Gedichte

by Theodor Fontane, Karl Richter (Editor)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Poetry, German Literature, Classics

211 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Theodor Fontane, novelist, critic, poet, and travel writer, was one of the most celebrated nineteenth-century German men of letters. He was born into a French Huguenot family in the Prussian town of Neuruppin, where his father owned a small pharmacy. His father’s gambling debts forced the family to move repeatedly, and eventually his temperamentally mismatched parents separated.

Though Fontane showed early interest in history and literature - jotting down stories in his school notebooks - he could not afford to attend university; instead he apprenticed as a pharmacist and eventually settled in Berlin. There he joined the influential literary society Tunnel über der Spree, which included among its members Theodor Storm and Gottfried Keller, and turned to writing. In 1850 Fontane’s first published books, two volumes of ballads, appeared; they would prove to be his most successful books during his lifetime. He spent the next four decades working as a critic, journalist, and war correspondent while producing some fifty works of history, travel narrative, and fiction. His early novels, the first of which was published in 1878, when Fontane was nearly sixty, concerned recent historical events.

It was not until the late 1880s that he turned to his great novels of modern society, remarkable for their psychological insight: Trials and Tribulations (1888), Irretrievable (1891), Frau Jenny Treibel (1892), and Effi Briest (1895). During his last years, Fontane returned to writing poetry, and, while recovering from a severe illness, wrote an autobiographical novel that would prove to be a late commercial success. He is buried in the French section of the Friedhof II cemetery in Berlin.

Reviews

[Sauerkirsche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fontanes Gedichte waren schön und haben sich flüssig durchlesen lassen. Das zeigt aber auch, dass wenige dabei waren die mich wirklich beschäftigt oder berührt haben. Denn normalerweise kann ich Gedichtbände nur häppchenweise über einen langen Zeitraum hinweg lesen um die Gedichte auf mich wirken zu lassen. Fontane schreibt meist nette, aber weniger tiefgründige Gedichte auch der Sinn ist relativ eindeutig. Wer also von Gedichten aufgrund von Verständnisproblemen schnell abgeschreckt ist, dem kann ich empfehlen mit Fontane einzusteigen. Die Balladen besonders mit nordischen und schottischen Themen haben mir am besten gefallen. Balladen sind schon eher Fontis Stärke. Ich bleibe jedoch lieber bei seinen Büchern, die gefallen mir weitaus besser.

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wer schwer einen Zugang zu Gedichten findet sollte es mit diesen mal probieren. Fontanes Gedichte sind kleine Erzählungen oder einfach nur Momente und weniger Gedichte, die man auf sich wirken lassen muss. Das ist an sich ganz angenehm, aber ich möchte Gedichte lieber auf mich wirken lassen müssen. Denn gerade diese raffinierte Sprache macht sie in meinen Augen so besonders. Diese hier lassen sich am ehesten mit Poetry Slams vergleichen.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I really enjoyed reading this and the little book is even more special since it was a present from people very dear to my heart.

His poetry is very calming and whenever he talks about how nature is able to calm the mind, I am inspired and ready to go on a walk. Since I am lazy I never do that, but the fact that his poetry made me actually consider it, tells those who know me a lot about his poetry.
It was interesting how so many of the poems are of high relevance up to this day (Es kann die Ehre dieser Welt).

So many interesting topics he picks up and I loved most of them.

[Arvid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mergh. Memento ist schön

[Mur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unterwegs und wieder daheim / Rückblick / Umsonst

[Maja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nette Sammlung von größtenteils eher unbekannten Gedichten von Fontane. Ein paar haben mir wirklich gut gefallen, der Rest war eher so ganz okay. Klassiker wie "Herr von Ribeck" haben natürlich einen hohen Nostalgiefaktor.