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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
The student of Friedrich Hebbel cannot proceed very far without being impressed by his robustness. To cite a single illustration of his emphatic, indeed violent, language, in his Genoveva (III, 10), Golo, having reached the climax of his illicit intentions, rushes at the heroine and exclaims: “Nun bist du mein.” A struggle ensues. Golo hurls the crucifix from Genoveva and says:
Stronger language than that can hardly be used; but in such exemplifications of rhetorical virility Hebbel's works abound.
1 Cf. the Edition of Richard Maria Werner, Berlin, 1904, which is used throughout. In his Das Drama Friedrich Hebbels (p. 382), Albert Malte Wagner asserts that Hebbel's robustness is to be attributed to the influence of Schiller. An argument against this contention is the fact that Hebbel was just as vigorous in his mature years as he was in his immature. Schiller became, with the completion of Don Carlos, quite restrained.
2 Cf. Das Steigerungsphänomen als künstlerisches Gestaltungsprinzip. By Friedrich Kainz, Leipzig, 1924, 145 pages. This monograph touches at no point the present theme. Kainz shows how a poet takes a theme, historical or otherwise, and increases its effectiveness “indem er die geschichtlichen Vorgänge vertieft” (p. 25). One illustration he uses is Hebbel's Judith.
3 Cf. Komplex, Motiv und Wort in Hebbels Lyrik. By Gerhard Wagner, Leipzig, 1927.
4 Cf. Theorie und Praxis. By Wilhelm Hagen, Erlangen, 1909. Hagen says that this is a “kniffliche Philosophie.” See page 19. But Hebbel used the figure whenever it suited his purpose.
5 Albert Malte Wagner, in his Das Drama Friedrich Hebbels, says of this passage (p. 44) that it is nothing but “eine rhetorische Phrase,” since Herod knows that he will never possess such a crown. It is the only one of these cumulative figures that seems to have impressed Wagner, at least it is the only one he mentions in his treatise of 521 pages.
6 Hebbel used the cumulative figure to be sure in instances that had nothing to do with minerals. Of Karl Lachmann's theory that the Nibelungen Lied was written by more than one author, Hebbel says (X, 346) : “Niemand wird sich zu sagen getrauen, dass . . . bei den ‘Nibelungen’ . . . Wert und Bedeutung auf dem Detail beruhen, Jeder wird einräumen müssen, dass der Schwerpunkt des Ganzen in der Komposition zu suchen sei. Hier haben wir also die dreissig Zwerge, die zu einem Riesen zusammenwuchsen oder, . . . den Apfel, der auf einem ganzen Wald von Bäumen heranreifte.”
7 Hebbel had in his own life a grievous experience with a spurious ring. Elise Lensing had sent him a gold ring from Hamburg. One day the thing split into pieces and fell from his finger; it was a cheap affair made of paper with makeshift-gold covering. See Briefe, Vol. 1, page 204.
8 Other relevant passages in the Briefe are: Vol. I, pages 3, 8, 10, 15, 101, 114, 147, 150, 165, 166, 177, 189, 203, 232, 278, 322, 336; Vol. II, pages 209, 211, 219; Vol. TV, page 352; Vol. V, pages 256, 264, 272, 284; Vol. VI, pages 27, 146, 158, 173, 175, 177, 199, 204, 213, 264, 280, 327; Vol. VII, pages 14, 33, 96, 202, 219, 233, 227, 259, 299, 359, 369, 402.
9 Hebbel reverts to the same theme in the first canto of Mutter und Kind (VIII, 284) : . . . Zu Tausenden zieh'n sie hinüber,
Um nach Gold zu graben im californischen Boden!
Commenting too on his proposed novel Der Philister, Hebbel writes (VIII, 365): “Allerdings ist der Metallkönig Herr dieser Zeit. Die materiellen Interessen haben die Oberhand gewonnen und regieren die Welt. . . . Darum aber ist unsere Zeit glänzend und klingend, wie Gold und Silber. Vielleicht hat auch unser Jahrhundert im eigentlichsten Sinn nur den Wert des Geldes, an welches man nicht den Anspruch des Genusses, sondern nur den Anspruch der Genuss führenden Bedeutung machen darf.”
10 Of other references in his Tagebücher to gems and jewels the following are the most important: Vol. I, pages 6, 31, 50, 66, 69, 74, 86, 107, 138, 185, 193, 393, 400; Vol. II, pages 13, 22, 57, 96, 209, 217, 222, 226, 269, 287, 307, 449; Vol. III, pages 58, 66, 67, 75, 105, 119, 128, 198, 204, 215, 221, 223, 265, 272, 275, 277, 326, 334, 342, 343, 352, 353, 373, 390, 410, 414; Vol. IV, pages 7, 9, 86, 119, 151, 219, 265, 281, 328.
11 Shortly before his death Hebbel wrote to Adolph Strodtmann : “Meine ganze Natur ist lakonisch und spricht durch Blitze.” Albert Malte Wagner, misinterpreting, it would seem, Hebbel's idea, writes (page 113) : “Wie man Lessing gegen die eigene Behauptung verteidigt hat, . . . . so muss man mit sehr viel grösserer Berechtigung gegen diese Hebbelsche Verkennung seiner selbst Einspruch erheben.” Hebbel needs no defense.
