engleski

"Gründerzeit" ethics in the dramas by Paul Lindau and Richard Voss

In the “Gründerzeit” period (1870 ˗ 1890), German dramatists promoted the values created in the spirit of the dominant, particularly conservative patriarchal ideology. They were not encouraging critical self-examination of the co-relation of double standard of morality and social repression ; theatre arts contributed to creating certain conservative utopias which can be considered in the light of wider political discourse. Only few writers critically approached the philosophy of life of that period and represented the other side of a culture which to a great part was founded on bourgeois values. Here, two authors will be considered in particular: The first is Paul Lindau (1839 ˗ 1919) who uncritically pampered to the tastes of the public at that time for which he was rewarded by being extremely popular while the other is Richard Voß (1851 ˗ 1918), an author who troubled the public with his view of justice and morality. While Paul Lindau in his dramas extolled and idealised the world of “Gründerzeit”, Voß showed the psychopathic state caused by the suppression of emotions and libido. The dramas by Paul Lindau (Marion, Maria und Magdalena) and Richard Voß (Alexandra, Eva) can be viewed in the light of the political discourse which was present in theatre of that time ; “Gründerzeit” ethics in them show their front and flip side, power and weakness, hypocrisy and social conditioning.

Gründerzeit ; German drama ; ethics ; Paul Lindau ; Richard Voß

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