Uli the servant (novel)
The novel Uli der Knecht , also Ueli in Swiss German , by Jeremias Gotthelf (1797–1854) appeared in 1841, the follow-up volume Uli the tenant in 1849. Formally, it is an episodic novel. In addition, the novel is to be classified as an educational novel , which - entirely in keeping with Gotthelf's teaching activities - is supposed to lead the reader on the right path, both in terms of money and the reverence for God and the master. The novel first appeared in a French translation in 1850; In 1999 Raymond Lauener's new version came out. In 1885 the first English translation was published with the title Ulric, the farm servant .
title
The novel was published in 1841 by the Swiss publisher Ch. Beyel under the title: "How Uli, the servant, becomes happy", with the subtitle: "A gift for servants and masters". Later editions soon appeared with the abbreviated title "Uli der Knecht" (with and without commas) and without subtitles.
language
In contrast to other works such as Jacobs, the journeyman, Wanderings through Switzerland (1846/47), the language of Romani is strongly dialectal. So dive u. a. Terms like «Chacheli» (= cup), which are indispensable in today's Bernese German usage , but also rather forgotten expressions like «Gunteräri» (= opposite) on (the French-influenced usage of the Bernese patricians). Another point are the names, which are also typical of the region (e.g. Vreneli). On the other hand, the name Uli is a "Verbochdeutung", in dialect the name is Ueli (Ue spoken as a diphthong ).
In 1846 Julius Springer published a "Germanized" version with the title: "Uli, der Knecht. A folk book. Editing of the author for the German people. ". Gotthelf took care of the revision himself, who was in constant dialogue with the German writer Ferdinand Schmidt . This German version is largely forgotten today.
After Gotthelf became known in Germany through the revised version, they soon returned to the original version. In 1886, Ferdinand Vetter combined the original text from 1841 with the chapter headings from 1846, which were completely missing in the original version, for his edition in the Reclam publishing house in 1886 . He explained “incomprehensible” dialect words in a glossary. All new editions have followed this template since then.
Change of characters
While the masters Ulis hardly go through any changes, Uli changes in the course of the first novel from a rather dissolute character to a godly and reliable man who can eventually start his own family. Uli's teachers are his masters and not least Vreneli. The hero of the novel needs a role model, a teacher, in order to find happiness.
content
Indication of the most important contents sorted by chapters:
1. A master wakes up, a farmhand is haunted The farmer's wife and farmer are angry with Uli (Merck) because he has recently drunk too much and has not done his job satisfactorily. So the farmer talks to Uli, who shows himself unreasonable. The farmer gives him an ultimatum of eight days to make a decision. Otherwise he was released. At first Uli gets upset about the farmer, but when he is sober, he gets upset about himself. He becomes aggressive and believes Anne Lisi is pregnant - which he is afraid of.
2. A cheerful Sunday in a beautiful farmhouse The peasantry's godliness is contrasted with Uli's waste. Everyone should go to church, except Johannes and Uli, because the master wants to talk to Uli again. But then Master's sister comes with her family. Johannes can't talk to Uli. The visit doesn't seem to be very popular and when the arrogant people from the French- speaking part of Switzerland have left, the master begins to keep the night watch despite protests from Uli to have the opportunity to talk.
3. A child lesson during the night The farmer talks to Uli and tells him that only he himself was so angry in his fear. And he also says that he knows it's because of Anne Lisi. Uli replies that he by no means counts himself among the bad guys, he is still one of the better ones. Afterwards, Uli complains about how bad he is and that - unlike Johannes - he doesn't have a person he misses, only himself. He begins to cry. The farmer comforts him and says that Uli can still buy the house and farm, but Uli doesn't believe in it. The farmer teaches Uli that everyone has two things: time and strength that you only have to use properly to be happy. The pastor, from whom the farmer takes his apprenticeship, said: You have to enjoy your service, too. If you are only happy, honest and hardworking, the devil has little chance.
4. How a bad prostitute opens the servant's ears to a good master At this moment the brand-black calf (with a white star) is born and interrupts the conversation. Suddenly Uli is gentle and affectionate. Uli seems to improve in the following and is full of vigor, works carefully and without prompts. He realizes that the Master's words are true and that he could still become a man. Uli keeps calculating his finances when Anne Lisi appears. A dispute ensues because Uli had already decided that he no longer wanted to have contact with Anne Lisi. She tries to win him over again, but Uli remains tough and is happy that he was able to get rid of his bonds. He tells the farmer about it and also about his bill. The farmer says that he simply doesn't have to go out to the door as much, then he can save quite a bit and pay off his debts by the end of the year.