12 A case in point is Wolf's description of the “Mohrensäbel” in Tieck's Genoveva in the scene entitled “Im Schloss.” Within the brief space of twelve lines Wolf heaps up virtually all the familiar specimens of the decorative art; but Tieck was merely indulging his romantic fancy.
13 Hebbel uses the same figure in Mutter und Kind, canto vii, p. 343. He referred to his epic as his “bijou.”
14 T. M. Campbell, however, in his Hebbel writes (page 138) : “She is about to find a welcome death at the hands of a villain whom her jewels tempt.” Hebbel speaks merely of the purse; but the case is unimportant.
15 In commenting on the style of Hebbel in Der Rubin, Hieronymus Lorm said that his “Sprache” was like a wonderful “Eiskristall,” that the idea expressed by it was “fest, klar, und durchsichtig,” but that it lacked “morgenländische Fülle” and “blumemumkleidete Sinnlichkeit.” The criticism could well be made to include other works of Hebbel.
16 For the writers and themes that are supposed to have influenced Hebbel in general, see Das Drama Friedrich Hebbels. By Albert Malte Wagner. Hamburg, 1911, pages 1-1S9.
17 Cf. Der Nibelunge Nôt. Karl Bartsch. Leipzig : 1880.
18 In a letter to Kirchspielschreiber Voss (June 14, 1836), Hebbel speaks of the towers and walls around Heidelberg, and then says that the “Sternenkranz” above them “funkelt, gleich einer goldenen Krone.” Then he continues: “Manchen Eindruck dieser Art habe ich . . . in Gedichten fest zu halten gesucht; doch sind diese Gedichte mehr bloss Baurisse für meine eigene Phantasie, die in späteren Jahren ihre Wirkung haben werden.”
19 A striking case of what seems like unconscious influence is found in Johannes Maria Fischer's “Vorbilder, Theorie und Rhythmus von Hebbels Jugendlyrik,” Dortmund, 1910, page S3. Wishing to emphasize the fact that we should not expect too much of Hebbel's earlier poems, Fischer writes: “In seiner Jugend treten die Härten am deutlichsten hervor, aber auch den ihm eigentümlichen Kunstgriffen ist vielleicht hier am ehesten beizukommen, da Edelsteine zwischen schwarzen Schlacken leichter auffallen als auf gold- und silber-gewirkten Gewändern.”
20 There is also a “Bernstein” motif in Mutter und Kind, Canto 4, page 312.
21 In his review of W. Zimmermann's Gedichte (X, 401) Hebbel also speaks of a “Perlenstrauss.”
22 For a slight discussion of the theme, in other writers, see Erläuterungen deutscher Dichtungen.“ By Ernst Linde, Leipzig, 1921, pp. 357-359, in volume 7 of Linde's series.
23 A case in point is where Hebbel was introduced to the members of a reading circle by a doctor juris who, mistaking him for Johan Peter Hebel, said he had read with pleasure his Schatzkästlein. Hebbel replied: “Sie haben wohl getan, dieses Schatzkästlein enthält manche Perle, aber Sie erweisen mir zu viel Ehre, indem Sie mich fur den Juwelier halten, der diese Kleinodien gefasst hat.” The repartee is bright but otherwise unimportant.
24 The first poem Hebbel read with interest was Uhland's Des Sängers Fluch while Schiller's Spaziergang was read to him on his death-bed. Each of these is so colorful that Hebbel himself might have written it.
25 Cf. Magical Jewels of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, particularly in England. By Joan Evans. Oxford, 1922. This is an interesting book, but the most interesting question it brings up, so far as the present study is concerned, is : What would Hebbel have done with it?
26 It has not been possible to secure a copy of Garrett's Precious Stones in Old English Literature, a doctor's dissertation published at Munich, 1909.
27 In his Friedrich Hebbel: Sein Wille, Weg und Werk, Hamburg, 1925, Karl Strecker deplores (page v.) that so much has been written about Hebbel “mit rein wissenschaftlichen Absichten und Gesten” and remarks that if there be any gaps left, “sie werden durch die redliche Rührigkeit eines Paul Bornstein u. a. systematisch zugestopft.” Bornstein has done much work on Hebbel, including his new edition of Hebbel's works in sixteen volumes, now appearing (München : Georg Müller), but he has thus far remained silent regarding Hebbel's attitude toward the mineral kingdom.
28 Cf. Motiv and Wort: Studien zur Literatur- und Sprachpsychologie. By Hans Sperber and Leo Spitzer. Leipzig, 1918. Interesting as this study is, it throws very little light on why the authors studied came to have an attachment for certain words, or how they came by their ability to use old words in new settings, or to coin new words for old settings.
29 The writer listed, while preparing the paper, 73 passages in Demetrius, 19 of which concern gold alone, including “der goldene Mond,” which is more frequently referred to as silvery. The garnet (Der Granat) is also mentioned here for the first time. And for the first time (so far as the writer noticed it in either case) it is suggested that the diamond may not be perfect. The Aebtissin says (VI, 43): “Das sind die Flecken eines Diamanten.” There are other lines that remind of Der Rubin or Der Diamant. Otrepiep says (57) :
Der Jude kam in Lumpen zum Palast
Doch trug er einen Diamant bei sich,
Der keine Schätzung litt.
30 Cf. The Story of Superstition. By Philip F. Waterman, New York, 1929, chapter xiv, pages 144-149.