness of town life as well
;as from the formalism of court life so that they may give
free expression to what the author sees as an ideal way of
life. Left to themselves, they express and affirm every
aspect of life that is underlined by Wickram, either in
their own conduct or in conversations. Their expression of
I i
the ideal life is as much a reflection of Luther's teachings
!
i
|as Wickram's last novel is? it is to Luther and Protestant
[
ethic that one must look for the roots of Beer's worldly
i
brientation and the individualization of his novel figures
hs well as for the dominant theme of friendship.
I
1
I
j The conflict between the Baroque feeling of distrust
j
for one's fellow man and the feeling expressed by Beer's
bircle of friends of the moral obligation of man to help his
i
fellow is explained in a contradictory scene that takes
place at Caspar's wedding. Caspar complains of the unfaith-
'live. Here they have been subjected to the worst elements
jof town life; a malicious neighbor makes life unbearable.
IThe move of the family to Portugal removes them from the
middle-class milieu of Germany and places them in an envi
ronment where they are free to conduct their lives along
i i
ideal lines. The location in Portugal can serve no other |
j i
Ipurpose because the conditions of life there, the different
jlanguage and customs of the people, are never mentioned.
;Life is resumed precisely as it was before, without the
j
(disturbing elements of daily existence that had previously
i
been encountered. Dangers from the outside world inherent
i
| I
in the plying of international commerce are encountered, but
daily existence is specifically idyllic. Here the ideals of
iWickram's world can be realized: business undertakings to
!
i
provide the financial base for a secure existence, an order
ly family life, proper upbringing of children, faithful
friendship with good neighbors, and charitable service to
ithe poor. Perhaps the most appealing part of Wickram's
ethic is his warm interest in friendship. The friends por
trayed in the novel, who are also neighbors, help each other
to success in their mutual undertakings and stand by each
i
other in times of need.
Wickram's ethic is in part his realization of Luther's
165
j
fulness of supposed friends who insist on payment of his
debts after he has almost run out of money. Zendorio shows
jhimself to be a true friend by offering Caspar 1,000 talers
i !
! • j
jto help, and then admonishes him not to trust anyone because!
. i
jlack of steadfastness is typical of man. Obviously Zendorioj
idoes not include Caspar and himself, nor the other friends.
!
But he repeats the creed of the Baroque courtier when he
|says: . . . du bist noch kein Hofmann, denn sonst wurdest
du wissen, dab nichts Notigers zur Ruhe sei, als keinem
Menschen von Herzen vertrauen'" (WN. p. 330). Zendorio con-
j
eludes with a statement of Protestant humanism when he says:
i
j"'Ein Mensch ist zwar dem andern zu helfen geboren und in
I :
'diesem Stuck ist ein Mensch des andern sein Gott. Aber sie
jverlassen diese Majestat so oft als Jupiter, wenn er mit
i
!Menschen gebuhlet'" (WN, pp. 330f) . Here the conflict is
stated. The friends can avoid it if they remain loyal to
each other and isolate themselves from the court and town.
Muller's claim that the bond of friendship existing
jbetween the characters in the two novels is not genuine can-
i
not be upheld. The friends think constantly about each
i
other when not together? they correspond frequently: "Von
jlsidoro und der Zusia hatten wir fast wochentlich Nachricht"
i
(WN, p. 274); "Morgens lieb ich den Schreiber rufen, meine
166
jgewohnliche Correspondenz-Brief an meine gute Freunde mit
jabzufertigen" (ST, p. 662). They even hire a postal messen
ger so that their frequent communications can be expedited.
Friendship forms the basis for practically every occurrence j
: i
and cannot be dismissed as a superficial expediency to make
j |
life more enjoyable. It even outweighs the feeling of a
jneed for a meaningful religious experience in the form of
i
i
withdrawal from worldly affairs. These attempts are re
peatedly checked by the need of the friends for each other.
Muller1s claim that friendship is ego-centered and is not
tested in a case of need is inaccurate.^ The immediate un
solicited loan of a large sum of money by Zendorio to Caspar
|is an act of friendship (see above, p. 165). If Muller's
concept of "Selbstaufgabe" involves risking one's life, then
the common effort of the friends to save Philipp's castle
from attack by the robber "Barthel von der Heide" should
serve as an example (S3?, pp. 53Iff) . There was no other
obligation in the decision of the friends to help one of
|
their own. Another example occurs during Wolffgang's stay
jat a remote retreat when Dietrich finds his hideaway (ST.
i
i
| 6Miiller, p. 82. "So erschopft sich dies Verhaltnis in
jSelbstbestatigung; zu einer Selbstaufgabe findet sich nir-
igends ein Ansatz. "
167
ipp. 788ff). WoIffgang gives up his exile, places his money
|at the disposal of Dietrich, leads him to the recovery of
|
his stolen possessions, safety and home to their friends.
1 ' !
The Circle of Friends and !
Peripheral Characters
| Zendorio/Wolffgang1s feelings toward his friends are of
; i
a different nature than his friendly inclinations to ser
vants, travelers and others not included in the inner cir-
I
I
Jcle. The inner circle holds true to the dictum that its
members should be open to each other. They discuss every
thing that they undertake. When not in contact they main
tain a regular exchange of letters. Wolffgang’s relation-
;
bhip to his servants, on the other hand, is one-sided by
icomparison. He never reveals anything of his own past, but
^satisfies his need for companionship by maintaining a humor-
bus, lively conversation and encouraging his companion to
relate all of his past life and adventures. These narra
tions by servants and passing travelers, who are entertained
i
|
Ifor varying lengths of time, form the gpeat body of the
picaro element in the book and are quite distinct from the
sphere of activities of the friends. Only this aspect of
j
the novels can be called picaro, while the events dealing
jwith the activities of the friends, although filled with
: 168
i
Ipractical jokes and lively situations, are rooted in one
geographic area and one group of friends. It is a charac
teristic which gives their lives stability and solidarity.
|
jit is this stability and security, arising out of the asso
ciation of friends, which goes beyond physical security.
|lhey are disposed in a friendly way to passing travelers but!
! I
jthere is no binding tie that develops, except in two cases, j
[the Student and Krachwedel (who is finally revealed as
Wolffgang's brother).
Zendorio's pleasure in talking to travelers is ex
pressed in the following lines:
| Allein mir geschah dadurch vielmehr ein stattliches
Wohlgefallen, weil ich mit niemanden lieber als den-
jenigen geredet, die das Land auf und ab gereiset. Ja,
ich kann es mit gutem Gewissen sagen, dafi kein Bettler
sicher vor mein Schloft passieren konnen, der mich nicht
seinen ganzen Lebenslauf von Wort zu Wort erzahlen miis-
| sen. (WN, p. 377)
Ihe tangential nature of the picaro types that pass by is
Shown. Zendorio lives their adventures at second hand and
lit can only be said of these ac quaintances that they are
|
jused by Zendorio to amuse himself and while away long hours.
In the above passage, the image of the travelers passing by
Zendorio's castle and the juxtaposition of the rootless ex-
1
1
jistence of beggars and wanderers with Zendorio's security
; 169
jand stability provide a striking picture of the basic dif-
i
i
Sference in the two modes of life. Every occasion treated by
i
{the author in which individual members of the group leave
the tight circle of their friends portrays the undesirable
i
:consequences that result when they act alone. They meet
|
jwith failure, if not disaster. The experiences of two who
j
jdo meet with a measure of success (Philipp as a court minis
ter and Sempronio as an officer in the military) are not
i
mentioned except briefly and in a general way. The fact
I
that the author dwells on the negative consequences of the
friends acting alone indicates the emphasis he places on
their need for each other.
j
The Circle of Friends and
Family Relationships
i That the relationship between the friends is sincere is
j
pmphasized by the inclusion of members of Zendorio1s and
Wolffgang's family as well as two other pairs of brothers,
implying a similarity between family ties and ties of
friendship. Zendorio's father becomes one of the circle and
takes part in many of their activities, although he is not
one of the central figures. More significant for interpret
ing the meaning of friendship is the introduction of Krach-
Wedel in Sommertaae. Krachwedel is an old man, a veteran of
17 0
Ithe Thirty Years' War, a penniless wanderer, until he ar-
I
rives at Wolffgang's door. Following his custom of receiv-
1
ling strangers, WoIffgang entertains Krachwedel at dinner,
finds him interesting and compatible, and engages him to j
stay on and write his memoirs. He mentions his feeling of
jfriendship for Krachwedel: "... dem ich, weiS nicht aus !
I " '
jwas fur einem Antrieb, absonderlich zugetan war" (ST, p. j
I
622). Here the relationship of the two is based on an inner
^compulsion, a feeling of what might be called "Seelenver-
iwandtschaft" that goes beyond the attraction of a mutual
love of storytelling. It is later revealed by a series of
coincidences that the two are brothers, thus explaining
I I
their attraction to each other. The significance of the
i
Inclusion of two of Wolffgang's family members within the
sphere of friends is the evident relationship of the bond
|that exists between brothers or father and son, and that
which binds friends together. The fact that Wolffgang has
ithe same feeling for the student as for Krachwedel before he
discovered him to be his brother shows that the concept of
friendship goes beyond common background and class relation
ships. It lends meaning to protestations of affection, such
as "tausend Bruder zusammen," among the friends.
CHAPTER V
j MUSIC
i
i
|
Music has a manifold importance in Winternachte and
Isommertacre. The variety of its roles and the reoccurrence
i
iof music as a major theme gives it a position of major im-
|
portance.
j
j
i
The Musician
| The musician conceived of his art as serving the whole
i
! 1
jof society. He appears in the service of .every level of
society? at court, at religious services, public celebra
tions, and in the leisure time of those who desire his ser
vices. Music recognized no social boundaries. The attitude
|
reflects Beer's own social attitude and may account in part
!
for the lack of social convention so often apparent. A
musician was admitted to all levels of society and respected
i
j
^Menck, pp. 38f.
i
171
172
j
2
because of his art— except by the middle-class townspeople.
The townsmen were jealous of the musician, especially if he
! t
were able to accumulate a small fortune, because he was |
i :
apparently able to earn his living with little effort and no;
| i
real contribution to society. The ill will of the townsman
toward the musician is portrayed in the novels of Caspar j
] i
Printz. It is not expressed directly in Winternachte and j
Sommertage. but is implied through the expression of dis
taste for the small-minded attitudes of the townsman.
Beer's aversion to town life is probably motivated by his
i
experiences as a student of music in Regensburg as well as
j )
jthe general reception of music as an occupation. !
