The Marquise of O is a novella written by the German author Heinrich von Kleist. It was first published in 1808 and tells the story of the Marquise of O, a young woman who finds herself in a difficult situation when she becomes pregnant without knowing the identity of the father.
The Marquise is a respected member of the aristocracy and is known for her virtue and modesty. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she is shocked and distressed, as she has no memory of having had sexual relations with anyone. Despite her confusion and embarrassment, the Marquise decides to take responsibility for her situation and publicly announces that she is looking for the father of her child.
The Marquise's announcement causes a scandal in the community, and many people speculate about the identity of the father. Some even suggest that the Marquise has been unfaithful to her husband, the Count of O, who is away at war. The Count, however, remains loyal to his wife and offers his support and protection.
As the pregnancy progresses, the Marquise becomes more and more isolated, as people in the community shun her out of fear of being associated with her scandal. Despite this, the Marquise remains dignified and maintains her reputation as a virtuous and moral woman.
Eventually, the Marquise gives birth to a healthy baby boy. When the Count returns from the war, he is thrilled to learn that he has a son and embraces the child as his own. The Marquise, however, remains concerned about the child's paternity and continues to search for the father.
Eventually, the Marquise's search leads her to a Russian prince, who admits that he had had a brief affair with the Marquise while she was visiting his country. The prince, however, is already married and cannot acknowledge the child as his own.
Despite this revelation, the Marquise's reputation remains intact, as the prince's admission clears her of any suspicion of infidelity. In the end, the Marquise is able to reconcile with her husband and raise her child with the support and love of her family and community.
Overall, The Marquise of O is a compelling story about a woman's strength, dignity, and resilience in the face of adversity. It is a poignant reminder of the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and the power of forgiveness and acceptance.
The Marquise of O— by Heinrich von Kleist
The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. The Marquise's brother speaks ill of his sister, and questions the Count's sanity, given the latter's consistent interest in marrying the Marquise. He begs her to accept his marriage proposal but she does not and runs away. The two are married and live separately the first year of their married life. While he is away, the Marquise finds herself to be appearing more and more pregnant, but does not believe it to be possible since she has not been with any man since her husband died three years before. The ending is ultimately unsatisfying because the author manipulates the flat characters in a didactic exercise, and his moralistic stance drives the resolution. The father is ready to appear before the Commandant.
The Marquise of O and Other Stories by Heinrich Von Kleist, Paperback
This is most obviously demonstrated through the search for the identity of the father of the Marquise's child, but there are other stylistic elements and plot events that contribute to this theme as well. When a year has passed, she consents a second time to marry him, a second wedding is celebrated, and they move into the country residence at V——. Imbued with subtle comic moments and lashed by the passionate outbursts of anger and love experienced by characters caught in a bizarre and unpredictable chain of events, "The Marquise of O-" is a truly Kleistian twist on the long tradition of sexual drama. He is alternately called bestial and godlike, devilish and angelic. To this end, Kleist employs a narrative perspective on the level of his characters rather than an omniscient one. He is also Head of Department of Linguistic and International Studies there, and Dean of the Faculty of Human Studies.
They promise that the Marquise will not entertain any other suitors as potential husband. But will this be enough to quench her family's doubts and the derision of the society around her? She brings the Marquise back to M. During an attack by Russian troops, several enemy soldiers assaulted the terrified Giulietta but were driven off by one of their officers before they could do her harm. Yet he reaffirms his proposal to her, offering to redress the grievance by marrying her. He is one of those typically Kleistian characters who act impulsively, without reflection, and this is both his virtue and his vice. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
It is a matter of his own relief. They tell the Count and tell him to go to his post in Naples and return when it is a better time to be married. In 1811, he finished "Prinz Friedrich von Homburg. . Nigel Reeves was born in 1939 and graduated at Worcester College, Oxford, in 1963, taking his D. He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Tübingen and, since 1975, has been Professor of German at the University of Surrey. Then she turns her thoughts to mysterious incomprehensibility of the world and even to mystical associations such as immaculate conception.
The Marquise of O, and Other Stories Summary & Study Guide
The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. These dark stories explore the themes of human depravity as well as the wrath of man's judgment. After being betrothed to a man who is away on duty, the Marquise becomes pregnant and many assume she has committed adultery, while she alleges rape and attempts to find the man who fathered her unborn child. As a result, he is sentenced to death but will not take absolution because he wants to go to hell and torment Nicolo further. Her pregnancy is confirmed by a doctor and then a midwife. Nigel Reeves was born in 1939 and graduated at Worcester College, Oxford, in 1963, taking his D. Cite this page as follows: "The Marquise of O——— - Style and Technique" Comprehensive Guide to Short Stories, Critical Edition Ed.
Giulietta regretted not having insisted on seeing Count F—— to thank him for his gallant deed, and several months passed before she could forget him. They are married the following day. Stigma and Redemption As is still the case in modern times, women who are unwed and pregnant are often ostracized and cast out by society, and sometimes even those in their family. The Marquise of O-. Their son is born, and the Count makes the boy a gift of 20,000 rubles, then makes the Marquise now the Countess his sole heir. After dinner, the Marquise admits to her parents that this is a great test to her gratitude because, although she does not wish to be remarried, she feels that she owes him this favour in return for having saved her.
. Although her idea of marrying the man who assaulted her also clashes with modern views, von Kleist casts a positive light on her action of taking out a newspaper advertisement in an effort to identify him. Eventually, the Countess comes to be happy with him; and they celebrate a second marriage, a much happier one. After the death of her husband three years earlier, Giulietta the marquise and her children lived with her parents at the fortress of M——, where her father was commandant. Confiding in her mother, she denied that she had engaged in any erotic adventure and even began to question her own soundness of mind. She bids the attending doctor be gone, thinking him a slanderer.
Its companion pieces, "The Earthquake in Chile" and "The Foundling", are darker and more uncompromising in flavour, demonstrating, in their flashes of horror and injustice, the full range of Kleist's art. She then decides to publish the announcement in the newspaper. Instead of an answer and an explanation, Kleist sends the story off at once in another unexpected and baffling direction: The marquise refuses to accept the man whom her advertisement obviously describes. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. There he wrote "Amphitryon" and "Penthesilea. From this point, the plot seems even more unbelievable and contrived.
In 1792, Kleist entered the guard regiment in Potsdam and took part in the Rhein campaign against France in 1796. He is very happy about this and departs. This upsets the Marquise, who never got a chance to thank her rescuer. Kleist's Female Leading Characters and the Subversion of Idealist Discourse. The father, however, returns to his home one last time and kills Nicolo. She leaves the Colonel and the Marquise non-chaperoned. Their infant son is later adopted by Don Fernando, whose own son is also killed by the angry crowd.
David Luke was born in 1921 and is Tutor in German at Christ Church, Oxford. When the Marquise awakes, she wants to thank the Count for having saved her, but the troops have left. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. The morning after the tumultuous events, the Commandant's family cannot thank the rescuer enough, and to the Marquise herself he appears as an angel from heaven. Kleist, who tended to irrationalism and was often tormented by a longing for death, then lit out restlessly through Germany, France, and Switzerland. At the appointed hour it is Count F—— who appears, and she recoils saying she was prepared to meet a depraved man, but not a devil. If anyone should respond to it she could only imagine him to be of low standing and base character.
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