5. Now the devil is coming and sowing weeds in the good seed Uli behaves properly, he goes to church again. He even saved two neutrals and is otherwise very busy. Because Uli is now more popular with the farmer, the other servants and maids start teasing. A neighbor who is hostile to the farmer also keeps an eye on Uli, as he prefers to make his maidservants his debtors so that he can take advantage of them. When the mockery is of no use, the neighboring farmer tries with praise. Only then does he get Uli to slowly despise his service. So the poison of the neighbor works more and more.
6. How Hurnussen helps Uli from weeds A Hornussen is to be held between the two villages of Erdöpfelkofen and Brönzwyler. Uli is said to be one of the players who should save the honor of the village. The master advises against playing. When he wants to cancel, the neighbor takes him aside and says that the master just wants to spoil his fun. So Uli agrees anyway. The Erdöpfelkofer lose and Uli has to go to drink. He is angry with himself. As expected, there are arguments and fights. Resli, the neighbor, is now devising a plan to make Uli the guilty party. He can also persuade him to take part, but Ulis Master listens and then speaks to Uli. He wants to stand by Uli, but only if Uli is loyal to him. As he had said, the other want to cheat Uli. The master takes care of it with Resli and everything seems to be fine.
7. How the master heats an oven for the good seed Although it is not actually custom, Uli is allowed to read in the warm room. At first there is an argument, but the farmer's wife mediates, especially when Uli says that the foreman told him to come into the house. From then on, after a long conversation between Johannes and his wife, the servants always come into the warm room on Sundays. But then other servants and maids also come until the farmer finally speaks a word of power to restore order.
8. A servant comes to the money, and the speculators soon show up. Uli has saved a whole year's wages and only wants three shirts made for him. Soon everyone wants to borrow money, he gives away all of his wages - in the hope of getting the money back. People keep putting him off again and again. Finally the farmer asks him what he has, because Uli's condition had worsened due to the worries. The farmer wants to help him and receives back fifteen of the 30 kroner that he lets Uli put in the savings bank.
9. Uli increases in prestige and comes into the head of girls Uli shows himself to be diligent and economical. Soon he rises in the reputation of the people. The girls are also beginning to show an interest, namely Stini, the maid of honor, and Uersi, the maid. Stini always quarrels because that's the only way she can show her affection. Uersi, on the other hand, makes Uli pretty eyes to win him over. The fight between the two opponents gets worse and worse, until finally Stini (from Uersi) is pushed into the manure hole and in a final fight it becomes clear that Uli doesn't want either of them.
10. How Uli deals with a cow and almost got a woman Uli is supposed to sell a cow, which he finally does with a doubloon profit (which he is allowed to keep). On the way home he meets Käthi, the neighbor's daughter, who is on the road with four pigs that she can hardly control. Uli helps. On the way they go to an inn and eat and drink. Uli is supposed to pay because Käthi doesn't have the right change and doesn't want to use the Neutaler yet. Finally Uli returns home, is certain that Käthi will marry him if he wants. At home, Uli wonders whether he should show the farmer all of the money. Ultimately, Uli does it and is rewarded with money for it. In the evening Uli asks the master whether Käthi could even be the right woman for him and tells what Käthi had also told him. The farmer thinks she is unsuitable as a housewife, she can only do the work of a servant, but neither cook nor sew. A farmer's daughter would only be too snooty and hold on to the man for life that she could have found someone better. Uli thanks the farmer for the advice, he wants to follow it.