\ !
The question arises: why does Beer introduce only
traveling musicians and musical dilettantes in his stories?
;It is unusual in view of Beer's accomplishments as a court
musician and the recognition he received, whereas the wan-
j
dering musician was little more respected than a gypsy.
However, it follows from the thesis of the essentially non-
courtly nature of Beer’s writings that he must carry through
i
jwith a presentation of the wandering musician or city musi
cian in contrast to the court musician. The musical
;
^Menck, p. 40.
! 173
j
.vagabond is part of the non-courtly and popular atmosphere
Ithat concerns Beer.
It is also probable that Beer's treatment of musicians
is testimony to his strong bent toward autobiography, that I
! i
he is here again giving expression to a direct experience in1
j ■ ' |
his own life. He probably was not himself a wandering musi-j
3
cian, but his musical gifts were developed early and may
have been a welcome companion oir his early wanderings.
j
Beer's musicianship probably stood him in good stead by en-
i
hancing his various positions, before he became court musi
cian at WeiBenfels. It accounts for his sympathetic treat
ment of the musical vagabond.
I A clear indication of Beer's feelings toward the wan-
[
dering musician is given in Sommertaae. Wolffgang wants to
install a musician who has been staying with him as overseer
i
of both residences, indicating the trust that Wolffgang
j
jplaces in him. But the musician feels himself incapable of
l
i
assuming such responsibility and desires to move on, living
his life according to his own dictates and for his music.
Beer uses the incident to praise the artist and indirectly,
3Beer began to study music at age seven (Autobiog., p.
17) .
jat least, to defend him against the general reputation of
t
imusicians, particularly the unlearned, wandering variety,
who were regarded as little more than traveling thieves:
Also schieden wir freundlich voneinander, welches sonst
! mit solchen Leuten ein seltsames Stuck ist. Denn einen
Kunstler verlieret man nicht gern, und ein solcher, wie
dieser gewesen, trifft tausend gute Herren an, da oft
ein Herr unter Tausenden nicht einen solchen Diener an-
| trifft. Ich bin auch jederzeit der Meinung, dafi ein
Musicus bei Hof das allervergniigteste Leben hat. Ich
rede aber von rechtschaffenen Leuten, die das ihrige
| verstehen, und nicht von solchen Lumpenhunden, die von
! eigener Einbildung getrieben sich mehr einbilden, als
sie all ihr Leben lang lernen konnen. Aber dieser gute
Freund war fromm, treuherzig, ein guter Kunstler, und
was das allermeiste ist, so war er die Demut selbst, und
was er redete, das meinte er auch. Ich habe ihn nie-
malen auf einem falschen Wege angetroffen, auch nicht
| den geringsten Ehrgeiz in ihm verspiiret, dannenhero war
i mir nach seinem Hinscheiden die Zeit sehr traurig. (ST.
| P. 769)
Beer praises the musician for his ability, which for Beer is
1
i
the prime measure of man. Therefore, his musical talents
i
are listed with other essential qualities which single him
i
put as "fromm . . . treuherzig . . . die Demut selbst."
i
Thus his artistry is equated with virtue.
Beer never lost his feeling for his middle-class ori
gins. He was able to maintain a close connection with all
(
walks of life, even after being accepted in court circles
as a respected musician. It was due in part to the fact
that the artist did not belong to a distinct class in
j 175
I
i
society. The branches of the arts were not united as such,
but practiced as extensions of other fields of endeavor. In
the seventeenth century, for example, the musician and the
artist were classed as handcraftsmen. But Beer's faithful- j
!
[
ness to his background, even in courtly society, is due in
!
larger part to the position he enjoyed as a highly regarded
jmusician. Since his status at court was not dependent upon
i
i
political manipulation or his ability to conform to the
representational court life, he was able to maintain his
i
|
individuality. This individualism not only appears in his
novels, but is attested to in his life at court by his
jdiary. His musicianship is therefore an important element
j
jin the development of a new middle-class individuality; it
jfrees him from the restrictions and conventions of both town
|
life and court life. It provides him with a unique inde
pendence that is only beginning to emerge. The Baroque
musicians of middle-class origins played a major pathfinding
i
j
irole in the rise of the middle class to a position of domi-
1
I
nance in the arts in the eighteenth century.
The Nature of Musical Portrayal
in the Two Novels
Muller criticizes Beer's description of musical scenes
as portraying largely noise and dissonance and the resulting
I 176
degenerative effect on those taking part in such occasions
(p. 84). This is the only aspect of Beer's musical de
scriptions with which Muller deals. By limiting his com-
i
I
ments to this one element, he distorts the role of music in I
|
the novels and ignores a subtle but apparent development andj
refinement in musical taste in the course of the two works.
Insofar as this sort of musical noise-making does play a
role, it can be said to correspond more closely to popular
tastes. Winternachte and Sommer t acre are essentially non-
!
jcourtly in their outlook and for this reason the musical
elements are non-courtly as well. The author could hardly
present the landed nobility as practicing the measured and
intricate fugues, sonatas, vesper songs and cantatas that he
composed for the religious services and festive occasions at
I
Weiftenfels. On the contrary, this manifestation of repre
sentative court life was largely unfamiliar to the landed
i
ilesser nobility and strange to their way of life. The ap-
|
Iparent taste for noise rather than harmony is more in keep
ing with the talents of the musicians and the taste of the
popular element as well as the lesser nobility. Music for
them served a different purpose than the music at the larger
i
courts. It sufficed as accompaniment to other diversions
and was not normally to be enjoyed for itself.
177
| The musicians employed for the occasions of merrymaking
|
heed have no particular talent and are not true musicians.
Caspar Printz is explicit on this point:
Sie [Bierfiedler, Stumper] dienen nicht der Allgemein-
heit, wie es der wahren Musik angemessen ist, sondern
empfinden sich als die Musiker des Adels, obwohl sich
nur dessen verkommener und verwilderter Teil ihrer be-
dient und sie zu rohen Scherzen miftbraucht.4
The musicians are used in this way by the noblemen during
their wildest festivities in Winternachte. It is this mis
treatment that gives the musicians their disreputable repu
tation, according to Printz:
Es ist wohl eine Schande, daft die Musicanten so geringe
geachtet werden, daB wuBte und rohe von Adel (denn vor-
nehme Herren und verstandige Edel-Leute thun das nicht)
I dieselben so oft agiren, und fur Narren halten. Welches
| . . . daher kommet, weil solche Edel-Leute gemeiniglich
! Bier-Fiedler, Bock-Pfeiffer und Leyer-Manner fiir ihre
Hof-Musicanten und zugleich kurzweilige Tisch-Rathe ge-
brauchen, die da alles leyden miissen, was sie mit ihnen
vornehmen. Daher wollen sie, weil sie dazu gewehnet,
I rechtschaffene Musicanten hernach auch also tractiren.
(p. 132)
It is Printz1 purpose to separate the true musician
from the hack, maintaining that the former would not degrade
himself by playing the fool for the uncultivated lesser
nobility. Nor is the true musician to be associated with
^Cotala. p. 132, quoted in Menck, p. 41.
178
the wandering "Spielleute." For Beer, however, these are
merely titles and this forms the crux of a discussion re
garding the musicians who are playing at the festivities for
Zendorio's wedding to Caspia. Zendorio refers to the musi
cians as "Spielleute," whereupon Caspia bumps him in the
side, as if she regarded Zendorio's term to be a breach of
etiquette, and reminds him that they must be called "Stadt-
und Kunstgeiger" fWN. p. 135). For Zendorio, the title is
meaningless. The important thing is how well the musicians
can play. "'Aber was ist es mehr1," says Zendorio, "'ob ich
I
sie Spielleute Oder Stadtpfeifer heiBe, es ist ein Titul so
gut als der andere. Man sagt: Der Kerl spielt eine gute
Seige. Ist das gut, so ists auch gut, daft ich sage: Er ist
ein guter Spielmann'" (WN. p. 135).
The disregard of title and appearance is typical. Beer
is interested in promoting the recognition of good musician
ship, as shown by his defense of the wandering musician
toward the end of Sommertage (see above, pp. 173ff), but he
points out at the same time that talent may show itself in
any station of lifej A true individual will not align him
self with a preconceived idea of his proper social standing
before the public, but will lead his own life according to
the dictates of his talents and tastes.
179
Beer's portrayal of vulgar taste in some of the musical
scenes is another manifestation of his realistic bent and
his outlook on life. He deliberately avoids the courtly
refinement in musical taste as not coinciding with the set
ting of a given incident. But at the same time there is
another side to the representation of music. Beer's nobil
ity is both cultivated and uncultivated; they enjoy musical
refinement as well as musical chaos, which coincides with
their mode of life. They combine the qualities of the
peasant with those of the nobleman of some means, and can
enjoy equally all levels of existence. This is the inde
pendent milieu that Beer sought, and which represents a
state of emancipation from a stodgy middle-class existence
without the formality and masquerade of court life. There
fore, the enjoyment of entertainment of all kinds seems to
take place on two levels of perception or sensitivity; i.e.,
base and refined. Music is perhaps the most clear-cut ex
ample of this twofold receptivity to sensual and intellec
tual enjoyment.
The music often described in Winternachte can hardly be
called music. It apparently is a nerve-deadening cacophony
of as many instruments and noisemakers as can be brought
together; each performer plays as rapidly and loudly as
180
possible. However, such music is associated with drunken
revelry and should not be criticized from a musical stand
point. It is to be compared with the noisemakers that both
jchildren and adults use at parties, presumably to intensify j
i |
the enjoyment of the general revelry. There is little dif- ;
ference between the unrestrained conduct portrayed by Beer !
I
and the festivities that one finds in various social cir
cles. The goal is to exaggerate the interplay of all the
senses: eating, drinking, dancing, music, spectacle, and
finally obscene humor and sexualism. Zendorio explains the
jemployment of music in this respect and its psychological
effect:
Und weil unter uns etliche vor diesem geigen gelernet,
holeten wir allerlei Instrumenten zusammen, und spielete
eine Partei nach der andern ein Stucklein vor der Tafel,
daruber wir mehr Kurzweil empfunden aIs von der besten
Harmonie, die man zwischen Nova Zembla und dem Toten
Meer antreffen mogen. Denn zur Lust ist eine rauschende
Musik viel bequemer als subtiler Ohrenkitzeleien, die
weder fressen noch trinken lassen. Denn man soil horen,
schmecken und riechen zugleich, durch welches man den
Geist mehr qualet als erquicket. (WN, PP. 139f)
Et is obvious that the point here is not the aesthetic en
joyment of music but the heightening of the sensual exper
ience of other activities.
At another point during the festivities, however, there
