Die anatomie des grotesken: Eine untersuchung zur wandlung des begriffs, grotesk' mit einer ausfuhrlichen analyse von E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'Prinzessin Brambilla

The grotesque is one of the most important phenomena in modern aesthetics. In German literature, it gains particular importance in the work of writers such as E.T.A. Hoffmann or Franz Kafka. But the definition this notion can be problematic. In an attempt to arrive at an adequate definition, this thesis will discuss the most significant theories of the grotesque. Along with the older theories of Wolfgang Kayser, Michail Bachtin and Carl Pietzcker we will examine the newer deconstructive approach of Peter Fuss. Finally, these theories are tested in an analysis of E.T.A. Hoffmann's "Prinzessin Brambilla". The analysis reveals that Hoffmann's tale exhibits a peculiar form of the grotesque, in which the reversal of identities and the blending of man and beast is accentuated.