Plus ultra (novella)

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Plus ultra is a novella by Gertrud von le Fort that was published by Insel-Verlag in 1950. Plus ultra - "always on" - was the motto of Emperor Charles V , who in the novel is the goal of the protagonist's unfulfilled love.

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The novella takes place around 1530 in Mechelen at the court of Margaret of Austria . It takes the form of a confession from the nun Donna Arabella to her superior, venerable mother, the Superior General of the Order of Announcements .

Donna Arabella's love for the emperor flares up at Simancas Castle when the young ruler turns his gaze to the girl for the first time. The governor then takes the young orphan from a large family with her to the capital of the Spanish Netherlands in Mechlin in Flanders . Arabella cannot forgive the governor for this until she learns from her that it was the emperor who wanted to send her to the monastery because of the empire. Arabella has yet to understand what empire means. It means, for example, that there has been no Johanna van der Gheenst at the imperial court since the empress has existed there. The Emperor has a child with the beautiful Flemish weaver's daughter Johanna. The little self-assured illegitimate daughter of the emperor grows up next door to the governor. To Arabella's astonishment, even the governor has to be reminded by the prelate of what empire means. The bishop has long been waiting to give the Church of Brou to its spiritual calling. But the governor thwarts the church's intention and rebels in a conversation with the prelate. The governor claims this church solely as a burial place for her family. Her beloved husband, who passed away much too early, is already resting in Brou .

The governor, the Arabella wants to take you on a trip to Brou, dies after a minor accident to gangrene . Because the regent died in the presence of Arabella, she is received by the emperor, who is in Flanders. This is the second time that this ruler's gaze meets her. Arabella replies this time. The emperor understands the answer.

The young girl sacrifices herself for the empire and becomes a nun. The first mass is celebrated in Brou, the last resting place of the governor . Arabella is allowed to take the place that was intended for the emperor, who has meanwhile been absent again. Arabella reads the words "Plus ultra" on the velvet of the chairs .

Historical background

Gertrud von le Fort mentions neither the name of the emperor nor that of Margaret of Austria in the text. But Margarete can be determined - among other things by the name of her residence Mechelen, by her title Mrs. Lieuteness and also by the origin. It is the daughter of Emperor Max . Via Margarete, in turn, there is a direct path to the name of the emperor. Charles V was as a child by his aunt Margaret educated . In addition, an abundance of historical events in the text point to the emperor and also to his tutor - for example the Peace of Women in Cambrai or the Sacco di Roma .

Quotes

  • "Winning makes you narrow-minded!"
  • "Nobody can help the enchanted."
  • "Love cannot die."
  • Her motto was " Fortune infortune fort une " (happiness makes you unhappy)
  • "It is good for the defiant classes of the country if they listen to a (ruling) woman - the man alone, that is a lot of impetus, but where the woman holds his hand, the world comes into balance."

literature

source
First edition
  • Gertrud von le Fort: Plus ultra . Insel-Bücherei No. 657. Insel 1950, paperboard, 63 pages
expenditure
Secondary literature
  • Nicholas J. Meyerhofer: Gertrud von le Fort . Morgenbuch Verlag Berlin 1993. Heads of the 20th Century, Volume 119. ISBN 3-371-00376-0
  • Gero von Wilpert : Lexicon of world literature. German Authors A - Z . S. 382, ​​left column, 7. Zvo Stuttgart 2004. ISBN 3-520-83704-8

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Meyerhofer, p. 103, entry from 1950
  2. ↑ This is the future Margaret of Parma .
  3. ↑ Source, p. 156, 8. Zvu
  4. ↑ Source, p. 173, 12. Zvo
  5. ↑ Source, p. 173, 15. Zvo