Is an indication of appreciation for refined music and an
181
individual's talent. One of the ladies present sings.
! Unterdessen fing das Frauenzimmer auch an zu singen,
denn es war eine unter ihnen, die hie£ Fraulein Anna,
die hatte ehedessen von einem Pedanten oder lateinischen
Schwarzmantel etwas aus der Musik gelernet. Sie schlug
I einen hauptsachlichen guten Driller und machte sehr j
fertige Coloraturen, daraus wir geschlossen, daft sie
sehr wohl muJSe haben singen lernen und dafi ihr Lehr-
meister sehr fleifiig in die Information gegangen. (WN, j
| p. 141)
s
I
This quotation, especially in its juxtaposition to the fore
going, reveals a different conception of music. It indi
cates an appreciation of the melodic quality of the voice as
i
well as its technical virtuosity, and emphasizes that the
plissonent noisemaking associated with drunken revelry cannot
I
j
be associated with the representation of music in the two
1
hovels. An examination of the legitimate aspects of music
|
jis in order.
The conventional concepts of music are present in con
siderable variety. Isidoro states his pragmatic purpose in
^learning to fiddle early in Winternachte; "'Die Musik
lernete ich nur deswegen und aestimierte sie nur aus dieser
lUrsach so hoch, weil man sich durch dieselbe bei dem Frauen
zimmer entweder beliebt machen oder dasselbe damit bedienen
konnte'" (WN. p. 24). Music is a social grace which can be
employed for social advantage and female favor. There are
j 182
1
jserenades, for example. Kaspar courts Kunigunde m Zen-
jdorio's castle, after all have retired for the night, by
|
Iplaying the mandolin outside her window (WS, p. 210). Zen
dorio and Caspia are so impressed by the beauty of the song j
! !
jthat they listen at their own window. Zendorio and Caspia
j I
jwrite down the words. Caspia is extremely fond of such love
i
j
jsongs, having written (perhaps copied) a whole book of them
(WN, p. 210).
Isidoro tells of his experience in applying his musical
|
talents to win a lady's affection:
i
j "Und weil die Grafin nachst an der See ihren Wohn-Erker
hatte, satzte ich mich Nachts-Zeiten in ein Schifflein,
nahm die Laute unter den Arm und sang, oder liefi durch
andere singen, die verliebtesten Arien, so ich nur auf-
setzen konnte. . . . Unterweilen machten wir wohl ganze
Suiten von Balletten und Sonaten, weil ich keine Un-
kosten ersparete, ihre Affection zu gewinnen." (WN.
i pp. 26 f)
|
! At this early date in the first novel there is already
i
ja description of music designed to appeal to the finer sen-
j
jsibilities. It becomes clear in the course of.the novels
Ithat this concept of music gradually replaces the raw noise
associated with drunken revelry.
Music has long been important to Zendorio. He mentions
that he learned to sing and read music at an early age (as
did Beer himself; see n. 3, p. 173 above). His musical
; 183
i
l
Interest leads him to attempt composition. An application
j o f Zendorio's musical talents is for his own amusement as a
i
|diversion from the work of writing his story. This sort of
i '
i
jmusic is anything but formless noise. Zendorio loved music !
i j
land was a musician of sorts:
| Ich bin von Jugend auf ein grofier Liebhaber der Musik
gewesen, und dannenhero hatte ich von derselben manche
Ergotzung zu genieBen, wenn ich unterweilen eine Stock-
fiedel oder kleines Flotlein zuhanden kriegte, worauf
ich ehedessen auf der Schul gelernet hatte. (WN, p.
! 279)
j
He mentions the title of a tune he was playing at the time
|a particular incident occurred: "Drei Schmied bei einem
jAmboB stunden, sie waren alle drei schwarze Kunden," or
| !
"Dreizehn Schneider hab'n vierzehn Pfund, fressen ein Geiz-
jbock in anderthalb Stund" (WN, p. 375). The titles may be
i
fictitious or satirically employed for humorous purposes,
but important is the use of music to pass lonely hours and
|
|the attempt to maintain a humorous or happy outlook instead
!of giving oneself over to pondering the unsolvable problems
j
of life. Music is tied up with Zendorio's outlook on life
and for this reason is never of a serious nature. He (and
Beer) is concerned with overcoming the serious side of life
and cannot, therefore, be expected to deal with serious
composition, which was invariably related to religious
184
themes and the transitoriness of life.
j
Winternachte ends with a final debauch, the occasion
being the wedding of Jost, Zendorio's servant. The friends
I
are ashamed of their conduct and resolve once again to bet-
ter their lives, which gives the background to the beginning;
jof Sommertace when the friends, after much discussion, re-
i
jsolve to retire separately to a hermit's life. This under-
!
[taking, of course, fails, and the little society gravitates
together once again.
i
j
! A sharp change takes place in the portrayal of music
j
after the friends decide to take up their active life once
jagain. The change reflects restraint.and maturation. The
resumption of their togetherness is celebrated, appropriate
ly enough, with a party at which the same student musicians
are present who played at the unrestrained revelry Which
i
|ended Winternachte. But now self-control is in evidence.
The musicians must dampen their violins so that the guests
can enjoy normal conversation:
. . . weil wir aber nicht wiliens waren, einen groBen
Larmen und Tumult, wie wir wohl ehedessen getan haben,
anzufangen, sondern nur in bona caritate und cara boni-
tate so miteinander bei einem guten Glaslein Wein mit
frohlicher Conversation die Zeit zu passieren, als muB-
ten die Studenten ihre Geigen mit Schnopfservetten ver-
binden, . . . und also hatten wir von der stillen Musik
gedoppelte Lust . . daB wir bei derselben von allerlei
Sachen gar verstandlich und wohl vernehmlich discurrieren
konnten. (ST, p. 446)
| A refinement has become evident. The tone is main
tained with reasonable consistency throughout Sommertage.
jAt a later point where the friends are gathered once again
|for a festive occasion, the musicians remain true to their
jnew role: "... unter welcher Action die Studenten aller-
lei Sonaten strichen, die uns trefflich eingeschlafert
i
haben" (ST, p. 585). Although the attempted retreat was in
|
jitself a failure, the friends are not unchanged. This con
clusion is reinforced by the fact that there are no scenes
Of unrestrained revelry in Sommertaae.
j
j
A searching for a new balance in life develops in the
|
■course of the second book and results in a new mood which is
reflected in the musical scenes. The correlation between
music and the spiritual development in Zendorio (primarily)
‘ as well as his friends is striking. Intellectual and spir-
I
itual satisfaction, elements which become more and more im-
jportant in the course of Sommertage. are sought by means of
i
|a religious experience in the form of a retreat from the
world. These fail because Wolffgang never finds the direct
experience of God that his nature requires, and he evidently
I
cannot bring himself to true belief in an abstraction. He
therefore is thrown back upon himself and finds consolation
j 186
j
|in his music. Although Wolffgang seems to he unaware of it,
land continuously seeks elsewhere, music is the substance of
Ihis spiritual life.
j The most striking illustration of this occurs at the
[death of Wolffgang's father and son. If ever in the course
| j
jof the events of his life he were to have a significant
| ;
|religious experience, the occasion of this double tragedy
|
Would be a place for it to occur. But it obviously does
not. Wolffgang finds consolation in part by the physical
i
i
distraction of wandering in disguise through the neighboring
|
Villages. His other distraction is music:
I Wenn ich von solchem Vagieren ermudet war, machte ich
j mich wieder zu meinem Historico auf den Turm und exer-
| cierte mich daselbst auf allerlei Instrumenten, weil
ich treffliche Lust zu der Musik hatte, die in meiner
I Trauer meine allermeiste Ergotzung war. (ST, p. 621)
! The concepts of music and its meaning are raised to
jtheir highest point and correspond to the concept of music
las employed at the courts, even though the vision of the
Ibereaved Wolffgang playing alone in his tower seems humble
jby comparison. Baroque music was largely religiously ori
ented and served to overcome the fear of life and its appar
ent meaninglessness. Music served to intensify and convey
religious feeling. Although Wolffgang's music lacks a
187
jspecific religious content, or any specific content, it is
I
japparent that it serves the same spiritual function as the
jmusic employed at the courts. It is.equally clear that the
i
j
jrole of music has come a long way from being "Teil der
synasthetischen Schlemmerei," which is the only significant
characteristic that Muller sees (p. 84).
! CHAPTER VI
I j
RETREAT FROM THE WORLD \
i
The hermit motif in Winternachte and Sommertage is a !
; j
! i
recurrent theme which plays an important role. The theme is
Significant because of the difference between Beer's treat
ment of it and its treatment in the other literary works of
jthe time, most notably in Simplicissimus. The basis of the
hermit theme is the recognition of the transitoriness of
j
life and the pointlessness of existence in an unpredictable
world. Life is a series of ups and downs in which there is
no permanence and no foundation to which one can hold fast;
man is a ball in the hands of a fickle fate. This theme is
'frequently found in Baroque literature. It is a recurrent
lone in several of Beer's works,'*' but in the two novels dealt
j
jwith here it has become formalized to the extent that the
assumed asceticism lacks substance. It is an institution
|
|
^-Alewyn, "Johann Beer," p. 231.
188
189
representing Baroque "Welt-Angst" which is in reality denied
i
by Beer, and therefore has strong implications supporting
I
Beer's worldly, realistic attitude.
The motivations of the different attempts at retreat
jfrom the world are so varied that each must be regarded
separately. The first exposition is the most conventional.
Zendorio has been unable to console himself following the
reported death of Caspia, his betrothed; he resolves to live
i
I
jas a hermit (WN, p. 111). God is not mentioned. The hero
jundertakes his exile because he does not know what else to
i
do with himself:
i
| Aber eben darum werden solche Zustande mit so gewissen
| Umstanden beschrieben, auf daft man sehen kann, welch
! einem ttbel sich der Mensch oftermalen selbsten unter-
| wirft, wenn er sich weder fiihren noch raten will lassen.
1 Ich hatte zwar genug Ursach, die Eitelkeit der Erden zu
| fliehen, und bin deswegen von keinem Menschen zu ver-
| dammen, aber wenn ich betrachte die Ursach und den An-
\ fang meiner Einsamkeit, finde ich keinen groften noch
; starken Grund darinnen, auf welchen ich meine ange-
fangene Strengigkeit des Lebens hatte bauen und fort-
j fuhren konnen. Denn es war vielmehr eine Verzweiflung
als ein wahrer Vorsatz zu nennen, durch welche ich an-
getrieben worden, eine solche Lebensart zu erkiesen,
vor der sich auch die Tiere scheuen. (WN, pp. H3f)
Zendorio's retreat is based on despair and perplexity.
|
le does not reject the world because of moral convictions
that are incompatible with the ways of the world as
190
2
ISimplicissimus does. In fact, a hermit's existence itself
jis unnatural. He describes the pleasure he finds in trivial
jincidents that he experiences in his retreat on a mountain
!
in the wilderness. He suffers most from the lack of human
company.
I
Zendorio is aware of his mental state during his exile
|and his period of grieving for Caspia. His grief is so
great that it overpowers his ability to control his mental
i
