"The Marquise of O—" by Heinrich von Kleist
A review of the Pushkin Classics edition
(translated from the German and introduced by Nicholas Jacobs)
German poet, dramatist, novelist and short story
writer Heinrich von Kleist (1777 – 1811) mixed with figures such as Achim von
Arnim and Clemens Brentano, founders of the Romantic Movement in Germany, and
could himself be considered one of the movement’s representatives – albeit an
eccentric one. An encounter with Kant’s
philosophy in 1801 shaped Kleist’s subsequent literary career, but also had a
tragic influence on his life. He interpreted
Kant’s view as implying the impossibility of ever establishing an objective
truth and this led him into the dark alleys of an existential crisis from which
he never fully recovered. He would
eventually die by his own hand, in a murder-suicide planned with his then lover
Henriette Vogel.
The novella The Marquise of O— is possibly
the best-known Kleist’s writings – it is available in several editions and
translations (around half a dozen in English alone) and has also been turned
into a film by Eric Röhmer (winner of the 1976 Cannes Festival Gran Prix Spécial)
and a modern movie adaptation by Pappi Corsicato (Il seme della discordia,
which participated in the 2008 Venice Film Festival).
Written in 1808, The Marquise of O- is set
during the Napoleonic Wars and is based on a barely believable premise allegedly
inspired by “a true incident whose location has been transferred from north
to south”:
In M--, an important town in Northern Italy,
the widowed Marquise of O—, a woman of impeccable reputation and mother of
well-brought-up children, made it known through the newspapers that she had
inexplicably found herself in a certain condition, that the father of the child
she would bear should make himself known, and that out of regard for her family
she was resolved to marry him.
The identity of the father is strongly hinted
at from the very first pages of the novella, but what to the reader may seem
obvious, remains a “mystery” to the Marquise until late in the book, and
provides the narrative drive for the novella.
In Kleist’s prudish times, The Marquise of O—
was condemned as an immoral. In our #metoo
present, the novella is equally problematic, if for different reasons. It is
based on an episode of rape, leading to some uncomfortable questions about the
relationship between victim and perpetrator.
And yet, it would be wrong to dismiss The Marquise of O— as an
outdated, misogynist work because it clearly isn’t. From the theatrical cast of
five – the Marquise, her parents, her brother and the Russian officer who wants
to marry the Marquise – it is the mother and daughter who are portrayed more
favourably. They are honourable and resourceful in a patriarchal world of
bungling men. The novella is,
ultimately, an enigmatic work, permeated with the same ambiguity Kleist (via
Kant) perceived in the world around him.
What may also seem strange to the modern reader
is the narrative voice – the novella is recounted throughout in the third
person, but it portrays the thought processes of each of the characters, often
creating the same “modern” effect as a first-person narrative.
In other words, The Marquise of O— is a
story of its time, but also one which keeps raising questions today. For readers who, like me, are new to this
novella, the edition recently issued as part of the ever-dependable Pushkin
Collection is a recommended choice. The new translation by Nicholas Jacobs
is idiomatic and readable yet close to the text. Jacobs also provides an introduction to
Kleist’s life and work, a biographical note and suggestions for further
reading.
Kindle Edition, 128 pages
Expected publication: January 7th 2020 by Pushkin Collection (first published 1808)
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| Anton Graff's Portrait of Heinrich von Kleist at the time of the publication of the Marquise of O- (1808) |
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