Die Familie Schroffenstein

by Heinrich von Kleist

Rare Book

Genres: Classics, Plays, German Literature, Theatre, Drama

Paperback

First published January 1, 1803

About the author

The dramatist, writer, lyricist, and publicist Heinrich von Kleist was born in Frankfurt an der Oder in 1777. Upon his father's early death in 1788 when he was ten, he was sent to the house of the preacher S. Cartel and attended the French Gymnasium. In 1792, Kleist entered the guard regiment in Potsdam and took part in the Rhein campaign against France in 1796. Kleist voluntarily resigned from army service in 1799 and until 1800 studied philosophy, physics, mathematics, and political science at Viadrina University in Frankfurt an der Oder. He went to Berlin early in the year 1800 and penned his drama "Die Familie Ghonorez". Kleist, who tended to irrationalism and was often tormented by a longing for death, then lit out restlessly through Germany, France, and Switzerland.

After several physical and nervous breakdowns, in which he even burned the manuscript of one of his dramas, Heinrich von Kleist reentered the Prussian army in 1804, working in Berlin and Königsberg. There he wrote "Amphitryon" and "Penthesilea."

After being discharged in 1807, Kleist was apprehended on suspicion of being a spy. After this he went to Dresden, where he edited the art journal "Phoebus" with Adam Müller and completed the comedy "The Broken Pitcher" ("Der zerbrochene Krug") and the folk play "Katchen von Heilbronn" ("Das Käthchen von Heilbronn").

Back in Berlin, the one time Rousseau devotee had become a bitter opponent of Napoleon. In 1811, he finished "Prinz Friedrich von Homburg." Finding himself again in financial and personal difficulties, Heinrich von Kleist, together with his lover, the terminally ill Henriette Vogel, committed suicide near the Wannsee in Berlin in 1811.

[From http://www.heinrich-von-kleist.com/]

Reviews

[Alp Turgut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schroffenstein Ailesi, Heinrich von Kleist’in erken dönem eserlerinden biri olarak, düşmanlık, yanlış anlamalar ve trajik kader temalarını etkileyici bir şekilde işler. Genel olarak beğendim; özellikle karakterlerin çatışmaları ve dramatik gerilim çok güçlü. Ancak zaman zaman diyaloglar fazla teatral ya da abartılı gelebiliyor. Yine de, Kleist’in insan doğasına dair karanlık ve yoğun bakışı bu oyunu etkileyici kılıyor. Shakespearevari havası, klasik tragedya severler için oldukça doyurucu.

Alp Turgut

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gute Handlung und spannende Wendungen.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kleist hat mich noch nie enttäuscht. und doch sage ich mir nach jedem seiner Werke "das war aber ziemlich schräg". Die Familie Schroffenstein war allerdings so ziemlich das Schrägste, das ich in letzter Zeit lesen durfte. Dennoch habe ich selten so mitgefiebert und mit ganzem Herzen an den Liebenden gegangen und das alles mit der irrsinnigen Hoffnung, dass es doch kein Trauerspiel wird. Alles in allem aber trotzdem sehr unterhaltsam und stellenweise nahezu komisch. Etwas trashig und somit ganz nach meinem Geschmack.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romeo und Julia Vibes.

Fand den Plott zum Teil verwirrend und war genervt, weil sich ein Großteil der Probleme hätten lösen lassen können, wenn man miteinander kommuniziert hätte :D
Aber das ist wohl ein wenig typisch Kleist. Es wird nie direkt kommuniziert.

[Lidya]

Ends with a feast, is a comedy

[Ullrich Franke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein gnadenloses Spiel mit der Hoffnung.

[Selina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine absolut geniale Tragödie von Kleist. Selten war Tragik so komisch. Ich bin begeistert.