Ifaculties. He can no longer act according to his own voli
tion in order to take his thoughts away from Caspia: ". . .
ich halte kein Elend so groJB und unermessen als dasjenige,
welches verursachet, kleinmutig zu werden, weil dadurch um-
jgestofien wird diejenige Kraft, durch welche sich der Mensch
jselbsten zu trosten vermag" (WN. p. 114). His retreat fails
jits purpose because it achieves neither reconciliation for
the individual with the world about him nor peace of mind:
j Das Ungliick peinigte dich unter den Menschen, und die
Einsamkeit qualet dich unter dem wilden und vernunft-
losen Viehl . . . Diese Einode halt deinen Leib verbor-
! gen, aber sie vermag nicht auszuschliefien die widrige
Gedanken, so dich ohne Unterla£> peinigen. (WN, pp.
j 114f)
I
I
jit is his thoughts which drive him to despair: "0 ihr meme
i
!
|
^H. J. Chr. von GrimmeIshausen, Der abenteuerliche
Simplicissimus (Wiesbaden, 1956), p. 583. ___
Gedanken'. Ihr seid diejenige Wiirze, welche mein Fleisch vor|
der Zeit verzehren, und ich werde so lang in euch ungluck- i
selig sein, solang ihr mich Ungliickseligen nicht verlasset" ■
(WN, p. 115). Zendorio does not blame the world but his own;
inability to overcome his sorrows "Sei geduldig und ertrage;
dein Leid. Dein Schmerz wird doch deswegen nicht ver-
ringert, ob du dich gleich darum betriibest, dafi er nicht
kann gemindert werden" (WN, p. 114).
He launches into a familiar complaint against the
world. His complaint, however, is directed not only against
the world but against his thoughts, or more precisely,
against the weakness that paralyzes him and will not let him
recover from his grief:
Ich habe von euch [Gedanken] und auch von dir, o eitle
Erde, nichts als unaufhorlichen Verdrufi'. . . . Deine
Bitterkeit, o schnode und bald verschwindende Zeit, ist
mir mehr als zuviel bekannt. . . . Ach, wie schmerzet j
ihr, ach wie peiniget ihr, ihr qualende Gedanken'. (WN,
p. 115)
Beer does not allow his hero to blame the world for its;
cruel treatment of a man, but makes him take upon his own
shoulders the responsibility for retrieving himself from his-
own unhappiness. Escape from the world is as pointless as
it is impossible. It is oneself that must be dealt with. j
!
The author shows a remarkable individuality and self- I
192
reliance that is not characteristic of the times. His mood
is not at all the same as the heroic steadfastness found in
the courtly-gallant character, where the hero pursues a pre
determined moral-religious course of action with the assur- ;
ance of being rewarded for his steadfastness either by the ,
! i
recognition of his fellow man or God. Nor does he despair j
i i
pf life as Simplicissimus does (pp. 583f). For Simplicissi-j
i
mus, the hermit's life is the final solution to the problem
lof living life in a world that has shown itself to be in
tolerable. The vagaries of fate not only make survival it
self uncertain but carry one along as an unwilling victim of
pircumstances. Simplicissimus repeatedly finds himself in
situations over which he has no control. He must make the
i
I
best of them, but in so doing, he becomes a victim of the
temptations and dangers of the world. His retreat, then, is
a decision of despair and renunciation of a life which he
can neither control nor comprehend.
Beer's hero does not base his outlook on a larger, pre
determined framework of values as did the courtly man, nor
I
I
idoes he renounce life. His point of view regarding life and
death is determined by a practical realization of man's lot
and the necessity to live. He is too much of an optimist to
jbe satisfied with simple survival. Since he feels that life
j 193
]
lean be enjoyed, he is not willing to simply bear up under
|
jhis burden of grief, but sees the necessity of overcoming it.
Ilsidoro speaks for him when he says:
i
"Bruder Zendorio, du bist ein Mensch von schlechter j
Bestandigkeit, wenn du dich nicht weifit zu schicken in
das allergrausamste Ungliick, so dir widerfahren mag.
Die Tote aufzuwecken ist weder mir noch deinem Seufzen j
zugelassen. Darum ist es vergebens, dafi wir uns be-
kummern uber eine Sache, die nicht mehr kann anders
werden. Eine kurze Geduld iiberwindet ein langes Elend,
und du wirst dich selbst trosten konnen, wenn du ge-
denkest, dafi sie dich nur allein geliebet und viel-
j leicht noch auf dem Totbett tausendmal gewiinschet, daft
i es dir wohl und nach deinem besten Vergmigen gehen
| mochte." (WN, pp. 109f)
Beer recognizes that one must not permit self-pity to
i
paralyze the will to act. Zendorio does not spend time in
i
contemplation. As a hermit, he is glad of the necessity for
repairing his storm-damaged hut, for example. The activity
checks self-indulgent lingering on his misfortunes.
|
The hermit's life finally becomes untenable when Zen-
j
dorio is beset by wolves. Here again is a strong implica
tion that a hermit's life is unnatural for a human being and
an impossible way to achieve reconciliation with the world.
i
He is miraculously rescued by huntsmen who have wandered
into the wilderness to bring him the news that Caspia is
still alive. It is explained that her apparent death is
really attributable to another Caspia closely resembling her
194
jwho had also retired in despair to a secluded place after
i
jZendorio's disappearance. The author shows once again a
jstrong sense of individuality when he underscores that one
j
jmust not accept the world for what it appears to be but
i
jverify actuality for one's self. This is the responsibility
of the individual, who must bear the responsibility for his
j
fate. If he allows himself to be tossed about by the whims
jof fate, he may be allowing himself to be deceived. If he
jacts accordingly, he may be missing the best that life has
j
to offer.
Beer shows us the folly of Zendorio's retreat from the
!
iworld; the undertaking was based on a mistaken conception.
I
jHe has secreted himself in a wilderness so remote that it
|
jtakes a near-miracle to find him, and just in time to save
i
him from a pack of wolves. His attempt to hide from the
jcruel world almost precluded realization of ultimate happi-
!
ness. The retreat was a mistake. It represented withdrawal
jfrom the challenge of life.
j
j Beer seems to regard the hermit theme as mandatory,
i
particularly as an ending to both books. But at no time is
the use of the theme properly motivated. At the end of
Winternachte the theme is encountered when the Irishman be
comes a hermit and gives a stylized complaint about the.
j 195
jvanity of human existence. His withdrawal from the world is
|
junmotivated, however, and seems to be more a means of ending
the book than a genuine admonition by the author. Ludwig
supports this interpretation by his worldly attitude toward 1
l
the Irishman's piety and asceticism:
!
"Ich wollte wiinscheh, dafi ich ein solches Gemut von
I Natur eingepflanzet bekommen hatte, auf dafi ich, gleich
! dem Ir lander , mich in einer unbekannten Wiistenei oder in
j einem grofien Wald, gleichwie du vor diesem getan, auf-
halten mochte. Aber ich befinde mich sowohl innerlich
als aufierlich zu diesem Werk ganz ungeschickt und ver-
! drossen." (WN, P* 400)
)
Ludwig continues his monologue, agreeing with the Irishman's
judgment of the evils of the world, but still finds life too
jgood to renounce. Zendorio adds nothing and rides home to
ifind, in appropriate contrast to the Irishman's valediction
to the world, a newborn son waiting for him (WN, p. 401).
| But the author was apparently intent on ending the book
i
with a general retirement to a hermit's life and the neces
sary motivation is provided by the wedding celebration of
|
Jost, Zendorio's servant. The revelry surpasses in degra
dation anything that has gone before and in itself seems
hardly to be motivated. It can only be explained as an ex
cuse for the friends to renounce their way of life, which
really had not been evil, and enter upon the pious life of
196
ja hermit. Thus the book finds what Beer perhaps considered
jto be a natural ending along the lines of Simplicissimus.
| In the introduction to Sommertage. it is made clear
i . I
jthat the decision to attempt a retreat from the world is
I !
reached after first considering other possibilities of pass-;
ing the warm summer days. The hermit motif is a continua- j
tion of the finale of Winternachte. but the sincerity of the
undertaking is purposely weakened by the weighing of other
Alternatives in the foreword (amusing themselves in the
country, knightly games on horseback). The impulse to the
decision for a retreat is given by the Scotchman, Friderich,
I
jwho is recognized as the pious member of the circle and
!
corresponds to the Irishman of Winternachte.
| First a feast is given by Philipp (Ludwig of Winter
nachte ) to provide one more gala before departing on this
hew amusement, which from the beginning is intended only as
i
ja sampling of the hermit’s life (". . . zu versuchen, wie
|
|das einsiedlerische Leben schmeckte" \ST. p. 422]). The
!
party provides another continuation from Winternachte. where
a final debauch provided the motivation for ending the novel
on the hermit theme.
The friends finally set out to establish their individ
ual retreats. While the others secrete themselves in the
197
surrounding forest, Wolffgang arranges his own seclusion in
a tower of his castle where he can have an unobstructed view
I
not only of his residence but of the entire countryside.
Symbolically, he does not separate himself from the world,
but places himself literally and figuratively above it, as |
if seeking a vantage point from which to pass judgment. j
i
Wolffgang states that he has learned from experience of the
discomforts and loneliness of the usual hermit's retreat and
wishes to avoid them. Anyway, true piety consists in a
change of the spirit, not of place (£>T, p. 425), which is a
!
j
second justification for his comfortable retreat. In sup-
i
port of this, Wolffgang cites Thomas a Kempis' Imitatione
jchristi, which concentrates on the inner change required of
man in order to approach God (f>T, p. 430) . The pious Fri-
i
i
|derich, who has undertaken a strict regimen of self-abnega-
i
(tion and suffers for it a little more than he can bear, is
jwon over to Wolffgang's views on the lack of necessity for
i
[physical self-denial on a visit to the latter when he is
J
1
entertained with wine and three courses of meat.
"Du hast . . . eine treffliche hubsche Gelegenheit,
sowohl auf dein Hauswirtschaft als auf dich selbsten
Achtung zu geben, dein Turm . . . beschiitzet dich
nicht allein vom Regen und Wind, sondern gibt dir auch
Gelegenheit, allenthalben auf die Stra&en hinauszu-
sehen. Deine Speisekammer ist wohl gespicket, und
dein Keller ist voll Wein und Beer." (ST. p. 436 )_________
j 198
jFriderich finds Wolffgang's arrangement impressive compared
jto his own precarious existence in the wilderness and is
determined to emulate him: "V. . . weil ich genugsam ver-
spure, dafi das Fasten nicht allein genug sei, zur vollkom- j
I
jmenen Gluckseligkeit zu gelangen'" (ST^ p. 436).
| This tongue-in-cheek conversion of Friderich to a more |
I
"realistic" outlook points once again to Beer's attitude j
that we must live life and not withdraw from it, face its
challenges and not avoid them. He summarizes this feeling
i
jin the following line:
j . . . in Betrachtung, daS ein fleiBiger Weltmann sowohl
als der einsamste Monch die Seligkeit erlangen kann, so
er seines Berufes fleifiig abwartet, ware es freilich
besser gewesen, dafi> wir statt der grauen Einsiedlers-; j
rocke einen guten Harnisch angezogen hatten und dem
Feind, so dazumal unsere Provinz anfiel, mit gewaffene-
