'Die Decadence ist da': Theodor Fontane und die Literatur der Jahrhundertwende. Beitrage zur Fruhjahrstagung der Theodor Fontane Gesellschaft vom 24. bis 26. Mai 2001 in Munchen.(Book Review)

Publication: The Modern Language Review

Publication Date: 01-APR-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Modern Humanities Research Association

'Die Decadence ist da': Theodor Fontane und die Literatur der Jahrhundertwende. Beitrage zur Fruhjahrstagung der Theodor Fontane Gesellschaft vom 24. bis 26. Mai 2001 in Munchen. Ed. by GABRIELE RADECKE. Wurzburg: Konigshausen & Neumann. 2002. 149 pp. 28 [euro]. ISBN 3-8260-2300-5 (pbk).

This collection of eight relatively independent papers from the 2001 symposium of the Theodor Fontane Gesellschaft is focused on the interrelationship between late realism and literary decadence.

Dieter Kafitz provides a firm introduction to the general theme by outlining the background of contemporary discussions of decadence. While noting Ronald Speirs's demonstration that Fontane was fully aware of such discussions, he points to his tendency either to avoid the term or to persist with the pejorative usage common during the Grunderzelt. Not sharing the familiarity...

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