The little comedy

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Out in Pötzleinsdorf

The little comedy is a cheerful novella by Arthur Schnitzler , written in the early summer of 1893 and revised in February 1894. In the August issue of 1895, the early story appeared in the literary magazine Neue Deutsche Rundschau by S. Fischer in Berlin . The book Die kleine Komödie came out posthumously in 1932, together with other early novels by Schnitzler. Otto Paul Schinnerer wrote the afterword.

It doesn't go well when the rich play for the poor.

content

In this text, “built like a five-act comedy”, two single gentlemen write thirteen letters from their native Vienna to Italy and France. The bon vivant Alfred von Wilmers wrote seven to his friend, the artist Theodor Dieling, in Naples and the established actress Josefine Weninger - called Miss Pepi - wrote six to her friend, the married Helene Beier, in Paris . Schnitzler does not give answers from Naples and Paris.

What is now in the letters of the two first-person narrators? Not the youngest anymore, both letter writers have the same idea: In the wonderful summer weather, the citizens want to experience the magic of childhood love once again as an impoverished poet and the bohemian actress as a hardworking artist. That works too. Only the no longer young guy and the suburban girl run into each other by chance. You get to know each other and tell the other your story of lies. This is believed by the listener without hesitation. You kiss and you love each other. It goes out from Vienna to Pötzleinsdorf . The acquaintance - the "blending of moods of chaste childhood love and mature indulgence" - culminates in a one-week stay at the gates of Vienna in a remote forest inn.

Alfred cannot stand the poor life for more than two weeks. Fled to Vienna because of a rainy day, at the next rendezvous they both reveal themselves - again by chance - for who they really are. You can now enjoy the familiar dolce vita of Viennese high society in a relaxed manner. A trip to Dieppe is being considered. Alfred pays all the bills. Finally he entrusts his friend Theodor, mentioned above, with the end of the little comedy in a letter: "After ... Dieppe I will go behind the scenes smiling."

Self-testimony

Schnitzler criticized his work on February 9, 1894: "Beginning good, end dull."

reception

  • In a letter to Schnitzler on July 19, 1893, Hofmannsthal spoke of a "parallel novella" and two-part narration.
  • Perlmann writes about the dream of the two letter writers of the miserable existence of the petty bourgeoisie: "Both love being poor as long as it is a lie, they reject the real thing."
  • Sprengel thinks about the comedy play of the citizens at Schnitzler: The exit from social convention proves to be an illusion.
  • Man and woman take turns telling stories, Scheffel comments on the two gender-specific perspectives at hand. The story reminds Scheffel of Körner's “The Journey to Schandau. A story in letters ”(1810). However, Schnitzler lacks the Körner happy ending. And about the final unmasking at Schnitzler, Scheffel writes that the mask play thus appears to be a fleeting affair.

Web links

literature

source
  • The little comedy. P. 18–50 in Arthur Schnitzler: Game at Dawn. Stories. Afterword by Eduard Zak and Rudolf Walbiner . Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin 1982 (1st edition),
Secondary literature
  • Michaela L. Perlmann: Arthur Schnitzler. Metzler Collection, Vol. 239. Stuttgart 1987. 195 pages, ISBN 3-476-10239-4 , p. 131
  • Peter Sprengel : History of German-Language Literature 1870–1900. From the founding of the empire to the turn of the century . Verlag CH Beck, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-406-44104-1 , p. 285 and p. 467
  • Michael Scheffel : Arthur Schnitzler. Stories and novels. Erich Schmidt Verlag, Berlin 2015, ISBN 978-3-503-15585-9 , pp. 44-48

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Sprengel, p. 285, 10th Zvu
  2. ^ Sprengel, p. 285, 14th Zvu
  3. ↑ Scheffel, p. 44, 18. Zvu
  4. ↑ The New Rundschau # Neue Deutsche Rundschau (1893–1903)
  5. ↑ Scheffel, p. 44, 4th Zvu
  6. ^ Otto Paul Schinnerer: Entry in the German biography
  7. ↑ Perlmann, p. 131, 16. Zvo
  8. ↑ Edition used, p. 396. Zvu
  9. ↑ Edition used, p. 50, 3rd Zvu
  10. ↑ Schnitzler, quoted in Scheffel, p. 44, 18. Zvu
  11. ↑ Hofmannsthal, quoted in Scheffel, p. 46, 18. Zvo
  12. ↑ Perlmann, p. 131, 14th Zvu
  13. ^ Sprengel, p. 467, 12. Zvo
  14. ^ Sprengel, p. 286, 2nd Zvo
  15. ↑ Scheffel, p. 46, 4th Zvu
  16. ↑ Körner: The trip to Schandau in the Gutenberg-DE project
  17. ↑ Scheffel, p. 47, 14. Zvo
  18. ↑ Scheffel, p. 47, 10th Zvu