ter Hand entgegengegangen waren. (ST, pp. 437f)
|
What more striking contrast to the spiritual and physical
I
jseclusion of a hermit could be drawn that that of taking to
I
ithe field against the enemies of one's country and facing
the attendant physical dangers? Significantly, it is Fri-
derich himself, after having led the others into the retreat
from the world, who now undertakes to visit the others and
point out the same conclusion that he has reached under
Wolffgang's influence.
The return of the friends from their respective re- ;
treats gives rise to another round of storytelling, which
sheds more light on the meaning of the hermit theme for
Beer. Friderich tells his experiences first, relating how
he first shared the retreat of an older hermit whom he met
by chance. The hermit's existence is lonely but comfort
able. The old hermit has money and is provided with the
necessities of life by a peasant from a nearby village. It
is,this contact with the outside world and lack of privation
on the part of the old hermit that leads to robbery and mur
der at the hands of the peasant. Just as Zendorio's origi
nal withdrawal from the world exposed him to death in the
wilderness and was considered abnormal, so is the old her
mit's partial withdrawal from society abnormal, exposing him
to its evils and none of its benefits.
Gottfried's narration of his experiences as a hermit
showed that he had hardly made an attempt at a true retreat.
Instead of contemplation of God, his concern was how to pass;
time in an amusing way. The first solution was fishing, the;
second was reading the stories of old saints and hermits who|
were especially successful? but he readily admitted the lack
of will to carry out his intention and wished nothing more
i
than to return to his old life. His practical conclusion:
; 200
!
| "Meinesteils halt ich vor gewifi, daB derjenige, so ein
hartes and strenges Leben zu fuhren willens ist, zu dem-
I selben von Jugend auf durch fleiBige tlbung irriiBe tauglich
gemachet werden. Denn zu einem solchem Leben gehoren
harte Knochen, und wer der guten BiBlein gewohnt ist,
ist nicht leichtlich zu Haberstroh zu gewohnen." (ST,
p. 467)
! 1
Christoph also complains of the boredom and discomforts'
i I
i |
bf the hermit's life, even though he is accustomed to spend-!
i i
i 1
|ing days in the forest and living from the land. Dietrich,
i
'in his zeal to imitate famous hermits, dug roots to sustain
|
himself and suffered acute stomach pains. He finally set
tled down to writing stories of knighthood that he remem
bered, composing songs for himself to sing and play on his
Iviolin, and begging bread and eggs from his own peasants
i j
j(ST, pp. 468f). The ludicrous situation of the master beg-
i
j
jging from his own peasants is testimony to the unnatural
j
'character of the hermit's life as a state of existence.
|
Sempronio's story makes an interesting contrast to the fore-
i
going tales and the reader realizes the viewpoint that Beer
is hiding under these anecdotes. Sempronio, instead of
t
i
relating an attempt at leading a hermit's life, tells of the
misfortune that has befallen him, his family and his estate.
His baby son has died, he is involved in lawsuits, and his
farm buildings, cattle and grain have been destroyed by fire
and flood. He has truly suffered; he is a good man who has
i 201
I
i
jnever taken part in the degrading behavior that led the
»
i
jothers to withdraw from the world. His sufferings stem from
jbeing a part of life. The self-imposed discomforts of the
hermit's existence appear negligible by comparison. Once
again, Beer has pointed out the dependence of man upon the
whims of fate, but at the same time has made the alternative
of withdrawing from life appear ludicrous and shallow. Sem-
pronio sums up his, and presumably Beer's, conclusion:
j
"Ein fleiftiger Hausmann, wie ihr wohl wisset, hat auch-
j seine Pein und vielleicht eine viel groftere als mancher
Monch in seinem Kloster, dem sein Essen taglich vorge-
| setzet wird. Wer um sein Stiicklein Brot sorgen muft, hat
j keine geringe Lection zu studieren, darum bin ich er-
| freuet, daft Herr Bruder Friderich in dieser Erkenntnis
j so weit kommen, seine Einsamkeit dermalen zu verlassen
j und ein fleiftiger Hauswirt zu werden." (ST, p. 471)
|
Friderich's recognition of the futility of a hermit's exis
tence is regarded by Sempronio as a step up in his develop-
|
ment and is a strong statement for accepting the challenges
j
jof life.
Philipp ends the round of stories with his own, in
which the most notable experience occurred when his self-
made outhouse, occupied at the moment by himself "in voller
Postur" (ST, p. 472), collapsed and fell into the river over
which it was built, carrying him with it. Otherwise there
is nothing of consequence. Philipp occupies himself by
i 202
i
I
jimitating birds, shooting them, and writing in his book. In
1
order to avoid unnecessary discomfort, he has installed his
best bed in his hideaway and has home-cooked meals brought
jto him along with beer and wine from his cellar. Part of
the time he wears a hunting hat instead of his monk's cap.
But all in all, Philipp finds that the "isolation" has im- J
i
proved him: j
"Ich weifi> am besten . . . wo mich der Schuh drucket.
Rechtschaffen gelebet, seinem Nachsten Guts getan und
sein Gewissen vor wissentlichen Siinden rein behalten,
; darinnen stehet die wahre Vollkommenheit. Ein Glas-
! lein Wein mit einem guten Freund auszupoculieren, ist
! keine Siinde, wenn man nur der Sachen, wie wir sonsten
pflegten, nicht gar zu viel tut." (ST, p. 476)
! These words could have been said by Luther himself, who
| 1
regarded withdrawal from life as a negation of a Christian
r
|
jlife. For example:
Wer da gelobet, ein Klosterleben zu fuhren, der vermei-
net ein bessers zu fuhren denn ein ander Christenmensch
und mit seinem Leben nicht allein ihm selbs, sondern
auch andern Leuten zu helfen. Derselbige thut nicht
anders, denn dafi er Christum verleugnet und tritt Christi
Verdienst mit Fvifien. Das ist eine Gottslasterung. Pfui
j dich, du leidiger Teufel
[
!
;For Philipp, the retreat has provided the opportunity to
recognize how to live life, not withdraw from it.
I
i
^Martin Luther, Tischreden. ed. Karl G, Steck (Munich,
1959). p. 143._________________________________________________
| 2 03
; But it is clear that the retreat from the world was
i ■
Ineither necessary nor conducive to arriving at these general
conclusions, which really only consist of recognizing a
Icertain lack of restraint at times. The most unusual char- |
I ■ !
jacteristic in the statements by all of the friends regarding!
jtheir respective retreats is the lack of the mention of God.
S j
Even Sempronio, telling of his tribulations, mentions only j
fate. The supposed hermit's existence resembles more a
"drying out" after an unusually heavy bout of drinking,
i
[rather than withdrawal from the world in order better to
;
contemplate God.
The opportunity to criticize facetiously the mode of
living of monks, and especially those who proclaim them
selves to be hermits, arises when a traveling merchant is
questioned as he asks directions to a nearby monastery (ST,
[pp. 679f). He is selling hair shirts and complains of the
i
j
!low turnover. In fact, one hermit wanted to sell two of his
own hair shirts at half price to the merchant, claiming that
jthey had only been worn twice. The old-time hermits are
praised for their ability to withstand hardship and their
efforts to purge themselves of evil, while the latter-day
type can hardly stand it if a flea makes itself known.
Criticism of hermits is continued when the Student
! 204
I
jtakes Wolffgang's unpleasant experience with Liesel, his
|
isecond wife, to heart and resolves never to marry, but to
[become a monk instead. He resolves to withdraw from the
‘ world to a monastery (.ST, p. 750) . His intention terminates!
|two pages later when the Student appears at Wolffgang's
| ' j
idoor, having been unable to cope with a monk's life because j
I I
j
ihe could not conform. Not only does he flee the monastery I
i
i
!
but has the good fortune to discover in the process the
[secret of the ghost who haunts Wolffgang's other residence,
I
[Steinbruch, and makes it untenable. The ghost is Wolff-
jgang's father, who cannot rest until Wolffgang removes a
i
jlarge amount of money from its hiding place and disposes of
| ;
[it according to the ghost's wishes. The residence is once
again inhabitable and is given by Wolffgang into the care of
the Student as permanent administrator. This happy incident
gives, of course, a different interpretation to the ghost
I
i
[than was apparent to Wolffgang during his first encounter
with it, after which he felt obliged to abandon the resi-
i
jdence (ST, pp. 695ff). The juxtaposition of the return of
|
!the student from his attempt at monastic life and his good
i
[
[fortune in solving the mystery of the ghost with its atten
dant reward for him is no coincidence. Once again, Beer
[rewards one of his characters for returning to the world
! 205
j
jwith the gift of security and material well-being. The
j
Student, whose first appearance was as one of the peripheral
picaro characters who happened by Wolffgang's castle, has
jfound stability as a result of his association with Wolff- !
| . j
Igang and the latter's realistic outlook on life.
f
After the death of his son and father, Wolffgang wants
i
i
jto return to his hermit's existence in the tower of his
I
residence where he has a small room. However, on meeting
Krachwedel, the wandering veteran of the Thirty Years' War,
he invites him to use the tower room as a place where he can
t
Write down his experiences and adventures during the war.
The hermit's life is forgotten again, having served its pur
pose as a possible course of action. Wolffgang's state of
!
mind, his grief and uncertainty in the face of his tragedy
and life in general are partly assuaged by the mere consid-
j
eration of a withdrawal from the world.
i
I
| But at the end of Book Five of Sommertaae. Wolffgang
I
plans once again to retire to a hermit's life. He now has
two residences, one administered by Krachwedel and the other
by the Student. Therefore, he plans to establish his re
treat close enough to both so that he can visit them with
lease. The seriousness of his intent is cast in doubt by
this decision. When news of his impending departure becomes
206
jknown, it takes Wolffgang eight weeks to take leave of his
!
friends. All insist on hosting him once more. He is now
i
|able to launch into his "Adieu Welt," which is apparently
regarded as an indispensable formality and is finally under-|
i
taken after much procrastination. It is a necessary prep-
! ■ i
jaration before embarking on the retreat:
; i
j • i
| Bald wollte ich heute, bald morgen, und durch dieses j
| Cras Cras verschwand mir manche Zeit. . . . Endlich kam
l es zum Zweck, darnach ich schon so lang gezielet hatte,
! auch an, die Welt zu beurlauben und von ihr Abschied zu
! nehmen. (ST, p. 770)
:The text which follows is closely patterned after Simpli-
! 4
cissimus, who in turn cites Guevara. But the inner sub
stance has long since been depleted by the lack of convic-
jtion which has marked Wolffgang's preparations.
In his new hermit's retreat, Wolffgang uses his sad
experience with Liesel to illustrate the lack of steadfast-
i . . .
jness in the world. He is not against worldly possessions
but is wary of them because they give one the opportunity
i
j
to go astray. This is the sort of thing that has driven him
to his latest withdrawal from the world. Even more impor
tant, though, is the recognition of his sin of letting his