11. How wishes are formed with Uli and how the master puts them into life Uli continues to work very well and slowly the desire to achieve something grows. But for that he would have to earn a little more. In a conversation the farmer Uli allows him that he will not stand in the way of this wish. Once in autumn the farmer wants to go to a market. On the way he takes Anne Meieli with him. Johannes meets his cousin at the market. They stop at an inn for a drink and something to eat. The cousin is not doing very well. His son and daughter have degenerated in French-speaking Switzerland and can no longer work - the work is no longer feasible. It turns out that the cousin is looking for a trustworthy master servant. Finally, Johannes Uli suggests, but hesitantly, because the farmer knows the value of the servant. They want to go home to see Uli. Anne Meieli, who has been transferred by Burri Uli, is also going. Joggeli, the cousin, is following in his car. Joggeli stops in a village under a pretext while Johannes drives on. Here Joggeli asks the stable boy how things are going on Johannes' farm. When he arrives at the farm, he asks the farmer about Uli. She is not enthusiastic about the idea of letting Uli go away. However, the matter is settled before the farmer's wife can say anything. The next day, Uli becomes unsure whether he will be in the right place with his cousin. Finally the time to say goodbye has come and Uli has to get his certificate of origin to move to Ueftigen.
12. How Uli leaves his old place of work and goes to the new one After a tearful farewell, Johannes and Uli leave. When they arrive at Joggeli's, nobody wants to help them at first. Then Uli meets Vreneli, a poor relative who is portrayed as pure and noble. The farmer's wife gives Uli a generous meal. The next morning Johannes wants to leave and Uli accompanies him a little way. It becomes clear that Uli is going to have a difficult time and that he will have a lot to do.
13. How Uli introduces himself as a master servant The other servants are not exactly enthusiastic about Uli, because he wants to change a few things and do the work better. On the one hand, he attracts hatred and contempt, on the other hand, however, the admiration of the master craftsmen, the maids, and especially of Vreneli.
14. The first Sunday at the new place Uli wants to go to church, which again drives him ridicule. Only Vreneli sticks to him and wants to go with him. At the sermon he hears people talking about Joggeli and his way of treating the servants badly. He almost falls for it when he realizes that these voices only want to make him angry. He goes into his room and reads the Bible. At some point a servant appears and asks Uli to buy either schnapps or wine. After the stay in the inn, from which Uli was not lulled by compliments, the other servants attack him in the dark. Uli suddenly disappeared. The next morning Uli wakes them all up and only Vreneli (and later the mother) know what happened.
15. Uli gets space in the house and field, even in a number of hearts Uli is allowed to read the Bible and write to his old master on Sundays in the house. Not everyone likes this. Elisi, Joggeli's daughter, who is conceited and stupid, and Vreneli are not particularly close. Elisi lays out the whole table with jewelry in order to be able to drive Uli away, which makes Uli angry. In the course of time, Uli visits the estate together with Joggeli and also has some suggestions for changes in the stable. The early work is also noticed by people from the area. After all, the burden gets bigger and bigger and people whisper and Uli struggles to get people to work properly. But in the end the farm is much better looked after.
16. Uli comes to new cows and new farmhands Uli is supposed to sell two cows and buy new ones, which he does for a profit. Then he and the others start to make the hay, but it turns out again that he has little help and has to do almost everything himself, since the others are more than unmotivated. When driving home a load of hay, the situation escalates and Uli just wants to leave. He speaks to Master first and then to Master. Uli gives him a choice: either he or Melcher and Karrer. With the help of the farmer's wife, they persuade Joggeli to fire Melcher and Karrer. Subsequently, the situation improved considerably and after a while Uli was allowed to welcome two new servants.
17. How father and son operate on a farmhand The farmer hires the miller to check Uli's honesty and loyalty. Uli, who is absolutely loyal, finds the trap. He wants to get away from Joggeli's farm immediately. The farmer's wife and Vreneli try to appease him. In the end Joggeli promises not to check Uli any more, but to keep an eye on him anyway. They come to an agreement and go down into the room to have a coffee. It is harvest time and there is good food on the Sichleten. On this day the son from Frevlingen also comes to enjoy the whole thing. The son's wife is shown as a decorative doll. This family is portrayed as lying and finally the son Uli wants to claim for himself what Vreneli notices and passes on.
18. How a good mother makes a lot of odd even, a lot of bad good Masteress clarifies some things with Uli because she wants to resolve the dispute between Uli and Vreneli. This also works and a good autumn harvest follows. Uli is envied by his fellow servants and there is displeasure about all the work.
19. A daughter appears and wants to educate Uli Elisi approaches Uli, but Uli is rather annoyed. Then suddenly Elisi wants to go to her brother. After the initial reluctance of the family, they give in and Uli is supposed to lead Elisi. On the way, Uli has to sit down with her - he only has to get back on his seat when people can watch her. Uli is very annoyed. On the way back, Elisi suddenly wants to get married soon and approaches Uli. He fends off first, but at the end there is a kiss. The horse shies and Uli has to try to get home safely.
