1st Edition
The Genius of the German Lyric An Historic Survey Of Its Formal And Metaphysical Values
Originally published in 1938 and updated in 1962, this remains one of the few comprehensive studies of the German lyric in any language, ranging from the Middle Ages to the 1960s. By the use of detailed critical analysis the book interprets the essence of German lyric poetry and includes a study of the phases of German literature in the first half of the 20th Century.
Introduction: The Origins of the German Lyric. The German Minnesingers. The Mastersingers. 2. The German Folk-Song 3. Decline and Rebirth 4. Opitz. Further Developments of the Baroque Lyric. 5. Aufklärung and Pietism 6. Klopstock 7. Hölderlin 8. German Romanticism Proper and Further Developments 9. Austria, Biedermeier, Grillparzer 10. The Political Lyric Round About the Years 1830 and 1840-1848. The Munich Circle 11. Droste-Hülshoff. Eduard Mörike. The Swiss Lyric Poets. North German Lyric Poets 12. Changing Views. Nietzsche. Arno Holz. Impressionism and Neo-Romanticism. Expressionism. R. M. Rilke. Stefan George and the "Third Humanism". Counter-Currents and New Paths. Volkhafte Dichtung of the Present Day.
Biography
August Closs was Head of the German Department at the University of Bristol.
‘This book is, and will remain, an outstanding achievement…’ Contemporary Review
‘The first comprehensive study of the German Lyric to be published in any language. It is an important contribution to the literature of its field and should be in every college library.’ Modern Language Journal
‘This is a pioneer book…’ Anglo-German Review