^Grimmelshausen, pp. 584ff.
! 207
sensual desire for Liesel lead him astray. He arranges his
retreat with a high degree of comfort; he has musical in
struments, books, and meals brought from his residence. He
even takes his capricious page, who is unable to stand the j
isolation and hardship very long, however. It can be said ;
for Wolffgang that he does hide himself away in a somewhat j
I
jwild, if not remote, region. I
Wolffgang gradually increases the hardship of this re
treat, finally doing without prepared victuals from the
^residence and devoting himself to pious contemplation of a
jbetter life (after overcoming a strong desire to return to
the "good" life). Because of the genuine strictness of his
i .
|ways, he becomes an object of curiosity to his friends and
lother people in the area, who come to visit him in order to
i
i
observe his mode of life. There is no mention of respect
or admiration on their part but simply curiosity. Because
j
i
|of his apparently genuine desire for seclusion, Wolffgang
i
feels himself forced to find a new location that will be
truly isolated and prepares to set out on a journey to the
mountains of Tyrol. He calls the Student to him, who will
be left with full authority in the administration of the two
residences, and has him bring his money, jewelry and small
objects of value. He sews into his garment as many of these
208
as he can carry. In spite of the wealth on his person, he
i
jbegs his way from one church and monastery to another in
I
lorder to avoid unnecessary contact with people, and arrives
[finally at his goal deep in the Tyrolean mountains.
j
i
But once again, incredible chance brings two friends
i i
[together. One day, "a man" dressed in rags wanders into
I
1
Wolffgang's retreat during a rainstorm and asks for shelter j
Overnight. Wolffgang's reaction is a typical understatement
|
Of an emotional situation:
Diese Wort verwunderte ich zweierlei Weis. Erstlich,
weil ebendieser fremde Mensch Herr Dietrich war, der
neulich mit Christophen in Italien gegangen, vors an-
dere, weil ich mir nicht einbilden konnte, welches Un-
gliick ihn in diesen uberaus schlechten Habit gestecket.
| (ST, p. 788)
Wolffgang, as is customary in such situations, does not re-
iveal himself immediately, but first hears Dietrich out.
After Dietrich's story, Wolffgang identifies himself and the
|
two friends rejoice at their unexpected reunion. Wolffgang
[tells Dietrich of the wealth he has sewed into his clothing
and they decide immediately to set out for home. The money
and valuables that Wolffgang has with him become common
property, as befits true friendship. On their way home,
I
they are able to restore Dietrich's horse and other belong
ings to him and locate Christoph, Dietrich's traveling
| 209
{companion in Italy and himself one of the circle of friends,
iwho had almost fallen victim to a band of robbers. The epi-
! i
; I
sode ends on a happy note. |
I Beer has skillfully manipulated the portrayal of this j
; 1
{retreat to create the impression that Wolffgang has at last ;
! • |
{achieved a pure state of contrition. It is by far the most j
i i
remote seclusion yet portrayed and apparently the most gen
uine. But as soon as Dietrich appears on the scene, there
is not a moment's hesitation on the part of Wolffgang.
iFriendship immediately overrides all other considerations
{and he forthwith forsakes all his pious resolutions. The
|
{bond of friendship proves to be the strongest single force
f
jin the relationships and situations portrayed in the two
novels.
On Wolffgang's return from his retreat in the Tyrol, he
i
(strikes a compromise. He resumes in part his pious seclu-
Ision but discards the hermit's dress which he had worn until
{now and has sturdy traveling clothes made for him. His
I
I
wealth has so increased during his absence that he has be-
i
come one of the wealthiest landowners in the area. He de-
jcides to build and endow a church for his posterity, not for
i
i
religious reasons, but because he considers such an under
taking t be a much more dependable monument to his name
210
than children, for example, who all too often only degrade
i
jthe memory of their parents (ST, p. 822):
Also vertrieb ich dazumal in dem Wald meine Zeit, unter-
I weilen enthielt ich mich auch auf dem alten. SchloB zu
: Steinbruch und gab daselbst den Bauren Audienz. . . .
Fiihrte also ein halb geistlich und ein halb weltlich
Leben; und je andachtiger ich war, je grofier wuchs mein j
j Reichtum, bis ich endlich unter die Reichesten im ganzen j
l Land gezahlet worden. (ST, p. 822) I
; ' j
i 1
| !
Wolffgang’s conclusion is significant. He has found a
i
balance between spiritual and worldly existence and this is
i
rewarded by a marked increase in worldly wealth as well as
peace of mind. This is really his goal in life: not com
plete withdrawal from life, but withdrawal from those ele
ments that lead to the dissipation of spiritual, physical
! j
iand material resources. At this point in the story, we find
I
Beer's strongest single statement of his philosophy of life:
i
i
the need for a balance between the spiritual and the worldly
j
j
which is rewarded by the greatest joy in life. An excess of
either element is demonstrated as an untenable, inadmissible
Condition for man and a source of misery. The proper bal-
i
ance is established by meeting life on one's own terms, as
j
Zendorio/Wolffgang does. Simplicissimus, in contrast, was
1
never able to determine the conditions of his life and was
i
I
I
jforced to withdraw from life in despair. His return to the
j 2X1
jworld in the sixth book of Simplicissimus leads him into
even greater disasters and finally enforced isolation on a
desert island, for which he is grateful.
I
The true measure of the rightness of one's mode of lifej
jis spiritual and physical wellbeing and happiness. This new;
insight is evidenced in Wolffgang's final retreat where he |
shows a practical awareness of the legitimate need for a
measure of human comfort. The coming of winter sees him
‘ relocate his place of meditation to the tower of his resi-
j
idence, "... mich daselbsten Zeit wahrender Kalte hiibsch
i 7
I
jwarm zu halten" (ST, p. 842). Here he can receive Krach-
i
jwedel, his brother, and the Student to pass the time enjoy-
|
ably:
i Zuweilen kam der Krachwedel, zuweilen der [Student] zu
j uns heriiber, allwo wir die. Zeit mit Brett- oder Karten-
i spiel bei einem hiibsch geraucherten Schinken passierten.
j Unterweilen mufiten uns die Bauern eine Comodie agieren,
dabei wir uns oft krank gelachet, und weil der Horatius
| die schlafende Ratzen auf eine sonderliche Art in der
j Kiiche fangen konnte, vertrieben wir in solchem Spaft bald
| so, bald wieder anders fast den halben Winter. (ST, pp.
! 842f)
j
| Wolffgang does return to the forest in the spring after
|
a lengthy "Adieu Welt" (ML, PP. 843-847), but with the wis
dom that comes with knowing oneself he adds: "Ob ich aber
darinnen bleiben oder sonsten meine Lebensart wegen
212
I
j
jhereinbrechendem Alter verandern werde, das mufi man der
kiinftigen Zeit anheimstellen" (ST, p. 847).
CONCLUSION
The keystones of Beer's originality in style and the- j
matic treatment are his spontaneity and his individualistic
world view. Not being bound by the middle-class and courtly
|
jtraditions of the seventeenth century, he is all the more
i
i
i
jwilling and able to give free rein to his phantasy. But he
^writes not only to give expression to his phantasy. It is
an oversimplification when Alewyn describes Beer as a pure
Storyteller with no other purpose at hand than to spin a
i
I l
fale. Beer may not have written with didacticism as his
main purpose or a presentation of his world view as a goal.
j
Nevertheless, these elements are present. Because they are
present, one is able to see throughout the two novels a
development of plot and narrative technique which, together
I
with the main thematic elements, make the novels more than
1,1 Johann Beer," p. 224. "Beer ist reiner Erzahler
. . . ohne Kentnisse vermitteln . . . Seelen deuten, Prob-
leme erortern, Uberzeugungen suggerieren zu wollen oder
sonstige Nebenansichten."
213
;an array of disjointed anecdotes. Instead, the novels show
ja definite though subtle development of plot and character
I !
jthat brings the author to a statement of man's ideal rela- !
I , :
|
jtionship to himself and to the world about him; a position, I
though difficult of attainment, realistically anchored in
' - - . . i
the world as it is. It fuses the best of the three estates !
i
of peasantry, middle class and nobility.
It is likely that Beer's unique stylistic approach
i
jplayed an important part in enabling him to present his
i
liconoclastic views on the social and moral order. His ideas
|
jwere not carefully formulated but were spontaneous and pre-
I , l
jsented in a correspondingly spontaneous fashion. The care
fully structured styles of the courtly-gallant and pastoral
novels undoubtedly would have proved inhibiting to Beer's
jartistic temperament and desire for expression. The same is
jtrue of the restrained mood of the political novels. In the
i
political novel, man has the means to form his life accord
ing to rational views and insights. The political novels
are designed to impart to the reader intelligent, useful
attitudes and rules of conduct. The form created by Weise,
the yardstick of the political novel, portrays the "Bil-
I
dungsreise" designed to orient the young man to the ways of
the world according to a clearly defined program of
215
jpractical instruction. The novel enters the service of
worldly instruction and the enlightenment of the middle
class, showing the need and desirability, from a political
i^point of view, for an individual to establish himself in
society by effacing his originality and individualism,
i The air of rational, restrained didacticism which per- j
raeates the political novel is foreign to Beer. He also ex
presses the need of man to find a place in life where he can
i
successfully confront his own existence. The difference is
that this state is achieved in a haphazard fashion and,
ideally, through association with like-minded individual-
j
|ists. By establishing himself in this way, Zendorio/Wolff-
|
;gang is able to recognize the nature of his relationship to
j
ithe world, the people and the occurrences about him by hav
ing the advantage of the perspective of those individuals
Who view the world in a similar fashion. Beer's portrayal
i
of the relationship between the friends indicates that they
supplement and complement each other in their view of life
i
and the way in which they deal with its problems. It should
i
|
be emphasized once again that the friends do not sacrifice
jtheir individuality nor do they always act in concert. In
i
Sommertage. most of the friends are portrayed as going their
own way (ST, pp. 629ff), although they eventually find their
! 216
iway back together again. Significantly, the two original
jfriends, Wolffgang and Gottfried (Zendorio and Isidoro of
iwinternachte). are the only two who remain and express no
j
jdesire to leave.
The desire for stability and security, which is appar
ent in Beer's portrayal of Zendorio/Wolffgang, makes the
jimplied rejection of the life of the picaro obvious. The
Ipicaro accepts the vagaries of life as an unavoidable part
|
jof his existence and passively allows himself to be bounced
about from one adventure to another. Beer's characters
place value on permanence and solidarity, centered in a
large, well-built residence surrounded by productive lands
and faithful peasants. Most of the adventures that they
jencounter are of their own making. Those dangers which ap