20. Uli gets thoughts and is strong at arithmetic Elisi now absolutely wants to marry Uli. On the one hand he sees all the money and on the other hand knows that he finds Elisi repulsive. Elisi runs after him most of the time, but Uli often hides from her (often with Vreneli). In one section it is suggested that Vreneli is Joggeli's illegitimate daughter. Finally, at a market, Uli meets his old master, who advises him not to marry Elisi. Uli says Johannes doesn't want to treat him to happiness and seriously wants to marry Elisi by autumn or disappear from Joggeli's farm.
21. How a bathing trip drives a bill The mother and Elisi travel to the Gurnigel . At home, Vreneli and Uli work very well together and everything is going very well. On a trip to Blumenstein, an (alleged) cotton merchant asks Elisi whether she would like to marry him. Mother and Elisi agree, then they go home to ask father's permission too.
22. About internal wars, which one wants to end with an engagement In the Glungge (Joggelis Hof) there is a small war: Joggeli does not want a man for a son-in-law and Uli feels cheated. Finally the cotton merchant arrives. Vreneli comforts Uli, who at first just wanted to leave and finally changes his mind. Joggeli wants a fortnight to think about it, but he already seems pretty convinced.
23. Subsequent embarrassments that come from the engagement instead of peace. After the reflection period, after a scene with Elisis, the parents promise to marry. Now it becomes clear in a short sequence that the groom only wants to exclude the family. Uli speaks to Joggeli that he wants to leave. Vreneli also wants to leave.
24. From another trip, which does not go through any calculation, but unexpectedly closes one. The mother wants to go on to (supposedly) recover. She takes Vreneli and Uli with her on the trip to see Johannes. But she secretly wants to marry the two of them and give the farm to Uli as a fief. Uli talks to his old master about Vreneli, whom he loves. On the way back, Master finally speaks of getting married. After a long resistance on the part of Vreneli, who also secretly loves Uli, both agree, but Vreneli negotiates a period of time until the next morning. They return to the Glungge late at night .
25. The knot begins to loosen. The next morning, Vreneli says yes, and the two of them are happy for the time being. Joggeli, on the other hand, is angry because everything was arranged behind his back. But he also finally agrees to fief and marriage. But now Elisi's husband wants to prevent the whole thing. He wants to have the farm himself. The whole family is there when Elisi's husband tries to force Vreneli to sign a contract. But she beats him bloody with a log. The daughter husband says u. a. that he only married Elisi for the money. Elisi and he are expelled from the court. Through their campaign, Vreneli received a promise from Johannes (the son) that he would be allowed to take over part of the household goods.
26. How Vreneli and Uli go on wedding paths and finally have their wedding It takes some time before Vreneli finally decides to get married. Uli and Vreneli get married in their old homeland, Ulis. At the end there is a little glimpse of what marriage seems to be a happy one.
Adaptation
Uli the farmhand in 1954 under the direction of Franz Schnyder with the cast Schmidhauser Hannes and Liselotte Pulver in the lead roles filmed . The second volume Uli der Pächter (1849) was also implemented on film a year later.
literature
- Jeremias Gotthelf: Uli the servant. Schweizer Druck- und Verlagshaus AG, Zurich.
- Hanns Peter Holl: Jeremias Gotthelf. Life - work - time. Zurich and Munich: Artemis, 1988.
- Maxm Schweingruber: The names in Gotthelf's works. Hasle, Krauchthal and Heimiswil: Amtsersparniskasse Burgdorf, 1990.
- Eduard Strübin: Gotthelf the educator. Liestal: Baselland literary series, 1963.
- Jeremias Gotthelf: Uli the servant. Published by Hans Franck . With woodcuts by Johannes Lebek . 398 pages. . Union Verlag Berlin 1958
Web links
- How Uli the farmhand becomes happy and Uli the tenant in full text at Projekt Gutenberg-DE
- Uli the servant and Uli the tenant in full text at Zeno.org
- Uli der Knecht as an audio book at LibriVox .
- Uli the tenant as an audio book at LibriVox .
- Ueli der Knecht , SRF radio play (1946) by Ernst Balzli .