What do Annette von Droste-Hülshoff with #MeToo? The German poetess is in the focus of the novel, “miss Cute short summer”. What has this to do with current debates, tells Duve in the DW-interview.
With the novel “The Jew’s beech” (1842) have been and will be millions of German students and German students ‘ face – he belongs to the classical curriculum of the schools and universities in this country. The author of the “Jew’s beech”, the writer Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797 – 1848), is one of the little-known authors of the great German literature of the epoch of the classical/romantic.
In her nearly 600-page novel “miss Cute short summer” introduces us to Karen Duve, this writer, as one of the few women in the midst of a bevy of clever and less clever men, Poets and thinkers, but also a lot of charlatans and big mouths.
Family novel, before time, historical Background
The novel is a sprawling family novel, in the center of the rebellious Annette: she is apparently blessed with a greater literary Talent than their male colleagues. Maybe you will also the novel’s downfall. In the center of the book, it is described how the tender will be carried out in the end and head over heels fell in love with Annette by a malicious intrigue behind the light. A shock, from which the poet should not recover for many years.
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Deutsche Welle: one Reads your book, a number of Parallels between Today and the time 200 years ago, between the position of women in a men world, yesterday and today, the Parallel between the times that change rapidly. Was this the intention from the beginning?
Karen Duve: has played in the selection of the substance almost no role at all. But while I wrote the then, came it easily: That people doubt at all that everything is so complicated, so complex. There are many things to arrived, the were known: from Burnout to Depression; the Whining about the fact that suddenly, everything is so hectic – and at a time when it was not even Railways! So basically similar issues as it is today. Even if the presented, of course, on another level took place, but with the same grief with the same vehemence. It was a time that was form by the rise of Patriotism and nationalism, and Out of an own identity, not more funny and cosy. This new identity was based on the loved one on the Delimit of the Other: ‘Germany’ did Not mean to refer mainly-French, Non-Jewish to be critical to turn father Jahn position.
The family seat of the Droste-Hülshoffs in the Münsterland
Her novel, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff to the centre. What attracted you to the poet as a literary figure?
The Intention was to let her justice. It has interested me not so much as a Person, but rather the event, so this unhappy youth of love, which happened to her at a time when it was not yet known, and the so-terrible, tragic consequences. Although everything that was or might have been – so we don’t know exactly the Yes – from today’s perspective, incredibly banal.
But the consequences were catastrophic for you personally, traumatic almost, so that she has not written for years. This must have been right sat what was done to her, so ugly “modern” things like bullying, family bullying!
How could the Droste happen in the far branched, enlightened family-Hülshoff?
My theory was that since a very gifted family, but that Annette was the only genius, and that all of these Gifted had a little grudge against you. The men, but women, too, because Annette has to be deprived of their role. All of you were so angry about, and this feeling had: ‘a man that is not adhering to the rules! And by the way, is also still!’
The brothers Grimm play in Duves novel an important role
Modern themes in a novel about classical German literature, as one looks today at this time?
It was not even my Intention – it was really only about this one event (the pain of love, the, Annette, A. d. Red.). But when you reported from the past, then you can no longer look quite relaxed on it, because you put in the time. Things are just quite obvious. The moved at the time of the feudal society to the performance society and the enlightenment had already taken place.
Earlier, before the enlightenment, there was the explanation: The woman is subject to man, because God has said so. Now, after the enlightenment, one could replace the simple “quasi-scientific evidence”. You could prove everything suddenly “” because it is “scientific”. You want to actually same always, and only changed the way how you tried, his interests, how you tried, someone devalue depending on what is currently available. It’s not nice to understand, if you’re in just in time.
…so via the detour of the past from the present?
If you do that in today’s time, you would have to explain an awful lot, because people don’t want to see it. Here is the beautiful picture: The forest for the trees. This is just in the relationship between men and women is a very fitting image. Since it is always the same, because you see simple things for granted. If this is all a bit further away, you see quite relaxed on it and then the thought comes but: ‘Aha, this looks familiar! Why is that still so, when was that then?’
Karen Duve is in the DW-interview
How has made in the life of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff?
An example is the great guilt that she has. In this intrigue – no matter how you exactly has taken place – were involved, in any case, a number of people. And Annette is convinced, you must take this debt on, she feels responsible and leaves nothing to any other. You will also find today, for example, in violent marriages, where women somehow think: ‘Yeah, I’ve got him provoked.’ Many women still think that they would not have the responsibility to ensure that things work in harmony.
Have you thought at the time, when Writing to MeToo?
Less. But it is of course an interesting debate. Also, due to this desperate Outcry, where many say: ‘What are you allowed to for today at all?’ I think that most (men) know exactly what you can. And if it is in addition the previous, then you just apologize. And if you are not sure whether something is appropriate or not, then you can hold it dear, or you ask. You ask-Yes, even at the table, if you get the salt – you can also ask times, if you must kiss someone! This can also be something quite romantic and Nice.
And if you think it needs to be a little Wild, for example, suddenly someone to hold it, then you have to look very closely at the arrives. I believe that everyone is capable of doing. This is such a sham debate – to say, ‘My gosh, now you made a complaint, and don’t complain even if it happened 30 years ago.’
That is another thing. The question: ‘Why can you talk now? That was over 30 years. Why you need to get out now?’ This means that you believe women only, if 10,000 say at the same time: ‘it happened to Me also.’ Then, and only then says: ‘Aja, there could be something there.’ Many really have no idea of how female reality really looks like. I think if the 100 or 200 women, then you must believe somehow that there’s something to it.
The interview was conducted by Jochen Kürten
Karen Duve: miss Nice short summer, 584 pages, Galiani Verlag Berlin, ISBN 978-3-86971-138-6.