pear from the outer world are not passively accepted as an
unavoidable aspect of life, but are actively met and de-
|
ifeated through united action. In no case does an outside
jthreat or personal tragedy alter the course of the friends'
i
jlives once Zendorio establishes himself in the first two
! >
chapters of Winternachte. The course of events runs faith
ful to the underlying concept of the need of an individual
jfor self-identification and the necessity for a steadfast
confrontation of the reality of one's existence, despite
| 217
the ups and downs of that existence.
| The search for permanence and stability so character-
j
!
istic in Beer's Winternachte and Sommertaae is new in the
1
literature of the seventeenth century. It was precisely the
jjourney that formed the basis of practically every major j
I i
novel of this period, whether the story involved a prince :
i
searching for his kidnaped bride, a vagrant picaro, or
iWeise's traveling young man who studied the follies of the
I
Iworld. The stations in these journeys made up the narrative
i
[development of the novel. That a novel could progress with-
j 2
lout a change of locale is unique in Beer's two major works.
I
j The concept of permanence and stability is not re
stricted to the material wellbeing of the chief character of
the two novels, Zendorio/Wolffgang. There is a consistent
jattempt to find the proper spiritual balance in life. This
jsearch is manifest in the development of the hermit theme
|
jand symbolized in the development of the music theme. One
sees Wolffgang arrive at the practical realization of the
need for man to make the best out of life, but to temper his
worldly materialism with an eye to moral values, which every
man must find for himself. Spirituality as such, however,
^Singer, Der deutsche Roman, p. 113.
218
iis rejected— a striking testimony to the growing seculari
sation of the times. Zendorio/Wolffgang1s spiritual pro-
i ' .
Igression from baseness to a certain elevation in his spir
itual development is subtly paralleled by the representation:
j j
jof music, which can be regarded as the true spiritual ele—
! i
ment of the two novels. The chief figure of the two novels j
I
!
progresses from the degrading, drunken noise-making of the j
jearly debauches to the mournful pouring out of his soul
jthrough his music in the solitude of his castle tower fol
lowing the deaths of his son and father. Here his music is
exalted and serves essentially the same purpose as the
|Baroque music of the courts, i.e., to give expression to his
i
: ,
imost intense emotional and spiritual feelings (see above,
|
jpp. 186-187). Yet the music is Wolffgang's own and played
by himself. The passage of time in the narration and the
jchange of character that Zendorio/Wolffgang passes through,
his repeated awareness of the lack of balance in his life
land his consistent efforts to rectify his failings, which
[
jfinally meet with a measure of success, show a process of
jinner change and ethical development.
I
| The need for balance in man's existence can be seen at
work in other relationships. Human society at large, for
example, is largely objectionable, but self-imposed isola-
219
;tion from one's fellow man is an unnatural and untenable
jstate. The association of a group of like-minded friends
i
jWho share the same awareness and enjoyment of life is ideal.
[ ;
jiBut friendship can neither be enjoyed exclusively at a ;
jspiritual level of "soul brotherhood" nor at the base level j
I i
I |
of drunken revelry. For this reason, the friends oscillate i
between these extremes; between attempts at the hermit's
jlife and drunken excess. Each time, the friends realize the
lack of moderation in their lives and instinctively seek to
jcorrect their failings. The point at which a group of the
friends leave the closely-knit circle to journey out into
the world on various undertakings is a further illustration
!
i
iof their need for each other. All of them are faced with
dangerous and uncertain situations which could lead to
^disaster. There is a strong implication that one can only
l
jfind fulfillment among one's friends and the familiar en-
j
yirons of one's homeland. Every journey outside of the
homeland is a trip into unknown perils and insecurity.
i
There are dangers at home, too, but here one is fortified by
i
j
his own resources and dependable friends. One need not
stand alone. This is perhaps the most important development
i
in the two novels.
The uncertainty of life in the seventeenth century may
220
i
i
be plainly seen in Beer1s two works, but the fact that man
I
can reach out and find a faithful friend standing with him,
|that together they can not only secure their existence in
i
i , i
jthe face of all trials but can actually enjoy life as well, I
is testimony to the approach of a new age of optimism and
I !
humanity.
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
!
I
221
BIBLIOGRAPHY1
Adel, Kurt. "Johann Beer: Der Anteil Osterreichs an der
Entwicklung des europaischen Barockromans, " Qsterreich j
in Geschichte und Literatur. VII (1963), 534-539.
Alewyn, Richard. "Der Geist des Barocktheaters," Weltlite-
ratur— Festaabe fur Fritz Strich. Bern, 1952.
________________. "Johann Beer. Studien zum Roman des 17.
Jahrhunderts,1 1 Palaestra. CLXXXI (1932).
________________, ed. Deutsche Barockforschuncr. Koln/Ber-
lin, 1965.
________________, et al. Aus der Welt des Barock. Stutt
gart, 1957.
Beer, Johann. Die Abenteuer des -iunaen Jan Rebhu. ed.
Joseph Fuchs. Vienna, 1960.
_. Die kurzweilicren Sommer-Tacre. ed. Wolfgang
Schmitt. Halle/Saale, 1958.
_. Das Narrensoital & Jucundi Jucundissimi Wun-
derliche Lebens-Beschreibung. ed. Richard Alewyn. Ham
burg, 1957.
_____________ Printz Adimantus. ed. Hans Pornbacher.
Stuttgart, 1967.
1-See Alewyn, "Johann Beer," pp. 249ff, for a complete
list of the original editions of Beer1s works.
222
i 223
l
I ■ ■
jBeer, Johann. Sein Leben, von ihm selbst erzahlt. ed. Adolf
Schmiedecke. Gottingen, 1965.
_____________ . Die teutschen Winternachte. ed. Carl Winkler.
Erfurt, 1943.
i
_____________ . Die teutschen Winter-Nachte und Die kurz
weilicren Sommer-Taae. ed. Richard Alewyn. Frankfurt am
Main, 1963. j
Beinert, Johann. "Christian Weises Romane in ihrem Verhalt-)
nis zu Moscherosch und Grimmelshausen," Studien zur
vercrleichenden Literaturaeschichte. VII (1907), 308ff. j
Boeckh, Joachim G. Geschichte der deutschen Literatur im
16. und 17. Jahrhundert. Potsdam, 1958.
Brietzmann, Franz. Die bose Frau in der Literatur des 12.-
16. Jahrhunderts. Berlin, 1912.
Cohn, E. "Gesellschaftsideale und Gesellschaftsroman des
17. Jahrhunderts," Germanische Studien. XIII (1921). j
Curtius, Ernst. Die Freundschaft im Altertum. Berlin, !
1875.
Ermatinger, Emi1. Barock und Rokoko in der deutschen Dich-
tung. Leipzig, 1928.
Faber du Faur, C. von. German Baroque Literature. New
Haven, 1958.
Fauth, Gertrud. Jorq Wickrams Romane. Straftburg, 1916.
Flemming, Willi. "Die Auffassung des Menschen im 17. Jahr
hundert," Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift. VI (1928).
_________________. Der Wandel des deutschen NaturaefuhIs vom
15. zumi 18. Jahrhundert. Halle, 1931.
Grimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoffel. Der abenteuerliche
Simplicissimus. Wiesbaden, 1956.
Guevara. Von Beschwerlichkeit und tfoerdrufi des HofJLebens.
trans. Amberg. 1609.
224
Habeck, Fritz. Der verliebte Osterreicher oder Johannes
Beer. Graz, 1961.
Hankamer, Paul. Deutsche Gegenreformation und deutsehes
Barock. 3rd ed. Stuttgart, 1964.
Hartl, Use. Die Rittergeschichten Johann Beers. Diss.,
Vienna, 1947.
i
i
Hirsch, Arnold. "Barock und Aufklarungsroman," Etudes Ger- i
manique. IX (1954), 97ff. j
I
________; _______. Burgertum und Barock im deutschen Roman. |
2d ed. Koln, 1957.
Jaecke, G. Jora Wickram: Analyse seiner Prosaromane.
Diss., Tubingen, 1954.
Jantz, H. "German Baroque Literature," Modern Language
Notes. LXXVII (October 1962), 337-367.
John, Ruth. Studien zu Jora Wickrams Romanen. Diss., Mu
nich, 1954.
Knight, K. G. "Eine wiederaufgefundene Schrift Johann
Beers: Der Neu ausgefertigte Jungfer-Hobel," Neophilo-
loaus. XLIV (1960), 14-16.
_____________ . "The Novels of Johann Beer," Modern Language
Review. LVI (1961), 194-211.
Krause, Heinz. Johannes Beer 1655-1700. Zur Musikauffas-
sung im 17. Jahrhundert. Diss., Leipzig, 1935.
Kuttner, Gerhard. "Wesen und Formen der deutschen Schwank-
literatur des 16. Jahrhunderts." Germanische Studien.
CLII (1934).
Langen, August. "Deutsche Sprachgeschichte vom Barock bis
zur Gegenwart," Deutsche Philoloaie im Aufrifi. ed.
Wolfgang Stammler, Vol. I. Berlin, 1952.
Liepe, Wolfgang. Elisabeth von Nassau-Saarbriicken. Ent-
stehung und Anfanoe des Prosaromans in Deutschland.
Halle, 1920.
225
Lugowski, Clemens. Die Form der Individualitat im Roman.
Berlin, 1932.
Luther, Martin. Tischreden. ed. Karl G. Steck. Munich,
1959.
_______________. "Von der Freiheit eines Christenmenschens,"
Ausgewahlte Werke. ed. H. H. Borcherdt and Georg Merz.
3rd ed. Vol. II. Munich, 1962.
Menck, Hans F. "Der Musiker im Roman," Beitrage zur neueren
Literaturaeschichte. XVIII (1931).
Meucelin-Roeser, Marianne. Studien zum Prosastil Jora Wick-
rams. Diss., Basel, 1955.
Meyer, H. Der deutsche Schaferroman des 17. Jahrhunderts.
Diss., Freiburg im Breisgau, 1928.
Muller, Gunther. "Deutsche Dichtung von der Renaissance bis
zum Ausgang des Barock," Walzels Handbuch der Litera-
turwissenschaft. Darmstadt, 1957.
Muller, Jurg-Jochen. Studien zu den Willenhaa-Romanen Jo
hann Beers. Marburg, 1965.
Muller, Richard. Dichtung und bildende Kunst im Zeitalter
; des deutschen Barock. Frauenfeld/Leipzig, 1937.
Podleiszek, Franz. "Introduction," Anfanae des burgerlichen
Prosaromans in Deutschland. Leipzig, 1933.
Pyritz, Hans. Review of Richard Alewyn's "Johann Beer" in
Jahresbericht der neueren deutschen Literatur. Neue
Folge, XII (1932).
Rasch, Wolfdietrich. Freundschaftskult und Freundschafts-
dichtung im deutschen Schrifttum des 18. Jahrhunderts
vom Ausgang des_Barock bis zu Klopstock. Halle, 1936.
Reyes, F. P. Varas. "Notas a dos Novelas de Johann Beer,"
FilQlogfa Moderna. Ill, No. 7/8 (1962), 101-135.
Scherer, Wilhelm. "Die Anfange des deutschen Prosaromans
und Jorg Wickram," Qasllsn und FOSTSChvngen, XXI (1877).
226
Scholte, J. H. Der Simplicissimus und sein Dichter. Tu
bingen, 1950.
Singer, Herbert. Der deutsche Roman zwischen Barock und
Rokoko. Koln/Graz, 1963.
Stamraler, Wolfgang. "Die burgerliche Dichtung des Spat- !
Mittelalters, " ZeitscJhrfft_fiir_ deutsche Philologie. |
LIII (n.d.), Iff. » |
. Von d_er_Mystik zum Barock, 1400-1600.
Stuttgart, 1950.
Stocker, K. Die Lebenslehre im Prosawerk von Jora Wickram
und in der vo Iks turn lichen Erzahlung des 16. Jahrhun
derts . Diss., Munich, 1956.
Thomas a Kempis. The Imitation of Christ, trans. Leo
Sherley-Price. Melbourne/London/Baltimore, 1954.
Vietor, Carl. Probleme der Barockdichtung. Leipzig, 1928.
Vogt, Erika. Die aecrenhofisdhe Stromuna in der deutschen
Barockliteratur. Leipzig, 1932.
Voigt, Georg. Die Wiederbelebung des Jklassischen Altertums.
Berlin, 1893.
Weydt, Gunther. "Der deutsche Roman von der Renaissance und
Reformation bis zu Goethes Tod," Deutsche Philologie im
AufriB, ed. Wolfgang Stammler. Vol. II. Berlin, 1952.
Wickram, Jorg. Galmv. in Georg Wickrams Werke. ed. Johannes
Bolte and Willy Scheel. Tubingen, 1901-06.
_______________. Knabenspieael. in Anfanae des buraerlichen
Prosaromans in Deutschland, ed. Franz Podleiszek.
Leipzig, 1933.
__________________Von auten und bosen Nachbarn. in Anfange des
buraerlichen Prosaromans in Deutschland, ed. Franz
Podleiszek. Leipzig, 1933.

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Formen Der Elegie: Ausgewaehlte Interpretationen Von Goethe Bis Celan. (German Text)

PDF

The Function Of The Symbol In The Modern German Kurzgeschichte

PDF

The Demise Of The 'New Man': An Analysis Of Late German Expressionism

PDF

Heimito Von Doderer'S Concept Of The Novel: Theory And Practice

PDF

A Selected Bibliography Of German Literature In English In Translation, 1956-1960

PDF

Das Sozialkritische In Den Werken Leonhard Franks. (German Text)

PDF

Educational Theories In The Works Of Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

PDF

The role of women in Jakob Julius David's Novellen

PDF

The Image Of The Artist In The Works Of Frank Wedekind

PDF

A Bibliography Of Lion Feuchtwanger'S Major Works In German

PDF

Literarische Kontroversen Innerhalb Der Exil-Literatur Der Dreissiger Jahre (German Text)

PDF

Kritik Am Jugendwerke Heinrich Manns. (Criticism Of The Early Works Of Heinrich Mann.) (German Text)

PDF

The Patriot In Exile: A Study Of Heinrich Mann'S Political Journalistic Activity 1933-1950

PDF

The Authenticity Of David Of Augsburg'S German Works, With Particular Reference To His 'Paternoster'

PDF

Pater Abraham A Sancta Clara And The Literary Mirror: Reflections Of Reality And Deception

PDF

Der Spanische Burgerkrieg Und Die Deutsche Exil-Literatur. (German Text)

PDF

A Syntactic Analysis Of Luther'S 'Adventspostille'

PDF

Die Roman-Technik Bei Lion Feuchtwangers 'Jefta Und Seine Tochter' (German Text)

PDF

A Bibliography Of Lion Feuchtwanger'S Works In English Translation

PDF

G. W. Leibniz' 'Collectanea Etymologica': Ein Beitrag Zur Geschichte Deretymologie' (German Text)

Asset Metadata

Creator Knox, Edgar Guerin (author)

Core Title Johann Beer'S 'Winternaechte' And 'Sommertaege': Non-Courtly Elements In The German Novel Of The Baroque Period

Degree Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Program German

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Literature, Modern,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Von Hofe, Harold (committee chair), Stahl, Herbert M. (committee member), Weissenberger, Klaus (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c18-644257

Unique identifier UC11362052

Identifier 6904532.pdf (filename),usctheses-c18-644257 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier 6904532.pdf

Dmrecord 644257

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Knox, Edgar Guerin

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA