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Friedrich Holderlin: the theory and practice op religious poetry

Simon, Martin F. A.

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Friedrich Holderlin: the theory and practice op religious poetry,

Durham

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F R I E D R I C H HOLDERLIN: THE

THEORY AND

PRACTICE OF

R E L I G I O U S POETRY S t u d i e s i n the Elegies

M a r t i n F.A. Simon T h i s i s a g e n e t i c s t u d y of H b l d e r l i n ' s r e l i g i o u s p o e t r y . I t e x a m i n e s t h e e v o l v i n g s t r o p h i c form of t h e E l e g i e s , and r e l a t e s t h i s d i r e c t l y t o t h e t r a n s i t i o n from p e r s o n a l t o hymnic l y r i c : t h e p o e t d o e s not overcome, b u t c r e a t e s out o f , t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n . A g a i n s t t h e i m p e r s o n a l i t y of a p r e d o m i n a n t ' a p p r o a c h w h i c h t r e a t s t h e l a t e r work a s o b j e c t i v e s t a t e m e n t , I have found t h e p o e t r y t o be t h e p r o g r e s s i v e c r e a t i o n of a p r i v a t e w o r l d made o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e s of c h i l d h o o d and l o v e . The s t r o p h i c form i s not p r i m a r i l y a means o f communica t i o n , b u t t h e e x i s t e n t i a l s p h e r e o f a r e l a t i o n s h i p . The poem's message i s r e s t r i c t e d t o autonomous p a r a d i g m a t i c enactment o f a r e v o l u t i o n i n man's r e l a t i o n s h i p t o N a t u r e w h i c h i s , however, a l s o a r e j e c t i o n o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s p l a c e i n t h e w o r l d and t h e r e f o r e n e c e s s a r i l y s o l i p s i s t i c . The method f o l l o w s from t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s . A r t i s t i c u n i t y o f form and c o n t e n t i s h e r e of h e i g h t e n e d i n t e n s i t y , i n rhythm, so t h a t i d e a s c a n n o t be i s o l a t e d from t h e i r c o n t e x t ; c o n v e r s e l y , where t h e y c a n be t h e p o e t r y f a i l s . The t h o r o u g h a n a l y s i s of t h e f i v e s t r o p h i c e l e g i e s i s b a s e d on t h i s a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n ; i t aims t o r e p l a c e p a r a p h r a s e by literary criticism. The E l e g i e s f o l l o w s t r i c t l a w s o f c o m p o s i t i o n , b u t t h e s e p r o c e e d from t h e o p p o s i t e of s p e e c h - o r i e n t a t e d r e f l e c t i o n : a c o n s i s t e n t l y n e g a t i v e c o n c e p t i o n of p o e t i c form a s t h e r e l a t i v i s i n g l i m i t a t i o n o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , c o n t r a d i c t e d by t h e m y s t e r i o u s and daemonic i n t e n s i t y of t h e unconscious The u s e of form i s n o t c l a s s i c a l , b u t b e l o n g s , w i t h unp a r a l l e l e d e x t r e m i t y , t o t h e F r t i h r o m a n t i k . The h i s t o r i c a l c o n t e x t i s t h e r e w i t h t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l p h i l o s o p h y of K a n t and F i c h t e . The t r u e v a l u e i s n o t r e l i g i o u s b u t a e s t h e t i c ; i t l i e s i n t h e s o f t n e s s and d e l i c a c y of a c h i l d ' s p e r c e p t i o n o f N a t u r e . As t h e p o e t r y , i n p o l e m i c a l example t o t h e w o r l d , u n d e r m i n e s i n t e l l e c t and w i l l by t h e w i l l t o s u r r e n d e r , t h e r e a d e r i s c o n f r o n t e d by i r r e c o n c i l a b l e v a l u e s .

FRIEDRICH

HOLDERLIN:

T H E T H E O R Y AND POETRY

P R A C T I C E OF

RELIGIOUS

Studies i n the Elegies

M a r t i n F . A . Simon

The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged.

Ph.D. T h e s i s s u b m i t t e d i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Durham

March 1982

CONTENTS

A b b r e v i a t i o n s , e d i t i o n s , E n g l i s h terras

I.

INTRODUCTION B a c k g r o u n d and C o n t e x t The E l e g i a c C o u p l e t

1 6 61

II.

DER WANDERER': I D Y L L

69

III.

DER GANG A U F S LAND': WISH AND FULFILMENT

99

IV.

STUTGARD : THE QUESTION OF COMMUNITY

152

V. BROD UND W E I N ' : THE ANATOMY OF LONGING

172

VI.

HEIMKUNFT' : HYMNIC ELEGY

291

Notes

358

Bibliography

375

A b b r e v i a t i o n s , e d i t i o n s , E n g l i s h terms

References

i n numbers o n l y a r e t o t h e GroBe S t u t t g a r t e r and A d o l f B e c k , seven line

Ausgabe, e d i t e d by F r i e d r i c h B e i B n e r

volumes ( S t u t t g a r t , 19^6--77) g i v i n g volume, page, and number. The Poems a r e r e f e r r e d t o by t i t l e (or f i r s t line),

followed

by l i n e number, a s i n Volumes 1 and 2 o f t h i s

edition.

H y p e r i o n ( a n d t h e 'Fragment von H y p e r i o n ' ) i s r e f e r r e d t o by t h e o r i g i n a l volume, page, and l i n e number, a s i n Volume

3The E m p e d o k l e s w r i t i n g s a s a whole a r e r e f e r r e d t o a s 'Empedokles'. The v e r s i o n i s d e s i g n a t e d by a Roman n u m e r a l , f o l l o w e d by t h e l i n e number, a s i n Volume k. a s i n Volume

The L e t t e r s a r e r e f e r r e d t o by number and l i n e 6 of t h i s References e d i t i o n , p r e f a c e d by t h e i n i t i a l B.

t o t h e F r a n k f u r t e r Ausgabe, e d i t e d by D.E. S a t t l e r

and Wolfram Groddeck, f o u r volumes so f a r ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1975)

9

a r e p r e f a c e d by t h e i n i t i a l s

FHA,

followed

by

volume and page number. In are prose quotations, a l l u n d e r l i n i n g s i n d i c a t i n g emphasis unless otherwise i n d i c a t e d . myself.) 'to

by t h e quoted a u t h o r ,

( U n d e r l i n i n g s i n v e r s e q u o t a t i o n s a r e by In c a s e s of p o s s i b l e ambiguity, = verwirklichen; 'idea'

= German I d e e ;

realise' used

'subject'

= Subjekt.

'To r e f l e c t '

transitively

= 'to m i r r o r * .

I.

INTRODUCTION

Holderlin ulty

scholarship

has been dominated by t h e d i f f i c nature and e v e n t u a l political c

0

of h i s ideas.

The i n t e l l e c t u a l

obscurity

o f h i swork, i t s metaphysical, e t h i c a l , c o n t e n t and h i g h degree o f l e a r n i n g ,

theological, in

especially

the adaptation

o f Greek m y t h o l o g y , l i k e w i s e

t h e complex

formal

s t r u c t u r e s , h a v e made i t a p p e a r i d e a l l y s u i t e d t o i n t h e form o f commentary, i n w h i c h like specific

criticism

problems a r e i s o l a t e d and e x p l a i n e d , ary. that great

words i n a d i c t i o n comparable t o

T h i s m e t h o d i s , on a d i f f e r e n t l e v e l ,

of c l a s s i c a l p h i l o l o g y , which, having t o bridge the cultural gap b e t w e e n m o d e r n a n d a n c i e n t of information world, must

p r o v i d e a v a s t amount

on s p e c i f i c

points

before proceeding t o aesthetic

evaluation; less

t h e commentator critic this

o n a c l a s s i c a l t e x t sees h i m s e l f

as a l i t e r a r y

t h a n as a n h i s t o r i a n c o n c e r n e d w i t h l i t e r a t u r e . approach t o H o l d e r l i n lies the usually implicit

Behind

justification

t h a t he t o o was a ' c l a s s i c a l ' p o e t .

The most o b v i o u s e x good purely

ample i s t h e Grofie S t u t t g a r t e r A u s g a b e ; b u t i t h o l d s for the majority o f works on H o l d e r l i n n o t c o n c e r n e d

wi t h b a ck g r ound. A more r e c e n t a p p r o a c h , a r i s i n g i n d i r e c t against reaction divisible

that edition, i s that of the ' l e f t ' , i t s e l f

- 2 into two m a i n s t r a n d s : t h e one b o r n o f t h e t r a d i t i o n humanism and i t s d e v e l o p m e n t of by the

M a r x ' s more i d e a l i s t i c

' F r a n k f u r t e r Schuie', t h e o t h e r concerned w i t h attitude t o t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n and t h e situation

Holderlin's

contemporary new Frank2

s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l

i n Germany. The

f u r t e r H o l d e r l i n Ausgabe e s s e n t i a l l y e x e m p l i f i e s t h e f o r m e r . Far apart though these a t t i t u d e s that in the prime purpose case a r e , t h e y assume alike

of H o l d e r l i n ' s p o e t r y i s communication,

t h e one

of ideas, i n the other of a wish f o r social rational.

c h a n g e . T h i s a s s u m p t i o n i s u l t i m a t e l y m o r a l and T h e i r consequent scholarship serious defect i s the l a c k ,

i n Holderlin critsought

a s t o n i s h i n g l y pronounced,

o f an a e s t h e t i c

e r i o n . N o t o n l y i s no immanent s t a n d a r d o f e v a l u a t i o n ( t h a t w o u l d be r e a s o n a b l e c o n d u c t a t l e a s t for a

commentary),

b u t , because t h e r e s u l t a n t methods s a t i s f y what t h e y t a k e t o be t h e m a i n p u r p o s e , i t i s a c t u a l l y e x c l u d e d . Thus t h e p o e t i s endowed w i t h an a p r i o r i and Yet seems more l i k e individual a prophet than a f a l l i b l e authority, human b e i n g . relationship the adventure and

response, a t r u l y d i a l e c t i c a l

b e t w e e n t h e p o e t , t h o u , and t h e r e a d e r , I o f p o e t r y , i n w h i c h one is

enters the experience of another judgement, acceptance

only possible through aesthetic

rejection

( e v e n i f m i s t a k e n ) . O t h e r w i s e t h e poem becomes O f f e n b a r u n g , wo der Offenbarende nur alles nicht er

'eine p o s i t i v e

d a b e i t h u t , und d e r , dem d i e O f f e n b a r u n g g e g e b e n w i r d ,

e i n m a l s i c h r e g e n d a r f , um s i e zu nehmen, d e n n s o n s t h a t t ' s c h o n v o n dem S e i n e n etwas dazu g e b r a c h t ' (B1?1, 58-61). those of

B o t h f o r m and c o n t e n t o b e y l a w s , t h e l a t t e r logical coherence,

the former those of a r t i s t i c composition.

- 3 -

But

t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f such, p e r f e c t i o n i s n o t l i t e r a r y a restatement of Hb'lderlin's e x i s t e n c e and essence Critics

c r i t i c i s m b u t paraphrase, conscious

intention resulting

i n t h e separate

c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f f o r m and c o n t e n t ; whereas t h e v e r y of an a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n i s their inseparability.

have t r e a t e d

t h e f o r m as a more o r l e s s a d e q u a t e means o f

expressing the content. The literary supreme e x a m p l e o f t h i s and t h e c r u x o f a p o s s i b l e

approach t o H o l d e r l i n i s h i s r e l i g i o u s p o e t r y : t h e 'gods', ' t h e g o d ' who a t i t s v e r y beginning

Hymns a n d t h e i r defines

'Patmos' as a r e l i g i o u s poem. I f t h e s e poems a r e of theological i n t e r p r e t a t i o n then they are i n which

susceptible principle

open t o a n y o t h e r m e t h o d o f i n v e s t i g a t i o n

p r e s u p p o s e s t h a t p o e t i c l a n g u a g e i s p r i m a r i l y a means o f communication. logical ideal entity, F o r example, i f 'der G o t t ' t h e n he i s r e a d i l y

1

c a n be a t h e o as a h u m a n i s t figure. The

available

o r , as i n ' F r i e d e n s f e i e r ,

an a l l e g o r i c a l

p o e t h a s a message, a n d we d i s p u t e w h a t i t i s . Since of t h e Hymns a p p e a r t o p r e s e n t a s y s t e m a t i c w o r l d r e l i g i o u s v a l u e s , an a t t e m p t t o i n t r o d u c e a p r o b a b l y seem vague o r a r b i t r a r y . B u t lead

coherent

different in to

value would

isolating

t h e poems t h a t as a g r o u p most n a t u r a l l y

t h e Hymns, t h e E l e g i e s , a n d a n a l y s i n g t h e emergence i n form through which t h e Hymns speak, religion

them o f t h e s t r o p h i c this t h e s i s attempts that

a genetic study of H o l d e r l i n ' s other values are Nature,

s u c h as t o p r o v e ing t o show t h a t

a r e i n v o l v e d ; a n d i n seekc h i l d h o o d , and l o v e ,

these

t h i n g s b y no means s e p a r a t e d but w i t h i n

f r o m us b y an u n b r i d g e a b l e gap I suggest that f o r the

everyone's experience,

literary

critic,

i n Hegel's

words,

e s kann

...

dienlich

s e i n , d e n Namen " G o t t " If

zu v e r m e i d e n ' . upon w h i c h t h i s p o e t r y seems t o be

the very p r i n c i p l e

founded, the w i l l , to

whose f a c t u a l p r e s e n c e I do n o t d i s p u t e , aesthetically founded

c o m m u n i c a t e a v i e w o f l i f e , p r o v e s t o be then the aesthetic c r i t e r i o n

negative,

i s equally

upon t h e o p p o s i t e of

pole, the s o c i a l l y defective sheer apparence of

heightening

p o e t i c a u t o n o m y . The

communicative the

potential intellect,

reveals the poetry's

objective imperfection:

t h e means o f o r d e r i n g t h e w o r l d , and

language, both

t h e means o f s h a r i n g an o t h e r w i s e lost their principal

p r i v a t e w o r l d , have

f u n c t i o n . For H o l d e r l i n the conscious and i t i s , c o n v e r s e l y , the aesthetic function this

m i n d i s p e r se n e g a t i v e ; criterion

t h a t the conscious poetic act should One aim o f t h i s

negatively.

t h e s i s i s t o suggest t h a t arising naturally,

phenomenon i s n o t q u i t e w i l f u l , an e x t r e m e f o r m , In poet, that

i fin thought. on t h e be

out of the premises of contemporary f o r c e d t o pass judgement

s o c i e t y I s thus

i t i s confronted

w i t h something a l i e n which cannot I t i s a l o n g i n g f o r more t h a n t h e p o e t r y , can sense

reconciled with i t s e l f . c a n g i v e . Anyone who, create this

life

reading

and r e -

e x p e r i e n c e i n h i m s e l f i s f o r c e d t o abandon h i s y e t , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , thus and o n l y shndv. thus He i ti s

academic

detachment,

doine: . i u s t i o e t o t h e n a t u r e o f t h e o b . i e c t o f h i s must h i m s e l f , i f o n l y a l i t t l e , to be, i n H o l d e r l i n ' s words, (B182, 3 8 ) . i s confronted be torn,

and know w h a t ewig

' ewig g l u k l i c h und

un-

gliiklich'

Thus t h e i n t e l l e c t as b y t h e G o s p e l s ;

w i t h t h e same p r o b l e m

i t i s c a p a b l e o n l y o f d e s t r o y i n g what i t

- 5 -

s e e k s and p r e s e r v i n g w h a t i t d e s t r o y s .

Here as

there,, as a

' w h o s o e v e r s h a l l n o t r e c e i v e t h e k i n g d o m o f God little the c h i l d , he s h a l l not enter t h e r e i n ' .

I n this thesis

interpretation

o f p o e t r y i s s u b j e c t i v e ; 'darnit s e i
1

keiner It

... u n w i s s e n s c h a f t l i c h e n W i l l k i i r das T o r a u f g e r n a c h t . i n a n a l o g y t o i t s o b j e c t , as a v e n t u r e into

i s intended,

a different

and u n k n o w n w o r l d .

- 6 -

Background

and C o n t e x t

The were^

c o n t e x t i s t h e R e v o l u t i o n o f t h e m i n d . The

Germans

... p h i l o s o p h i s c h e Z e i t g e n o s s e n d e r G e g e n w a r t , ohne i h r e h i s t o r i s c h e n Z e i t g e n o s s e n zu s e i n ... D i e D e u t s c h e n h a b e n i n d e r P o l i t i k g e d a c h t , was d i e a n d e r e n V b l k e r g e t a n h a b e n . . . Deutschlands r e v o l u t i o n a r e Vergangenheit i s t . . . theoret i s c h , es i s t d i e R e f o r m a t i o n . Wie d a m a l s d e r Monch, so i s t ea - j e t z t d e r P h i l o s o p h , i n d e s s e n H i r n d i e R e v o l u t i o n b e ginnt.

Thus t h e r a d i c a l to

students of the Tubingen S t i f t

looked

K a n t and t o F r a n c e as t h o u g h t o t h e t h e o r y and 6

practice

of

freedom.

Freedom i s t h e s i n g l e p r e o c c u p a t i o n o f K a n t ' s Kritik der r e i n e n Vernunft (1781)

work, a p p e a r i n g i n t h e

as t h e u n i f y i n g p r i n c i p l e of

('transzendentale Apperzeption')

' t h e o r e t i c a l ' ( s c i e n t i f i c ) knowledge, i n the K r i t i k der Vernunft ( 1 7 8 8 ) as s e l f - d e t e r m i n i n g m o r a l i t y Karakter'). flti r m

of QT
11

('intelligibler hnr.h s n however,

a s R i nn 1

St

emol O f Y interested

U 11 J . V . /

t h a t Kant i s n o t p r i m a r i l y structure

i n social of the

b e h a v i o u r . The n e g a t i v e

(unthinkability) finds

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l S u b j e c t o f knowledge analogue i n p u r i t y

i t s positive the a l l -

o f p u r p o s e ('Zweck an s i c h ' ) ;

embracing dichotomy 'Autonomie'/'Heteronomie'

i s concerned

- 7 -

not but

just

with the e l i m i n a t i o n of a u t h o r i t y (church,

state), con-

w i t h f r e e d o m f r o m t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h e human itself;

dition

i t i s t h e s e a r c h f o r an a n s w e r t o t h e 'Nessus7

shirt

o f Newton'. already

S i n c e f o r human b e i n g s s u c h f r e e d o m i s i n Kant there i s an i n n a t e preference

impossible, for er

t h e i n f a c t a m o r a l a s p e c t o f t h o u g h t , i t s c o h e r e n c e , ovi t s correctness; the self-acknowledged i m p o s s i b i l i t y of

practical as

r e a l i s a t i o n t e n d s t o p r o h i b i t a c t i o n o f any s o r t imperfect.

being i n e v i t a b l y In Pichte

t h e metaphysical i n t e r e s t begins t o dominate the universe i s reconstructed 'Ich' as a g i g a n t i c and i t s

over t h e e t h i c a l ; struggle finite

between t h e p o t e n t i a l l y i n f i n i t e the 'Nicht-Ich'.

object,

I n t h i s way t h e s t r u c t u r a l l y into

simultaneous (missing and

'striving'

t o break through theory practice

revolutionary)

i s doomed t o f a i l u r e , imperative' as

t h e a d o p t i o n o f Kant's

'categorical

'practical'

s o l u t i o n t o b o t h p r o b l e m s a t once d e p r i v e s i t formulation

o f a l l m o r a l p o t e n t i a l . Because t h e s y s t e m a t i c of r e v o l u t i o n a r y activity as ' S t r e b e n '

i s , paradoxically,

a self-sufficient philosophical (purity) and

solution, the perfection supersedes t h e a c t

of the revolutionary thought

becomes a m i r r o r heroic

i n w h i c h t h e i n d i v i d u a l t o w e r s up t o
9

colossal

status.a m b i v a l e n c e o f German frees Idealism: and

Here i s t h e e s s e n t i a l the renunciation

of p r a c t i c a l w i l l

political

social idealism

from i t s i n e v i t a b l e undoing,

self-interest,

yet; s e r v e s a h e i g h t e n e d s e n s e o f s e l f ,

of i n d i v i d u a l im-

portance, which i s u l t i m a t e l y b u t another form of s e l f interest .

- 8 -

Kant, w i t h h i s metaphysical

dichotomy

Autonomic'/ Het-

e r o n o m i e ' , became t h e u n q u e s t i o n e d conviction of the absolute v a l i d i t y

legitimation f o r the of individual experi-

e n c e . F o r t h e s t u d e n t s H o l d e r l i n , H e g e l , and S c h e l l i n g i n the Tubingen S t i f t the 'transcendental Subject' both vindicwhich

a t e d a n d was r e a l i s e d i n i n d i v i d u a l is,

'Begeisterung',

s i n c e i t c a n n o t be m e a s u r e d , i n f i n i t e

and t h e r e f o r e this highest

n e c e s s a r i l y f r e e from principle

e m p i r i c a l determinism;

l a t e r becomes t h e ' G e i s t , d e r a l l e m gernein u n d i d e a l s thus

j e d e m e i g e n i s t ' , t h e ' V / e l t g e i s t ' . The s o c i a l 10 adapted experience t o t h e German t r a d i t i o n

o f r e l i g i o u s and m y s t i c a l interest, experience.

a r e s i m p l y assumed, w i t h o u t p r a c t i c a l of personal reason'

the sole concern being t h e d i v i n i t y Meanwhile t h e moral any

law o f ' p r a c t i c a l

implied that here

law not self-imposed

i s dead, a b s t r a c t , ' p o s i t i v ' ;

t h e i m m e d i a t e enemy was t h e S t i f t i t s e l f , w h i c h d u r i n g t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y y e a r s became y e t more r e p r e s s i v e . B u t b e y o n d this l a y t h e laws o f l i f e themselves, 11 to individual aspirations. now become b a r r i e r s

These a s p i r a t i o n s a r e f o r m u l a t e d i n t h e 'Systemprogramm' (k.297-99), w h i c h has p r e s e r v e d something of t h e s p i r i t i n idea: 'Absolute Welt i n s i c h sich

Tubingen i n those Freiheit aller

d a y s . The f u n d a m e n t a l

Geister, d i e die i n t e l l e k t u e l l e

t r a g e n , und weder G o t t noch U n s t e r b l i c h k e i t suchen d u r f e n '

aufier

(>.298, 9 - 1 1 ) .

1 2

Here s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h e ' I c h b i n I c h ' had t a k e n as p r o o f o f t h e u n t h i n k a b i l i t y

which Kant

of 'transzendentale

A p p e r z e p t i o n ' , and w h i c h f o r h i m had t h e r e f o r e n e v e r been more t h a n a n e c e s s a r y c o n c o m i t a n t o f t h o u g h t , h a s become

unqualified highest principle Idee

of the universe:

'Die e r s t e einern the man

i s t ... d i e V o r t e l l u n g v o n m i r s e l b s t , a l s

a b s o l u t f r e i e n Wesen' (4.297, 7 f - ) disciple of Fichte,

Schelling, s t i l l

takes t h i s p r i n c i p l e ' M i t dem

as p r o o f t h a t

creates h i s world: tritt

f r e y e n , s e l b s t b e w u B t e n Wesen aus dem Nichts hervor' and t h e arrogates

z u g l e i c h e i n e ganze W e l t

(4.297, 8 - 1 0 ) ; a t one s t r o k e p h y s i c a l d e t e r m i n i s m Creator to o f G e n e s i s a r e e l i m i n a t e d . The i n d i v i d u a l

h i m s e l f t h e n a t u r e o f God, structure Subject

a c l a i m f o u n d e d upon t h e 'Ich b i n Ich' , i n i s now t h e m o d e l

formal which for

of self-consciousness: are i d e n t i c a l ,

and O b j e c t

sensual

a w a r e n e s s o f o b j e c t s , and so p o s t u l a t e s t h e of the self and t h e m a t e r i a l w o r l d . The

ultimate

identity

way i s o p e n e d f o r a r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e w o r l d as an I-related infinity; the consequent i m p o s s i b i l i t y becomes t h e p r o j e c t i o n i n t o 13 of this I - r e l a t e d process. conception,

y

of r e infinity

c o n c i l i n g determinism

Holderlin's

f o r m u l a t e d i n Jena i n d i r e c t

r e s p o n s e t o and i n d e e d the notes

r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t P i c h t e , appears i n ( 4 . 2 1 6 f . ) . 'Seyn', t h e Subject und ...

on ' U r t h e i l und Seyn'

o b j e c t o f ' i n t e l l e c t u a l e A n s c h a u u n g ' , i s : 'Wo Object so ...

s c h l e c h t h i n , n i c h t n u r zum T h e i l v e r e i n i g e t i s t , , daB k e i n e T h e i l u n g vorgenommen w e r d e n k a n , ohne

das Wesen d e s j e n i g e n , was g e t r e n n t w e r d e n s o i l , (4.216, Fichtean

zu v e r l e z e n '

22-26).< ' B e i n g ' i s t h e n s h a r p l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d f r o m 'Identitat' (self-consciousness):

A b e r d i e s e s Seyn muB n i c h t m i t d e r I d e n t i t a t v e r w e c h s e l t w e r d e n . Wenn i c h s a g e : I c h b i n I c h , so i s t das S u b j e c t ( I c h ) u n d das O b j e c t ( I c h ) n i c h t so v e r e i n i g e t , daB g a r

- 10

k e i n e T r e n n u n g vorgennommen w e r d e n k a n n , o h n e , das Wesen d e s j e n i g e n , was g e t r e n n t w e r d e n s o i l , zu v e r l e z e n ; im G e g e n t e i l das I c h i s t n u r d u r c h d i e s e T r e n n u n g des I c h s vom I c h m o g l i c h ... a l s o i s t d i e I d e n t i t a t n i c h t = dem a b s o l u t e n Seyn. ( 4 . 2 1 6 , 28-217, 11)

'Being'

is unity,

and

as

such the a n t i t h e s i s

('Gegenteil ) is

to self-consciousness;

therefore self-consciousness

1k
'wounded' 'Seyn'. Holderlin s only, of
1

These i d e a s , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t t h e e s s e n c e o f t h o u g h t , pass i n t o t h e s t r u c t u r e a f t e r the June 1795) 'flight' and of

'Hyperion', but the beginning

f r o m Jena ( t o w a r d s

abandonment o f t h e m e t r i c a l v e r s i o n . I n t h e

p e n u l t i m a t e v e r s i o n ( m a i n l y w r i t t e n a t home i n N i i r t i n g e n during the rest ('was e i n s t , wie of the year, man the i d e a l of a l o s t unity 19)

g l a u b e n k a n n , E i n s war'

(3.236,

i s made t h e end Widerstreit den

o f a l l human e n d e a v o u r :

'Jenen e w i g e n d e r W e l t zu denn alle zu verendigen,

z w i s c h e n u n s e r e m S e l b s t und

F r i e d e n a l l e s F r i e d e n s , der hoher i s t , wiederzubringen, uns

V e r n u n f t , den

m i t der Natur ' (3.236, Seyn, im

e i n i g e n zu E i n e m u n e n d l i c h e n The ideal,

Ganzen ...

24-27).

' d i e s e e l i g e E i n i g k e i t , das W o r t s , i s t f u r uns i n the

einzigen 15f.).

S i n n e des

v e r l o r e n ' (3-236,

Already

'Fragment von

Hyperion', w r i t t e n during of t h i s 'unity'

179^ a t W a l t e r s h a u s e n , t h e means f a r more t h a n

'Seeligkeit'

'bliss'.

V e r l o r e n i n s w e i t e B l a u , b l i k ' i c h o f t h i n a u f an d e n Xther, und h i n e i n i n s h e i l i g e Meer, und m i r w i r d , a l s schlb'sse s i c h d i e P f o r t e des U n s i c h t b a r e n m i r a u f und i c h v e r g i e n g e m i t a l l e m , was urn m i c h i s t , b i s e i n R a u s c h e n i m G e s t r a u c h e rnich a u f w e k t aus dem s e e l i g e n Tode,- und m i c h w i d e r W i l l e n z u r i i k r u f t a u f d i e S t e l l e , wovon i c h a u s g i e n g . (220/11-16)

- 11 -

It

i s loss of self, d e a t h - i n - l i f e ;

and t h e experiences o f

Hyperion i n t h e f i n a l v e r s i o n , whether l o v e , f r i e n d s h i p , or h e r o i c a c t i o n , a r e o f t h e same q u a l i t y : an end t o con-

s c i o u s n e s s ( ' w e i t e r h a t t ' i c h k e i n BewuBtseyn', H y p e r i o n , I, 127/16f.) and t o t i m e

1

('Wir s c h w e l g e n

... , w i r t o d t e n

i m Rausche d i e Z e i t es eine
1

, I , 53 / 4 f ; 'LaB u n s v e r g e s s e n , daB
1

Z e i t g i e b t ' , I , 94/11;

Mahne rnich n i c h t a n d i e ('LaB m i c h d e i n seyn,

Zeit ,

I , 150/12), a surrender o f s e l f

l a B m i c h m e i n v e r g e s s e n ' , I , 130/9) a n d d e a t h ( ' d i e vergehn m i r und d e r Geist when t h e l o v e r s embrace entflieht'

Sinne

( I , 136/1). The moment L u k e i n meinem identical

'Es i s t h i e r e i n e

Daseyn. I c h s t a r b to Hyperion's

... ' ( I , 1 2 8 / 4 ) sleep'

i s formally

'death-like

( I I , 61/10f.).

The n o v e l i s

a series But

o f ' Liiken im Daseyn'. i f t h e h e r o ' s e x p e r i e n c e i s so i n t e n s e as t o be a

kind of death, the n a r r a t i v e perspective 'elegiac' ( I , 4/2) r e t r o s p e c t

i snot just

a n d r e g r e t , b u t a means o f t h e poet

self-preservation.

O n l y t i m e , w h i c h now ' d i v i d e s '

Hyperion from h i s former s e l f von

(' I c h w i l l d i r imrner mehr

m e i n e r S e e l i g k e i t e r z a h l e n ' , I , 122/7; ' w i r w a r e n n u r

um so s e e l i g e r zusammen', I , 5 0 / 2 f . ) as f r o m t h e c h a r a c t e r s w i t h whom he was i n v o l v e d Geliebten', ('Fern und t o d t s i n d meine ' I c h muB als lebendig

I , 9/4), c a n e n a b l e h i m t o e x i s t .

mich. t a u s c h e n , a l s h a t t e

sie vor alten Zeiten gelebt, v o n i h r , wenn i h r daB I c h v e r g e h e

wuBt' i c h d u r c h E r z a h l u n g e i n i g e s B i l d mich n i c h t e r g r e i f f e n ich den Tod d e r Freude soli' soil,

... , wenn ... n i c h t

... u n d d e n Tod d e r T r a u e r
1

sterben der

( I , 1 0 5 / 1 5 - 1 0 6 / 4 ) ; E s i s t u n g l a u b l i c h , daB a b e r es

Mensch s i c h v o r dem S c h o n s t e n f u r c h t e n s o i l ;

- 12 -

ist

so. 0 b i n i c h doch hundertmal vor diesen Augenbliken, '

d i e s e r t o d t e n d e n Wonne (I,

raeiner

E r i n n e r u n g - e n g e f l o h e n ... ex-

122/17-123/2). N a r r a t i o n i s t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g o f the preserved u n i t y

perience i n i t s i n t e n s i t y , personality,

15

of the 'Be-geist-

'Geist'

as o p p o s e d t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l

erungen . ' If (I, can experience i s divine t h r o u g h i t s freedom of experience from time and

133/3-7), t h e n t h e d i v i n i t y only exist,

exists,

i n t h e f o r m o f memory. ' I c h baue rneinem ... ; i n seeligen Erinnerungen hull' ich reality

H e r z e n e i n Grab ... is

m i c h e i n ' ( I , 110/15-17)- E x p e r i e n c e an i l l u s o r y alternative. The

as p r e s e n t

contemplation of h i s past (sub-title) i s not the

by t h e

'Eremit i n Griechenland' Cf - 235, 2 0 )

A

' MSnchsmoral' life;

o f an h e r m e t i c w i t h d r a w a l f r o m l o v e and action into Hyperion finding quod

on t h e c o n t r a r y , i t a b s o r b s U n l i k e t h e hero

itself.

of S c h i l l e r ' s t r a g e d i e s , b u t seeks f a i l u r e

does n o t s t r u g g l e it,

and f a i l ,

and,

s u c c e e d s ; f a i l u r e d o e s n o t change h i m , b u t p r o v e s

e r a t demonstrandum, h i s d i v i n e l y lin's des 'Scheue v o r dem S t o f f e '

superior nature. Holder-

(B144, 7 f . ) , ' J u n g f r a u l i c h k e i t f o r harsh r e a l i t y , Is

Geistes', a s e n s i t i v i t y

too f i n e

a l s o t h e p r e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t u n l e s s t r a n s f o r m e d and ened b y a r t i s t i c a t i o n s of the Art fiction life will never

heightaspir-

s a t i s f y the

individual. the mirror of the s e l f that l i f e has sense the

purifies

c l o u d e d , and of

i t s function i s t o heighten experience,

s e l f . What a p p e a r s i n t h e m i r r o r i s n o t m i m e s i s , b u t 16 d i v i n e beauty of Narcissus. This i s the basis of the

- 13 -

a e s t h e t i c s placed a t t h e h e a r t o f the n o v e l , those o f ' d e r scheme Mensch': 'Der Mensch i s t a b e r e i n G o t t , so b a l d e r Mensch i s t . Und i s t e r e i n G o t t , so i s t e r s c h o n ' (I, 141/8f.); ' d e r g o t t l i c h e Mensch , er seine Schonheit will sich selber sich'

f i i h l e n , darum s t e l l t 17 (I, 141/18-20).

gegeniiber

' The r e c r e a t i o n o f d i v i n i t y of i t s e l f real life would

out of r e a l i t y such

presupposes t h a t heightened

resist

sense o f s e l f ;

i f t h e ' s c h o n e r Mensch' i s a

m i c r o c o s m o f t h e d i v i n e l y - o r d e r e d cosmos, t h e n no l o n g e r , as i n t h e Renaissance t r a d i t i o n , through h i s actions i n the

w o r l d . The u n i t y set ...

o f t h e w o r k o f a r t makes i t a n ' i s l a n d ' , ( I , 8 3 / 2 ) , 'hab'

a p a r t : 'Ich lebe nezt auf d e r I n s e l ' 18 m i r eine H u t t e gebaut' Experience i s thus ( I , 83/6)

'ex-centric'

(3.236, 13), an e n t r y

into

life

which

always presupposes w i t h d r a w a l , r e t u r n t o ' A u s f l u g u n d ... R i i k k e h r z u

'rest'

( H y p e r i o n , I , 110/15):

sich selbst', (I, 63/9f.).

'Wechsel d e s E n t f a l t e n s u n d V e r s c h l i e B e n s ' Hyperion's 'elegiac character' arises not of time b u t through HSlderlin

through g r i e f his had

and r e g r e t a t t h e p a s s i n g

u n r e a l i t y as h i s c r e a t o r ' s s e l f - p r o j e c t i o n . not yet lost

h i s Diotima. But t h e p a r t played by t h i s of entry into and w i t h d r a w a l

self-proejection, the structure

f r o m t h e w o r l d i n s u r r e n d e r and r e g a i n i n g o f i d e n t i t y , i s ftTotic. anri i m n l i R S t h p i r t f t a l q v n n n v m i t v n f 1 ohon qriH

1 1
?

- j
f

.j_ ^

<.^.J.J.V-*-

19 'lieben'. as m e e t i n g r e t u r n from von

y

E n t r y presupposes submission, i s encounter,

surrender

(wherei s the

clash); withdrawal t o 'rest'

t h e h e i g h t e n i n g b u t e n e r v a t i n g dream,

'erschopft

g l u h e n d e n P h a n t a s i e n ' ( 4 . 2 1 8 , 14f). L o v e b e t w e e n man and woman i s t h u s p a r a d i g m a t i c ,

h i g h e s t , form

o f r e l a t i o n s h i p , b u t no more t h a n a

form, the

a phenomenon; i t t a k e s p l a c e infinite potential

against the assumption of 'spirit'

not only of Hyperion's pQ

(whose obthey

p o t e n t i a l i s also potency),~ j e c t , which i s L i f e have l o s t one itself,

but also of the e r o t i c the A l l ; and when, a f t e r 'Ich

another,

D i o t i m a says t o H y p e r i o n : seyn'

w u B t e es b a l d ; i c h k o n n t e d i r n i c h t A l l e s

( I I , 68/4), devotion

the c o n t r a s t i s not w i t h other p o s s i b l e o b j e c t s of

21
but with The as (hypostasised) i n f i n i t y itself: the I n f i n i t e . " appears pro-

m o d e l f o r l o s s o f s e l f i s t h e r e w i t h c o s m i c , and such a t the b e g i n n i n g and end of the novel, thus

viding a regulative

ideal f o r a l l t h a t takes place i n ' E i n e s zu s e y n r n i t A l l e m , das

between. P r i o r t o n a r r a t i o n : i s t L e b e n d e r G o t t h e i t ... wiederzukehren narration: fast 'So

, i n seeliger

Selbstvergessenheit ending und

i n ' s A l l der Natur' p-ab i c h ...

3

( I , 10/11-14);

der

seeligen Natur ...

mich h i n der

zu e n d l o s .

War

i c h so g e r n e

geworden, wie

reine Lichtstral, The 'Lichtstral'

um i h r n a h e r zu s e y n ! '

( I I , 121 /8 -11). 'organ' des comes wie of

i s the p i e r c i n g , f e r t i l i s i n g ,

H y p e r i o n ' s 'Nahmensbruder, d e r h e r r l i c h e Himmels' ( I , 1 3 0 / 7 f . ) , and at the very beginning: '0 the d e f i n i t i v e s e e l i g e Natur!

Hyperion

confession

I c h weifi n i c h t ,

mir geschiehet,

wenn i c h m e i n Auge e r h e b e v o r d e i n e r Himmels i s t i n den

Schone,

a b e r a l l e L u s t des weine vor d i r , der cf. already

Thranen, d i e i c h ( I , 10/2-5; can 22

Geliebte vor der Geliebten' Hyperion',

'Fragment von be

220/7-10). Nor

'fast for

zu e n d l o s '

t a k e n as

self-critical

distancing, between i d e a l and

the i m p l i c i t

c r i t e r i o n i s n o t t h e gap

reality,

but the i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y

o f what t h e i m a g i n a t i o n

- 15 -

can a c h i e v e i n c o m p a r i s o n v/ith t h e l o s t r e a l i t y hood. The c h i l d therefore i s undivided

of c h i l d -

'being', u n i t y w i t h Nature, Kind,

and

divine:

'da! e i n g o t t l i c h Wesen i s t das

s o l a n g es n i c h t taucht i s t .

i n d i e C h a m a l e o n s f a r b e d e r Menschen g e -

Es i s t g a n z , was Es i s t u n s t e r b l i c h , 7-1'+). The n a t i o n a l

es i s t , u n d darum i s t es so s c h d n d e n n es w e i B vom Tode n i c h t s ' and h i s t o r i c a l

...

( I , 13/ Greece cultural

c o n t r a s t between

a n d Germany i n t h e A t h e n s l e t t e r

i s n o t based upon und

phenomena ( ' A t h e n i s c h e K u n s t u n d R e l i g i o n , u n d S t a a t s f orm . . . s i n d B l i i t h e n und P r i i c h t e die Wirkungen f i i r d i e Ursache' of 'organic' and 'free'

Philosophie nehmt

... Ihr

( I , 138/7-9), b u t u p o n t h e i n d i v i d u a l development ' U n g e s t o r t e r i n jedem

ideal

(Rousseau's e d u c a t i v e p r e c e p t ) : Betracht
1

... e r w u c h s d a s V o l k d e r A t h e n e r ' ( I , 138/12f.); treibt aus dem aus

L a f i t v o n d e r Wiege an d e n Menschen u n g e s t o r t ! e n g v e r e i n t e n Knospe s e i n e s V/esens, t r e i b t

der

H i i t t c h e n s e i n e r K i n d h e i t i h n n i c h t h e r a u s ! ' ( I , 1M/1-3). When H y p e r i o n s a y s : 'Aber s c h o n i s t a u c h d i e Z e i t E r w a c h e n s , wenn man he r e f e r s If the n u r z u r U n z e i t uns n i c h t w e k t ' des ( I , 14/3f.),

t o h i m s e l f ; h i s n a t u r e t o o has b e e n

'injured'.~

loss of childhood i s indeed i n j u r e d

'Seyn', t h e n

recreation

o f union v/ith Nature i n the w o r l d of t h e

i m a g i n a t i o n i s t h e memory o f b e a u t y , and a l l e x p e r i e n c e will dom it be s h a p e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i d e a l o f t h e c h i l d ' s from consciousness, i t s ' S e e l i g k e i t ' , d i v i n i t y . m u s t be shaped,^ i s t h e r e f o r e
1

freeThat

n o t n a t u r a l l y s o , makes i t

25 ' K u n s t ' as o p p o s e d t o ' N a t u r ' . ^ B o t h t h e ' I d e e d e r

- 16

Schdnheit'

and

i t s f o r m , memory, f i n d l e g i t i m a t i o n i n philosophy of Plato ( c f . 3.237, is 7f.).

the

(freely-adapted) The

paradox t h a t c h i l d h o o d

'Seeligkeit' (union

immortality

( u n a w a r e n e s s o f d e a t h ) and and yet itself,

infinity

w i t h the A l l ) , equi26

t h r o u g h absence of c o n s c i o i i s n e s s ,

valent

t o d e a t h , can

only

be

s a t i s f i e d by

compromise: the existence the nearof

a temporary e l i m i n a t i o n of

consciousness, holding s e l f , so that poetic but

foreknowledge of r e t u r n t o the is est not actual

i d e n t i t y w i t h Nature ( a b s o l u t e ) , act of l o v e ,

p o s s i b i l i t y ( r e l a t i v e ) . The

althoxigh

l i t e r a l l y de-voted i n t e n s i t y , separation, 'melody'

presupposes

difference, a con-

' s u b j e c t - o b j e c t ' . Whereas c h i l d h o o d i s H y p e r i o n ' , 183/10), a d u l t 27 'opposites'. '

('Fragment von

sciousness i s a Thus t h e its, the

'harmony' o f act side

poetic

seeks r e u n i o n w i t h N a t u r e ; but i t seeks the child's freedom of love from

on

subject's,

from the also

m o r t a l i t y of f i n i t u d e .

I n t h a t the life

act and,

is the

death-in-life

death i s drawn i n t o

free perspective w a t c h e d and, reflects is not

of u l t i m a t e l y regained

consciousness, mirror of art

i f p a r t i a l l y , o v e r c o m e . The .just t h e divine beauty but,

s i n c e even d e a t h divine immortality end governed

thus r e l a t i v i s e d soul. As the

and

transcended, the

of the not by

individual's life by the archetypal

i s i n the destiny,

chance, but

appearing

,tKe
(I 1g 2/ .m ),, so to 'peace' (u 't Fri ede ne ', ga 'Ruhe') t h ,r o u h 1f hi of b eo ing 'cast o of th rden of i s Nat ru er ce o' n ciliation can over be of the finite state with i n f i n i t y , so f a r as has that power

a c h i e v e d . The

self

t h a t watches i t s e l f

die

death.

- 17

But i t i s a l s o p a s s i v e , detached f r o m i t s a c t i n g ego, cut o f f from l i f e . The

alter

c h i l d ' s w o r l d , a l t h o u g h melodbecause existing

i o u s , i s e g o c e n t r i c ; i t 'knows n o t h i n g o f d e a t h ' it in i s u n a w a r e o f and so u n r e l a t i v i s e d b y o t h e r s ,

t h e arms o f M o t h e r N a t u r e , t h e A l l . i t masculine w i l l

Consciousness, presupposes Logos-Eros,

bringing with

and p u r p o s e , As

individuation, multiplicity

of w i l l s .

cosmic

Hyperion represents not j u s t the adaptation of masculine desire t o the c h i l d ' s world, but the p u r i f i c a t i o n of

m a s c u l i n i t y from involvement i n the a d u l t world, from the danger feited is of i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s a t i o n , infinity. Similarly, relativisation: of for-

the ' I '

r e - f l e c t s because i t of a world which

t h r o w n back by t h e r e s i s t i n g hardness

o u g h t t o have d i s s o l v e d a t a t o u c h o f i t s l o v e r ' s hut which t u r n s 28 individuation. of narrating t o narrated

hand, of

o u t t o be g o v e r n e d b y t h e h a r s h o u t l i n e

Thus t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p not,

' I 'i s

as t h e B i l d u n g s r o m a n p r o p e r w o u l d demand,

structured of role

b y p a s t and p r e s e n t , b u t b y t h e i d e n t i t y - i n - d i f f e r e n c e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s . The is insubstantiality o f t h e cosmic

a necessary aspect of i t s c r e a t i o n .

E i n e s zu s e y n m i t A l l e m , was l e b t ! ... A u f d i e s e r Hbhe s t e h ' i c h o f t ... A b e r e i n Moment des B e s i n n e n s w i r f t m i c h h e r a b . I c h denke nach und f i n d e m i c h , w i e i c h zuvor war, a l l e i n , m i t a l i e n Schmerzen d e r S t e r b l i c h k e i t ... ( I , 1 1 / 1 , 8-10; c f . , a g a i n , ' F r a g m e n t v o n H y p e r i o n ' , 220/7-10)

S e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s a ' Z u r i i k s c h r e k e n ' . ' Es ich, aber dann erschrek' ich

ist,

als

sah'

w i e d e r , a l s war' es m e i n e

- 18 -

e i g n e G e s t a l t , was i c h g e s e h n , es i s t , den G e i s t d e r Welt ... , a b e r

als fuhlt'

i c h inn,

i c h erwache und m e i n e , . i c h ( I , 16/7-10). For Nature

habe m e i n e e i g n e n F i n g e r g e h a l t e n '

o f f e r s no r e s i s t a n c e , i s p u r e l y p a s s i v e o b j e c t , t h e d i s c o r d and c l a s h o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y h a v i n g been e l i m i n a t e d ; b u t

Ik
the price i s j a b s e n c e o f human c o n t a c t , o f a h o l d o n - l i f e ,
N

spiritual

c e r t a i n t y . And, d e s p i t e t h e m a s c u l i n e will always give t o Nature

form, the a feminine '0

absence o f c o n f l i c t role,

so t h a t m a s c u l i n e

slides into ist,

feminine d i v i n i t y .

wenn s i e e i n e s V a t e r s T o c h t e r

d i e h e r r l i c h e Natur, i s t ist's

das H e r z d e r T o c h t e r n i c h t s e i n H e r z ? I h r I n n e r s t e s , n i c h t Er?' Self-consciousness life, of i s a l s o ' Zuriikschreken' 'living-death'; this from

real

ending i n i s o l a t i o n ,

i s the price '0 e i n

the divine

q u a l i t y o f e x p e r i e n c e , t h e 'dream'.

G o t t i s t d e r Mensch, wenn e r t r a u m t , e i n B e t t l e r , wenn e r nachdenkt, u n d wenn d i e B e g e i s t e r u n g h i n i s t ... ' ( I , 1 2 / significance of l i f e , i t s infinite

3 f . ) . The h e i g h t e n e d

p o t e n t i a l , d e p e n d s u p o n w i t h d r a w a l , so t h a t t h e w o r k o f a r t is and of the t r a p p e d b e t w e e n t h e t w o pole's o f t h e r e t r o s p e c t i v e t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d , and t h u s d o u b l y a p r i s o n : consciousness itself which, one i m a g i n e s , ideal

the prison about

closed

g r o w i n g b o y when c h i l d h o o d f r e e d o m 2Q

ended i n t h e m o n a s t i c

schools; world

and t h e p r i s o n o f s e l f - h o o d , o f t h e e n c l o s e d narration i s lost

of the imagination. A p r i o r i ,

immediacy: language

as o p p o s e d t o r e a l i t y .

This i n s o l u b l e dual d e f i c i e n c y , towards c h i l d h o o d / i n finity and t o w a r d s reality, i s the basis of the novel's self i n

open f o r m . Since

the subject-matter i s the poetic

- 19

s e a r c h f o r w h a t i t has communication f r e e , p o s s i b l e purpose

lost,

the n o v e l achieves pure other

a t l e a s t i n c o n c e p t i o n , f r o m any

( t h u s t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l v i e w o f a r t as the r a t i o n a l renounced attitude of the

entertainment or i n s t r u c t i o n , Enlightenment, i s e x p l i c i t l y The presence

i n the 'Vorrede').

o f an i d e a l r e c i p i e n t ,

t h e 'schoner Deutscher'

' B e l l - a r m i n ' , presupposes sprache ich

the opening polemic ('Ich v e r Aber

g e r n e d i e s e m Buche d i e L i e b e d e r D e u t s c h e n . ... ', I , 3 / 2 f . ) : ' ... nur d i r ,

furchte

mein B e l l a r m i n , erzahl'

nur e i n e r r e i n e n f r e i e n Seele, wie d i e deine i s t , ich's' ( I , 123/7f)- Thus c o m m u n i c a t i o n t o seek itself

becomes

t h e m a t i c ; because t h e a r t i s t has his of work

o t h e r s t o speak t o i s the condition

i s p u r e s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n , and t h i s

i t s open-ness t o t h e f u t u r e , Such f o r m a l

to practice. subject-matter,

openness c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e

.the u n d e f i n e d v i s i o n o f t h e A l l w h i c h i s t h e v e r y p e r s p e c t i v e r e a l i t y w o u l d d e n y . The poetic with would ich. d i v i s i o n between the communication

s e l f and N a t u r e b o t h makes p o s s i b l e

the outside w o r l d , which absolute s e l f - d i s s o l u t i o n e n d , and a t t a c k s c o n t e m p o r a r y N a c h s t e n s mehr', t h e end society. 'So d a c h t '

tk
o f t h e n o v e l , i s a t once r e O v .

s t o r a t i o n o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and t u r n t o B e l l a r m i n . the

Thereby

s t a t e m e n t o f u n i t y w h i c h o t h e r w i s e w o u l d be t h e c o n as r e n e w e d 'Trennung' and g r e a t l y intensfive potentially

clusion i s l e f t ified, words:

as one may

judge by l e a v i n g o f f t h o s e l a s t and

H y p e r i o n w o u l d t h e n end w i t h a p l a c i d philosophical s t a t e m e n t . As

didactic remains is

i t i s , the Absolute t o the s e l f ; the world

i n ('injured') relationship

30
e x c l u d e d , and y e t t h i s self-exclusion i s communicated.

- 20

The

formal structure

of Hyperion thus represents a of the simpler i d e a l i s a t i o n i n the o

refinement, not a r e j e c t i o n ,

i n d i v i d u a l p o t e n t i a l b y P i c h t e and T h e r e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s was is/first principle proud

'Systemprogramm' Here t o o i t 'Man ehe

assertion.

of the universe, but negatively. zum s e l b s t b e w u B t e n man Geiste werden, Kind i s t '

muB i m N o r d e n ... man M e n s c h , zum

k l u g e n Manne, ehe

( I , 147/10 the a

1 3 f . ) . The

'titanic'

Promethean t h e f t

of i m m o r t a l i t y , onto of

c o l o s s a l but t r a g i c p r o j e c t i o n of the i n d i v i d u a l universal

stage, i s found wanting against the i d e a l 'striving' i s softened

childhood union w i t h Nature; 31 'love'. The

into

u n d e r l y i n g a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t o f an aspiration, of a rock

intractable

obstacle to individual Nature) prevail, is

(destiny, can never 'Tat' and

a g a i n s t w h i c h t h e S t u r m und D r a n g h e r o has g o n e . The Goethean-Pichtean

original

f o r H o l d e r l i n the premature

t e a r i n g - o p e n o f t h e bud associates

t e a r i n g - a p a r t of the s o u l , a v i o l e n c e which readily with Pichte's

1

'ethical'

i d e a l i s m and itself, and

revolutionary f o r which the

'Streben , indeed, w i t h the w i l l poem m u s t l i t e r a l l y In his brief atone.

s t a y a t J e n a H o l d e r l i n had

found i n both categorical

Schiller

and P i c h t e t h e h a r s h manhood o f t h e 32

imperative. Schiller, letter

While

still

Waltershausen t h e t o n e and views

he

writes

to

a d a p t i n g , as a l w a y s ,

ideas of h i s
1

t o t h e p e r s o n a l i t y and

of i t s r e c i p i e n t : Ich w i l l own zu einem

In-

d e s s e n i c h muB w o l l e n , und Manne w e r d e n ' not won (B76, 52f.).

ich will. Schiller's

philosophy

was

without struggle:^3

- 21

W o h l d a r f s t d u d i r das r u h i g e N a t u r g l i i c k zum Z i e l i n d e r Ferne a u f s t e c k e n , aber nur j e n e s , welches der P r e i s d e i n e r W u r d i g k e i t i s t ... Jene N a t u r ... l i e g t h i n t e r d i r , s i e muB e w i g h i n t e r d i r l i e g e n . V e r l a s s e n v o n d e r L e i t e r , d i e d i c h t r u g , b l e i b t d i r j e t z t k e i n e a n d e r e Wahl raehr, a l s m i t f r e y e m B e w u B t s e y n und W i l l e n das G e s e t z zu e r g r e i f e n , o d e r r e t t u n g s l o s i n e i n e b o d e n l o s e T i e f e zu f a l l e n .

The

p a t e r n a l command t o go

o u t and

f i n d a place

i n the creates imwork,

w o r l d i s the law

of purpose; p r a c t i s e d , i t both

t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n s u b j e c t and

o b j e c t o f p u r p o s e , and forms

p l i c a t e s i n the world: i n i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s e d marriage, children

w h i c h m u s t p a s s away i n t o d e a t h . I t freedom, from a the

c o n t r a d i c t s the perspective of metaphysical which 'naive' acceptance of o r d i n a r y l i f e

a p p e a r s as

surrender

not t o Nature i n her

i d e a l t o t a l i t y but t o is- a

m e d i o c r i t y of fice

'biirgerliche VerhaltniBe' . This exposure t o the

sacri-

o f d i v i n e s t a t u s , an

meaningless 'Die Natur, zeigt

mechanical laws of the p h y s i c a l u n i v e r s e . wissen w i r , o b g l e i c h eine unendliche

GroBe i m Ganzen,

s i c h i n j e d e r e i n z e l n e n W i r k u n g a b h a n g i g und This c o n f l i c t is characteristic

bedurftig.'^

of the e a r l y Romantic embraced h i s relationship private hostile

movement; t h e e a g e r n e s s w i t h w h i c h t h e a r t i s t new to freedom accompanied p r o f o u n d s o c i e t y . While i n the middle become s e p a r a t e d and

changes i n h i s classes

p u b l i c and

life

t h e man

goes o u t i n t o a

world, l i t e r a t u r e , m o r a l and to

e v e n when, l i k e H y p e r i o n ,

i t contains typically provide

h e r o i c s u b j e c t - m a t t e r , i s addressed i f , as often,

t h e c l o s e t e d woman; and on,

i t d i d not

enough t o l i v e meister, social For

the f i r s t

r e s o r t was

t o become a H o f -

e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e homeless W a n d e r e r . ^ i s v i r t u a l l y d e f i n a b l e as one who

H o l d e r l i n the poet

22

' l o o k s upon a whole'

(4.156, 6 f . ) . I n Hyperion 'mutilated ,

1

t h e Germans existence, their 'Chamalis

are a t t a c k e d f o r t h e i r their

fragmented, lives,

contentment w i t h i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s e d
1

'Sorgen', ' G e s c h a f t e , eonsfarbe'. concentrated (in

'Treiben',

Notwerk': t h e i r

Next the metaphysical i n the f i g u r e

measure o f human l i f e

o f E m p e c l o k l e s , whose

conception of

the F r a n k f u r t plan) overlaps

w i t h the completion

Hyperion:

E m p e d o k l e s , d u r c h s e i n Gemtith und s e i n e P h i l o s o p h i e s c h o n l a n g s t zu K u l t u r h a B g e s t i m m t , zu V e r a c h t u n g a l l e s s e h r bestimmten G e s c h a f f t s , a l l e s nach verschiedenen Gegenstanden gerichteten Interesses, ein Todtfeind a l l e r einseitigen E x i s t e n z , und deswegen a u c h i n w i r k l i c h s c h o n e n V e r h a l t n i s s e n u n b e f r i e d i g t , u n s t a t , l e i d e n d , b i o s w e i l s i e besondere V e r h a l t n i s s e s i n d und, n u r im groBen A k k o r d m i t a l l e m L e b e n d i g e n e m p f u n d e n ganz i h n e r f i i . l i e n , b i o s w e i l e r n i c h t m i t a l l g e g e n w a r t i g e m H e r z e n i n n i g , w i e e i n G o t t , und f r e i und a u s g e b r e i t e t , w i e e i n G o t t , i n i h n e n l e b e n und l i e b e n k a n , b i o s w e i l e r , so b a l d s e i n H e r z und s e i n Gedanke das V o r h a n d e n e u m f a B t . ans Gesez d e r S u c c e s s i o n g e b u n d e n i s t (4.145, 5 -15)

Here i s t h e Empedoklean i d e a , c o n s i s t e n t t h r o u g h o u t a l l t h r e e v e r s i o n s . The conflict with l i f e i s metaphysical 56 n e v e r becomes t h e b a s i s of this failure into f o r a tragedy. Yet t h e u l t i m a t e cause self-proattitude and so

i s the overpowerful extending

element of

jection to

the hero,

t o Empedokles'

family:

E r s a g t , daB e r s e i n V/eib und s e i n e K i n d e r m i t s i c h nehme, daB e r s i e am H e r z e n t r a g e , n u r m e i n t e r , k o n n e n s i e i h n n i c h t b e h a i t e n . Der H o r i z o n t s e i i h m n u r zu e n g e , m e i n t e r , e r musse f o r t , utn h o l i e r s i c h zu s t e l l e n , urn aus d e r F e m e s i e m i t a l l e m , was da l e b e , a n z u b l i k e n , a n z u l a c h e l n . ( 4 . 1 4 6 , 25-29)

The

o u t l i n e s of personal

relationship

dissolve into

- 23 -

u n i v e r s a l v i s t a ... The first l e t t e r to Neuffer d e s c r i b i n g love f o r a simple Susette

Gontard e x p r e s s e s

j o y ; so t o o does t h e s e c o n d , shading.

some s i x months l a t e r , b u t w i t h a s l i g h t

I c h habe e i n e Welt v o n F r e u d e u m s c h i f f t , s e i t w i r una n i c h t mehr s c h r i e b e n . I c h h a t t e D i r g e r n e indefi v o n m i r e r z a h l t , w@&n i c h j e m a l s s t i l l e g e s t a n d e n ware und z u r i i k g e s e h e n h a t t e . D i e Wooge t r u g mich f o r t ; mein g a n z e s Wesen war immer z u s e h r im L e b e n , um iiber s i c h n a c h z u d e n k e n . Und noch i s t e s s o ! ( B 1 3 6 , 3-8)

One

senses, i f not a c o n f l i c t , a d i v i s i o n g r a p h i c a l l y i n t h e paragraph o r d e r i n g . The f i r s t the following exclamation paragraph i s

visible

reflection*; The ich motifs

i s a self-correction.

a n d images a r e f a m i l i a r from H y p e r i o n : ' I c h s e h ' , i s t i n d i e Wooge Kind,

s e h e , w i e d a s enden muJB. Das S t e u e r

g e f a l i e n und d a s S c h i f f w i r d , w i e a n d e n Fiifien e i n e r g r i f f e n und a n d i e F e l s e n g e s c h l e u d e r t ' Love's i n t e n s i t y i s experienced a l o s s of s e l f *im Leben'

( I , 136/3-5)

a s an overpowering f o r c e ,

'Achl i c h k b n n t e e i n J a h r t a u s e n d
1

l a n g i n s e e l i g e r B e t r a c h t u n g m i c h und a l l e s v e r g e s s e n , t h e l e t t e r continues selbst :

1

- and c a l l s
1

f o r t h t h e 'Rukkehr z u s i c h 'Geist'. darkening.

'Nachdenken' ( R e f l e x i o n ' ) ,

Some f i v e months l a t e r t h e d a y s a r e a l r e a d y In

a n a t m o s p h e r e no doubt p o i s o n e d by rumours and m a l i c -

i o u s g o s s i p , t h e p o e t s p e a k s o f ' L i e b e und HaB' ( B 1 4 0 , 23fo). Yet not j u s t s o c i e t y , love i t s e l f i s i n q u e s t i o n : 'Das

Schiksaal treibt wie

u n s v o r w a r t s und im K r e i s e herum ... ,

e i n e r , m i t dem d i e R o s s e davongegangen s i n d ' (^-7) The from t h e myth i n P l a t o ' s

ima<je comes, c o n s c i o u s l y o r n o t ,

Phaedrus w h i c h H o l d e r l i n knew so w e l l ; b u t a c h a r i o t e e r

2k

who

l o s e s c o n t r o l of t h o s e h o r s e s ,

of

energy s p i r i t u a l

and

p h y s i c a l , i s bound t o d e s t r u c t i o n . T h i s s e n s e o f endangerment u n d e r l i e s t h e longing for 'Rune' (27); sensual

psychic again, is a self-

'peace' p r e s u p p o s e s t h a t e m o t i o n a l and v e n t u r e of the commitment t o Now is still

life

s e l f i n t o an a l i e n r e a l m r a t h e r t h a n a another. t a k e up the t a l e . The

l e t t e r s to h i s b r o t h e r i n the summer o f 1797.

first

E s war m i r noch v o r wenig J a h r e n u n b e g r e i f l i c h , daB i r g e n d e i n e S i t u a t i o n , d i e u n s r e K r a f t z u r i i k h a l t , ... e i n e g i i n s t i g e g e n a n n t werden konne. J e z t f i i h l ' i c h manchmal, w e l c h e i n Gltik d a r i n n l i e g t , wenn i c h s i e m i t a n d e r n v e r g l e i c h e , d i e uns o f t zu v i e l aus uns e n t f e r n e n , d i e f u r uns d a s s i n d , was d e r Rxibsamen f u r d i e iker, d i e zu v i e l K r a f t a u s uns Z i e h e n , und uns f u r d i e F o l g e z e i t u n b r a u c h b a r machen.

(B1if2, 15-21)

It but

i s not

j u s t the

terrible

circumstances drawn him

i n Frankfurt i n t o them that drain-

f e a r of the

f o r c e t h a t has lines:

speaks through these i n g of v i t a l i t y and from t h e

a s u c c u b i n e s e i z i n g and

p o t e n c y ( t h e images t h e m s e l v e s come i n a g r i c u l t u r e ) , an experience

f e r t i l i s i n g process

of daemonic i n t e n s i t y known o n l y by by nature At the strange.

t h o s e t o whom l o v e i s

same t i m e a s t h e p a r t i n g i s t h u s o b l i q u e l y

antizu

c i p a t e d , H d l d e r l i n forms 'den ganz d e t a i l l i r t e n P l a n einem T r a u e r s p i e l e the F r a n k f u r t pretext off plan, ... , d e s s e n S t o f f mich h i n r e i B t '

(27-29):

i n w h i c h E m p e d o k l e s , p a r t l y on and

the sets

of a domestic q u a r r e l , l e a v e s w i f e

c h i l d r e n , and

f o r freedom,, In the l e t t e r o f 2 November F r a n k f u r t has become a the

h o s t i l e w o r l d e p i t o m i s e d by t h e m a l i c i o u s

j e a l o u s y of

- 25

t y r a n n i c a l m a s t e r o f t h e house $ t h e l i n e n a t u r a l l y from

of thought r u n s

' K a l t e und geheime U n t e r j o c h u n g s s u c h t ' ( 6 f . ) (35) h u t a g a i n w i t h t h e Bewegung

t o 'BewuBtseyn m e i n e r F r e i h e i t '

f e a r of ' tfberspannung' , 'unmaBige A n s t r e n g u n g und meines i n n e r n Lebens' ( 8 f . ) . ment and t h e s p e c i f i c

The p o e t ' s e m o t i o n a l i n v o l v e single

e n v i r o n m e n t merge i n t o a

conception, a process d e c i s i v e f o r the l a t e r p o e t i c development.

Und wer vermag s e i n Herz i n e i n e r s c h o n e n G r a n z e z u h a l t e n , wenn d i e W e l t a u f i n n m i t F a u s t e n e i n s c h l a g t ? J e angef o c h t e n e r w i r s i n d vom N i c h t s , d a s , w i e e i n Abgrund, um uns h e r uns a n g a h n t , o d e r a u c h vom t a u s e n d f a c h e n E t w a s d e r Ges e l l s c h a f t und d e r T h a t i g k e i t d e r Menschen, d a s g e s t a l t l o s , s e e l - und l i e b l o s una v e r f o l g t , z e r s t r e u t , um so l e i d e n s c h a f t l i c h e r und h e f t i g e r una g e w a l t s a m e r muB d e r W i d e r s t a n d von u n s r e r S e i t e werden. (17-22)

One

must i m a g i n e t h e i m p a c t o f F r a n k f u r t , now

t h e most

i m p o r t a n t c o m m e r c i a l c e n t r e i n Germany a f t e r Hamburg, on one who had been r a i s e d and e d u c a t e d i n so c l o i s t e r e d an man.

e n v i r o n m e n t . G o n t a r d h i m s e l f was a l e a d i n g b u s i n e s s Here, i n u t t e r c o n t r a s t to the world of thought,

whether

t h e I d e a l i s m of J e n a or t h e o l o g i c a l s t u d i e s of Tubingen, is a w o r l d o f m y r i a d i n t e r e s t s and p u r p o s e s , o f m a t e r i a l p r o b l e m s , i n t h e f a c e of w h i c h t h e e i g h t e e n t h century thought,

concerns, p r a c t i c a l

g r e a t p h i l o s o p h i c a l c r u x of l a t e t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n between harmonious The

r e a s o n and s e n s e s , becomes reality.

a b s t r a c t i o n c o n f r o n t e d by i n t r a c t a b l e

'BewuBtseyn m e i n e r F r e i h e i t '
1

t a u g h t by K a n t , t h e 'Zweck

an s i c h

w h i c h l i b e r a t e s from heteronomous d e t e r m i n i s m , by t h e man of a f f a i r s , the 'Realist'.

seems undermined

'Abgrund* e x p r e s s e s t h e ' H i c h t s ' o f m e a n i n g l e s s c a u s a l i t y ,

- 26

of f u t i l e m o r t a l i t y ; - ^ chaotic

the

'tausendfaches Etwas

i s the as

' T h a t i g k e i t ' of the middle c l a s s , the r e a l i t y , revolution* Etwas und

opposed t o F i c h t e a n ' S t r e b e n ' , o f b o u r g e o i s Such t h i n g s a r e Nichts' ity' ' a r m s e e l i g e M i t t e l d i n g e von

('Fragment von

H y p e r i o n ' , 1 8 3 / 6 f ) , and

such

'activ-

h a s become t y p i c a l o f i n v o l v e m e n t i n a

metaphysically with

c h a o t i c m u l t i p l i c i t y of w i l l s the s t i l l island of c h i l d h o o d

quite irreconcilable

e x i s t e n c e i n the A l l ; i n will, is im-

t h i s chaos l o v e too, being masculine plicated. The same i s e x p r e s s e d 1798:

y e t more c l e a r l y i n t h e

letter

of February

'Lieber K a r l !

es i s t o f t wiinschensu n s e r s Wesens b e s c h a f f t i g t oder

werther, bios mit der Oberflache

zu s e y n , a l s immer s e i n e ganze S e e l e , s e i e s i n L i e b e i n A r b e i t , der 19-22) . The shipwreck' of Greece, zerstorenden W i r k l i c h k e i t auszusezen'

(B152,

a d v e n t u r o u s p i l o t f a r out a t s e a h a s (32), now

'suffered way mir

and p e a c e f u l o r g a n i c d e v e l o p m e n t , t h e seems i m p o s s i b l e s ' ... schwerlich wird

e t w a s ganz g e l i n g e n , w e i l i c h meine N a t u r n i c h t i n Ruhe und anspruchloser Sorgenlosigkeit aufreifen l i e S ' quotations

(36-38).
from

I n t h e l e t t e r o f k J u l y ( B 1 6 2 ) t h e two

H y p e r i o n have b i o g r a p h i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e ; A l a b a n d a ' s a s s e r t i o n o f freedom d e f i e s t h e h u m i l i a t i n g t r e a t m e n t of t h e Hofto

m e i s t e r , Hyperion's a f f i r m a t i o n of s u f f e r i n g p o i n t s s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n t h r o u g h t h e form o f tragedy.

Thus the l o s s of S u s e t t e Gontard, c o n f l i c t w i t h world, and above a l l t h e p r o b l e m a t i c nature of l o v e ,

the follow

H S l d e r l i n i n t o t h e s e c l u s i o n o f Homburg. What i s needed i s no l e s s than the r e c o n s t r u c t i o n of a world that was

- 27

t h r o u g h l o v e d i v i n e ; and valent to 'wonderful' or

'divine

i s not

a metaphor to

equibe

'supremely r i g h t ' , but

understood l i t e r a l l y : finity.

' S e e l i g k e i t ' , an end

to time, i n writes:

I n t h e d r a f t of a l e t t e r to h e r H o l d e r l i n i c h d i e verschwundene G o t t h e i t

' T a g l i c h muB

wieder rufen'

(B182, 1 ) ; i n r e t r o s p e c t ,

from H a u p t w i l t o h i s b r o t h e r : hatte ein Un-

'zu A n f a n g meines A u f e n t h a l t s i n Homburg ... g l a u b e an d i e ewige L i e b e

s i c h meiner bemSchtiget' elegy w i l l be

(B231,

tf -7) . I t seems t h a t t r a g e d y and lated. The

closely re-

p a r a d o x of S o p h o c l e a n t r a g e d y , t h e t h e b i t t e r e s t c o n f l i c t , now

highest

artistic

unity depicting b o l i s e the

comes t o symutmost

a p p e a r a n c e of s u f f e r i n g t h a t e x p r e s s e s e x p e r i e n c e of F r a n k f u r t

d i v i n e r e a l i t y . The

becomes a hence-

d i s t o r t e d image o f t h e d i v i n e l y - s t r u c t u r e d s e l f ,

f o r t h n e c e s s a r i l y expressed i n d i r e c t l y , through s u f f e r i n g , not d i r e c t l y through love. 'Das tragische ... Gedicht ...

i s t d i e Metapher e i n e r i n t e l l e c t u e l l e n Anschauung' 6-8). divine Now H b l d e r l i n remembers t h e supreme example man

(^.266, of erauch

s u f f e r i n g : '0, L i e b e r ! wann w i r d

u n t e r uns

kennen, daB d i e hb'chste K r a f t i n i h r e r A'uBerung z u g l e i c h d i e B e s c h e i d e n s t e i s t , und daB das G 5 t t l i c h e , wenn e s Demuth love, gap

h e r v o r g e h t , n i e m a l s ohne e i n e g e w i s s e T r a u e r und s e y n k a n n ? ' ( B 1 6 9 i 23 -26). The the h u m i l i a t i n g humble ' i s l a n d ' of

d e p a r t u r e , i n d e e d t h e whole a b y s m a l reality, find

between a s p i r a t i o n ( ' E h r g e i z ' ) and f i c a t i o n i n the

justi-

f i g u r e o f C h r i s t , whereby t h e

dualistic of

a d a p t a t i o n o f the J u d a e o - C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n i n terms spirit and matter, already intimated i n the

'Phanomeno-logie'

- 28

of H y p e r i o n , emerges more c l e a r l y now by s u f f e r i n g . The t o man: the 'still

that i t i s enriched self-revelation the the and high-

t r a d i t i o n i s t h a t o f God's

s m a l l v o i c e ' h e a r d by E l i j a h ,

s u f f e r i n g S e r v a n t o f t h e L o r d p r o c l a i m e d by I s a i a h , lamb b r o u g h t t o s l a u g h t e r , and f i n a l l y t h e p a s s i o n d e a t h o f t h e s o n o f God, i n Johannine

C h r i s t o l o g y the

e s t a c t o f l o v e o f t h e d i v i n e Logos t o w a r d s t h e w o r l d . I t now provides a p h i l o s o p h i c a l s t r u c t u r e enabling the not o n l y t o be p r e s e r v e d , b u t a spirit of l o v e . suffering anticipated i n to remain 'Gott

i n uns' was

what i t

i n Hyperion:

Thus t h e s e p a r a t i o n and

H y p e r i o n h a v e become r e a l i t y . L i k e E m p e d o k l e s , H o l d e r l i n w i t h d r a w s t o t h e h e i g h t s , t o Homburg v o r d e r Hbhe, and down upon t h e w o r l d , 'Da ... 'upon a whole', namely, F r a n k f u r t . sehe i i b e r Franklooks

s t e i g e i c h a u f den Hugel ... und

f u r t i n d i e w e i t e n F e r n e n h i n a u s ' (B17^, 64-67; c f . t h e last s t r o p h e o f 'Wohl geh' ich taglich ... '). The 'weite

F e r n e n ' of an i n f i n i t e p e r s p e c t i v e h a v e a b s o r b e d world o f men

both the world.

and t h e l o v e w h i c h i m p l i c a t e d i n t h a t t h e y merge.

But n o t o n l y a r e t h e y t h u s t r a n s c e n d e d ;

Man kann j e z t den Menschen n i c h t a l l e s g e r a d e h e r a u s s a g e n , denn s i e s i n d zu t r a g und e i g e n l i e b i g , um d i e Gedankenl o s i g k e i t und I r r e l i g i o n , w o r i n n s i e s t e k e n , w i e e i n e v e r p e s t e t e S t a d t zu v e r l a s s e n , und a u f d i e B e r g e zu f l i i c h t e n , wo r e i n e r e L u f t i s t und Sonn und S t e r n e n a h e r s i n d und wo man h e i t e r i n d i e Unruhe d e r Welt h i n a b s i e h t , das h e i B t , wo man zum G e f i i h l e d e r G o t t h e i t s i c h e r h o b e n h a t , und aus d i e s e m a l l e s b e t r a c h t e t , was da war und i s t und seyn wird. ( B 1 7 0 , 52-59)

Withdrawal i s thus the premise

not

only f o r forgiveness

b u t f o r t h e p r i e s t l y r o l e of c o n v e r s i o n . E m p e d o k l e s '

- 29 -

i n j u r y (AergerniB') a t the hands of the people, h i s w i t h drawal, and subsequent r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , are a memory of C h r i s t ' s agape upon the Cross, 'Keinen Fluch! er muB l i e b e n ..o (4.481, 20) of 'Father, f o r g i v e them; f o r they

know what they do'. Yet the pleas beseeching Empedokles t o come down from Etna and back i n t o human l i f e are, by analogy t o C h r i s t ' s t e m p t a t i o n i n the wilderness where, on an 'exceeding h i g h mountain', he i s shown ' a l l the kingdoms of the w o r l d ' , r e j e c t e d . The magnitude of the 'AergerniB' i s too g r e a t : the d i s r u p t i o n of the l o v e r s * 'geheimere Welt was an offence against the D i v i n e by the e g o t i s t i c Frankf u r t w o r l d . Such extremes preclude compromise: l i f e i s e i t h e r Beauty, 'goldne k i n d i s c h e Ahndungen' (B115 13) or the Beast. The i n j u r y done by F r a n k f u r t (so t o o , i n John's Gospel,

'the world knew him n o t ' ) f i n d s expression y e t more readi l y i n the f i g u r e of A c h i l l e s . Homer ' laBt i h n z u r i i k t r e t e n ( w e i l s i c h der J u n g l i n g i n seiner g e n i a l i s c h e n Natur vom r a n g s t o l z e n Agamemnon, a l s e i n Unendlicher unendlich be-

l a i d i g e t f u h l t ) ' ( 4 . 2 2 5 , 1 0 - 1 2 ) . Yet t h i s sense of ' B e l a i d i gung', so f e e l i n g l y conveyed i n the f i r s t l e t t e r from Homburg, i s no more than a c o n f i r m a t i o n of what the poet already knew and had, i n the only u n d e r l i n e d passage of the n o v e l , put i n t d the mouth of D i o t i m a . ^

Wem einmal, so, wie d i r , d i e ganze Seele b e l a i d i g e t war der r u h t n i c h t mehr i n e i n z e l n e r Freude, wer so, wie du, das fade Nichts g e f i i h l t , e r h e i t e r t i n hochstem Geiste s i c h nur, wer so den Tod e r f u h r , wie du, e r h o h l t a l l e i n s i c h unter den Gottern. (Hyperion, I I , 68 /11-15)

- 30

I t i s , then, an archetypal h u r t which has merely r e curred i n the l o s s o f Diotima: the F a l l from 'Seeligkeit'

( s e l f - f o r g e t t i n g d i v i n e existence) i n t o consciousness. I n transcendental terms, Subject and Object, which f i r s t f e l l apart when childhood ended, have d i v i d e d again. The memory of childhood and the l o s s o f Diotima become f o r m a l l y i d e n t i c a l i n the d e f i n i t i o n of tragedy: 'Der Gott und Mensch scheint Eins, darauf e i n Schiksaal, das a l l e Demuth und a l i e n Stolz des Menschen e r r e g t und am Ende Verehrung der Himmlischen e i n e r s e i t s und a n d e r e r s e i t s e i n g e r e i n i g t e s Gemiith a l s Menscheneigentum zuriiklaBt' (B203, 38-41). Yet t h i s d e f i n i t i o n of t r a g i c c a t h a r s i s would serve as a summary o f 'Elegie'. The withdrawal from love i s necessary, ' d e s t i n y ' , and f o l l o w s an a r c h e t y p a l myth of d i s c o r d ; i t r e f l e c t s a choice, p r e f e r r i n g t h a t love should always remain something strange, mysterious, wonderful, and never enter the m e d i o c r i t y o f l i f e . The l o v e - a f f a i r remains nevertheless the event o f H o l d e r l i n ' s l i f e , and whereas i n Hyperion Diotima was no more than the highest example of Hyperion's r e l a t i o n s h i p to the world and the most important stage i n h i s 'Bildung', now the unique and p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y o f experience defines

and concretises the cosmic i d e a l . What l i f e has l o s t , p o e t r y gains. The withdrawal o f Empedokles t o h i s l o n e l y h e i g h t s , of A c h i l l e s t o h i s t e n t , makes c l e a r t h a t she was and i s the world and t h a t i n her, the one person, was conc e n t r a t e d , i n a l o s s of s e l f i n which a l l else was f o r g o t t e n , an e n t i r e c a p a c i t y f o r r e l a t i o n s h i p . This synthesis of a b s t r a c t and concrete, f u l f i l l i n g the t h e o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e

- 31 ~

of the d i v i n e i n d i v i d u a l , c a r r i e s out an impossible compromise between love f o r the A l l , Hyperion's r a i s o n d ' e t r e , and love f o r something, someone. The progressive 'Verlaugnung a l l e s A c c i d e n t e l l e n ' (B183, k7f. , 6 6 f . ) throughout the three v e r s i o n s , above

a l l i n the e l i m i n a t i o n o f Empedokles' s o c i a l environment, r e f l e c t s the poet's own progressive c u t t i n g of the bonds t h a t t i e t o r e a l l i f e . By the 'Grund zum Empedokles' Hold e r l i n can say: ' I n diesem unabhangigen V e r h a l t n i s s e l e b t er' (4.160, 18); and we can no longer t e l l whether the sequestered garden i s meant, or the l o n e l y h e i g h t s of Etna where the t h i r d v e r s i o n begins, the town, l i k e F r a n k f u r t , l e f t behind, a c i t y of the p l a i n , and Empedokles close now

to heaven, ' f r e i , wie F i t t i g e des Himmels' ( I I I , 2k). When he dismisses Pausanias

Habt i h r zum Dolche d i e Erinnerung Nicht mir gemacht ... ? Nein! du b i s t ohne Schuld nur kann i c h , Sohn! Was mir zu nahe kommt, n i c h t wohl e r t r a g e n .
(Ill, 152-56)

the l a s t human f i g u r e leaves h i s w o r l d , and t h e r e a f t e r

he speaks only t o 'Manes' ( L a t i n f o r the (shades of t h e ) dead): 'Seit i c h den Lebenden/ Gestorben b i n , die Todten' ( I I I , 3^f.).
k6

erstehen mir

He speaks w i t h h i m s e l f .

That A c h i l l e s i s , through the loss of B r i s e i s , 'als ein Unendlicher unendlich b e l a i d i g e t ' ( c f . 'Unendlich t r i f t

es den Unendlichen', of Empedokles ( I , 2048)) i s the negative c o r o l l a r y t o the d i v i n i t y of l o v e , the c o n v i c t i o n t h a t i t i s an i n f i n i t e S p i r i t of which l o v e r s partake (and

- 32 -

upon which they bestow 'Dank , f i n i t e form). The absolute v a l i d i t y of i n d i v i d u a l experience now takes revenge i n the 'endless'-ness of p a i n and resentment. Both the o b j e c t i v i s i n g p r o j e c t i o n onto a m y t h o l o g i c a l character and the c o n c e p t u a l i s a t i o n ( ' i n f i n i t e ' ) i t s e l f are an attempt t o understand and overcome t h i s emotion. The search f o r detachment t o which the l a s t l e t t e r s of F r a n k f u r t and the f i r s t of Homburg bear witness can be summarised i n one concept: 'Verstand'. ' ... wer n i c h t l e i d e n w i l l , leidet

auch niemals. Es i s t f r e i l i c h eine A r b e i t , b i s man die auBeren Z u f a l l e e i n wenig g l e i c h g i i l t i g e r ansehen g e l e r n t '

(B157, 17-19).

... d i e Welt z e r s t o r t uns b i s auf den Grund, wenn w i r Jede Belaidigung geradezu i n s Herz gehen lassen, und d i e Besten mussen schlechterdings ... zu Grunde gehen, wenn s i e n i c h t ... a l l e s , was d i e Menschen ihnen aus N o t h d u r f t und Geistesund Herzensschwache anthun, i n den ruhigen Verstand aufnehmen, s t a t t i n s gute Germith, das auch, wenn es gekrankt i s t , von seiner GroBmuth n i c h t lassen kann, und den armen Belaidigungen der Menschen d i e Ehre widerfahren l a B t , s i e hoch zu nehmen ... der ruhige Verstand i s t d i e h e i l i g e Aegide, d i e im Kriege der Welt das Herz vor g i f t i g e n P f e i l e n bewahrt. Und i c h glaube ... , daB d i e s e r ruhige Verstand ... kann erworben werden. (B172, 8-23)

'Es i s t f r e i l i c h n i c h t g u t , daB i c h so zerstb'rbar b i n ' (B173? 2 0 f . ) . 'Verstand' i s 'Bestimmtheit', l i m i t a t i o n i n and t h e r e f o r e c e r t a i n t y r e g a r d i n g the emotion and i t s o b j e c t .

... b i n i c h nur einmal so weit ... , im Mangelhaften weniger den unbestimmten Schmerz ... , a l s genau seinen eigentumlichen a u g e n b l i k l i c h e n , besondern Mangel zu f i i h l e n und zu sehen, und so auch im Bessern seine eigene Schonheit, sein k a r a k t e r i s t i s c h e s Gute zu erkennen, und weniger b e i e i n e r allgemeinen Empfindung stehen zu b l e i b e n ... , so w i r d mein Gemuth mehr Ruhe, und meine T h a t i g k e i t einen s t e t i g e r e n Fortgang f i n d e n . Denn wenn w i r einen Mangel nur unendlich empfinden, so sind w i r ... geneigt, diesem Mangel

53

nur u n e n d l i c h abhelfen zu w o l l e n ...

(B179, 14 -49)

I n t h i s sense he w r i t e s t o S i n c l a i r : *Du w e i s t , wie sehr das solche VerhaTtnisse, wie unseres i s t , s i c h e r t , daB man

s i c h b e g r e i f t und r e c h t bestimmt im Auge hat' (B171, 1 9 f O For Empedokles withdrawal i s the premise f o r a C h r i s t l i k e act of r e c o n c i l i a t i o n through s a c r i f i c i a l death. This death, the e s s e n t i a l continuum throughout a l l three v e r s i o n s , i s the theme of the f a s c i n a t i n g 'Grund zum Empedokles'. The 'Grund' i t s e l f , the b a s i s , i s the harmonious r e l a t i o n -

ship of man and Nature: 'Natur und Kunst s i n d s i c h im r e i n e n Leben nur harmonisch entgegengesezt ... dann i s t d i e V o l l endung da, und das Gb'ttliche i s t i n der M i t t e von beiden' ( 4 . 1 5 2 , 12f., 1 8 f . ) . The immediate m o t i v a t i o n , however, i s the a l i e n a t e d r e l a t i o n s h i p between man and Nature i n the h i s t o r i c a l Empedokles' environment. He i s ' e i n Sohn seines

Himmels und seiner Periode, seines Vaterlandes, e i n Sohn der gewaltigen Entgegensezungen von Natur und Kunst i n denen d i e Welt vor seinen Augen erschien' ( 4 . 1 5 4 , 25-27) and 'ein solcher Mensch kann nur aus der hochsten Entgegensezung von Natur und Kunst erwachsen' ( 4 . 1 5 5 2 0 f . ) ; 'So i s t Empedokles ... das Resultat seiner Periode, und s e i n Karakter weist auf diese zuriik, so wie er aus d i e s e r hervorgieng' ( 3 1 f . ) . This i s a most powerful emphasis on the h i s t o r i c a l r e l a t i v i t y of Empedokles' deed, which thus seems t o cont r a s t u t t e r l y w i t h the absolute meaning of C h r i s t ' s death. 'So s o l l t e ... Empedokles e i n Opfer seiner Z e i t werden' ( 4 . 1 5 7 i 1 4 ) , What he does i s comprehended by the u n i v e r s a l

- 34 ~

formula 'man and Nature' ('Subject-Object'), and t h e r e f o r e i s , so the polemical i m p l i c a t i o n , a t l e a s t i n theoryp o s s i b l e f o r anyone. I t t r a n s p i r e s , however, t h a t the supposedly unique h i s t o r i c a l context i s based upon the s u p r a - h i s t o r i c a l p o l a r i t y : Germany (= modern world)/Greece ( a n c i e n t w o r l d ) , and t h a t Empedokles' world i s simply the r e v e r s a l of H51d e r l i n ' s own. With c l i m a t e , 'der gliihende Himmelsstrich und d i e uppige S i c i l i a n i s c h e Natur' (4.158, ? f ; c f . 2 9 ) , as p h y s i c a l determinant, Nature r u l e s over Magna Graecia: 'Die Natur ... beherrschte seine f r e i g e i s t e r i s c h e n Z e i t genossen mit i h r e r Macht und ihrem Reize' ( 4 . 1 5 9 22-24). 'Bei uns' 147/6) t h a t i s , i n the c o l d n o r t h ( c f . Hyperion, I ,

' i s t s umgekehrt' (B2J6, 30). Presumably the con-

t r a s t i s between the s p e c u l a t i v e cosmogonies and cosmol o g i e s i n the p r e - S o c r a t i c t r a d i t i o n and the s c i e n t i f i c approach o f Newton and G a l i l e o whose t h e o r e t i c a l voice was Bacon's empiricism. However, the sheer vagueness o f the terminology enables H o l d e r l i n simultaneously t o t r e a t Agrigent as though i t were i t s opposite, the Europe o f c i r c a 1800 t h a t 'appeared

before' h i s own 'eyes'. Thus the relevance o f Empedokles' s o l u t i o n , already guaranteed by the r e v e r s i b i l i t y of s e t t i n g s , becomes acute: 'die f r e i g e i s t e r i s c h e Kuhnheit ... muBte b e i Empedokles ... urn einen S c h r i t t w e i t e r gehen, er muBte des Unbekannten Meister zu werden suchen ... , sein Geist muBte der D i e n s t b a r k e i t so sehr entgegenstreben, daB er d i e uberwaltigende Natur zu umfassen, durch und durch zu verstehen, und i h r e r bewuBt zu werden suchen muBte' (4.158,

- 35

30-159> 4 ) ; y e t w i t h o u t H o l d e r l i n having t o abandon the h i s t o r i c a l p o l a r i t y which makes Empedokles' a c t a response t o Nature's power over men. Thus s a c r i f i c i a l death appears as the supreme s o l u t i o n not but the j u s t t o the one d i s t o r t i o n of harmonious relationship, 47

t o the other: man's mastery over Nature. ' And although type of such mastery i s c e r t a i n l y science, the
1

frei-

g e i s t e r i s c h e Kuhnheit' thus acquires y e t more immediate relevance; 'dieses negative Rasonniren, Nichtdenken des Unbekannten, das b e i einem ubermiithigen Volke so n a t i i r l i c h ist
1

(4 .158* 3 1 f ) can r e f e r t o the p h i l o s o p h i c a l systems

by F i c h t e and S c h e l l i n g . The f a c t t h a t a t l e a s t the former must represent r u l e over Nature ('Nicht-Ich') by Reason ('Ich') does not impair the symmetry? H o l d e r l i n , l i k e 48 Empedokles a poet, must 'go one step f u r t h e r ' than they. Since t h i s f u r t h e r step i s also the f u r t h e s t , death, the h i s t o r i c a l - f i c t i o n a l d i s t i n c t i o n between the author and h i s c r e a t i o n becomes c r i t i c a l . The Empedoklean a c t i s described thus ( 4 . 1 5 2 , 1 2 f . , 22-153, 13): Natur und Kunst sind s i c h im r e i n e n Leben nur harmonisch entgegengesezt ... Aber dieses Leben i s t nur im Gefuhle und n i c h t f i i r d i e ErkenntniB vorhanden. S o i l es erkennbar seyn, so inuB es dadurch s i c h d a r s t e l l e n , daS es im UbermaaBe der I n n i g k e i t , wo s i c h d i e Entgegengesezten verwechseln, s i c h t r e n n t , da das organische das s i c h zu sehr der Natur uberl i e B und s e i n Wesen und Bewustseyn vergafi, i n das Extrem der S e l b s t t h a t i g k e i t und Kunst und R e f l e x i o n , d i e Natur hingegen wenigstens i n i h r e n Wirkungen auf den r e f l e c t i r enden Menschen i n das Extrem des Aorgischen, des Unbegreifl i c h e n , des Unfuhlbaren, des Unbegrenzten ubergeht, b i s ... die beiden u r s p r i i n g l i c h e i n i g e n s i c h wie anfangs begegnen, nur daB d i e Natur organischer durch den c u l t i v i r e n d e n Menschen ... , hingegen der Mensch a o r g i s c h e r , allgemeiner, unendlicher geworden i s t . DiB Gefuhl gehort v i e l e i c h t zum hochsten ... , wenn beide entgegengesezte, der v e r a l l g e meinerte g e i s t i g lebendige k i i n s t l i c h r e i n aorgische Mensch

- 36 -

und d i e Wohlgestalt der Natur s i c h begegnen.

The

'Grund' i s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between man

(as c i v i l -

i s i n g i n s t a n c e , 'das Organische')

and Nature ( t h e i n f i n i t e and therefore, i n 'das Aorgische') . The

' N i c h t - I c h ' which has no consciousness Fichtean terms, r e s i s t s o r g a n i s a t i o n : initial

'Trennung' expresses the s t a t e of a l i e n a t i o n and

discord p e r t a i n i n g i n the world of Magna Graecia: a d i v i s i o n was the necessary r e a c t i o n against the overpowering warmth of Mediterranean Nature, so t h a t the f i r s t stage ( ' I n n i g k e i t ' , 'Selbstvergessenheit') has given way t o a ' f r e i g e i s t e r i s c h e Kiihnheit'. The e f f e c t of t h i s 'Trennung' upon Nature maintains the h i s t o r i c a l p o l a r i t y (ancient/modern), f o r she passes t o 'das Extrem des aorgischen, des Unbeg r e i f l i c h e n ' , so t h a t the A g r i g e n t i n e r have a s i m i l a r d e s t i n y t o the Egyptians' i n Hyperion: 'Wie e i n p r a c h t i g e r Despot, w i r f t seine Bewohner der o r i e n t a l i s c h e Himmelsstrich m i t seiner Macht und seinem Glanze zu Boden ... das

Hochste, was der Aegyptier nennt, i s t ... e i n schauerhaft Rathsel ... I s i s ' ( I , 1^6/12-1 ^7/3). But the e f f e c t upon man again b l u r s the p o l a r i t y ; ' S e l b s t t h a t i g k e i t und Kunst und Reflexion', although i t could r e f e r t o Greek i n t e l l e c t u a l

l i f e , i s supremely apt f o r the Enlightenment. The next paragraph analyses the r o l e of the i n d i v i d u a l : ' I n der M i t t e l i e g t der Kampf, und der Tod des Einzelnen' (^153? 18), a 'death' t h a t t h e r e f o r e 'mediates' between

man and Nature. The i n d i v i d u a l who dies thus i s d i v i n e : 'das G B t t l i c h e i s t i n der M i t t e von beiden' (4.152, 18f.) I f t h i s ' s t r u g g l e ' (between the i n d i v i d u a l and Nature) i s

- 37

t o have such supreme importance f o r h i s c o u n t r y and/or f o r mankind, i f h i s a c t i s t o be f i t t e d i n t o the h i s t o r i c a l process described i n the f i r s t paragraph, i n which at f i r s t s i g h t a s p e c i f i c i n d i v i d u a l seemed i r r e l e v a n t , i t must be located ' i n the middle' of t h a t paragraph, namely,

where ' das organische . .. s i c h zu sehr der Natur i i b e r l i e B und sein Wesen und BewuStseyn vergaB'. The disadvantage o f thus i d e n t i f y i n g the i n d i v i d u a l death w i t h the ' s e l f abandonment' of the people t o Nature (which can be cont r i v e d by t r e a t i n g 'das organische' as the general consciousness and the i n d i v i d u a l ' s death as i t s extreme but c h a r a c t e r i s t i c m a n i f e s t a t i o n ) i s t h a t the h i s t o r i c a l aspect has t o be discarded; f o r the self-abandonment was not 'Kampf but the o p p o s i t e , the warm intimacy of ' I n n i g k e i t ' . L o g i c a l l y , then, the 'death' of the i n d i v i d u a l belongs at a l a t e r stage (atonement) than t h a t of a l i e n a t i o n , and at l e a s t two stages a f t e r the i n i t i a l ' I n n i g k e i t ' whose 'tfbermaaB' causes the t r o u b l e . Perhaps i t could be f i t t e d i n t o the 'Fortgang der entgegengesezten Wechselwirkungen',

a most vague phrase which by no means f o l l o w s from the s t a t e of extremes (why should there be any f u r t h e r 'Wechselwirkung' a t a l l i f a l i e n a t i o n has become so severe?). H S l d e r l i n avoids the whole problem through c o n s i s t e n t vagueness: f o r example, the d e p i c t i o n of a c u l t u r a l epoch i s only h i n t e d a t ; 'Kunst' and 'Mensch' are used interchangeably i n p o l a r i t y w i t h Nature; the ambiguity of 'Kunst' ( a r t / c i v i l i s a t i o n ) leaves open the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t the i n d i v i d u a l may s p e c i f i c a l l y be an a r t i s t . Thus the i n d i v i d u a l ' s 'death', because i t corresponds

38

t e r m i n o l o g i c a l l y t o the 'self-abandonment',

s l i d e s unparagraph

hindered i n t o place ' i n the middle' of the f i r s t

and t h e r e w i t h of the h i s t o r i c a l process: 'derjenige Moment, wo das organische seine I c h h e i t , s e i n besonderes Daseyn, das zum Extreme geworden war ... a b l e g t , indem das besondere auf seinem Extrem gegen das Extrem des aorgischen

s i c h t h a t i g immer mehr v e r a l l g e m e i n e r n , immer mehr von seinem M i t t e l p u n c t e s i c h reiSen muB' (4.153? 18-24) (even though the i n i t i a l premise of 'extremes' again l o c a t e s the

'death' a f t e r the a l i e n a t i o n ) . This surrender of s e l f r e u n i t e s man 22 -154, 1 ) , and Nature through a r e v e r s a l of r o l e s (4.153? whereupon 'der vereinende Moment, wie e i n Trug-

b i l d , s i c h immer mehr a u f l S s t ... , dadurch aber und durch seinen Tod d i e kampfenden Extreme aus denen er hervorgieng, schoner versohnt und v e r e i n i g e t , a l s i n seinem Leben ... , so daB d i e beiden Extreme, wovon das eine, das organische

durch den vergehenden Moment zuriikgeschrekt . .. und d i e I n n i g k e i t des vergangenen Moments nun ... k l a r e r hervorgeht' ( 4 . 1 5 4 , 10-24)o The f a c t t h a t t h i s i n d i v i d u a l i s Empedokles, and t h a t the 'death' i s h i s s u i c i d e i n Etna, remains so f a r unment-

ioned. Thereby H o l d e r l i n r e t a i n s the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t 'death' i s a f i g u r e of speech f o r 'intense' experience r a t h e r than l i t e r a l c e s s a t i o n , but i n so doing creates f o r h i m s e l f an i n s o l u b l e problem. I f the 'death' i s l i t e r a l , bound t o time and place ( f o u r t h century B.C., to then i t i s S i c i l y ) and

an i n d i v i d u a l , and i s t h e r e f o r e unique; otherwise,

Empedokles' death i s i r r e l e v a n t . (There i s here a l a t e n t s t r u g g l e between the democratic c o n v i c t i o n t h a t a l l men have

- 39 -

d i v i n e p o t e n t i a l , and worship o f t h e a r i s t o c r a t i c d i f f e r ence of the demi-god ( o r Homeric hero) w i t h i t s l o n g i n g f o r a s i m i l a r super-human r o l e . ) The ambiguity o f 'Tod' ( r e s u l t i n g p a r t l y from raythopoeic p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n ( o f 'Moment') r e m i n i s c e n t of Hegel; i s i t t h e i n d i v i d u a l or t h e 'moment' t h a t 'dies'?) n o t only suggests the mimetic p o s s i b i l i t y of a r t , but the h i s t o r i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e t h a t such a 'Nachahmung' (4.283, 26) might possess. S i m i l a r l y , Empedokles d i e s not only i n order t h a t man and Nature may be r e c o n c i l e d , b u t so t h a t 'the D i v i n e no longer appears sensually' ( 4 . 1 5 ^ , 1 6 ) , as f l e s h and blood; t h e r e w i t h t h e a c t i s open t o a l l . One i n t e n t i o n o f the but drama, t h e superseding o f C h r i s t , would thus be achieved, only i f the death loses a l l b u t p u r i f y i n g s i g n i f i c a n c e .

I f , however, p h y s i c a l death remains paradigmatic l o s s o f s e l f , then C h r i s t has merely gained a r i v a l . This dilemma i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e appended 'und durch seinen Tod' (4.154, 1 3 ) i which i m p l i e s t h a t t h e r e v e r s a l of r o l e s j u s t described i s n o t i t s e l f t h e 'death' the an i m p l i c a t i o n c o n t r a d i c t e d by

programmatic opening o f the paragraph ( t h e ambivalence

i n 'seinen' ('des Einzelnen' or 'des Moments'?) smooths i t over). The progressive 'Verlaugnung a l l e s A c c i d e n t e l l e n ' i s no longer merely the p r o j e c t i v e withdrawal from s o c i a l chains; r e f l e c t e d here i s an i n c r e a s i n g w i l l t o break down the b a r r i e r between the f i c t i o n a l hero and the author. I f

Empedokles i s t o replace C h r i s t , so too t h e poet i s obstructed by t h e ' s e n s u a l i t y ' o f h i s c r e a t i o n from himself f u l f i l l i n g a deed open t o a l l . The p h y s i c a l i s g i v i n g way t o t h e

- kO -

i m a g i n a t i v e 'death'. This s u b o r d i n a t i o n of the dramatic t o the l y r i c treatment i s c l e a r l y a n t i c i p a t e d i n the precedin

Allgemeiner Grund': 'Es i s t d i e t i e f s t e I n n i g k e i t , d i e s i c h im t r a g i s c h e n dramatischen Gedichte ausdriikt. ... wenn w i r . .. das eigene Gemiith und d i e eigene E r f ahrung i n einen fremden analogischen S t o f f ubertragen ... dieses B i l d der I n n i g k e i t ... muB . .. i i b e r a l l mehr dem Symbol s i c h nahern ... , j e naher dem nefas d i e I n n i g k e i t i s t ' ( 4 . 1 5 0 , 1f.,

1 5 f i 2 0 - 2 3 ) . I n s h o r t : the opening paragraph of the 'Grund zum Empedokles' r e f e r s t o the p o e t i c experience as H o l d e r l i n now, i n Homburg, conceives i t :

Although expressed i n terms of 'Natur' and 'Kunst', and thus p o t e n t i a l l y a p p l i c a b l e t o Greece, u l t i m a t e l y the l o s t harmony i s t h a t of childhood union w i t h Nature; the a n t i t h e s i s between 'Gefuhl' and 'ErkenntniB' r e v e a l s t h a t the 'Trennung* i s the P a l l 'aus dem Garten der Natur': from innocence i n t o consciousness. I n the l o s s of s e l f t o Nature and ensuing 'Trennung' i s also conveyed the act o f love w i t h i t s cosmic s i g n i f i c a n c e , now 'preserved' i n the 'vessel ...

of memory (and so i n the past: 'sich ... UberlieB und

vergaB*) and thus a s s i m i l a t e d t o the e l e g i a c s t r u c t u r e o f cosmic harmony ( l o s t d i v i n i t y i s l o s t ' S e e l i g k e i t ' ) . The

'Extrem der S e l b s t t h a t i g k e i t und Kunst und R e f l e x i o n ' expresses the poet's independence and s o l i t a r y brooding i n Homburg; but the opaque and daemonic i n f i n i t y ('das Extrem des aorgischen, des U h b e g r e i f l i c h e n , des Unfuhlbaren, des Unbegrenzten'; 'aorgisch' suggests Greek orge, ' w i l d passion') i s the n a t u r a l w o r l d , above a l l the sky, before which the s p i r i t u a l l y homeless poet stands as before the

- 41 -

endless universe i t s e l f , an experience whose wonder has been bought a t the p r i c e of i t s t e r r o r :

Denn, wie d i e Pflanze, w u r z e l t auf eignem Grund Sie n i c h t , v e r g l i i h t d i e Seele des S t e r b l i c h e n , Der mit dem Tageslichte nur, e i n Armer, auf h e i l i g e r Erde wandelt. &u machtig achl i h r himmlischen HcJhen z i e h t I h r mich empor ...

These l i n e s from 'Mein Eigentum' (25-29) were probablyw r i t t e n a t t h i s very time. Yet the process of l o s s and the moment of f e a r are harmonious stages i n the genesis of the p o e t i c 'spirit'

whose end i s a meeting of l o v e r s : ' DiB Gefuhl gehcSrt v i e l e i c h t zum hd'chsten, was g e f u h l t werden kann, wenn ... der Mensch und d i e Wohlgestalt ...

der Natur s i c h begegnen.' I t

i s the f r u i t of an e r o t i c loss of s e l f t o Nature. I n a l l three passages d e s c r i b i n g the Empedoklean act i t i s not a death; i t i s l i k e a death; Empedokles 'muBte nach I d e n t i t a t m i t i h r r i n g e n , so muBte also sein Geist ... aorgische Gestalt annehmen, von a i c h s e l b s t und seinem M i t t e l p u n c t e s i c h reiBen, immer s e i n Object so iibermaBig p e n e t r i r e n , daB er i n ihra, wie i n einem Abgrund, s i c h v e r l o r ' ( 4 . 1 5 9 , c f . 152, 23-153, 1; 153, 18-24). The s u i c i d e i n the 5-9;

'Abgrund' of Etna has become loss of s e l f i n the 'abyss' of Nature, the Unknown, the Other, and the gap between the a r t i s t and h i s work caused by the form and content of the drama has become an o b s t r u c t i o n t o the p e r f e c t i o n of t h i s a c t . By the f i n a l v e r s i o n Empedokles has become a 'Trugbild
1

( I I I , 333;

c f . 4.154, 10),

h i s very r e a l i t y questioned

- 42 -

by an a l t e r ego.
1

E r k e n n t n i f i ' , the F a l l , i s both self-awareness and knowledj

of death.

... im Kind' i s t F r e i h e i t a l l e i n . I n ihm i s t Frieden; es i s t noch m i t s i c h s e l b e r n i c h t z e r f a l i e n ... Es i s t u n s t e r b l i c h , denn es weiB vom Tode nichts. (Hyperion, I , 13/10 -14)

The a n t i t h e s i s i s Wissenschaft':

Die Wissenschaft, der i c h i n den Schacht h i n u n t e r f o l g t e , von der i c h , j u g e n d l i c h t h b r i c h t , d i e Bestatigung meiner r e i n e n Freude e r w a r t e t e , d i e hat mir a l l e s verdorben. I c h b i n b e i euch so r e c h t v e r n u n f t i g geworden, habe g r u n d l i c h mich unterscheiden g e l e r n t von dem, was mich umgiebt, b i n nun v e r e i n z e l t i n der schonen Welt, b i n so ausgeworfen aus dem Garten der Natur, wo i c h wuchs und b l u h t e , und v e r t r o k n e an der Mittagssonne (Hyperion, I , 11/14-12/2)

Nun sprach i c h nimmer zu der Blume, du b i s t meine Schwesteri und zu den Quellen, w i r s i n d Eines Geschlechts! i c h gab nun t r e u l i c h , wie e i n Echo, jedem Dinge seinen Nahmen. (Hyperion, I , 73/15-17)

Science i s man's mastery over Nature: the Age of Reason. 'Der blose Verstand, d i e blose Vernunft sind immer d i e Kdnige des Nordens' (Hyperion, I , 147/16f.). The Empedoklean a c t , death, i s , m u t a t i s mutandis, r e s t o r a t i o n o f harmony f o r n o r t h e r n man t o o , f o r Germany; and i f then the times demanded a s a c r i f i c e from one born t o be a poet (cf

4.156), now they demand 'song', but song l i k e unto death. The poet who thus reverses the r o l e s of man and Nature ( 4 . 1 5 9 , 2 0 f . ) also reverses the balance of power, which swings back t o Nature i n t h a t the p o e t i c s e l f becomes

_ k3 -

passive.

V o l l schweigender K r a f t urofangt Den ahnenden, daB er b i l d e d i e Welt, Die groBe Natur, DaB i h r e n Geist hervor er r u f e ... ('Empedokles I I , 535-38)

The poet who submits t o Nature's 'embrace' perceives her 'power'. Empedokles' act had been an a s s e r t i o n of power, a search t o gain mastery ( 4 . 1 5 9 , 1 -4), a masculine w i l l . But the poet of the Age of Reason must perform the opposite; loosening the bonds of mastery, surrendering t o the 'Unknown' , h i s i s a feminine a c t . And i t takes him 'a step f u r t h e r ' than the p h i l o s o p h i c a l ' f r e i g e i s t e r i s c h e Kuhnh e i t ' of the transcendental 'Reflexionsphilosophie', even though t h i s was i t s e l f an attempt t o a t t a c k and replace the a b s t r a c t dogmatism of the Enlightenment with l i v i n g ,

' p r a c t i c a l ' , r e v o l u t i o n a r y , philosophy. This 'step' t h a t c o n f r o n t s theory w i t h p r a c t i c e i s e x i s t e n t i a l : r e l a t i o n s h i p . And p o e t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Nature u t i o n a r y paradigm f o r the 'Vaterland*. Despite the apparent d i a m e t r i c o p p o s i t i o n between the Empedoklean and p o e t i c (modern) paths, they are e f f o r t l e s s l y interchangeable, f o r the r e a l s t r u c t u r a l 'basis' i s not h i s t o r i c a l ; i t i s the a n t i t h e s i s between love and a c t i o n . The a c t , the e n t r y i n t o another ( ' p e n e t r i r e n ' ) , i s also a surrender of power , indeed, both p h y s i c a l l y and f i g u r a t i v e l y , of l i f e i t s e l f , from which the l o v e r emerges, 'returns t o h i m s e l f , but ( i n I d e a l i s t i c terms) enriched through h i s other. The d i s t i n c t i o n between Empedokles and
1

love

is a revol-

- 44 -

h i s c r e a t o r l i e s s o l e l y i n the gap between author and h i s c r e a t i o n . The poet dreams the death of Empedokles, 'ein f u r c h t b a r e r aber g o t t l i c h e r Traum' (4.283, 26) whose p r o t a g o n i s t i s a cosmic agent. A dreamer i s n e c e s s a r i l y passive. The d i s t i n c t i o n i s t h e r e w i t h r e d u c i b l e , as the 'Allgemeiner Grund' i t s e l f shows, t o the degree of ' i n t e n s i t y ' of t h a t dream. Thus the ' s a c r i f i c i a l ' death r e a d i l y f u n c t i o n s as a 'Meta-pher' f o r the p o e t i c process. Mastery over Nature through knowledge, physio-cracy, 'Oder i s t n i c h t g o t t l i c h , was i s bewailed i n Hyperion:

i h r hohnt und s e e l l o s nennt?

... I h r e n t w i i r d i g e t , i h r z e r r e i f l t , wo s i e euch d u l d e t , d i e geduldige Natur, doch l e b t s i e f o r t ... 1 1 6 / 5 ) ; i n 'Wie wenn am Feiertage ... ... / Die Allebendigen, ' ( I I , 115/14-

': ' I n Knechtsgestalt

d i e K r a f t e der Gotter' ( 1 1 . 3 5 f . ) ;

i n 'Dichterberuf': 'Zu lang i s t a l l e s G o t t l i c h e d i e n s t b a r schon* (1.45). But i t i s e q u a l l y man's enslavement t o determinism, Maschinengang* (4.278, 9 ) ,
1

'fear of death'

(Hyperion, I I , 117 /16), a ' f e a r f u l dream' ('Der Archipelagus', 1.247), and t h e r e f o r e i t s e l f s p i r i t u a l death. Empedokles and H o l d e r l i n t h e r e f o r e share the s t r u g g l e against human s e r v i t u d e ( c f . 4 .159) 2 ) . But beyond a l l m o t i v a t i o n the p o e t i c and Empedoklean acts are one and the same: love i s the a n t i t h e s i s t o mastery, l o s s of s e l f t o self-centredness. The act of love i s , i n c o n t r a s t t o a l l other a c t s , an openi n g of the p e r s o n a l i t y , a r e c e p t i v i t y which i s , since i t s 'object' i s Nature ( t h e A l l ) , absolute: "wo ... das ganze

Leben des Gegenstandes das verlaBne durch d i e granzenlose T h a t i g k e i t des Geistes nur unendlicher empfanglich gewordene

k5

Gemuth e r g r e i f f e n ... muBCte]' 0.159, 9=12). The mind, ' s p i r i t ' , i s washed clean and becomes ready f o r the encounter, t h i s h i e r o s amos, through absolute e l i m i n a t i o n of w i l l . What i s here, i n Fichtean terms ('granzenlose T h a t i g k e i t ' ) , described as ' a c t i v i t y ' i s also a type of p e r s o n a l i t y .

Er scheint nach allem zum D i c h t e r geboren, scheint also i n seiner s u b j e c t i v e n t h a t i g e r n Natur ... jene ungewbhnliche Tendenz zur A l l g e m e i n h e i t zu haben ... , zu j e n e r ruhigen Betrachtung, zu j e n e r V o l l s t a n d i g k e i t und durchgangiger Bestimmtheit des BewuBtseyns ... , womit der D i c h t e r auf e i n Ganzes b l i k t , ebenso s c h e i n t i n seiner o b j e c t i v e n Natur, i n seiner P a s s i v i t a t , jene g l i i k l i c h e Gaabe zu l i e g e n ... , jene Bildsamkeit der 8inne und des Gemuths, d i e ... der k i i n s t l i c h e n T h a t i g k e i t mehr zu sprechen, a l s zu thun g i e b t . (*f.156, 1-13)

Since t h i s contemplative detachment and u n i v e r s a l i t y i n h i s ' a c t i v e ' nature amount t o an absence of a c t i v i t y , ' p a s s i v i t y ' f o l l o w s n a t u r a l l y , and indeed 'durchgangige Bestimmtheit' appears i n the ' s u b j e c t i v e ' h a l f of the character study. The p o e t i c process i s thus dependent upon withdrawal from the w o r l d , a purging of a l l involvement, i n t e r e s t , which might a t t a c h t o any s p e c i f i c o b j e c t . The type of such attachment, b i n d i n g t o a s p e c i f i c person, i s l o v e ; i t s i n t e n s i t y , now remembered !and thus p u r i f i e d of s e l f i n t e r e s t (passion, " L e i d e n s c h a f t ) , i s devoted t o the A l l . The thus vacant mind i s 'seized', overpowered, by what i s perceived, but i n the moment of w i t h d r a w a l , as the f o l d s of the dream s i n k back, what began as i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l has now taken form whether sky, n i g h t , l i g h t and,
1 1

r e l i n q u i s h i n g i t s f e a r f u l absoluteness, becomes 'Wohlgestalt

- M5-

der Natur' ( ' - g e s t a l t ' has s l i g h t t r a n s i t i v e f o r c e ) .

The

essence i s not the s p e c i f i c nature of the o b j e c t ( t h a t i s the concern of s c i e n t i f i c mastery), but the sheer f a c t t h a t i t has form a t a l l , which presupposes and a r i s e s out of the opposite p o s s i b i l i t y : the i n f i n i t y of s e l f - d i s s o l u t i o n , of death. I n t h i s way a value accrues t o the o b j e c t - w o r l d and i t s p l a s t i c i t y which f a r exceeds u t i l i t a r i a n i n t e r e s t ; sheer existence i s a v a l u e , and t h i s value i s p u r e l y exi s t e n t i a l . H d l d e r l i n w r i t e s t h a t 'das sprachlose' becomes 'Sprache' (^.155, 3 )
:

language a r i s e s out of an encounter

w i t h the I n f i n i t e and, through an act v o i d of s e l f - i n t e r e s t , the 'word' becomes a s i g n of the A l l . The p o e t i c a c t , which r e s t o r e s , d e f e c t i v e l y but as best i t can, childhood oneness w i t h Nature, i s an archet y p a l c o r r e c t i v e t o masculine w i l l , t o the now remembered ( ' i d e a l i s e d ' ; t h a t i s , given a r c h e t y p a l s i g n i f i c a n c e ) Egoisraus' (B179, c f . B222, 27) of F r a n k f u r t : 'daB

s i c h der Mensch .. n i c h t a l s Meister und Herr der Natur dunke und s i c h i n a l l e r seiner Kunst und T h a t i g k e i t bescheiden und fromm vor dem Geiste der Natur beuge' (B179, 1 2 5 - 2 9 ) . The e t h i c a l 'cure' has metaphysical o r i g i n ; f o r giveness of men i s love t h a t resolves the f i n i t e consciousness; agape i s eros. 'Verstand' i s thus more than mere s t o i c detachment and c o n t r o l of the emotions. I t i s a p o s i t i v e a e s t h e t i c p r i n c i p l e ; and t h i s emerges from the l e t t e r t o Neuffer of November 1798, i n which H S l d e r l i n " s r e f l e c t i o n s on h i s

p e r s o n a l i t y and i t s s e n s i t i v i t y pass i n t o a d e s c r i p t i o n of the p o e t i c process. Strength and 'organisation' i n the face

- *7 -

of 'zerstorende W i r k l i c h k e i t ' (B167, 5^-6*0 are not a negation but l i b e r a t i o n o f a love too s o f t f o r t h i s world,

' v o r e i l i g , m i t den Menschen und Dingen unter dem Monde s i c h zu verschwistern' (compare the e f f e c t o f a p o s s i b l e der Sonne s i c h zu verbrudern'). 'unter

Released from those aspects difference,

of l i f e which present the c l e f t o f i n d i v i d u a t e d

the s p i r i t enters a world i n which 'organisation' can become 'meinem wahrsten Leben d i e n l i c h ' (68f), can become love. This w o r l d i s the t o t a l i t y o f Nature, which as pure object o f f e r s no r e s i s t a n c e . 'Verstand' i s the 'organisation' o f

the world i n t o two p a r t s , 'Menschen' and 'Dinge', and i f response t o the former i s defence ( ' f e s t ' , ' u n z e r s t o r b a r * ) , i n the l a t t e r i t i s f r e e deployment o f energy and persona l i t y . The w i l l no longer a c t s , l i k e a man, b u t sees, l i k e a c h i l d ; the poem i s t h e r e w i t h t o science and e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l 'Zweck an s i c h ' , a n t i t h e s i s ' T h a t i g k e i t ' ( c f . B 1 7 9 i 5 ^-81).

Such idealism i s acutely ambivalent. The words *Ach! die Welt hat meinen Geist von frxiher Jugend an i n s i c h zurtikgescheucht' (B167
?

57f) are a condemnation o f the

e f f e c t o f the world's b r u t a l i t y on a ' s e n s i t i v e ' nature; but the words ' i c h scheue das Gemeine und Gewohnliche im w i r k l i c h e n Leben zu sehr' ( 4 9 f . ) show t h a t t h i s judgement i s n o t simply e t h i c a l . I f the a c t i v i t i e s o f men are rejected

not j u s t f o r t h e i r s e l f - c e n t r e d callousness but f o r t h e i r mediocrity and ' b o r n i r t e H a u s l i c h k e i t ' (B172, 52) 'wie

d i e Unbedeutenheit uns mehr a l s a l l e s andere schmerzt'

(**P 226,

23f.)

such condemnation i s metaphysical, seeking ' I n guten Zeiten

s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n f o r a higher d e s t i n y .

g i e b t es s e l t e n Schwarmer. Aber wenns dem Menschen an groBen

- 48 -

r e i n e n Gegenstanden f e h l t , dann s c h a f f t er irgend Phantom ... , und drukt die Augen zu, daB

ein

er d a f i i r s i c h 2 -5).

i n t e r e s s i r e n kann, und d a f i i r leben' (4.236, Such a 'Phantom

1

i s Empedokles. Another i s A c h i l l e s , for the

t h a t 'enfant gate der Natur'; the two pieces on him 'Iduna

1

must have been w r i t t e n about the same time as

l e t t e r to Neuffer, and represent the p r i v a t e expression of what there i s expressed p u b l i c l y t o the f r i e n d . On one hand: 'Der I d e a l i s c h e ( 4 . 2 2 5 , 8 ) ; on the other: the

d u r f t e n i c h t a l l t a g l i c h erscheinen' 'Das Reine kan s i c h nur dar-

s t e l l e n im Unreinen' (B167, 7 5 f - ) . A c h i l l e s i s the type of metaphysical p u r i t y : Homer ' w o l l t e den Gotterjiingling

n i c h t p r o f a n i r e n i n dem Getummel vor T r o j a ' ( 4 . 2 2 5 , 6 f . ) ; er kont' i h n w i r k l i c h n i c h t h e r r l i c h e r und z a r t l i c h e r besingen, a l s dadurch, daB er i h n z u r i i k t r e t e n l a f i t ' (8-10).

Through h i s y o u t h f u l death (4.224, 4) A c h i l l e s , paradoxica l l y , preserves h i s d i v i n i t y , h i s beauty and s t r e n g t h , and

i s thus a prime example of the Divine t h a t proves i t s e l f through s u f f e r i n g . His nature i s d e f i n e d not by h i s but by h i s absence; and thus the world appears as t o h i s ' L i c h t ' (B16?, 7 3 ) .
5 0

actions,

'Schatten'

Thus the complex concept 'Verstand' contains the seeds of the terms ' Niichternheit' and 'Prazision* i n the letter

t o Bohlendorff (B236) of three years l a t e r , as indeed of the ' p a r a t a c t i c ' concreteness of the l a s t p o e t r y w i t h i t s ' a p r i o r i t a t des I n d i v i d u e l l e n uber das Ganze' ( 2 . 3 3 9 ) . Words 'empirical' 'Der idealische das

such as ' p r e c i s i o n ' and

Kopf t h u t am besten, das Empirische, das

Irrdische,

Beschrankte s i c h zum Elemente zu machen' (B145, 23-25)

- 49 -

suggest a s c i e n t i f i c v i r t u e . But p o e t i c ' p r e c i s i o n ' i s t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y o p p o s i t e , a suspension o f w i l l . For a l l a c t i v i t y , every product o f w i l l , t h a t l i e s between c h i l d hood and F r a n k f u r t i s comprehended by the term 'Nuchternh e i t ' : l o s s of i n f i n i t y , i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s a t i o n . 'Zurukgescheucht' by the w o r l d , the poet i s l i b e r a t e d t o experience ' Zuriikschreken' from t h e Absolute, an experience endowed w i t h t h e f a s c i n a t i o n o f death; and i t i s the dramatic obj e c t i v i s a t i o n , t h e f i g u r e o f Empedokles, t h a t 'holds' him on the b r i n k of t h e abyss. Most c r i t i c s f i n d a d e c i s i v e change i n H S l d e r l i n * s work around t h e year 1800, whether i n t h e t r a n s i t i o n from second t o t h i r d v e r s i o n o f 'Empedokles', or i n t h e abandonment o f the drama, or d u r i n g t h e Elegies and w i t h t h e f i r s t of t h e Hymns. But t h i s change i s merely t h e i n t e n s i f y i n g of a purpose already present, and now moving towards i t s l o g i c a l conclusion. The fragmentary essay 'tJber d i e Verfahrungsweise des poetischen Geistes' belongs d i r e c t l y w i t h i n t h i s c o n t e x t . I t i s an attempt t o prove the statement 'Das Reine kan s i c h nur d a r s t e l l e n im Unreinen'. Poetry i s conceived of as a meeting (mediation) of t h e u n i v e r s a l S p i r i t ('der Geist, der allem geraein und jedem eigen i s t
1

( c f . 4.241, 3f)
0

w i t h t h e t o t a l i t y o f l i f e ('das Leben iiberhaupt', 4 246, 2?) w i t h i n and through the harmonious u n i t y of t h e poem, and, conversely, the poet p a r t i c i p a t e s i n t h e i n f i n i t e S p i r i t , and so i n t h e D i v i n e , through h i s e n t r y i n t o l i f e and con= sequent acquiescence t o p a r t i a l i t y , imperfection, f i n i t u d e .

I n f i n i t y i s achieved by becoming f i n i t e , and the attempt t o c l a i m pure i n f i n i t e s t a t u s by a v o i d i n g t h e i m p u r i t y o f

- 50

l i f e ends i n i s o l a t e d s e l f - c o n t e m p l a t i o n : self-consciousness. E q u a l l y , the u n i v e r s a l S p i r i t , u n l i k e the C h r i s t i a n God,

has no transcendent personal w i l l ; i t s very existence depends upon the a c t , the 'Aus-sich-herausgehen' (4 .257* "11), of the i n d i v i d u a l ' s p i r i t ' , and i t would otherwise remain ( f o l l o w i n g Kant's epistemology) an unknowable, dogmatic a b s t r a c t i o n . The 'poetic s p i r i t ' ( 4 . 2 5 0 , 27) the descends i n t o

m a t e r i a l world i n d i r e c t analogy t o the u n i v e r s a l

S p i r i t ; each a b s t r a c t concept ('time', 'change', 'matter', ' r e a l i t y ' ) i s i t s e l f an i n f i n i t y ( s i n c e the l o g i c i s p u r e l y deductive) and thus a f u r t h e r stage i n i t s progress. A separation of the f i n i t e i n d i v i d u a l from God cannot be achieved by these means, but t h i s very f a i l u r e i s a purpose of the essay, since f o r H b l d e r l i n God i s not an o b j e c t of knowledge, but the Subject of f e e l i n g : not 'Geist', but
1

Begeisterung'. Thus the thought-process culminates f i r s t not i n God,

but i n the ' I c h ' , the negative peak of self-consciousness: 'es i s t ... der kuhnste und l e z t e Versuch des poetischen Geistes ... d i e u r s p r i i n g l i c h e poetische I n d i v i d u a l i t a t , das poetische I c h aufzufassen, e i n Versuch, wodurch er diese I n d i v i d u a l i t a t und i h r r e i n e s Object, das E i n i g e , und Lebendige, harmonische, w e c h s e l s e i t i g wirksame Leben aufhobe, und doch muB er es ... ' ( 4 . 2 5 2 , 13 -18).^
1

That the

thought-process nevertheless takes place suggests t h a t i f God were an o b j e c t of knowledge he would be none other than the ' I c h ' , the 'pure p o e t i c s p i r i t ' ; s i m i l a r l y , the f a i l u r e

of philosophy does not prove t h a t the s e l f i s not d i v i n e , only t h a t reason i s incapable of r e a l i s i n g t h a t d i v i n i t y .

- 51 -

One recognises i n t h i s ' l a s t ' stage the f i r s t ^ o f the A 'Grund zum Empedokles': the F a l l through ErkenntniB'. Here t o o the 'doch muB er es' expresses the d e s t r u c t i v e q u a l i t y o f t h i s 'freedom' t h a t d e f i e s the dangers of the a c t : 'die unendliche E i n h e i t ' 'kann und d a r f schlechterdings n i c h t durch s i c h s e l b s t b e g r i f f e n werden, s i c h s e l b e r zum Objecte werden, wenn s i e n i c h t s t a t t einer unendlich e i n i g e n und lebendigen E i n h e i t , eine t o d t e und todtende E i n h e i t e i n unendlich p o s i t i v e s gewordenes seyn s o l i ' (4.251, 19, 252, 4-8). The u n k n o w a b i l i t y of t h e ' t r a n s cendental Subject', f o r Kant a f a c t , has here become an experience: t h e d i v i d i n g of the i n - d i v i d u a l i n s e l f consciousness. As t h e m i r r o r of the s e l f , consciousness i s a closed
1

c i r c l e i n which a l l t i e s w i t h the outside w o r l d have proved t o be an i l l u s i o n . The journey from the 'V/eltseele' t o t h e cul-de-sac of the 'Ich' shows t h a t the e s s e n t i a l Romantic problem, the i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f a cosmic experience t h a t leaves the i n d i v i d u a l h o l d i n g the shadow of r e a l i t y , i s a c u t e l y present. The ' I c h ' i s i s o l a t i o n : ' i n diesem A l l e i n seyn, i n diesem Leben mit s i c h s e l b s t ' (4.255? 1 2 f . ) . The e n t i r e process through which the i n f i n i t e S p i r i t descends i n t o matter i s revealed as a metaphor f o r the poet's search f o r r e l a t i o n s h i p ; r e f l e c t i o n i s the i n n e r c i r c l e o f the s e l f , and the s o l u t i o n i s t o break out ' A l l e s kommt also darauf an, daB das I c h n i c h t bios m i t seiner s u b j e c t i v e n Natur ... i n Wechselwirkung b l e i b e ' (4.254, 29 -51) go beyond oneself. Yet t h i s l i f e - a f f i r m i n g a c t has already taken place, i n and

- 52 -

the a n a l y s i s o f the aspects of a poem which

simultaneously

d e p i c t e d the descent o f the S p i r i t i n t o matter. The thoughtprocess r e t u r n s t o i t s f i r s t and fundamental assumption: the i n d i v i d u a l can only 'express* himself through poetry. Thus a s t a s i s i s reached i n the question o f r e l a t i o n s h i p to the outside world ('Verfahrungsart i n der auBern Welt', 4 .257, 1 1 f . ) , and a f u t u r e i s e l i m i n a t e d . Existence 'within

the s e l f , i s o l a t i o n , has not been a t issue; i t i s a necessary c o r r e l a t i v e t o p o e t i c c r e a t i v i t y . And thus the t h i r d p a r t o f the essay, e s p e c i a l l y the 'Wink f u r d i e D a r s t e l l u n g und Sprache' w i t h i t s more f l o w i n g and 'harmonious', indeed ' p o e t i c ' , s t y l e , represents the t r a n s i t i o n t o poetry on the 52 basis o f the t r u t h o f p h i l o s o p h i c a l n e g a t i v i t y . The pre-ordained n e g a t i v i t y o f the i n t e l l e c t has under , mined i t s f u n c t i o n as c r i t i c a l and s e l f - c r i t i c a l i n s t a n c e . A
/\

The

'poetic s p i r i t ' i s l e f t i n a formal analogy t o the

u n i v e r s a l S p i r i t i n which t h e i r p o t e n t i a l i d e n t i t y remains an unsolved problem. The crux remains the 'wie' o f Hyperion: 'Du muBt, wie der L i c h t s t r a l , herab ... , du muBt e r l e u c h t e n , wie A p o l l ... , beleben, wie J u p i t e r ... ' ( I , 157/12-15); and the r e l a t i o n s h i p o f f i n i t e consciousness t o i n f i n i t y continues t o d e f i n e t h a t o f the 'poetic' i n d i v i d u a l t o t h e world. This r e l a t i o n s h i p i s conceived i n terms appropriated through a b s t r a c t i o n from Judaeo-Christian
1

theology; God's

love f o r the w o r l d , h i s EntMuBerung' i n C h r i s t ( P h i l i p p i a n s 2. 7)? has been t r a n s l a t e d i n t o the neo-Platonic dualism

of the i n f i n i t e Logos. I f poetry supplies the missing p r a c t i c e of t h i s theor e t i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between s p i r i t and matter, the philosophy

- 53 -

of the apotheosised i n d i v i d u a l has here gone beyond F i c h t e . He had l e f t h i s system open simultaneously t o i n f i n i t y and to revolutionary p r a c t i c e \ "

I n s o f e r n das I c h durch das N i c h t - I c h eingeschrankt w i r d , i s t es e n d l i c h , an s i c h aber, so wie es durch seine eigne absolute T h a t i g k e i t gesezt w i r d , i s t es unendlich ... und so wiirde der S t r e i t i n ' s unendliche fortgehen, wenn n i c h t durch einen absoluten Machtspruch der Vernunft, den n i c h t etwa der Philosoph t h u t , sondern den er nur a u f z e i g t durch Den: es s o l i . . . tiberhaupt k e i n N i c h t - I c h seyn, der Knoten zwar n i c h t g e l o s ' t , aber z e r s c h n i t t e n wiirde.

For him t h e concluding a c t i s absent. Here i t i s present, i n the r e a l i t y of p o e t i c p r a c t i c e ; the ' s o l u t i o n ' no longer l i e s i n t h e p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l arena, as a product of communal a c t i o n , b u t i n t h e poem, the product of an i n d i v i d ual. Thus the gap between theory and p r a c t i c e has become 'harmonious', and indeed i s bridged by t h a t t h i r d , poetic p a r t of the essay. The impotence of p r a c t i c e (absent German r e v o l u t i o n ) has ceased t o be a problem. The way i s open f o r the p o e t i c a c t as s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t mimesis of r e v o l u t i o n . The problem w i t h which F i c h t e and S c h i l l e r were confronted was: how any p r a c t i c a l involvement, even i f r e v o l u t i o n a r y , could s a t i s f y the a s p i r a t i o n s o f the i n d i v i d u a l w i t h h i s 'Sturm' and 'Drang', and overcome the b a r r i e r o f m o r t a l i t y . 'Der

I d e a l i s t ... vermag n i c h t s , a l s i n sofern er b e g e i s t e r t i s t ... Aber das w i r k l i c h e Leben i s t keineswegs jene Begeisterung m ihm zu wecken ... . ' T h i s geschickt, impasse of

the ' c a t e g o r i c a l imperative' has now moved from t h e p u b l i c t o the p r i v a t e sphere. The s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y of the a e s t h e t i c s o l u t i o n imputes

- 54 ~

v i o l e n c e t o Pichte's philosophy. That 'Titan' had cut the Gordian k n o t , the c o n t r a d i c t i o n b i n d i n g absolute S e l f t o r e l a t i v e Non-Self, the 'with the sword*, a metaphor suggesting

'heroic' Jacobin o p t i o n . Prom the Hyperion w r i t i n g s i n

Jena i t i s c l e a r t h a t H b l d e r l i n f e l t t h i s t o be an act of v i o l e n c e against Nature; the d i s c i p l e of the ' c a t e g o r i c a l imperative' 'Das Gesez der P r e i h e i t ... g e b i e t e t , one

a l l e Rilksicht auf d i e H i i l f e der Natur ... Vielmer sezt es einen Widerstand i n der Natur voraus ' (4.212, 3-6)

says r u e f u l l y t h a t he had become 'tyrannisch gegen die Natur' (3.199, 9-11). Nature was excluded from the p o l i t i c a l e t h i c a l s o l u t i o n . Yet the 'Streben', the p o t e n t i a l infinity, it-

of the r e l a t i o n s h i p between 'Ich' and 'Nicht-Ich' was s e l f *Wechselwirkung' between the s e l f and Nature; the

d e f i c i e n c y p r e c l u d i n g ' p r a c t i c e ' was the lack of acknowledgement t h a t the ' I c h ' i s not u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d , but cond i t i o n e d by i n t e r - s u b j e c t i v e r e l a t i v i t y the assumption

of s t r u c t u r a l i d e n t i t y between the i n d i v i d u a l 'Geist' and the 'Geist, der allem gemein und jedem eigen i s t ' . The v i o l e n c e H o l d e r l i n r e j e c t s i s t h e r e f o r e the w i l l to t u r n i d e a l i n t o r e a l i t y , t o break the p h i l o s o p h i c a l i n f i n i t y ; i n renouncing such w i l l , the 'Verfahrungsweise' seeks u n c o n d i t i o n a l p r e s e r v a t i o n of metaphysical s t a t u s . The ' schb'ne R e - f l e x i o n ' i s not a t u r n t o r e a l i t y , but t o

Nature. Society and Nature cannot simply be subsumed under the term ' r e a l i t y ' ; f o r what compromises metaphysical s t a t u s

i s not Nature, but the f a c t of other people. Were the i n d i v i d u a l consciousness^sole instance i n i t s u n i v e r s e , i t would speak as does God i n the f i r s t verses of Genesis. A l l

- 55 -

would gather about i t , l i k e the animals about Adam, t h e 55 f i r s t man. ^ I f harmony between ' s p i r i t ' and ' l i f e ' , s e l f and Nature, i s indeed 'das G o t t l i c h e ' , the highest good, then v i o l e n c e i s r e j e c t e d not p r i m a r i l y f o r i t s r e v o l u t i o n a r y i m p l i c a t i o n s , but as t h a t which has brought d i s c o r d i n t o harmony: self-awareness as a f i n i t e i n d i v i d u a l . I n t h a t the thoughtprocess culminates i n t h e 'Ich* as object o f s e l f - c o n s c i o u s ness, the Fichtean 'That-handlung' has ceased t o be a theor e t i c a l basis f o r a c t i o n , and become an u l t i m a t e p r i n c i p l e . ' U r t h e i l . i s t im hSchsten und s t r e n g s t e n Sinne d i e u r spriingliche Trennung des i n der i n t e l l e c t u a l e n Anschauung i n n i g s t v e r e i n i g t e n Objects und Subjects ... , d i e UrTheilung ... " I c h b i n I c h " i s t das passendste B e i s p i e l ...' (4.216, 2-4, 8 f . ) . I t has t o r n apart 'Subject' and 'Object'. I n the 'Verfahrungsweise' and elsewhere H b l d e r l i n indeed accepts t h i s d i v i s i o n as necessary; b u t such acceptance

t r e a t s n e c e s s i t y as though i t could have been otherwise, as though t h e r e were an a l t e r n a t i v e t o f i n i t e consciousn e s s . ^ D e c e p t i v e l y , d e s c r i p t i v e appears as p r e s c r i p t i v e philosophy. Thus self-consciousness, the 'kuhnster und l e z t e r Versuch', i s the non plus u l t r a of the i n t e l l e c t , and i s t r e a t e d p u r e l y as d i v i s i o n from Nature, as F a l l . Never allowed t o become the basis o f a system, i t i s r a t h e r , and per se, t h e type of a c t i o n : 'Handlung', presupposing p r i o r to a l l s p e c i f i c a t i o n a gap between i t s e l f and i t s object.

Conversely, the poet's 'Verfahrungsart i n der auBern Welt' i s such as t o preserve the a r c h e t y p a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f a c t i o n ,

- 56 -

i t s r o o t i n w i l l and purpose, and thus also t o preserve memory of absolute oneness w i t h Nature. Thought stands under a negative s i g n ; the archetype o f l o s t innocence hangs over l i f e .

Und b e i mir Das wilde Feld entzaubernd, das t r a u r ' g e , zog Der H a l b g o t t , Zevs Knecht, e i n , der gerade Mann ('Chiron', 11.16-18)

At l e a s t here, i n H b l d e r l i n ' s philosophy, the deductive ' T r i p l i z i t a t s s t r u k t u r ' i s designed t o r e c o n c i l e 'Seyn* (absolute union) w i t h ' I d e n t i t a t ' ( I c h b i n I c h ' ) . ^ ^ When the 'Ich' i n i t s 'Auf-fassen' swallows up t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between ' s p i r i t ' and ' l i f e ' i t has done what F i c h t e ' s 'Ich' could not do. I t appears t h a t H b l d e r l i n saw r e f l e c t i o n as l e a d i n g i n e v i t a b l y t o t h e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l primacy o f t h e s e l f ; whereas f o r F i c h t e r e f l e c t i o n remained n e c e s s a r i l y 'Wechselwirkung' o f subject and o b j e c t , f o r H b l d e r l i n i t i s 'Wechselwirkung' o f the 'Ich' w i t h i t s own ' s u b j e c t i v e Natur'. Epistemological primacy i s e x i s t e n t i a l ment . R e f l e c t i o n thus faces two ways, back towards childhood, and out towards r e a l i t y ; and each i s closed. Thought i s existence ' i n diesem widersprechenden M i t t e l z u s t a n d e zwischen naturlichem Zusammenhange mit einer n a t u r l i c h vorhandenen Welt, und ... dem hoheren Zusammenhange ... zwischen K i n d h e i t und r e i f e r Humanitat' (4.255, 13-15 1 8 f . ) ; 'er mufi also r e s i g n i r e n , i n K i n d h e i t z u r u k f a l i e n oder i n imprison1

- 57

f r u c h t l o s e n Widerspriichen mit s i c h selber s i c h a u f r e i b e n , wenn er i n diesem Zustande v e r h a r r t ... dieser t r a u r i g e n A l t e r n a t i v e ' (4.255, 26-29). Childhood i s a melodious but egocentric world. Entry i n t o l i f e i s r e l a t i v i s i n g i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s a t i o n , 'Accomoda t i o n eines gewbhnlichen Menschen' (4 .255, 32), the i n t h i s case a d m i t t e d l y depressing m e d i o c r i t y of a clergyman w i t h er Q

out f a i t h , a marriage w i t h o u t l o v e . I n the c o n s i s t e n t r e j e c t i o n of Fichte's 'Ich' there i s , then, a s h i f t i n i t s meaning: the ' I ' becomes the archetypal
59
y

wound of consciousness t h a t must be healed.

Thus the

Fichtean I appears, 'aufgehoben' i n t r i p l i c a t e s y n t h e s i s , i n Empedokles' h u b r i s t i c swallowing-up of Nature. Wo seid i h r , meine Gotter? weh i h r l a B t Wie einen B e t t l e r mich und diese Brust ... s t i e S t i h r mir Hinab ... Die Freigeborne, d i e aus s i c h a l l e i n Und keines andern i s t ? Und dulden s o l l t i c h s ... Ich habe mich erkannt; i c h w i l l es! L u f t w i l l i c h Mir schaffen, ha! ... Bei meinem S t o l z ! i c h werde n i c h t den Staub Von diesem Pfade kiissen, wo i c h e i n s t I n einem schdnen Traume gieng es i s t v o r b e i ! I c h war g e l i e b t ... ('Empedokles' I , 309-22)

Here, b r i e f l y , speaks the 'heroic' pathos of the FichteanGoethean Prometheus; but i t s moment of defiance i s merely a r e p e t i t i o n of i t s o r i g i n a l hubris ( I , 334-42). ' F r e i h e i t ' , W i l l e ' , 'Sich-erkennen', 'An-sich-denken' ( I , 3 3 9 f . ) , a l l these f o r H d l d e r l i n r e t u r n t o one concept: ' I c h * .
6 0

The

transcending of the 'heroic' mode ( r e f l e c t e d i n the sequence ' n a i v e - h e r o i c - i d e a l ' , the basis f o r the 'Wechsel der TSne') also discards the i n s i s t e n c e on s t r u g g l e i n the world.

- 58 -

H o l d e r l i n ' s conception of the s e l f betrays the f e a r , a l i e n t o F i c h t e , t h a t the world may end i n s o l i p s i s m . Wit-

ness h i s f i r s t r e a c t i o n t o the philosopher: *sein absolutes I c h ... e n t h a l t a l l e R e a l i t a t ; es i s t a l l e s , u. auBer ihm 4 8 f . ) ; a misconception which has become 'weil ...

i s t n i c h t s ' (B94,

embedded i n Empedokles: 'the i n d i v i d u a l must p e r i s h ' sonst das Allgemeine im Individuum s i c h v e r l o r e , und

das Leben einer Welt i n einer E i n z e l h e i t absturbe' (4.156, 29-157, 2 ) . The two seemingly i n c o n s i s t e n t yet mutually r e i n f o r c i n g l i f e ' s wound and l i f e ' s 'Unbedeutenheit'

feelings

combine t o create an u n q u a l i f i e d demand f o r 'freedom' ( i t pervades the f i r s t l e t t e r from Homburg). When, i n the 'Verfahrungs weise', the ' I c h
1

at l a s t performs the act

whereby i t 'contains a l l r e a l i t y ' , the s t y l i s t i c abnorma l i t y of the essay, g i g a n t i c sentences b u i l t on an a d d i t i v e p r i n c i p l e , seems t o express a near-pathological search f o r

s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n , a c l o s i n g of one door a f t e r another whereby each time the s h e l l cracks anew. On the other hand there i s the d i s d a i n f o r i n s t i t u t i o n s , so t h a t Empedokles can say t o the 'glebae a d d i c t i ' (B172, 55) of ('Erden-kinder' ( I , 1519)): 'So wagts! was ihr erworben ... / VergeBt es kiihn ... The s o l u t i o n found w i t h i n the
1

'Agri-gent' was

i h r geerbt,

( I , 1557-40).

'Verfahrungsweise', world:

w i t h i n philosophy, i s c o n t r o l l e d loss of s e l f t o the

'Hingabe' governed by 'Eigenmacht' ( c f . 4.259, 1-14). I t f i n d s i t s 'AuBerung', p r a c t i c a l r e a l i s a t i o n , i n p o e t r y . I f r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h others has been i n question,
6 1

neverthe-

less t h i s s o l u t i o n makes c l e a r t h a t i s o l a t i o n , from Nature

- 59 -

i s d e c i s i v e , f o r i n terms of human r e l a t i o n s h i p p o e t r y i s no less t h e o r e t i c a l than philosophy. Yet p o e t r y has the r e a l i t y t h a t philosophy l a c k s . I f these are not mere words, then the 'Hingabe' and 'Eigenmacht' of poetry w i l l replace the a b s t r a c t i o n s 'Geist'/'Leben* w i t h r e a l union w i t h Nature

a f t e r t h e model of human r e l a t i o n s h i p . Therefore not j u s t any r e l a t i o n s h i p i s i n v o l v e d , but the one which d i r e c t l y c o n t r a d i c t s the closed sphere o f
1

s e l f - p r e s e r v i n g thought: 'Hingabe , l o s s o f s e l f , s e l f f o r g e t f u l n e s s : Eros. Love, which most seeks t o break down the gap between separate beings, which momentarily resolves

t h e i r v e r y separateness, i s c l o s e s t t o the u n d i v i d e d u n i t y of c h i l d h o o d ; y e t , once surrendered t o , i t loses t h i s i d e a l p o t e n t i a l and becomes the type of involvement, prone t o i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s a t i o n , determinism, death, compromising 'das f r e i e i d e a l i s c h e poetische Leben' (4.246, 15) I n t h a t the act, the r o o t o f e v i l , i s transformed i n t o love i t becomes h i g h e s t p o s s i b l e mode o f separateness ( ' d e s t i n y ' ) , so

t h a t t h e poet abides by the r u l e s o f l i f e (renouncing abs o l u t e 'Seyn'), while l i f e becomes a s t r i v i n g a f t e r the una t t a i n a b l e . The s o l u t i o n i s thus a c a r e f u l l y - f o r m u l a t e d ( s e l f - p r e s e r v i n g ) compromise between freedom and determinism: 'Zusammenhang m i t einer auch n a t u r l i c h vorhandenen aber m i t f r e i e r Wahl zur Sphare erkornen voraus erkannten und i n a l i e n i h r e n E i n f l i i s s e n n i c h t ohne seinen W i l l e n i h n bestimmenden Welt' ( 4 . 2 5 5 , 15-18; c f . 254, 31=33; 255, 1 ; 257, 5-7). 30-256,

The powerful s t r e s s on u l t i m a t e freedom from

determinism i s the memory o f love i n F r a n k f u r t . The 'sphere' of the poem w i l l be such as can be 'observed'

- 60 -

by the p o e t i c s e l f : 'wo die r e i n e I n d i v i d u a l i t y .. sich s e l b s t a l s e i n durch eine Wahl bestimmtes, empirisch i n d i v i d u a l i s i r t e s und k a r a k t e r i s i r t e s b e t r a c h t e t ' (4.254, 4 f . , 255, 1f); thereby the simultaneous apotheosis and f e a r emotion, the i n s i s t e n c e of the e x - c e n t r i c i t y of ex-

perience, are s a t i s f i e d . Yet the problem of self-consciousness, of the primacy of the * I c h ' , i s thus merely t r a n s f e r r e d from philosophy t o poetry: 'wo s i c h der Mensch ... , eben

w e i l er m i t dieser aufiern Sphare n i c h t so i n n i g verbunden i s t , von dieser a b s t r a h i r e n und von s i c h , i n so f e r n er i n i h r gesezt i s t , und auf s i c h r e f l e c t i r e n kann, i n so f e r n er n i c h t i n i h r gesezt i s t ' ( 4 . 2 5 7 , 5 -10).

- 61 -

The Elegiac

Couplet

At the heart of the elegy i s the elegiac couplet. S c h i l l e r ' s d e s c r i p t i o n i s also a model.

Im__Hexameter s t e i g t des S p r l n g q u e l l s , f l u s s i g e Saule, Im P W t a m e t e r / d r a u f / f a l l t ate melodi'sch bterab.

I t i s a r i s e and f a l l ; s p e c i f i c a l l y , the rhythmic basis i s e s t a b l i s h e d by i t s three i n t e r n a l u n i t s ( t h e f i r s t h a l f of

the hexameter and the two halves of the pentameter) which begin and end w i t h stressed s y l l a b l e s , i n c o n t r a s t t o the second h a l f of the hexameter, which begins and ends w i t h unstressed s y l l a b l e s . There i s thus i n a succession of

couplets a constant generation and release of t e n s i o n , whereby the d a c t y l i c second h a l f of the pentameter, r e l e a s i n g the t e n s i o n , echoes and f u l f i l s the always d a c t y l i c

f i f t h f o o t of the hexameter. Thus the couplet i s e s s e n t i a l l y a s e l f - c o n t a i n e d u n i t , i n H o l d e r l i n ' s e l e g i e s y e t more so through the preference f o r a strong ('masculine') t h i r d - f o o t caesura, which r e s u l t s i n the three p a r a l l e l u n i t s having the same number of f e e t , w h i l e the second h a l f of the hexameter begins and ends w i t h an unstressed spondaic s y l l a b l e , and 63 thus provides a r e g u l a r f o i l . ^ Rise and f a l l i s t h e r e f o r e the couplet's profoundest meaning. I n 'Elegie', the type, as the t i t l e suggests, of elegy, the fundamental t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e t h e i r harmony i n memory l o v e , l o s s , and

i s guaranteed by time: the

e t e r n a l b i r t h , death and r e b i r t h whose symbol i s the seasons,

- 62 -

whose o r i g i n i s Nature. The f i n a l l i n e e i n Jahr unserer Liebe beginnt' the elegiac world.

'Und von neuem

expresses the u n i t y o f

Such a u n i t y i n which ' B i l d e r aus h e l l e r e r Z e i t "

(1.24),

and above a l l the ' B i l d ' o f Diotima, can appear i s the form ( m a n i f e s t a t i o n ) o f the 'Idee der Schonheit' (4.298, 12), 'das Hbchste': 'Ich frage n i c h t mehr, wo es sey; es war i n der Welt, es kann wiederkehren i n i h r ... Sein Nahme i s t Sch<5nheit' (Hyperion, I , 93/13-9 V3) Cosmic harmony, s t i l l as a r e f l e c t i o n i n water (11.41-45), i s the opposite o f l i n e a r , 'mortal' time where

Tage kommen und gehn, e i n Jahr verdranget das andre, Wechselnd und s t r e i t e n d ; so t o s t f u r c h t b a r voriiber die Zeit tiber sterblichem Haupt, doch n i c h t vor s e e l i g e n Augen (11.33-35) As the c o u p l e t symbolises order i n a c h a o t i c w o r l d , so t h e poem i s the image o f a p r o t e c t e d w o r l d :

So auf Erden wandelten w i r . Und drohte der Nord auch, Er, der Liebenden Feind ... Lachelten r u h i g w i r ... So im Frieden mit uns k i n d l i c h und s e e l i g a l l e i n . (11.45-50)

'Elegie' opens w i t h the poet's g r i e f , h i s 'searching': 'Taglich geh' i c h heraus und such' e i n Anderes immer'; t h e r e w i t h the symbolic meaning o f the hexameter i s d e f i n e d : through i t s second h a l f , which breaks, yet thereby f i r s t creates, the harmony o f the c o u p l e t , i t i s the type o f (necessary) d i s c o r d . I t expresses search, movement, s t r i v i n g ;

6$ -

Just as the pentameter i n whose harmony the poem must always end expresses r e s t , peace. This peace, then i s Nature's harmony, and appears a l ready as the f i r s t h a l f of the hexameter, which, i n e x t a b l i s h i n g the rhythmic norm t o which the couplet must r e t u r n , conveys an e t e r n a l l y - l o s t i d e a l . For the second h a l f , the c o n t r a d i c t i o n , t e a r s open t h i s harmony; i t i s , by v i r t u e of unstressed s y l l a b l e s , open both a t beginning and end, so t h a t the hexameter i t s e l f , which i n the basic ( s e l f - c o n t a i n e d ) form ends w i t h a pause ( t y p i c a l l y a comma), i s open. The pentameter, but t h e r e w i t h also the couplet as a whole, i s closed. Enclosure and openness are t h e r e f o r e not of equal v a l u e ; openness i s appearance, transcended

by the r e a l i t y of the greater form. From t h i s s t r u c t u r e s p r i n g up archetypal images of wholeness: the r i s e and f a l l of the b r e a t h i n g b r e a s t ; ^ the blooming and w i t h e r i n g of f l o w e r s ; the eye, opening

w i t h the coming of day, c l o s i n g i n sleep, n i g h t , death. Behind these images and more l i e s the mysterious assurance of a t r o u b l e d mind, the answer t o the question asked by t h e pain and chaos of l i f e : the 'Grund',^ the S p i r i t of Nature, to whom the poet r e t u r n s out of the outside w o r l d , and who comes, l i k e a mother t o her c h i l d , when c a l l e d . Rhythm i s then a magic a r t , invoking a ' s p i r i t * .

Thus the open hexameter's 'searching' has archetypal meaning. I t i s the venture i n t o the outside w o r l d , the 'Herausgehen', which a p r i o r i i s a necessary error:

'sage nur niemand, daB uns das Schiksaal trenne! Wir s i n d ' s , w i r l wir haben unsre Lust daran, uns i n d i e Nacht des Unbekannten,

- 6^ -

i n d i e k a l t e Fremde irgend einer andern Welt zu sturzen' (Hyperion, I , 25/7-9). I t i s the a c t i t s e l f , the Thathandlung ing
1

of consciousness and w i l l , source of a l l s u f f e r -

and ' d e s t i n y ' ; so too Adam's act cast mankind out of the

Garden ( c f . Hyperion, I , 13/15-1V2). And the couplet r e nounces t h i s ' I r r t u m ' and r e t u r n s t o the o r i g i n ; i t symb o l i s e s the 'Wechsel des E n t f a l t e n s und VerschlieBens', f o r the poet i n h i s r e l a t i o n t o the outside world an 'Ausf l u g und Riikkehr zu s i c h s e l b s t ' . l e t the d i s c o r d of t h i s 'Streben' i s not r e a l l y s o c i a l . I t s nature i s d e f i n e d by Hyperion.

A l l e s a l t e r t und verjUngt s i c h wieder. Warum sind w i r ausgenommen vom schonen K r e i s l a u f der Natur? Oder g i l t er auch f u r uns? I c h w o l l t ' es glauben, wenn Eines n i c h t i n uns ware, das ungeheure Streben, A l l e s zu seyn, das, wie der T i t a n des Aetna, h e r a u f z u r n t aus den T i e f e n unsers Wesens. ( I , 27/11-16)

The p o t e n t i a l i n f i n i t y o f the epic hexameter, i t s 67 'Unendlichkeits-Streben', ' i s the d e s i r e of the 'Ich' t o be absolute; then the pentameter, which s t a t e s the l i m i t a t i o n of the c o u p l e t , r e l a t e s t o the hexameter as the l i m i t a t i o n of mortal d e s t i n y upon d i v i n e a s p i r a t i o n . E s s e n t i a l l y t h i s form i s the same as i n t h e opening l i n e of the a s c l e p i a d i c ode 'Lebenslauf': 'GroBers w o l l t e s t auch du | aber d i e Liebe zwingt'. The f i r s t h a l f expands outwards and upwards, the d a c t y l i c second f o o t d i s s o l v i n g the weight of the f i r s t ('GrSBers') and l e a v i n g the du' open, undefined, b r i e f l y o f an i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l ; the second h a l f , r e v e r s i n g t h i s sequence, descends, whereby the

- 65 -

weight of 'aber' 'forces' down the ' w i l l ' One

t o 'greatness'.

sees t h a t the e f f e c t i s not simply r e s i g n a t i v e ; the

very e x t r e m i t y of the c o n t r a d i c t i o n ('aber') of a s p i r a t i o n leaves 'GroBers' q u i t e undefined, u n q u a l i f i e d , so t h a t the natural continuation a c l o s e r d e f i n i t i o n of 'GroBers
1

which might e x p l a i n the content of a s p i r a t i o n , and so i t fails never comes.

why

I n f i n i t y i s not renounced; i t i s remembered, and the c o n t r a d i c t i o n ('destiny') i s not r e a l i t y , but l o v e . The 'Streben' of the hexameter ends and i s received i n the arms of to die the pentameter; but t h i s r e t u r n from the outside world Nature the 'kehre wieder dahin, wo du ausgiengst, in

Arme der Natur, der wandellosen,

f^vtu

s t i l l e n und schonen' K&t&ev, o@tv

TT6 p vjK6i, '

(Hyperion, I , 8/18-9/1), the ' (Hyperion, I I , 2 / 2 )

i s an act of l o v e , as, e q u a l l y ,

p o e t r y i s the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of a c t i o n , the way of the w o r l d , i n t o l o v e . I n the r i s e and f a l l of the couplet i s the e n t r y i n t o and withdrawal from the w o r l d by the p r o c r e a t i v e S p i r i t ('Geist', the 'breath' of l i f e ) , and the hexameter r e l a t e s t o the pentameter as masculine t o feminine , p r i n c i.p le . 68 Thus the elegiac couplet r e c r e a t e s , but i n concentrated, i n t e n s i f i e d space, the essence of Hyperion's 'character', which i s only s u p e r f i c i a l l y ' e l e g i a c . Resignation towards r e a l i t y i s not on moral grounds, but takes place because r e a l i t y has never entered the fundamental dualism of H51d e r l i n ' s i d e a l i s t i c thought, and i s t h e r e f o r e i n c i d e n t a l , superfluous. The a l t e r n a t i v e s , on the c o n t r a r y , are c h i l d hood ' S e e l i g k e i t ' and the ' S e e l i g k e i t ' of l o v e , and the
1

- 66 -

l a t t e r i s i n f e r i o r t o and serves the former. The memory of l o v e , enacted u l t i m a t e l y by each c o u p l e t , both recreates i t s r e a l i t y i n heightened ( ' d i v i n e ' , ' i n f i n i t e ' ) form and i s an act of s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n , but one which f e a r s not only, nor even p r i m a r i l y , the overwhelming power of emotion, but r a t h e r i t s t r a n s i e n c e . So human r e l a t i o n s h i p i s beauty, and exposed, l i k e A c h i l l e s , l i k e a rose, t o sv/ift death: 'So i s t s c h n e l l / Verganglich a l l e s Himmlische ... ' ('Friedensf e i e r ' , 11.50-51); unless preserved by a r t . As the fear i s u l t i m a t e l y of l o s s of s e l f t o t i m e , so the key i s the dream of Greece, of e t e r n a l , golden youth: '0 laB d i r deine Rose n i c h t b l a i c h e n , s e e l i g e Gotterjugend!' (Hyperion, I , 115/

12). The elegiac couplet i s H b l d e r l i n ' s p r e s e r v a t i o n of Susette Gontard, but more e x a c t l y of h i s love f o r her: 'um seine Totalempfindung ... , wie i n einem GefaBe, zu bewahren' (4 .151, 14-16). W i t h i n such a vessel t h i s ' T o t a l empf indung* becomes 'Empfindung der T o t a l i t a t ' , and p o e t r y becomes the u n i v e r s a l i s a t i o n of i n d i v i d u a l experience. Thus the ' s p i r i t ' draws i t s v i t a l i t y from l i f e i t s e l f , and by these means H o l d e r l i n achieves t h a t missing element, Lebendige i n der Pogsie
1

'das

(B167, 31): 'wo der Mensch ... a l s (4.263,

unendlicher Geist im unendlichen Leben s i c h f i i h l t ' 6, 8f.).

6 9

This i d e a l and sjrmbolic p o t e n t i a l i n the e l e g i a c couplet i s not achieved u n t i l the s t r o p h i c form i s f u l l y developed. This form i s i t s e l f a n t i c i p a t e d i n the essay 'tfber R e l i g i o n ' (4.275 -79): The h i g h e r l i f e '
6

i s 'ein mehr a l s n o t h d u r f t i g e s Leben', i t takes

'mehr a l s mechanischer Zusammenhang' (4 .275, 28, 7);

- 67 place w i t h i n a 'sphere' elevated above, mechanistic causa l i t y ('Maschinengang', 4.278, 9). Metaphysical freedom ('Geist') i s d i r e c t l y opposed t o dependency on the p h y s i c a l laws of Nature. The concept of the 'sphere', bound up w i t h Renaissance humanism (man as microcosm) t r a n s m i t t e d by Shaftesbury and Winckelmann, here expresses the I d e a l i s t i c e l e v a t i o n of a r t which culminates i n S c h e l l i n g ' s Philosophie 70 der Kunst (1802). What seems an elementary a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l

d i s c u s s i o n as t o how men d i f f e r from animals r e a l l y seeks to d e f i n e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of freedom from determinism, the crux of I d e a l i s m : such freedom i s achieved through memory ('Wiederhohlung im Geiste', 4.276,7), which t h e r e w i t h holds the q u a l i t a t i v e d i s t i n c t i o n between p o e t i c and ' r e a l ' life.

Memory stands between t h e a b s t r a c t i d e a l and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y , and i s t h e r e i n s t r u c t u r a l l y i d e n t i c a l to myth ( u n i t y o f a b s t r a c t and c o n c r e t e ) , towards which t h e thought-process l a t e r d r i f t s . I t must now be more than what i t was i n 'Elegie', a means o f r e c o n c i l i a t i o n w i t h l o s s ; i t i s , and p r o g r e s s i v e l y so, a s e l f - p u r i f i c a t i o n , c a t h a r s i s , from p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y such as t o y i e l d the D i v i n e , i d e a l beauty: 'wie w i r d i e Zweige der Erde sehn, wenn s i e verschonert aus dem giildenen Strome b l i n k e n ' (Hyperion, I , 125/6f.). As the ' B i l d ' of 'Elegie', Diotima, passes out of elegy the p o e t i c sphere a r i s e s : t h e strophe, which, reproducing and thereby f i r s t r e a l i s i n g t h e symbolic p o t e n t i a l of t h e couplet, replaces the d u a l i t y o f r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the e x - c e n t r i c i t y o f ex-

71
perience. The 'sphere' of the poem i s the concrete image and

68

proof of the p o s s i b i l i t y of the d i v i n e s t r u c t u r e , microcosmic harmony, of the i n d i v i d u a l ' s w o r l d , p r i o r t o and independently of any r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the outside world. 'Und jeder h a t t e deranach seinen eigenen Gott, i n so ferne jeder seine eigene Sphare h a t , i n der er w i r k t und d i e er e r f a h r t , und nur i n so ferne mehrere Menschen eine gemeins c h a f t l i c h e Sphare haben ... haben s i e eine gemeinschaftl i c h e G o t t h e i t ' 0.2?8, 12-16). That t h i s d i v i n e 'sphere' should be shared i s a s u f f i c i e n t but not a necessary cond i t i o n of i t s existence. Because the p o e t i c 'sphere' has replaced the i r r a t i o n a l i t y of r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h an ordered but t h e r e f o r e a b s t r a c t form, i t i s u l t i m a t e l y s e l f - r e l a t e d : ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' . The hexametric impulse which i n 'Elegie' was a search f o r l o s t love s t a b i l i s e s ; t h e r e w i t h i t i s not only the act of love w i t h i t s u n i v e r s a l dimension, but also the 'search' f o r , act o f , l i b e r a t i o n from i t s e l f , the enclosed p o e t i c sphere. Thus the strophe i s the type and symbol of memory, but the poem as a whole, which bears the burden of u l t i m a t e s e l f - r e l a t e d n e s s , i s , u n t i l 'Heimkunft', governed by a search f o r r e a l i t y and f o r l i b e r a t i o n from the i d e a l ' p e r f e c t i o n ' of the strophe: 'die K r a f t des Menschen wiederhohlt das w i r k l i c h e Leben, das ihm d i e B e f r i e d i g u n g gab, im Geiste, b i s i h n d i e d i e s e r g e i s t i g e n Wiederhohlung eigentumliche Vollkommenheit und Unvollkommenheit wieder i n s w i r k l i c h e Leben t r e i b t ' (^.276, 6-9). Yet the ' p e r f e c t i o n and i m p e r f e c t i o n ' of the sphere 'drives' the poet 'back' not i n t o r e a l i t y , but i n t o the f o l l o w i n g strophe, which t h e r e w i t h becomes the memory of i t s predecessor.^^

- 69 -

II.

'DER

WANDERER ; IDYLL

The f i r s t v e r s i o n o f t h i s e l e g y (1.206-08) was i n F r a n k f u r t d u r i n g the happiest time of the poet's i t r e f l e c t s t h e deep peace he f o u n d t h r o u g h S u s e t t e

written life; Gon-

t a r d and w h i c h became f o r him a s p i r i t u a l homecoming a f t e r the ' H o l l e n g e i s t e r ' o f W a l t e r s h a u s e n and

1

Luftgeister

of and

Jena ( c f . B128,

35-58). The two extremes, N o r t h Pole

d e s e r t , are d e p i c t e d i n s e c t i o n s o f e i g h t e e n l i n e s each, o f a s t r i c t p a r a l l e l i s m w i t h d i r e c t correspondences fifth ( i n the

l i n e s ) ; t h e r e s t o f t h e poem, t h e r e t u r n 'an den

1

R h e i n , i n d i e g l i i k l i c h e Heimath , f l o w s i n unbroken happiness t o i t s c o n c l u s i o n : F r i e d l i c h zu werden und u n t e r den Blumen zu r u h n .

1 1

froh

N o r t h and South have no v a l u e i n t o t h e ' g l u k l i c h e Heimath'; like

t h e m s e l v e s , and are p u r e l y a f o i l

t h e i r f o r m a l symmetry r e p r e s e n t s a l i f e l e s s p r i n c i p l e , the

s u b j e c t - m a t t e r a r i d and c o l d , w h i c h now m e l t s i n t o t h e

ease and harmony o f t h e temperate l a n d s c a p e , whose c a r e f r e e s u c c e s s i o n o f images, o f l a u d e s S u e v i a e , speaks t h e e f f o r t l e s s language o f Nature and t h e h e a r t . Thus t h e f o r m o f exsee

t h i s e a r l i e r poem i s a t r u e m i r r o r o f t h e p o e t ' s own p e r i e n c e . There, ' i n der Fremde' ( B 1 0 1 , 5 8 ) , he can

'wie s c h u l e r h a f t a l l unser Denken und V e r s t e h n v o r der Natur s i c h gegeniiber f i n d e t ' (B123, 12f.).

- 70 -

Yet i t i s t h e f o r m o f t h e f i r s t p a r t , a l b e i t i n f i n i t e l y deepened and e n r i c h e d , which i s i n h e r i t e d by t h e l a t e r poem. The f u l l y - d e v e l o p e d e l e g i a c s t r o p h e now governs and o r d e r s t h e whole poem. W r i t t e n by one i n d e e d mud b i s i n d i e S e e l e ( 1 . 4 6 ) , a l l h i s hopes dead, i t i s t h e f i r s t t r i a d i c a l l y - s t r u c t u r e d e l e g y , and p r o b a b l y belongs t o t h e summer o f 1800.
1 1

The to

first

e f f e c t of the strophic s t r u c t u r e i s t o give N o r t h and South, r e l a t i v e validity.

t h e two extremes,

The r e a l i t y b e h i n d t h e i r appearance everywhere

t h a t God, Love, i s strophes

f i n d s expression through successive

each o f which i s a whole w i t h i n t h e g r e a t e r w h o l e , a stage w i t h i n a j o u r n e y . H o l d e r l i n can no l o n g e r see any moral d u a l i s m i n t h e w o r l d ; a l l i s , ' i n i t s own way' ('Ganymed', 1.21), 'good', j u s t as 'Nur das i s t d i e wahrste ... z u r Wahrheit Wahrheit,

i n d e r auch d e r I r r t u m And

w i r d ' (4.234, 29-31)

i t i s the r o l e of the poet, the instrument of the t h i s t r u t h ; i t takes t h e

u n i v e r s a l S p i r i t , t o ex-press

form o f a p r o g r e s s i v e l i b e r a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e f i r s t t h r e e s t r o p h e s f r o m t h e ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' w i t h v/hich t h e y b e g i n . L i b e r a t i o n presupposes imprisonment. L i k e 'Menons indirectly

Klagen urn D i o t i m a ' t h e poem b e g i n s i n c a p t i v i t y expressed by t h e rhythm i t s e l f .

I n t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e man i s

excluded f r o m i n s i g h t i n t o and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e D i v i n e ; the 'measure' o f t h e 'gods' i s ' g r e a t ' , and so t o o t h e

rhythm o f t h e s t r o p h e , w i t h s y n t a x and metre almost as one, weighs down upon t h e r e a d e r w i t h o p p r e s s i v e r e g u l a r i t y . I t i s a 'sphere' o f f r u i t l e s s and b a r r e n monotony, m i g h t y b u t opaque, s e l f - e n c l o s e d l i k e t h e c o u p l e t i t s e l f . Yet even

- 71 t h u s i t p r e p a r e s f o r t h e second s t r o p h e . Here t h e dead w e i g h t o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , t h e 'eherne S c h a a l e ' , has i t s e l f "become t h e means o f r e l e a s e ; w i t h t h e s i g n a l ' z e r s p r e n g e s t ' (1.33) t h e verse i s b r o k e n open by p o w e r f u l i n v e r s i o n s , an e f f e c t which i s o n l y a c h i e v e d i n . so s h o r t a space because t h e e a r has become so accustomed t o t h e monotony o f r i s e and f a l l . L i n e 34 ' t e a r s i t s e l f free',

t h r o w i n g 'Los' and ' L i c h t ' f o r w a r d w i t h o u t c o n n e c t i o n ( t h e alliteration reinforces this, as does t h a t o f ' r e i B t ' and an emphatic final

' g r t i B t ' ) , and d e l a y i n g t h e s u b j e c t t i l l

p o s i t i o n , so t h a t i t does i n d e e d emerge o u t o f t h e chaos, r e b o r n , an 'entbundene Welt' (compare t h e e a r l i e r , version:

1

'shy',

'Und d i e knospende Welt w i n d e t s i c h

schuchtern

h e r a u s ) . I t i s as though a sudden v i t a l i t y can no l o n g e r t o l e r a t e o r d e r e d e x p r e s s i o n b u t must needs r e a c h o u t f o r 'light' before i t i s t h e r e , thus b r i n g i n g i t i n t o the f i r s t T h e r e w i t h t h e whole f i n a l triad,

h a l f o f t h e pentameter. the

o r d e r e d f l o w o f t h e e a r l i e r poem ('Und ... / Und ... ')

1

g i v i n g way t o a dynamic DaB ... / Los ... ', becomes a s i n g l e movement r i s i n g t o a c l i m a x i n 1.35 ('-flammt') b e f o r e f a l l i n g back t o r e s t w i t h 'im k a r g l i c h e n N o r d . But t h e emphatic f i n a l p o s i t i o n of im k a r g l i c h e n The
1 1

Nord' amounts t o a s e l f - r e a s s e r t i o n by c o l d r e a l i t y . c a p t i v i t y i n h e r i t e d from t h e f i r s t premise the

s t r o p h e has become t h e

f o r a glimpse o f l i b e r a t i o n , a b r i e f l i f t i n g o f

v e i l , which now becomes a mere memory as t h e e l e g i a c

sphere c l o s e s once more.about t h e p o e t . A l r e a d y t h e h e i g h t ened s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e i n h e r i t e d and developed p r i n c i p l e i s emerging: formal

i t presupposes a n e g a t i v i t y f a r

- 72 exceeding t h a t o f t h e e a r l i e r poem, where t h e n e g a t i v e forces

had been a mere p r e p a r a t i o n f o r j o y and peace. The g i v e n form t h e ' w o r l d ' o f t h e poem has become e n c l o s u r e ,

self-enclosure. H S l d e r l i n b e g i n s t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e by a l t e r i n g c o n t r a s t i n t o sequence: 'Aber j e z t kehr' simple

1

i c h zurtik ...

becomes 'Also s a g t ' i c h und j e z t k e h r ' i c h ... '. 'Home' t o o now has o n l y r e l a t i v e v a l i d i t y ; i t i s no l o n g e r t h e end o f a j o u r n e y , b u t t h e f u r t h e s t stage so f a r . I n o t h e r words, i t i s no l o n g e r t h e d e s t i n a t i o n b u t t h e j o u r n e y i t s e l f v/hich has t h e h i g h e s t v a l u e . A c c o r d i n g l y , this

s t r o p h e presupposes and depends upon what has gone b e f o r e . As t h e p r e c e d i n g of t h e f i r s t , s t r o p h e arose o u t o f t h e c a p t i v e s t a t e becomes f u l f i l m e n t o f

so now t h e glimpse

r e l e a s e . The second s t r o p h e has t h e form o f a t i t a n i c s t r u g g l e i n which t h e 'gathered strength' f i n a l l y bursts

i t s bonds. Only now, t h r o u g h what has been a c h i e v e d , can t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f t h e t h i r d t a k e p l a c e ; and do so i n t h e second t r i a d , n o t a t t h e end, t h a t i s , no l o n g e r as a mere glimpse b u t as a s h a k i n g - o f f o f a l l bonds.

Nowhere e l s e i n t h e poem i s t h e e l e g i a c r h y t h m , t h e r e g u l a r m a t c h i n g o f metre and s y n t a x i n r i s e and f a l l , q u e s t i o n and answer, so c o m p l e t e l y r e s o l v e d as here (11.4-348). This t r i a d t h e r e f o r e contains t h e f i n a l break-through,

and w i t h i t t h e c o n d i t i o n f o r c r e a t i v i t y and f o r t h e poem as a whole. F i v e d i s c r e t e u n i t s 'auch] am l e z t e n d e r

s t e r b l i c h e n T a g e ] / F e r n h e r kommend und mud] b i s i n d i e S e e l e ] noch j e z t ] ' - suggest t h e plodding-homewards, t h e i n f i n i t e weariness, o f t h e Wanderer, and a t t h e same t i m e

- 73 -

b u i l d up a p o w e r f u l t e n s i o n s t r e t c h i n g over t h e m e t r i c a l d i v i s i o n s ( n o c h j e z t / Wiedersahe d i B L a n d ' ) ; these words, b e i n g s t i l l w i t h i n the p r o t a s i s , b r i n g a f a l s e c l i m a x t h u s i n t e n s i f y t h e sense o f a n t i c i p a t i o n ; and t h u s t h e whole f o r c e o f r e l e a s e f a l l s on B l u h ' n ' . And
1 1

and

t h i s release like a The

i s d e f i n i t i v e l i b e r a t i o n f r o m the e l e g i a c r h y t h m ;

f i n a l blow t h e second enjambement has broken i t open. darkness g i v e s way, new realm. The

t h e eye opens; and b e f o r e i t l i e s a

f i n a l t r i a d (11.49-5*0, a w o n d e r f u l example of the

d i s c i p l i n e d power o f H b ' l d e r l i n ' s a r t a t t h i s t i m e , i s t h e p r o s p e c t t h a t opens up b e f o r e t h e Wanderer's 'eye'. The

opening e x c l a m a t i o n i s t r u l y a Sprachgestus ( t h e words are d r a m a t i c , i m p l y a g e s t u r e ) . A l l i n t h e f i r s t two coup-

l e t s i s , i n t h i s moment o f r e l e a s e , caught up i n a d i o n y s i a c s u r r e n d e r t o the s p i r i t o f wine, which f l o w s around and

through the verse, d i s s o l v i n g o u t l i n e , b i n d i n g a l l things t o one a n o t h e r . The form i s t h a t o f d i s s o l v i n g o r d e r ; ' k e i n

Hiigel i s t ohne den Weinstok' , w i t h i t s c a u t i o u s l i t o t e s , i s f o l l o w e d by a l i n e 'Mauer und Garten b e k r a n z t '

i n which d e f i n i t i o n ( d e f i n i t e a r t i c l e s , a u x i l i a r y v e r b ) i s a l r e a d y l e s s e n i n g , and t h e n , as t h e movement a c c e l e r a t e s , t h e l a s t o u t l i n e ('die S c h i f f e ' ) i s washed away, and 1.52

r u n s away w i t h t h e r i v e r . A l l phenomena have passed i n t o a single undifferentiated ' s i e ' . Assonance ('Traube ...

Laub ... Mauer', and t h e un-sound) and a l l i t e r a t i o n ( t r ) a l s o symbolise a l i f e - f o r c e i n which s e n s u a l i t y (sound)

p r e v a i l s over d i s t i n c t meaning; most p o w e r f u l , however, i s t h e s i b i l a n t a l l i t e r a t i o n t h a t pours over f r o m 1.51 t o t h e pentameter: there i s a d i s t a n t suggestion of the great

- 74 -

s p i r a l l i n g motion of the R i v e r , i t s serpent's being power. The

and

sense o f i n e x o r a b l e f l o w i s i n t e n s i f i e d by t h e hyperbaton voll

stream o f u n r e s i s t i n g 'und's; and above a l l t h e of 1.51 ( n o r m a l o r d e r : 'Und

d i e S c h i f f e im Strome s i n d

des h e i l i g e n Tranks')

i s t h e v e r y image of a Bacchic

dance

i n which normal, c o n v e n t i o n a l b e i n g , the r i g i d f i x i t y of i n a n i m a t e o b j e c t s as we see them, has become i n f o r m e d by spirit, ' G e i s t ' . I n t h i s l i n e t h e r e i s no s u g g e s t i o n o f ' d i e S c h i f f e ' , so t h a t 'des h e i l i g e n Tranks'

outline u n t i l

flows d i r e c t l y i n t o to

'im Strome', wine and r i v e r

uniting in

become one p r i n c i p l e , more t h a n a d r i n k o r a r i v e r ; sense, t h e R i v e r o f L i f e . I n t o t h i s

a vitalistic are absorbed,

'the s h i p s '

and t h u s become p e r s o n i f i e d , n o t mere cargoo f Dionysus. The b e g i n n i n g o f 1.52

vessels, worshippers

r e v e r s e s t h e o r d e r o f v e r b and s u b s t a n t i v e , t h u s c o n t i n u i n g the d a n c i n g movement; and the whole reaches i t s c l i m a x

w i t h ' t r u n k e n ' , c a t c h i n g up t h e two a l l i t e r a t i v e s t r a n d s , summarising. Perhaps 'Weinen', i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h 'Strome'

and t h e whole f e e l i n g o f s t r e a m i n g f l o w , c a r r i e s t h e i d e a o f weeping. In these two c o u p l e t s , t h e n , t h e e l e g i a c r h y t h m l i n e - e n d i n g s are a l l observed, has

come a l i v e . The

f o r the

c r u c i a l b r e a k - t h r o u g h has a l r e a d y been a c h i e v e d ( i n t h e p r e c e d i n g t r i a d ) . And t h u s t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t , which closes

n o t o n l y t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e b u t t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e poem, enacts t h e p r i n c i p l e o f f o r m i t s e l f by c o m p l e t e l y the e l e g i a c rhythm: t h e pentameter restoring as

returns to i t s role

answer t o t h e hexameter, w i t h d u l y p a r a l l e l s y n t a x ( c o n n e c t i v e , d e s c r i p t i v e c l a u s e , v e r b , main s u b s t a n t i v e s ) . Form

- 75 -

and c o n t e n t are one: ' r e s t s ' . The

t h e poem has reached i t s summit, and

emphatic 'Aber', i n t e r r u p t i n g t h e f l o w , s e t s

t h e m o u n t a i n a p a r t ; t r a n s c e n d i n g d i o n y s i a c r e l e a s e , he symbolises t h e p a r a d o x i c a l u n i t y ( ' l a c h e l n d und ernst',

' n e i g e t d e r F r e i e das Haupt') of freedom and

necessity,

genius and a r t . Of i t s e l f , t h e i n t o x i c a t e d v a l l e y tends t o f o r m l e s s n e s s , chaos, d a r k n e s s ; b u t t h r o u g h t h e f o r m - g i v i n g whole, whose ' s p i r i t ' creative force. What had rhythm, seemed n e g a t i v e , ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' the elegiac has beauty. i s t h e m o u n t a i n , t h i s urge becomes

f o r m i t s e l f , t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem, p o e t r y

been t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f harmony and

The bonds i n which t h e p o e t i c s e l f e x i s t e d ('Einsam' i s t h e opening w o r d ) , t h e p o t e n t i a l l y endless monotony of t h e e l e g i a c rhythm i n i t s r i s e and f a l l , now appear as the the

means t o freedom, as t h e w o r l d w i t h i n w h i c h , t h r o u g h life-giving 'word' (compare 'Empedokles' I I , 103,

127, 541f.; evil

2.596, 2 1 ) , ' t r a n s f o r m a t i o n ' can t a k e p l a c e . The

i s o l a t i o n , e x i s t e n c e v / i t h i n t h e p r i s o n o f p o e t i c form

i s u l t i m a t e l y good, b e i n g no more t h a n t h e p r i c e p a i d f o r the ecstasy of l i b e r a t i o n w i t h i n t h a t w o r l d , the joyous

d i s c o v e r y t h a t c a p t i v i t y i s r e a l l y freedom. Thus t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e i s d e f i n e d by t h e s t r u g g l e t o break t h r o u g h the

bonds o f f o r m , and these have become t h e means t o a e s t h e t i c harmony. The e l e v a t i o n of t h e s t r u c t u r e of t h e f i r s t p a r t o f has

t h e e a r l i e r poem t o t h e s t a t u s o f a f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e

y i e l d e d a dynamic f o r m , and nowhere more so t h a n i n t h e first c o u p l e t of t h e second h a l f (11.55-56). H o l d e r l i n had

- 76 -

written:

'Friedsam gent aus dem Walde der H i r s c h

ans

f r e u n d l i c h e T a g s l i c h t ; / Hoch i n h e i t e r e r L u f t s i e h e t der F a l k e s i c h urn ; t h e a f f e c t i v e e p i t h e t s o f t h e hexameter were chosen a t random, t h e e f f e c t was of e v e n t s . Now t h a t of a sequence are
1

t h e e p i t h e t s drop o u t , and two events line

pressed

i n t o one

'Und j e z t kommt vom Walde der t h e new vitality en-

H i r s c h , aus Wolken das T a g s l i c h t '

hanced by a l l i t e r a t i o n , b u t t h e r e s u l t i n g p a r a l l e l i s m dimi n i s h i n g t h e concreteness being o f t h e phenomena. Instead of

' a c c i d e n t a l ' , t h e r e f o r t h e i r own

sake, t h e y have be-

come p a r t o f a movement, a rhythm

which the pentameter, continues.

i t s e l f no l o n g e r m e r e l y d e p i c t i n g an e v e n t , This i s achieved

not j u s t by the change i n words, b u t ,

above a l l , by t h e o v e r a l l f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e . Through t h e freedom t h a t was the c u l m i n a t i n g experience of the preceding

s t r o p h e , t h i s c o u p l e t has become a new

beginning. I t i s a

r a d i c a l change, f o r t h e c o u p l e t i s t h u s no l o n g e r p a r t of an i d y l l i c onward f l o w , as i n t h e e a r l i e r poem, b u t conveys

an access o f energy of w h i c h the v e r y compression i s exp r e s s i v e , and what i t d e s c r i b e s has ' s t a g ' and symbolic f o r c e : t h e

t h e ' d a y - l i g h t ' emerge, j u s t as the poem b e g i n s

anew; and t h e f a l c o n has become t h e poet h i m s e l f , a t t h a t moment o f t a u t s e n s i t i v i t y , h o v e r i n g w a t c h f u l n e s s , before

t h e swoop upon t h e prey."* Here are no l o n g e r f i g u r e s i n a l a n d s c a p e , b u t f i g u r e s of a n t i c i p a t i o n , s e r v i n g a h i g h e r purpose. They are t h e t h r e s h o l d o f t h e i d y l l t h a t s t r e t c h e s f r o m 1.57 t o 1.80. And w i t h the i d y l l t h e e l e g i a c rhythm reasserts and

i t s e l f , a 'bequem S i c h - a u s s t r e k e n ' , r e g u l a r i n i t s r i s e

- 77 -

fall, the

i t s sense o f e n c l o s u r e , peace and s e c u r i t y : a f o r m W i t h i n t h i s i n f i n i t e expanse t h e

image o f endlessness.

three monosyllables

' S t i l l i s t s h i e r ' , which a r e no l o n g e r

d e f i n e d and expanded upon, b u t have become i s o l a t e d and independent, the the t h u s by t h e i r v e r y f o r m summarise and s y m b o l i s e within

meaning o f i d y l l : a p r o t e c t e d p l a c e , an i s l a n d w o r l d . Nor i s t h e immer g e s c h a f f t i g e Miihle'

1

still

' s c a r c e l y ' heard and so p a r t o f t h e i d y l l , b u t ' d i s t a n t ' , i t s busy d a c t y l s and s h o r t vowels s h a r p l y s e p a r a t e d by t h e caesura f r o m t h e i d y l l i c peace. I n t h i s way t h e symbolic 'Still ists hier', i n i t s

meaning o f form i s h e i g h t e n e d :

s e p a r a t e n e s s , no l o n g e r i n t r o d u c e s a s p e c i f i c i d y l l , b u t proclaims the i d y l l as such; ' h i e r ' no l o n g e r r e f e r s t o sphere itself.

a p a r t i c u l a r place, but t o the i d y l l i c The of

e a r l i e r poem had d e s c r i b e d f r e e l y , f o r m l e s s l y , o u t ' F r i e d l i c h zu werden was t h e f i n a l word,

sheer j o y , and i t s c o n c l u s i o n

und f r o h u n t e r den Blumen zu r u h n ' not,

as h e r e , s u b o r d i n a t e d t o a h i g h e r f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e . i t s form was s i m p l y a d d i t i v e , a sequence o f

For t h a t reason

phenomena even as t h e y appear, and t h e d e s c r i p t i o n was conc r e t e enough t o seem t h a t o f a r e a l p l a c e , an e x t r a - p o e t i c r e a l i t y ; i t conveyed immediacy o f r e l a t i o n s h i p between p e r c e i v e r and p e r c e i v e d , between t h e p o e t and h i s m a t e r i a l . Here, however, such immediacy, and w i t h i t t h e acceptance by t h e poet o f h i s m a t e r i a l , has gone, and i n t h e process that material Nature has t a k e n on d i f f e r e n t meaning.

F i r s t l y , H o l d e r l i n has i n t r o d u c e d t i m e , change, i n t o t h e idyll ( a s i g n i f i c a n t s t e p because i d y l l i s ideally purely

s p a t i a l , s t a t i c ) . I t i s s e t i n e v e n i n g ; b u t 'evening' i s

- 78 -

not

e x p l i c i t l y mentioned, and t h e p e r i p h r a s i s 'das

Neigen

des Tages' expresses n o t a p o i n t b u t a movement i n t i m e . Thus t h e i d y l l i s from t h e s t a r t a f a l l i n g - a w a y , a d e c l i n e , reached con-

d e s c e n t , and assumes an end and g o a l . T h i s w i l l be w i t h 'lag'

( 1 . 7 9 ) F u r t h e r m o r e , a f f e c t i v e e p i t h e t s and

c r e t e d e t a i l have l a r g e l y been e l i m i n a t e d . T h i s

'Verlaugnung idyll

a l l e s A c c i d e n t e l l e n ' r e s u l t s i n an a p p a r e n t paradox: with purpose: Now

1 1

heimkehrend

r e p l a c e s ' l e n k e n d ' , and accords

1

with

N e i g e n ' ( w h i c h suggests i n c l i n a t i o n ) and

'gerne : a w i l l

to

r e s t . The l i t t l e boy s y m b o l i s e s n a i v e b e i n g , f o r 'Sehen' 'Aber' i s

i s used a b s o l u t e l y , s i g n i f y i n g p e r c e p t i o n as such.

no l o n g e r a s p a t i a l d i r e c t i o n ; b r o u g h t f o r w a r d t o sharp j u x t a p o s i t i o n w i t h ' e n t s c h l i e f s ' a t t h e caesura, i t makes the redness o f t h e c l o u d s almost a w a r n i n g t o t h e Wanderer

t h a t he s h o u l d go on, n o t l o s e h i m s e l f i n s l e e p . Thus t h e i d y l l i s d r i v e n f o r w a r d ; i f s l e e p i s l e f t b e h i n d , t h e n because t h e Wanderer has passed beyond t h e s i m p l e r e a l m . The w a r n i n g i s n o t an awakening, idyllic

but a c a l l to yet lies,

deeper d e s c e n t , t o where, beyond s l e e p , t h e unconscious the

w o r l d o f dreams, where t h e s e l f i s p a s s i v e , t h e w o r l d

autonomous. To t h i s r e a l m t h e n e x t c o u p l e t p r o v i d e s t h e t r a n s i t i o n ; a l l d e i c t i c and c o n c r e t i s i n g elements ('driiben' ,

'Ulme', ' a l t e r n d ' ) have gone, b u t t h e v e r y i n t a n g i b i l i t y ('das o f f e n e H o f t h o r ' ) i s a s t a t e m e n t , f o r t h e gate has

become an i n v i t a t i o n t o e n t e r , and g a i n e d t h e a r c h e t y p a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f a door. The s t r i p p i n g of a l l concreteness 6 i t joins with and

i s n o t s i m p l y an i d e a l i s i n g tendency;

i n t e n s i f i e s t h e downward movement, t h e dynamic, o f t h e

- 79 -

r h y t h m , f o r absence of d e t a i l i s here a l a c k o f r e s i s t a n c e , and t h e r e f o r e has p o s i t i v e f u n c t i o n , s i n c e t h e v e r y essence even t h o s e a s p e c t s which H o l d e r en-

of i d y l l i s p a s s i v i t y . And l i n has

r e t a i n e d unchanged, f o r example t h e p l a s t i c
1

jambement o f U b e r g r u n t ' , have w i t h i n t h i s r h y t h m

new, especial

dynamic f u n c t i o n , a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e downward m o t i o n ; the simple final triad

comma p r o v i d i n g (11.66/67) t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o the o f t h e s t r o p h e no l o n g e r m e r e l y l i n k s one coup-

l e t t o t h e n e x t , b u t makes a v i t a l c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e i t s e l f , f o r t h e e l e g i a c s t r u c t u r e has come t h e means t o a s l i p p i n g deeper i n t o d a r k n e s s , a giving-way. Thus t h e v e r s e g l i d e s e f f o r t l e s s l y i n t o t h e f i n a l so t h a t i t s f i r s t c o u p l e t ( 1 1 . 6 7 - 6 8 ) , a l t h o u g h changed, assumes deeper meaning. Now the almost triad, unbe-

'empfangt' r e a c t s w i t h

'open' d o o r , p o w e r f u l l y r e i n f o r c i n g i t s a r c h e t y p a l i s now also

q u a l i t y ; i t r e c e i v e s , draws, t h e Wanderer (who

assuming a r c h e t y p a l s i g n i f i c a n c e ) i n t o , i t s e l f and i t s ' h e i m l i c h e s Dunkel'. W i t h i n t h i s c o n t e x t 'house' and 'garden

t o o can no l o n g e r be l o c a t e d ; t h e y have become t h a t i n n e r sanctum each man c a r r i e s w i t h him, one day to return, of

symbols o f t h e p a s t , and t o g e t h e r form the v e r y h e a r t t h e i d y l l , i n t o which t h e Wanderer now d a r k n e s s , s i n c e i t i s now e n t e r s . And the

contrasted w i t h the

'golden l i g h t ' part

o u t s i d e , i s f r e e d from c o n c r e t e of t h e g r e a t m y t h i c a l d u a l i t y ;

r e f e r e n c e , becomes one

' h e i r n - l i c h ' , i t suggests the

o r i g i n , t h e mother o f a l l t h i n g s . Thus the t r a n s i t i o n t o the f i n a l light', triad has g a i n e d t h e power o f myth; the 'golden

i n which a l l t h i n g s are c l e a r and

differentiated,

- 80 -

has become t h e t h r e s h o l d , 'gate'-way, t o a r e a l m of d a r k n e s s i n w h i c h t h e r e i s no h o l d and t h e c o n t r o l e x e r c i s e d by con-

s c i o u s n e s s i s l e t s l i p ; what o u t l i n e i s l e f t i s t h a t o f t h e p a s t , o f a dream. In this triad a l l t h e c o n c r e t e words w h i c h had suggested

a p a r t i c u l a r l i t t l e boy t h e y had e r i n g and

amid N a t u r e have been r e p l a c e d ; f o r

conveyed a h a b i t a t warm and p l e a s i n g , b u t encumbo b s t r u c t i n g e a r s , eyes and mind. Nov; a l l t h e nouns 'frei' f o r 'froh' (happi-

suggest freedom f r o m l i m i t a t i o n : ness c l o g s t h e m i n d ) ,

' wie G e f l i i g e l t e ' (unencumbered by and t h e gaze i s hay In

E a r t h ) , 'auf l u f t i g e n Asten' ( l i g h t l y a i r y ) ;

f r e e d from t h e c l o y i n g s e n s u a l i t y o f t h e s w e e t - s m e l l i n g to l o o k upwards i n t o t h e a e t h e r e a l b l u e , t h e i n f i n i t e .
1

t h i s c o n t e x t ' s p i e l t ' h a r d l y r e f e r s t o c h i l d i s h games b u t r a t h e r conveys t h e i d e a of p l a y , i t s sheer freedom, pure as

t h e i n f i n i t e b l u e sky. Such d e p i c t i o n o f boyhood e l i m i n a t e s the gap of memory, f o r i t no l o n g e r c o n s i s t s o f specific

memories, so as t o be an o b j e c t o f n o s t a l g i a , b u t i s r e duced t o a s i n g l e i d e a , t h e a n t i t h e s i s o f the a d u l t w o r l d w i t h i t s Zwang' and

1

'Geschafte' and

'Sorgen'; j u s t as

the ab-

d a r k n e s s , t h r o u g h i t s c o n t r a s t w i t h l i g h t , had assumed s o l u t e q u a l i t y . The deprives stripping-away of s p e c i f i c t h e mind o f a l l ' H a l t ' , context

or f r e e s

restriction,

and enables s u b m i s s i o n t o a dream. Because boyhood appears as p u r p o s e - f r e e , i t becomes s u b o r d i n a t e d an o v e r a l l p u r p o s e , becomes a stage The and c o n t r i b u t e s t o

i n a journey.

f u l l f u n c t i o n of t h i s f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e appears i n I n f u l f i l l i n g the s t r o p h i c

t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t (11.71-72).

whole, b r i n g i n g a sense o f c u l m i n a t i o n and r e s t , i t completes

- 81 -

a pure s u b m i s s i o n t o t h e power o f a n o t h e r . That t h i s can happen i s t h e measure o f how u t t e r l y p e r s o n a l t h e e l e g i a c f o r m has become f o r H o l d e r l i n . As t h e r e n u n c i a t i o n o f f r e e dom becomes complete t h e s e l f i s 'aufgenommen', absorbed;

w i t h i n t h e bounds o f t h e s t r o p h i c act

'sphere' t h e freedom t o

has been exchanged f o r t h e freedom t h a t i d y l l bestows n o t j u s t f r o m Sorgen' and 'Geschafte', b u t f r o m change, itself. Hence t h e disappearance of the exclamations
1

purpose,

which i n t h e e a r l i e r poem had formed t h e c l i m a x and had expressed of energy, t h e j o y o f renewed y o u t h , f o r t h e s i g h t new triple

h i s n a t i v e c o u n t r y had f i l l e d t h e Wanderer w i t h

s t r e n g t h . Not so h e r e , where t h r o u g h i t s a n a p h o r i c repetition the of 'einst'

' t r e u ' g a i n s i n c a n t a t o r y f o r c e i n t e n s i f i e d by t h a t echoes f r o m 1.68. The s t r i k i n g regularity relation i s

t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e i n terms o f m e t r e - s y n t a x

wedded t o t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e ; such i r r e g u l a r i t i e s as t h e r e a r e ( e l l i p s e o f v e r b i n 1.55, t r i s y l l a b i c sentence

i n 1.59, enjambement a t 11.65/66) a c t u a l l y c o n t r i b u t e t o the o v e r a l l sense o f f l o w , as does t h e eased t r i a d i c a t 11.66/67. A s p e l l i s b e i n g woven about t h e trans-

ition

Wanderer, t a k i n g f r o m him h i s s t r e n g t h . I f one imagines t h e poem ending h e r e , i n r e s t and

a c c e i J t a n c e , t h e e f f e c t would be c l o s e r t o t h a t o f t h e e a r l i e r poem w i t h i t s ' F r i e d l i c h zu werden und f r o h u n t e r den Blumen zu r u h n ' . The s t r o p h e , however, i s a whole w i t h i n a whole, and c o m p l e t i o n , r e s t , t a k e s p l a c e o n l y upon t h e c o n d i t i o n of r e l a t i v i s a t i o n w i t h i n the greater form, the whole poem. But t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f f o r m upon t h e home-coming i d y l l does n o t r e a l l y r e f l e c t an a u s t e r e d i s c i p l i n e ; on t h e

- 82 -

contrary, i t indicates the force necessitating but at the same t i m e g e n e r a t e d by t h a t d i s c i p l i n e : an o v e r p o w e r i n g i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n through t h e w i l l t o submission of the i d y l l

i n i t s sensual a l l u r e , s o f t power. For t h e e f f e c t o f t h e s t r o p h i c d i v i s i o n and o f t h e sense o f t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m i s to the d r i v e t h e poem f o r w a r d and c a r r y t h e Wanderer deeper i n t o idyllic realm. Indeed, t h e i n d i v i d u a l strophe i n i t s

completeness has t h e f o r c e o f an image. Not o n l y does t h e idyllic at 'sphere' c l o s e about t h e Wanderer; t h i s moment i s on t h e p a r t o f t h e Door, o f 'auf. from

t h e same t i m e an opening

i d y l l i c N a t u r e . Both i d e a s a r e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e f i n a l Thus t h e s t r o p h i c t r a n s i t i o n has become a p a s s i n g one 'sphere'

t o a n o t h e r ; t h e Wanderer, t h e p o e t i c s e l f , within

has passed t h r o u g h t h e 'Gate', and l o o k s about i t s e l f the 'garden'; and t h e Garden t h a t i s , Nature's side

i s no l o n g e r p a s s i v e , what i s , as i n c o n v e n t i o n a l seen and e n j o y e d , b u t a source o f 'wonder', a c t i v e ,

idylls, alive.

The p r o g r e s s i v e e n t r y i n t o a dream, s u b m i s s i o n , on t h e p a r t of t h e s e l f has been a r e s t o r a t i o n o f autonomy t o N a t u r e .

That t h i s i s above a l l an e f f e c t o f t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e (and t h a t t h e r e f o r e form i s n o t so much t h e v e h i c l e f o r a s t a t e m e n t as an i n s t r u m e n t f o r t h e i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f exp e r i e n c e , o f b e a u t y ) i s e a s i l y f e l t by r e a d i n g over t h e s t r o p h i c d i v i s i o n . The e f f e c t w i l l be gone. As i t i s , i t i s i n the f i r s t t r i a d of the f i f t h strophe t h a t the I d y l l

reaches i t s c l i m a x . The s t r o p h i c s t r u c t u r e i s o n l y t h e most e x t e r n a l of aspect

t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e , towards which a l l r h y t h m i c a l elements

are w o r k i n g . I n 11.73-78 t h e same f o r m i n g w i l l i s a t work

- 83 -

as i n t h e p u r i f y i n g o f l i g h t , darkness and c h i l d h o o d f r o m s p e c i f i c r e f e r e n c e , and here i t i s Nature t h a t appears i n pure f o r m . A g a i n , t h e p r i n c i p a l aspects a r e e l i m i n a t i o n o f a f f e c t i v e e p i t h e t s and c o n c r e t e d e t a i l , so t h a t N a t u r e , like

c h i l d h o o d , becomes f r e e : f r e e f r o m dependence upon man, t h e p e r c e i v i n g S u b j e c t . For whereas t h e random images o f an idyllic landscape t h o u g h t l e s s l y subject her t o the vagaries

o f p e r c e p t i o n , here freedom n e c e s s a r i l y t a k e s t h e p o s i t i v e f o r m o f autonomy v i s - a - v i s a p a s s i v e self.

Where p r e v i o u s l y t h e Wanderer had r e a c t e d w i t h ' siirrple happiness t o h e r spontaneous r e s p o n s i v e n e s s , here he has

become t h e r e g i s t e r i n g s p e c t a t o r i n t h e r e a l m o f a s e l f s u f f i c i e n t power. Even enjoyment i s an e v a l u a t i o n and so a f o r m o f c o n t r o l ; t h e r e f o r e t h e words e x p r e s s i n g t h i s ('gefallig',

1

' k o s t l i c h ' ) drop o u t . 'Mir an's F e n s t e r ' , Nature

'Lokend', S c h m e i c h e l n d z i e h t m i c h ' , had suggested as a charming

m i s t r e s s a n x i o u s t o p l e a s e h e r master (she 'wundern',

comes t o h i s window); now t h e r e i s o n l y t h e n e u t r a l

and t h e window, as i t l e a v e s t h e v e r s e , t a k e s w i t h i t t h e f i r m o u t l i n e s w i t h which man c i v i l i s e s N a t u r e . The happy r e c i p r o c i t y o f t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g o r i g i n a l l i n e has g i v e n p l a c e t o a 'Strauch' n o t e v a l u a t e d , s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t i n t h e power ('Fast, wie d i e Baume') o f i t s g r o w t h ( i t s position which,

b e f o r e t h e caesura g i v e s s t r o n g emphasis t o ' s t e n t ' , t h u s f r e e d from any q u a l i f i c a t i o n , g a i n s p h a l l i c

'Eigenmacht')

L i n e 75 has been g i v e n a 'heavy', 'dark' s e n s u a l i t y h e i g h t ened by t h e s u g g e s t i o n o f a p r o c e s s o f which t h e Wanderer was unaware ( ' i s t worden i n d e f i ' ) , t h i s i n t u r n t h r o w i n g t h e s t r e s s o f t h e pentameter onto i t s second h a l f , ' r e i c h e n ...

- 8k -

s i c h s e l b s t ' . A n o t h e r e f f e c t o f these changes i s t o t u r n t h e one d a t i v e o f advantage i n t o an e t h i c a l d a t i v e ex-

p r e s s i n g above a l l wonder ( t h e o t h e r drops o u t ) . Through t h e d e c o n c r e t i s a t i o n t h e words Aus dem G a r t e n d e r Pfad' become j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f a r c h e t y p e s , and 'hinab' ( t h e whole l i n e i s r e t a i n e d ) f i t s e f f o r t l e s s l y i n t o t h e o v e r a l l des c e n d i n g movement. The moving o f 'wie s o n s t
1 1

i n 1.77 t i l l

a f t e r t h e caesura draws o u t , g i v e s 'drawing' power t o , 'zieht*. Thus t h e i d y l l i c s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y o f n a t u r a l t h i n g s has been t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a daemonic Nature o f w h i c h a l l t h a t appears i s m e r e l y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . The p a s s i v i t y o f t h e s e l f

i s h e r w i l l . A l l emphasis has passed f r o m t h e remembering (and so, t h i n k i n g ) S u b j e c t t o t h e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t images, t h e O b j e c t . What remains o f c o n t r o l , t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m , o n l y e x e r c i s e s t h i s f u n c t i o n i n d i r e c t l y , as t h e t o t a l i t y o f i t s p a r t s , and i s t h e r e f o r e i t s e l f an i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e d i r e c t and s e n s u a l power o f N a t u r e . T h i s p r o c e s s f i n d s i t s c l i m a x i n t h e f i r s t words o f t h e f o l l o w i n g t r i a d lag' i n t o which, again, t h e preceding t r i a d
1

Wo i c h

effortlessly

s l i p s w i t h a comma. Since t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e i d y l l t h e r e have been no e x c l a m a t i o n s o r q u e s t i o n s , and t h e r e g u l a r i t y o f m e t r e - s y n t a x r e l a t i o n has been almost unbroken i n a sea o f r i s e and f a l l (11.75-76 r e p r e s e n t t h e i d e a l t y p e ) ; everbears

i n c r e a s i n g i n w e i g h t and d a r k n e s s , t h e e l e g i a c rhythm

down upon t h e s e l f . Now these words suggest n o t o n l y t h e c o n t e n t b u t t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f memory, o f e l e g y , i n i t s s u p i n e p a s s i v i t y ; and i n t h e dream o f t h e ' s a i l o r s ' , t h e h e r o e s , v i r i , who by a c t s shape t h e w o r l d , t h e e l e g i a c mode has reached i t s f u r t h e s t extreme.

-85 =

I d y l l as t h e e p i c renewal o f language: t h e problem o f creativity

I n l i n e 80 t h e r e t a k e s p l a c e a ' R e - f l e x i o n ' ; t h e Wande r e r , who had descended t o t h e depths o f a dream w i t h i n a dream, i s s t a r t l e d out o f h i m s e l f as he remembers how h i s

f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e h e r o i c s a i l o r s l e d him t o l e a v e home and b e g i n h i s wanderings and w i t h them h i s s u f f e r i n g s . He

r e a l i s e s t h a t t h e home he has l e f t can never a g a i n be h i s , but t h i s v e r y sense o f cosmic i s o l a t i o n ('Und so b i n i c h

a l l e i n ' ) g i v e s him t h e freedom t o become aware o f t h e cosmic f o r c e s ('Aether', 'Erde', ' L i c h t ' ) t h a t r u l e man's d e s t i n y and t o whom h i s h i g h e s t a l l e g i a n c e i s due. T h i s l e a d s t o t h e t o a s t i n which l o s t and f o u n d are r e c o n c i l e d i n f i n a l harmony. B e f o r e a s s e s s i n g t h e s e l i n e s I would l i k e t o cons i d e r t h e meaning i d y l l has g a i n e d f o r H o l d e r l i n . L i k e h i s i n t e l l e c t u a l c o n t e m p o r a r i e s he b e l i e v e d man that

and N a t u r e had become u n n a t u r a l l y d i v i d e d , t h a t t h e i n lived i n a

d i v i d u a l , b o t h as human b e i n g and as a r t i s t , now s t a t e o f l o s t s p o n t a n e i t y ( ' d i e Trennungen, denken und e x i s t i r e n ' , und dem
1

i n denen w i r

d e r W i d e r s t r e i t zwischen dem S u b j e c t

O b j e c t , zwischen unserem S e l b s t und d e r W e l t ' , B117,

30-33), t h a t language bore a c r u c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h i s division. As t h e v e h i c l e o f t h o u g h t , i t i s t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f

man's m a s t e r y over N a t u r e , and t h e r e f o r e appears as dead, a b s t r a c t , m e t a p h o r i c a l , symptomatic o f t h e s e l f - c e n t r e d , o n e - s i d e d , u n c r e a t i v e , enslavement l e d g e and needs. As t h i s s i t u a t i o n o f Nature t o man's knowi s , however, a distortion

of o r i g i n a l harmony, so t o o language i s o r i g i n a l l y and by

- 86 -

n a t u r e p o e t i c , s p o n t a n e o u s l y c r e a t i v e , d i v i n e . The o r i g i n a l name-giver, whether Adam o r Orpheus, was t h e p o i e t e s , Subj e c t of the i d e a l l i n g u i s t i c a c t , the c r e a t i v e miracle w h i c h i n naming c o n f e r s e x i s t e n c e , and e q u a l l y , t h e naming process i s i t s e l f p u r e l y c r e a t i v e , an end i n i t s e l f ,

p u r p o s e - f r e e . Consciousness i s t h e m i r r o r w i t h o u t which the p i c t u r e i s incomplete. Such a c o n c e p t i o n i s founded

upon t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s t r u c t u r e o f an a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c i d e a l i s m f o r w h i c h t h e human mind i s , was, and always w i l l be t h e c o n d i t i o n o f e x i s t e n c e , and t h e r e f o r e t h e agent ('Subject') of creation. t h e h i g h e s t s t a t u s d e v o l v e s t o p o e t r y , as t h e

Therewith

i d e a l , pure and s e l f l e s s , language. But i t s n a t u r e t h u s becomes p r o b l e m a t i c a l ; t h e m o r a l f o u n d a t i o n c r e a t e s a sharp d i v i s i o n between p o e t r y and s o c i e t y ( i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e t r a d i t i o n a l conceptions o f a r t as e n t e r t a i n m e n t or i n -

s t r u c t i o n ) , and t h e r e b y e x a c e r b a t e s t h e problem i t ought t o s o l v e , f o r how can p o e t r y be spontaneous when i t has t o fulfil an i n t e l l e c t u a l l y - c o n c e i v e d r o l e ? The q u e s t i o n p o i n t s

back t o t h e w i d e r problem: j u s t as t h e spontaneous use o f language has no i d e a l l y a b s t r a c t b a s i s , b u t presupposes t h e will and purpose o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l u s e r , so t o o when t h o u g h t

ceases t o be t h e v e h i c l e o f a s p e c i f i c purpose i t becomes r e f l e c t i o n as opposed t o a c t i o n . The mind t h a t can no l o n g e r f i n d any p l a c e i n t h e w o r l d p r o j e c t s i t s own i s o l a t i o n , abs t r a c t i o n , onto t h e 'world. To such ' r e f l e c t i o n ' the i n f i n i t e

s i n g u l a r i t y o f p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t s i n s o c i e t y appears futile, f o r n e i t h e r t h e s i n g l e a c t i o n n o r t h e sum o f a c t i o n s v a l u e . Then t h e s o c i a l whole appears

y i e l d s a transcendent

- 87 -

s.s an a b s t r a c t

system which t h e a c t i v e i n d i v i d u a l p e r p e t appears problem

u a t e s t h r o u g h p u r s u i t o f s e l f - i n t e r e s t ; and language as symptomatic o f such a l i e n a t i o n . Yet t h e e s s e n t i a l language.

remains t h e a l i e n a t i o n , and n o t t h e symptom

I n such terms t h e h i s t o r y of human c u l t u r e must appear as a f a l l f i r s t man, f r o m n a i v e g e n i u s i n t o c o n s c i o u s a r t . Adam, t h e had named t h e a n i m a l s out o f pure j o y , w i t h o u t the

c i v i l i s i n g i n t e n t . M y t h o l o g y , e s p e c i a l l y t h e Greek, was poetic

language, n a i v e l y c o n c r e t e and v i s u a l , o f t h e c h i l d of ful-

hood o f t h e human r a c e , a f r e e , spontaneous naming gods, men, trees, birds, flowers t h r o u g h which man

f i l l e d and w o r s h i p p e d N a t u r e : a pure e n r i c h m e n t o f t h e w o r l d . Thus Homer, t h e t y p e o f t h e e p i c p o e t , had been t h e t r u e n a i v e a r t i s t . A.W. Menschheit auf dem S c h l e g e l w r i t e s : 'Im Epos sehen w i r d i e

noch auf der e r s t e n S t u f e der B i l d u n g , wo s i e

Boden der Sage erwachsen m i t d e r s e l b e n zusammenhangt

n

und i n unbestimmter Ausdehnung s i c h w i e d e r d a r e i n z u r i i c k verliert.' Homeric e p i c i s seen as a d r e a m - l i k e c o n s c i o u s still closer to r e a l i t y than

ness and s e m i - f o r m i n g o f l i f e , to
1

a r t . I t i s ' o b j e c t i v e , i t s f o r m , an e n d l e s s s u c c e s s i o n i s a true rnirror-image of n a t u r a l causality

o f hexameters,

(an e n d l e s s c h a i n o f e v e n t s ) , and i t s a u t h o r i s n o t y e t , l i k e t h e t r a g i c p o e t , an i n d i v i d u a l i n t h e f u l l t h e One but sense, b u t

Poet, as good as nameless, a d i s i n t e r e s t e d o b s e r v e r ,

f o r t h a t v e r y reason a l o v e r , o f l i f e . T h i s supposed oneness w i t h Nature and freedom from t h e

r e s t l e s s s t r i v i n g o f modern man

l e n d s t o t h e 'naive' poet a

r e s t f u l n e s s w h i c h a s s o c i a t e s him w i t h t h e l o n g e d - f o r c h i l d hood s t a t e . The ' n a t u r a l t o n e ' i s above a l l r e s t f o r those

- 88 -

who have no r e s t , from c o n s c i o u s n e s s , i s f r e e f r o m d i s t r a c t i n g emotion

purpose. Homer's mind

o r i n t e l l e c t ; h i s hexa-

meters a r e l i k e t h e sea, r e s t i n g and p u r i f y i n g i n i t s endl e s s r i s e and f a l l , i n which a l s o t h e deeds o f men, s e l f -

hood, appear and a r e gone a g a i n , l e a v i n g n o t h i n g b e h i n d . I n t h i s sense, a t t h e end o f t h e h e x a m e t r i c e p y l l i o n 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' , H o l d e r l i n p r a y s t o t h e 'Meergott':

... und wenn d i e reiBende Z e i t m i r Zu g e w a l t i g das Haupt e r g r e i f f t und d i e Noth und das I r r s a a l U n t e r S t e r b l i c h e n m i r mein s t e r b l i c h Leben e r s c h i i t t e r t , LaB d e r S t i l l e mich dann i n d e i n e r T i e f e gedenken.

I d y l l i s n o t l e a s t an a t t e m p t t o r e c r e a t e t h e 'naive' peace which Homer ( d e s p i t e t h e v i o l e n t c o n t e n t o f h i s work) i m p a r t e d , and t o achieve t h e same serene freedom from and s u b j e c t i v i t y . I t i s c o n s c i o u s innocence, form

r e c r e a t i o n of prelapsarian

a formed f o r m l e s s n e s s and a r t l e s s a r t . Conscious-

ness i n i t s c a p a c i t y as o r g a n i s i n g , f o r m i n g p r i n c i p l e , as t h e S u b j e c t imposing itswill on t h e O b j e c t , i s d i s m a n t l e d , i s expressed through

and man's harmonious e x i s t e n c e i n Nature

t h e e p i c , f o r m l e s s , form w i t h i t s looseness ( i n t e r p r e t e d as t h e primacy ' p a r a t a c t i c ' , 'democratic', o f 'chance'),

of connection

i t s 'additive',
o
0

structural principle.

I n so f a r

as a s e l f appears w i t h i n t h i s w o r l d , i t i s a t peace w i t h i t s s u r r o u n d i n g s , p e r c e i v i n g r a t h e r t h a n r e f l e c t i n g ; and t h e a r t i s t ' s r o l e i s s i m i l a r l y t o p a i n t what i s t h e r e and h i m s e l f as f a r as p o s s i b l e t o be absent. a t i o n t o s e t aside consciousness, I d y l l r e p r e s e n t s an i n v i t b u t v / i t h i n a w o r l d amply

s i g n a l l i n g i t s a r t i s t i c o r i g i n s and t h u s g u a r a n t e e i n g r e t u r n t o t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d . There i s no s u g g e s t i o n o f

- 89 -

c o n t r a d i c t i o n , t h r e a t , or r e b e l l i o n ; t h e purpose remains the illusion The had o f an a b d i c a t i o n o f mastery over Nature.

second p o r t o f t h e e a r l i e r v e r s i o n o f 'Den Wanderer t h e happy 'Ehe ( S y n t h e s e ) ' o f man and Nature.

expressed

Compared w i t h t h e l a t e r poem, i t i s r e l a t i v e l y f o r m l e s s i n p r e c i s e l y t h e above, ' e p i c ' , sense; t h e i d y l l p r e s s i o n o f j o y , and i n t e n d e d as such. A.W. s c r i p t i o n of elegy i s v e r y a p p r o p r i a t e here: i s an exde-

Schlegel's

U n t e r a l i e n antiken. Former i s t k e i n e , welche s i c h so an das Leben anschmiegt ... I n d i e s e n engeren P r i v a t b e z i r k konnte s i c h ... d i e Poesie h i n i i b e r r e t t e n , wenn s i e auch aus den o f f e n t l i c h e r e n V e r n a l t n i s s e n des Lebens l a n g s t v e r s c h e u c h t war. Die E l e g i e ... gewahrt i n i h r e r s o r g l o s e n F r e i h e i t den schb'nsten S p i e l r a u m . . . Zur L y r i k im groBen S t i l muB das Gemiit i n s e i n e n i n n e r s t e n V e r h a l t n i s s e n s t r e n g e r g e o r d n e t s e i n ... Die E l e g i e d a r f aber auf d i e hingegebenste A r t ^ s u b j e k t i v s e i n ... m i t f r e i w i l l i g e r V e r i r r u n g e r z a h l e n d .
n

I n 1800

H b l d e r l i n , whose engerer P r i v a t b e z i r k ' i n ceded t o ' D i c h t e r b e r u f ' , and f o r whom every a u s t e r e or g e n t l e , f u l f i l 'das longer

F r a n k f u r t had

poem must i n i t s own way,

I d e a l e i n e s l e b e n d i g e n Ganzen' (B183, ^ 8 ) , c o u l d no w r i t e o u t o f s i m p l e happiness.

He s u b j e c t s the e a r l i e r poem of

t o t h e e l e g i a c f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e he i s i n t h e process

d e v e l o p i n g . But t h i s i m p o s i t i o n o f f o r m a l d i s c i p l i n e i s not s i m p l y t h e d e c i s i o n o f an a r t i s t a p p r o a c h i n g maturity;i t

serves e x c l u s i v e l y t o c o n f i r m and i n t e n s i f y t h e p o e t i c experience . The key i s t h e r e l a t i v e v a l i d i t y o f each 'sphere' actually

( s t r o p h e ) i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e poem, which performs t h e i n t i m a t e d l i b e r a t i o n t o new

l i f e , t h r o u g h the

'life-giving

word' o f t h e p o e t . L i b e r a t i o n , comes, t h e n ,

- 90 -

w i t h i n t h e poem i t s e l f ,

so t h a t t h e ' l i v i n g - d e a t h '

with

which t h e poem began, and which i s f a m i l i a r f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g of o t h e r poems i n t h i s p e r i o d , f o r example 'Der b l i n d e

Sanger' and 'Der g e f e s s e l t e Strom', p r o v e s n o t j u s t t o be mere appearance, l i k e m i s t b e f o r e t h e coming sun, b u t t h e a c t u a l c o n d i t i o n o f new l i f e . I f l i b e r a t i o n takes place

w i t h i n t h e poem, and r e v e a l s what seemed bad t o be good, then the i n i t i a l poetic isolation. of strophes, i s the s i t u a t i o n i s c a p t i v i t y w i t h i n t h e poem and

The poem's symmetry, t h e s u c c e s s i o n music o f t h e spheres.

The whole i s t h e ' w o r l d ' ( c f . 4.250, h a l f , hemisphere, i s

2 4 f . ) o f t h e poem, o f w h i c h t h e f i r s t

l i b e r a t i o n t o e x i s t w i t h i n t h e p o e t i c w o r l d . What f o l l o w s i s a c t u a l p o e t i c e x i s t e n c e ; t h e s t r o p h e i s no l o n g e r t h a t w i t h i n which r e l e a s e t a k e s p l a c e , b u t t h e f o r m t a k e n by L i f e no l o n g e r dead, b u t a l i v e . The i n i t i a l correlative ( t o itself;

i s o l a t i o n ) , t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d , has g i v e n way t o l i v i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h a t which i s w i t h i n t h e p o e t i c w o r l d : the Other, L i f e , Nature. I f f o r m i s s e l f - e n c l o s u r e , t h e n self-

e n c l o s u r e i s t h e means t o l i b e r a t i o n o f dynamic, e l e m e n t a l f o r c e s , so t h a t t h e p o i e t i c a c t , t h e l i f e - g i v i n g word, i s , and always was, a r e n u n c i a t i o n o f a c t i v i t y and s t r u g g l e . With i t s e f f o r t l e s s succession of 'accidental' percept-

i o n s , t h e e a r l i e r e l e g y w i l l have seemed mere 'Leben' l a c k ing ' G e i s t ' : ' b i o s angenehm und g l l i k l i c h ' , zu angenehm und (4.259, 8, 2 4 ) . Here t h e i d y l l has been i d e a l i s e d ; have t a k e n
1

sinnlich'

i t s f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e and 'suspension o f a c t i v i t y ' on t h e h e i g h t e n e d meaning o f t h e p u r p o s e f u l n e s s

o f t h e Ob-

j e c t . The magic space has become a magic s p e l l ; no l o n g e r a

- 91

mere i r r e s p o n s i b l e i l l u s i o n , b u t t h e model f o r a r a d i c a l l y new r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e i n d i v i d u a l and Nature and s l a v e r y ( t h e Age which

would end t h a t o f mastery for ever. The

o f Reason)

p l e a s a n t i l l u s i o n of s e l f l e s s n e s s i s r e p l a c e d

by t h e a b s o r b i n g s e r i o u s n e s s o f l o s s o f s e l f . P o e t i c form i s t h e i n d i r e c t l y e x e r c i s e d c o n t r o l over

t h i s p r o c e s s . That i s , t h e s a f e g u a r d i s t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f , and engenders, t h e danger, and danger i s , u l t i m a t e l y , wanted; the k e y ' o f t h e door t o a w o r l d n o t n o r m a l l y known. P o e t r y

has become a v e n t u r e i n t o t h e Unknown, w i t h t h e a t t e n d a n t joy and f e a r , t h e sensuous t r e m o r , o f l o s s o f s e l f i n anovercomes

o t h e r . I t i s agape, b e i n g the means whereby man the

'hochste Entgegensezung' (^.155, 20) between h i m s e l f and

N a t u r e , t h e c o l d r e l a t i o n s h i p and s e l f - c e n t r e d e x i s t e n c e o f the dawning i n d u s t r i a l age:

Aber weh! es wandelt i n Nacht, es wohnt, wie im Orkus, Ohne G b t t l i c h e s unser G e s c h l e c h t . Ans eigene T r e i b e n S i n d s i e geschrniedet a l l e i n , und s i c h i n der tosenden Werkstatt H d r e t j e g l i c h e r nur und v i e l a r b e i t e n d i e Wilden M i t g e w a l t i g e m Arm, r a s t l o s , doch immer und immer U n f r u c h t b a r , wie d i e F u r i e n , b l e i b t d i e Miihe der Armen. Bis ... ... der L i e b e seegnender Othem Wieder ... Wehet i n neuer Z e i t ... Uns d e r G e i s t der N a t u r ... ('Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' , 11 .2VI -52)

But i t i s a l s o e r o s , t h e p r i v a t e a c t , however exemplary, love. I n H y p e r i o n and 'Empedokles' t h e f o r m o f f i c t i o n p r o -

of

vided a safeguard against the i n t e n s i t y of the i m a g i n a t i o n . Here, i n t h e l y r i c poem, t h a t s a f e g u a r d i s i n p r i n c i p l e no

- 92 -

l o n g e r a v a i l a b l e . Nor i s i t p r o v i d e d by p o e t i c form i n t h e c l a s s i c a l sense, t h e d i f f e r e n c e between a r t and r e a l i t y , f o r here t h e u n r e a l i t y o f e x p e r i e n c e i s the very c o n d i t i o n

o f i t s i m a g i n a t i v e i n t e n s i t y . I n t h i s poem, however, t h e r e remains t h e c l e a r d i f f e r e n c e between l y r i c and r e a l 'I':

t h e Wanderer i s n o t t h e a u t h o r , f o r h i s home i s t h e Rhinel a n d , he had grown up w i t h both p a r e n t s , and b o t h have s i n c e d i e d ( 1 . 8 9 ) - He i s a f i c t i o n a l The character. suggest,

' R e - f l e x i o n ' o f 1.80 r e p r e s e n t s , I would

t h e ' Z u r i i k s c h r e k e n ' o f t h e two extremes, f i n i t e S u b j e c t and Nature. The c o n t r o l l i n g i n s t a n c e i s t h e r e f o r e s t i l l t h e

d i f f e r e n c e between t h e poet and t h e p o e t i c w o r l d , and i t preserves what t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e t e n d s and t h r e a t e n s t o

d e s t r o y : t h e p o e t ' s u l t i m a t e freedom f r o m h i s c r e a t i o n , h i s ' f r e i e Wahl'. Yet i t i s t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e upon which t h e a e s t h e t i c v a l u e depends. The commentator o f t h e Insel-Ausgabe w r i t e s : 'Am SchluB d e r d r e i E l e g i e n ' ('Der Wanderer', ' S t u t g a r d ' , 'Heimkunft') g e s c h i e h t jedesmal d i e entscheidende Wendung von d e r i r d i s c h e n z u r g e i s t i g e n Heimat, d i e E r i n n e r u n g g o t t l i c h e n Daseins nach b e g l i i c k t e m Schaun auf das auBere, s i n n e n h a f t e D a s e i n , und z u l e t z t w i r d b e i d e s , und himmlischer ... .'
1

i r d i s c h e r Bereich, i n der F e i e r ubereins gebracht

T h i s i s n o t an a e s t h e t i c v a l u e . One m i g h t r e p l y t h a t i t i s n o t i n t e n d e d as such, t h a t t h e commentator i s o n l y p r o v i d i n g a b a s i s f o r a p p r e c i a t i o n , l e a v i n g a e s t h e t i c judgement t o p e r s o n a l t a s t e . But he speaks o f an 'entscheidende Wendung'. Thereby t h e v a l u e o f t h e p o e t r y i s made i d e n t i c a l w i t h i t s l o g i c a l coherence, so t h a t t h e r e a d e r i s p r e s e n t e d with a

- 93 -

closed the

system and d e n i e d a f e e l i n g r e s p o n s e . T h i s v a l u e , o f
1

' e n t s c h e i d e n d e Wendung , i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l ( e s s e n t i a l l y I t s presence

m e t a p h y s i c a l - d u a l i s t i c , but w i t h a moral tone). in is,

t h i s poem I am n o t d i s p u t i n g , so t h a t t h e c o m m e n t a t o r a t l e a s t regarding t h i s negative. was t o be t h e m a r r i a g e o f harmony I f one a s k s w h a t i s by contempwhich, because elegy, right; hut t h i s Tight-

ness i s q u i t e For and

Holderlin poetry

life,

o f i d e a l u n i t y and r e a l i t y .

meant b y h a r m o n y , a n i m m e d i a t e a n s w e r i s p r o v i d e d o r a r y m u s i c (we t h i n k f i r s t however, c o u l d it o f M o z a r t and H a y d n ) ,

be c a l l e d p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y d e f e c t i v e

does n o t t o u c h t h e 'Dissonanzen d e r W e l t ' , a t l e a s t n o t i t s harmony r e m a i n s a p a r t from l i f e , i n the se-

radically;

1o
elusion of a r t . But t h e m a r r i a g e o f music and l a n g u a g e , o r e l e v a t i o n o f an aim c l e a r l y r e f l e c t e d

harmony t o a u n i v e r s a l p r i n c i p l e , in an Holderlin's abstract ist', theory

o f 'Wechsel d e r T o n e ' , l e a d s o n l y t o und Leben a u f b e i d e n Seiten

i d e a l ('wo G e i s t

gleich

^ . 2 6 2 , 15f.) w h i c h h a s f o r f e i t e d

the sensuality artist/philoexcluded

o f m u s i c and t h e r e f o r e r e m a i n s t h e o r e t i c a l . The sopher ( ' I d e a l i s t ' , and aloof from l i f e ,

t o use S c h i l l e r ' s t e r m ) r e m a i n s detached. and c r i s i s of creative

T h i s same e x c l u s i o n has,

spontaneity

h o w e v e r , p r o v e d t o be t h e v e r y

p r e m i s e and c o n d i t i o n o f created by p o e t i c

t h e p o i e t i c a c t , and t h e h a r m o n i o u s w o r l d the strophic

f o r m h a s p r o v e d t o be t h e n e g a t i v i t y o f T h i s n e g a t i v i t y has functioned,

i s o l a t i o n and ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' .

c r e a t i n g t h e bounds o f an e x i s t e n t i a l so, then the aesthetic

'sphere'. I f t h i s i s

c r i t e r i o n d e p e n d s u p o n an a p r i o r i

- 94 -

identification

of m e t a p h y s i c a l coherence w i t h p o e t i c process and r a t i o n a l

form, pur-

r a t h e r t h a n w i t h an i n t e l l e c t u a l pose. Here, however, t h i s necessary intellect to i s m i s s i n g , and p o e t i c

negative q u a l i t y i n the f o r m has been s u b o r d i n a t e d a problem

(become t h e v e h i c l e o f ) m e t a p h y s i c a l

coherence:

(11.80-97) and

i t s s o l u t i o n ( 1 1 . 9 7 - 1 0 0 ) . The

rhetorical designed has

q u e s t i o n s o f l i n e s 83 and

91 a r e a l l t o o p a t e n t l y i n line

t o l e a d up t o 'Und so b i n i c h a l l e i n ' become a ' s h e l l ,

1

97- Form

a merely

e x t e r n a l s i g n or

authoritative is also

a s s e r t i o n t h a t t h e s o l u t i o n f o u n d by t h e i n t e l l e c t

s e n s u a l ; t h e r e w i t h r e f l e c t i o n r e t u r n s empty-handed t o i t s initial t o be a p o r i a : how i s i d e a l h a r m o n y b e t w e e n man and Nature this

t r u l y restored, realised?

A sure i n d i c a t i o n o f

aesthetic failure the for 'Divine'

i s t h a t t h e s o l u t i o n i s the naming o f i s a c o n t r a d i c t i o n i n terms, abstractions The

(11.97-100); t h i s
1

i n H o l d e r l i n s Weltanschauung w o r d s a r e d e a d b e i n g t h e means t o man's m a s t e r y

(language Divine

over N a t u r e ) . living

i s not something

t h a t can be named, b u t t h e

r e l a t i o n s h i p , which individual beiden.' and

t a k e s p l a c e w i t h i n t h e poem, b e t w e e n t h e 'das Gb'ttliche i s t i n der M i t t e von

Nature:

Freedom and

necessity

The highest ical

final

triad,

however (11.103-08) i s a g a i n o f t h e Perhaps t h e s e c u r i t y of metaphyst o t h e daemonic intensity was

poetical quality.

t r u t h has

provided a balance

of poetic

e x p e r i e n c e , so t h a t an i n t e l l e c t u a l

solution

- 95 -

n e e d e d as a r e s t r a i n i n g spite i t s compromising

safeguard

('Zurukschreken'), aesthetic

de-

the complete

experience. integrated,

For here

t h e e n d i n g v i n d i c a t e s p o e t r y as t h e

and t h u s s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , The to

harmony o f e x i s t e n c e . up-beat

p r e c e d i n g c o u p l e t (11.101-02) i s l i k e t h e bar. I t s s e l f - c o n t a i n e d c h i a s t i c 'Aus-' , ends w i t h

a final

structure (the itself entire

couplet begins w i t h the

' zuriik' ) i s

image o f a c o m p l e t e d , j o u r n e y , s e a l i n g o f f t h e and p r e p a r i n g f o r f u l f i l m e n t .

wanderings felt

Thus 'Darum' i s lines

t o r e f e r nob j u s t

to the immediately preceding

with their the

s o l u t i o n , b u t t o a l l t h a t has

gone b e f o r e , and triumph, a ex-

e n d i n g as a w h o l e i s f u l l which

of a d i s c i p l i n e d

dionysiac r e s t r a i n t ,

embraces t h e w h o l e p o e t i c

p e r i e n c e r a t h e r t h a n any

s i n g l e moment o r i d e a w i t h i n i t . reflected i n the i m p e r a t i v e s ,

There i s a sense o f l i b e r a t i o n , which being the f i r s t

i n t h e poem ( a p a r t f r o m t h o s e i n l i n e express the

8 6 , w h i c h a r e a t once c a n c e l l e d o u t b y l i n e 8 9 ) freedom the t o command ( ' r e i c h e ... reiche');

reflected which by

also i n ennambe-

e x c l a m a t i o n s , and

i n t h e image o f w i n e

ment p o u r s caesura,

over the hexameter ending t o reach the

pentameter's

an image g i v e n s e n s u o u s s u p p o r t b y a l l i t e r a t i o n and r - and ei-sounds, the hyperbaton

assonance, t h e combining drawing

'Wein' t o 'Warmer'. T h i s i s n o t j u s t p l e a s u r a b l e i t s y m b o l i s e s t h e work o f Dionysus himself, of

sound-poetry; the 'spirit'

o f w i n e , f l o w i n g t h r o u g h and b i n d i n g a l l t h i n g s this intoxication is 'effort'-lessly held

t o g e t h e r . Yet t h r o u g h o u t by

form:

The

d i s s o l v i n g enjambement i s embraced by t h e

anaphoric

- 96 -

reiche , yielding

an

inner tension And

that

actually

strengthens a

the couplet's controlled

enclosed form. ioy t h a t the

this

couplet,

expressing asthan to

ecstasy

is itself

h e l d w i t h i n an i s no more

c e n d i n g movement, so a pause. For

exclamation

here, i n c o n t r a s t to the 'gods', t h e l o g i c a l 'heroes',

l i n e s l e a d i n g up hierarchy

the naming o f t h e and f r i e n d s ' below

('parents

'heroes' below

'gods') i s i n mounting

rhythmic

t e n s i o n w i t h an

expanding t r i c o l o n of

a n t i c i p a t i o n which f i n d s release (1.106), finally i n ' E l t e r n und

t e m p o r a r i l y i n 'und dann' F r e u n d ' ! ' . Thus t h e climax, couplet-

w h i c h i s t h a t o f t h e w h o l e poem, i s made t o s p a n t h e division from 'und itself; the t h i r d member o f t h e to the f i n a l tricolon 'sei', so

stretches that the

d a n n ' a l l t h e way i n the

tension dissolves

ensuing f l o w of ideas. the f i n a l couplet

With

this

sense o f a c h i e v e d c l i m a x , wards t o r e s t ; ' u n t e r ' , and couplets

c a s c a d e s downsound two one

i n a stream of

'und's ( i n c l u d i n g by in

r e a l l y beginning

1.105,

so t h a t t h e l a s t join with

are bound t o g e t h e r ) d i s p a r a t e

ideas

a n o t h e r ('Muhn' w i t h ' E l t e r n und 'Heut' und form as morgen') by v i r t u e

Freund'',

'schnell' with

of the

caesuras. A l l i s , i n easeful forgetting. rest, of

i n content,

e f f o r t l e s s n e s s and

Thus t h e l a s t and since

dactylic

cadence i s a f a l l i n g - a w a y t o

t h i s p e n t a m e t r i c cadence i s a n e c e s s a r y f e a t u r e c o u p l e t , t h e w h o l e poem w i t h i t s s e e m i n g l y i s f e l t as ended. a never-ending

each e l e g i a c

e n d l e s s sequence of c o u p l e t s wanderinp: w h i c h now Here, t h e n , and form. The

a t l a s t has

t h e r e i s no

sense o f c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n effortlessly, not just but

freedom

verse flows

f r e e l y and

always w i t h measure. T h i s

i s the e f f e c t

of i t s

- 97 -

internal triad it had

rhythm,

but of i t s contrast w i t h the corresponding half o f t h e poem, a n d t o w h i c h and restrain

w h i c h ended t h e f i r s t

i s an a n t i p h o n a l r e s p o n s e . T h e r e , l i b e r a t i o n

b e e n , i f ' h a r m o n i o u s l y ' , o p p o s e d , a n d 'Aber l a c h e l n d u n d ... ' h a d b r o u g h t firm outline, 'Halt', to the valley and r e s t r a i n t

ernst

w i t h i t s d i o n j y s i a c dance. Here, l i b e r a t i o n

h a v e become t h e i d e n t i t y o f f r e e d o m and n e c e s s i t y ; a l l s i x lines of of have d i o n y s i a c q u a l i t y , b u t , since they form the climax

t h e poem, a r e a l s o a supreme a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e n e c e s s i t y form. Thus t h e f u l f i l m e n t o f f o r m a l n e c e s s i t y has become

f r e e d o m , a n d c o m p l e t e f r e e d o m . The image o f t h i s h a r m o n y i s the r i v e r Rhine, which appears i n b o t h t r i a d s . climax, the flood bonds o f f o r m of inspiration that strives I n the f i r s t against the

i s the ' s p i r i t '

o f t h e y o u t h f u l stream; i n appears

t h e second i t i s t h e calm s t r e n g t h o f t h e r i v e r t h a t its odyssey over. l i b e r a t i o n , and t h e s u r r e n d e r

Thus c a p t i v i t y , are just

of love

a l l e m b r a c e d b y p o e t i c f o r m , whose n e c e s s i t y i s n o t artistic discipline i n the classical sense, b u t t h e experience,

f r e e d o m t o r^ossess h e i g h t e n e d achieved serves of of through existential

and i n t e n s i f i e d

a u t o n o m y . And so f a r as i t harmony i s n o t an o b j e c t negative potential Thus

t h i s purpose, metaphysical

communication, b u t t h e

i nitself

a s e l f - e n c l o s e d world which exists

f o r i t s own s a k e .

t h e end o f t h e poern i s p u r e l y a t t h e s e r v i c e o f i t s o v e r a l l unity; arrival i t does n o t e x i s t on a ' h i g h e r l e v e l ' , n o r i s i t an meaning o f t h e poem). I t i s

at the t r u t h (the true

t h e moment a t w h i c h t h e r e i s no need f o r a n y t h i n g b u t p o e t r y and t h e poem h a s b e e n t h e j o u r n e y ( w a n d e r i n g ) t o discover

~ 98 =

this

truth.

This t r u t h

therefore

existed prior

tothe prestabilised.

j o u r n e y , a n d was ( t o use t h e L e i b n i z i a n t e r m )

B e c a u s e t h e end t h e r e f o r e d o e s n o t p o s s e s s t h e p r e c e d e n c e over t h e b e g i n n i n g proper t o r a t i o n a l of final thinking, t h e sense aes-

harmony i s p o s s i b l e d e s p i t e t h e i n t e r v e n i n g where m e t a p h y s i c a l c o h e r e n c e

thetic

failure

d i d become an that

o b j e c t o f communication. the poem as a w h o l e

I t remains, of course, t r u e

c o m m u n i c a t e s , and was i n t e n d e d t o do purpose. over

so; b u t t h i s has n o t been i t s p r i m e It the and will be s e e n t h a t

t h e elements which here extend the single, half

whole

poem l a t e r come t o c o n s t i t u t e s t r o p h e . Thus t h e f i r s t

opening

archetypal,

o f t h e poem,

which a f t e r

a l l consists largely

of m a t e r i a l from t h e e a r l i e r essentially

version, i s , i n i t s captivity parallel the self t o the f i r s t

and l i b e r a t i o n ,

t h r e e c o u p l e t s ( t h e opening t r i a d ) o f t h e second h a l f , with i t s loss of o f freedom

typical

strophe, while

( s u r r e n d e r t o l o v e ) and f i n a l

identification

v/ith p o e t i c autonomy, a n t i c i p a t e s t h e r e s t .

- 99 ~

III.

'PER GANG AUFS LAND': WISH AND

FULFILMENT

This attempt

e l e g y i s i n c o m p l e t e . A f t e r and a l o n g s i d e h i s l a s t to finish i t H d l d e r l i n wrote: 'Singen w o l l t i c h

l e i c h t e n G e s a n g , d o c h n i m m e r g e l i n g t m i r s , Denn [ e s ] m a c h e t m e i n G l u k nimmer d i e Rede m i r is is almost indeed, [leicht]'

(2.585, 9-13)-

This I t

c e r t a i n l y a r e f l e c t i o n o n t h e u n f i n i s h e d poem. at least to start with, 'light

song' ; a l i g h t b u t with,

sure

artistry

a l l o w s town and c o u n t r y s i d e t o appear

p e r h a p s , s i m p l e r a n d more p l e a s i n g i m m e d i a c y t h a n i n a n y o t h e r poem b y H o l d e r l i n . The l i g h t e r a r t i s , however, cert-

a i n l y n o t a descent t o ' d e s c r i p t i v e p o e t r y ' ; r a t h e r , t h e l a n d s c a p e f u n c t i o n s as a n a t u r a l a n d u n s t r a i n e d b a c k g r o u n d t o t h e 'Gang a u f s L a n d ' . S t u t t g a r t of t h a t t i t l e , clothes, Natur' And i s n o t , as i n t h e e l e g y b u t wears everyday

clad i np r i e s t l y robes, i s altogether true

and t h i s

of the 'heimatliche

i nthis

poem. triad (11.1-6) i s q u i t e

t h e theme o f t h e o p e n i n g

simply t h e weather. I t i s a drab, but t h e poet

gloomy day f o r an o u t i n g , up w i t h h i s

i s e a g e r t o g e t o u t s i d e and w a l k

f r i e n d Landauer and t h e o t h e r s from t h e v a l l e y i n which Stuttgart lies and. w h i c h i n summer becomes t h a t oppressive

' K e s s e l ' , and i n t o is like

the surrounding h i l l s .

The o v e r c a s t s k y

a p r i s o n , b u t he r e f u s e s t o l e t i t d e p r e s s h i m , a n d

- 100 ~

a l r e a d y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e second (1.7)
1 : 1

triad .' One

he c a n

say

Dennoch g e l i n g e t der-Wunsch

...

c a n sense t h e

l i g h t ' - n e s s of H o l d e r l i n ' s approach of the f o u r t h

here by o n l y r e a d i n g four

as f a r as t h e end couplets could

c o u p l e t . 'The f i r s t

form a n a t u r a l u n i t

e x p r e s s i n g l i t t l e more

t h a n a 'wish' f o r good w e a t h e r

and an e n j o y a b l e day. I f mean was

c e r t a i n themes and m o t i f s i n t h e s e l i n e s h a v e a s p e c i a l ing, t h e n i t does n o t d e r i v e f r o m t h e m s e l v e s . H o l d e r l i n f o r Landauer, and w a n t e d a poem t h a t the 'An

writing

merchant Landauer'

and f a m i l y - m a n w o u l d "celebrating family The their

en,joy ( c o m p a r e

t h e rhymed

life). f o u r c o u p l e t s i s s t r e n g t h e n e d by structure. I n each there i s a

u n i t y of the f i r s t

strikingly parallel

strong t h i r d - f o o t

c a e s u r a f o l l o w e d b y an e n j a m b e m e n t whose i s always f i r m l y c o r r e c t e d , second as i t and fourth

apparent i r r e g u l a r i t y were, by a c o m p l e t e

clause ( i n the f i r s t ,

c o u p l e t s a complementary p e n t a m e t e r . The

' u n d ' - c l a u s e ) and an

end-stopped third-foot of r e -

s l i g h t l y v a r i e d r h y t h m (weak

caesura) of the t h i r d inforcing fourth

c o u p l e t m e r e l y has t h e e f f e c t

t h e b a s i c i m p r e s s i o n o f o r d e r and

form, which the third

t h e n r e s t o r e s . Thus t h e r e m a r k a b l e s p a n o f t h e seems t o c o n v e y the endless s t r e t c h

hexameter

of grey sky is

even i n i t s f u r t h e s t

extent, then, the negative s p i r i t 'Dennoch ... '.

c o m p r e h e n d e d and

overcome:

Thus t h e s l i g h t itrant

t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e ' w i s h ' and a The rest o f t h e second

recalc-

Nature i s d i s s o l v e d .

triad

continues the p a r a l l e l weak c a e s u r a i n

regularity

( w i t h the v a r i a t i o n of a endof The

1.11),

so t h a t t h e p e n t a m e t e r , whose 'und'-clause has

stopped complementary e x p e c t a t i o n , i s now

created a pattern

almost a statement of proper order.

- 101 -

effect to of f i l l

o f t h e second t r i a d up

i s not

so much t o c o n t i n u e the

as

t h e poem, i t s 'measure', and

inevitability individual

the e l e g i a c rhythm

seems t o o u t w e i p j h t h e

c o u p l e t and

i t s content. of form over content i s , however, deceptive. 'Rechtperspective whose first Ver-

This r u l e The

second t r i a d , and

w h i c h i n t r o d u c e s t h e theme o f t h e n expands i t i n t o t h e cosmic

glaubigkeit' of the f i f t h

couplet

(an u l t i m a t e l y benevolent

deity

sparing kindness

i s also a k i n d of grace), sets the

1

w i t h i n a c o s m i c o r d e r , a W e c h s e l des schlieBens', of which the ordered

E n t f a l t e n s und is a

rhythm

concrete the cosmic

image. T h e r e b y t h e w e a t h e r , t h e s c a n t y gloomy sky, reality. ideal At

s u n l i g h t and of

becomes mere a p p e a r a n c e i n t h e l i g h t once t h e d e t a i l s The

o f t h e o p e n i n g s c e n e assume s u n l i g h t ('ein W e n i g e s ' ) god full be-

significance.

scanty

comes t h e s i g n o f a s e l f - r e s t r a i n i n g w i s h i n g t o t e s t man's ' f a i t h ' ;

of love, b u t

'Himmel' ( ' s k y ' ) becomes 'Weniges' and 'Himmel' are

'Himmel' ('heaven') ( s o t h a t b o t h personified); the missing

'Gesang' i s an a r c h e t y p e and the

of which is

poetry too i s a manifestation; the 'diirf tige Zeit' of

'bleierne Zeit' 'wish'

' B r o d und

Wein' . The

(the an

theme has everyday

b e e n s u b t l y i n t r o d u c e d i n 1.4) 'I hope i t ' s g o i n g t o be

i s no

longer

f i n e ' , but the t r a n s achieves his 'humanity',

f o r m i n g a c t t h r o u g h w h i c h man

fully

t h e l i f e - g i v i n g w o r d . Thus t h e s e c o n d t r i a d first and

i d e a l i s e s the the emerging

g i v e s i t u n i v e r s a l s i g n i f i c a n c e ; and form which c a r r i e s the occasion succeeding wish place

strophic

forward, to a cosmic

beyond i t s l i m i t e d

i n t i m e and

and

h i g h e r meaning, i s the c o n c r e t e

m a n i f e s t a t i o n of t h i s

102 -

harmony. I t g i v e s t o t h e f i r s t were complete in themselves

f o u r c o u p l e t s , which i f they

w o u l d be m e r e l y a f o r m l e s s of the triadic i n der Welt',

sequence, an o v e r r i d i n g strophe, i t s e l f ^.250, 25)

structure, that

a m i c r o c o s m i c image ( ' W e l t

of the A l l . this c o n t e x t t r a n s f o r m s and h e i g h t e n s t h e They them

Similarly,

o p e n i n g e x c l a m a t i o n s 'KommI i n s O f f e n e , F r e u n d ! ' . undergo a 'Verlaugnung alles Accidentellen'

which f r e e s

from t h e s p e c i f i c to is all

occasion ( t h e 'walk', S t u t t g a r t ,

Landauer) wish

become p u r e e x c l a m a t i o n : p u r e w i s h . P u r e itself t h e v/ish t o be p u r e l y f r e e : concerns

ideal

t o l e a v e b e h i n d ('Komm!') and t o

the material

t h a t beset t h e s p i r i t ,

sense t h e I n f i n i t e

('das O f f e n e ' ) o f w h i c h t h e e n d l e s s b l u e and t o share t h i s experience

sky i s t h e p u r e s t symbol, ( ' F r e u n d ! ' ) , t o be t r u l y

( b u t p u r e l y ) communal. The u t t e r l y

u n d e f i n e d w i s h t h a t h a s no o b j e c t i s t h e l o n g i n g t o be f r e e from a l l objects, indeed, t o lose s e l f infinity. Thus t h e o p e n i n g e x c l a m a t i o n w o r k s o n t w o l e v e l s , of ity specific address ( t o Landauer) that and i d e n t i t y i n sheer

and o f pure w i s h , o f r e a l i s the contra-

and i d e a l ,

and f u r t h e r m o r e , t h e second

diction dragged

of the f i r s t .

For t h e wish f o r pure freedom i s i n which t h e 'naive' 'Ideal-

down t o e a r t h b y t h e r e a l i t y

w i s h was s p o k e n . isiren' sense; (B179,

The p o e t i c p r o c e s s i s t h e r e f o r e a n 88) and ' B i l d u n g '

70,

( i n the semi-transitive a formingact i na

c f , 'Empedokles' I I , 5 3 6 ; makes t h e ' S t o f f

4.221f.),

which f i r s t

poetic;

t h e poet's r o l e

Gelegenheitsgedicht i s n o t merely i m a g i n a t i v e but

recreation situation

' E r - i n n e r u n g ' , and t h e n e c e s s a r i l y r e t r o s p e c t i v e

- 103 -

is

not just

c o m m e m o r a t i v e b u t u n i v e r s a l i s i n g . The p u r p o s e and r e a l purpose o f t h e real

o f t h e poem c o n t r a d i c t s t h e o r i g i n a l 'Gang a u f s purpose. The but this 'naive' w i s h was a p p a r e n t l y

L a n d ' b e c a u s e i t c o n t r a d i c t s a n y and e v e r y

f r u s t r a t e d by t h e weather, The w i s h

tension dissolved

i n the f o u r t h couplet.

s u c c e e d s . E v e n as i t i s c a r r i e d f o r w a r d metaphysical

and e l e v a t e d t o be satisfied t o pure

s t a t u s , h o w e v e r , i t c a n no l o n g e r success, and i s formed i n t o now f i n d s i t s e l f

w i t h t h a t naive

a will

freedom. B u t t h a t w i l l by p o e t i c form.

e q u a l l y hemmed i n that

For t h e c l o s i n g - i n o f t h e sky i s also couplet,

of t h e end-stopped elegiac

establishing the formal the i n i t i a l l y overall exclamations,

p a t t e r n of the f i r s t s i xcouplets, absorbing free

impulse (enjambement) o f t h e hexameter i n t o I n t h e r e s t o f t h e poem t h e r e a r e no more t h a t r e f l e c t s how t h e p u r i f i e d wish,

order. a fact

now a w i s h f o r

p u r e f r e e d o m a n d an end t o s e l f what i s c l o s e d , captivity Slowly enclosed

self,

subjectivity, i s

has been absorbed i n t o t h e defines indefinability itself.

of form,

which thus

b u t s u r e l y t h e i n i t i a l l i g h t n e s s h a s become t h e w e i g h t itself: 'Ach!

of t h e sky, t h e elegiac c o u p l e t , p o e t i c form und

n i c h t i g und l e e r , wie GefangniBwande, d e r Himmel/ E i n e i i b e r dem H a u p t e m i r h a n g t ' significantly, ('Menons K l a g e n urn not yet i n

beugende L a s t

D i o t i m a ' , 11.67-68; l i n e s , 'Elegie'). I d e a l i s a t i o n i s thus

lost

spontaneity

and n a i v e t y , and self-enclosure im-

p r o d u c e s , p a r a d o x i c a l l y enoxigh, t h e v e r y puted t o the world veloping

( w i t h i t s o n e - s i d e d e x i s t e n c e ) . The d e becomes t h e c o n t e x t restricting

cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e

- 10*+

t h e p u r e and f r e e i n i t i a l impulse Infinite thus

impulse

i n p r o p o r t i o n as t h a t Longing f o r the

i s e l e v a t e d beyond i t s o c c a s i o n . i s unfulfillable. The r e a l

'Gang a u f s L a n d ' i s o f an i d e a l

gradually transformed

into the captivity

'Gang', so t h a t t h e s u c c e s s f u l w i s h , tension, i t s e l f between i d e a l becomes t h e b a s i s

the dissolution of that

o f a new t e n s i o n ,

and r e a l i t y .

I f t h e w e a t h e r were t h e o n l y be s u c c e s s f u l ( a n d t h e poem

o b s t a c l e , t h e wish

would indeed

c o u l d e n d a t 1 . 8 ) , f o r t o be c h e e r f u l d e s p i t e t h e w e a t h e r r e a l l y does o n l y r e q u i r e an a c t o f w i l l . takes place w i t h i n a cosmic c o n t e x t But t h a t t h e 'Gang'

t h a t , and w i t h i t

the f i f t h is

c o u p l e t , i s s h e e r and mere a s s e r t i o n , t h e o r y ; i t
1 -

a d m i t t e d l y metaphysically

coherent,

b u t i s a l s o , and f o r

t h a t very reason,

mere w o r d s , 'Reden'.

The i d e a l i s i n g p r o c e s s u n i t e s w i t h t h e i n c r e a s i n g weight and w e a r i n e s s o f t h e e l e g i a c r h y t h m , i n the plodding progress allied which reaches the para-

a climax tactic

o f 1.11; here,

sentence-structure

t o t h e t r o c h a i c beat ( t h e lengthens the half a troch-

weak c a e s u r a a c t u a l l y h o l d s stressed syllable aic

up t h e v e r s e ,

'Red-', a n d makes t h e f i r s t

m o n o t o n y ; compare ' N u r daB s o l c h e r Reden' w i t h 'Dennoch w a l k t o t h e pace o f a n d ' Miihe' . T h u s ,

g e l i n g e t d e r Wunsch') makes t h e r h y t h m the (thus h e a v i l y stressed) 'Schritt'

since t h e ideas still leased by

on w h i c h t h e g e n i t i v e s a r e d e p e n d e n t a r e t e n s i o n i s c r e a t e d , and r e and 'wahr', linked

t o come, a c o n s i d e r a b l e i n the parallel

a d j e c t i v e s 'werth'

the w - a l l i t e r a t i o n not just

t o each o t h e r , b u t t o t h e i s t h u s no l o n g e r f o r reality t o match t h e i d e a l ;

now t h e m a t i c

'Wunsch'. T h i s w i s h

good w e a t h e r , b u t f o r a f i t t i n g

- 105 -

all

t h e emphasis f a l l s Thus i d e a l i s i n g

on ' w a h r .

' E r i n n e r u n g ' , i n p r o p o r t i o n as i t wish, encloses the poetic self i n i t creates. This meaning o f

transforms the o r i g i n a l its is

own w o r l d a n d s t i f l e s a single process.

the very feeling

We do n o t sense t h e f u l l

'Komm! i n s O f f e n e , F f e u n d ! ' u n t i l its infinite Without final after triad

t h e strophe i s complete; of form. of the hill,

a s p i r a t i o n depends upon t h e c a p t i v i t y this negative experience the liberation

c o u l d n o t t a k e p l a c e . A t t h e summit o f a

a l o n g and weary c l i m b , a w a l k e r i s r e w a r d e d w i t h t h e that s p r e a d s b e f o r e h i s e y e s , b u t whose so t o o , after

wonderful view beauty the

depends upon t h e p l o d d i n g p a t h b e h i n d ; of winter, s p r i n g comes w i t h

iron- g r i p Both

i t s refreshing are pre-

green.

these

symbols o f l i b e r a t i o n ,

renewal,

sent i n the d i s s o l v i n g o f form t h a t final triad. Its first

takes place

i n this

c o u p l e t (11.13-14) r e s u m e s t h e 'und'-

established pattern

(enjambement + complementary

c l a u s e ) , b u t t h e sentence, runs ( t h e 'tongue'

q u i c k l y t a k e n up b y 'Und g e f u n d e n ' , the dividing comma t o

i s ' f r e e d ' ) over

become a f l o w i n g the

succession i n which
1

o f c l a u s e s , t h e v e r y image o f spring bursts forth , 'Bliithe'). (compare

c o u n t l e s s forms

' aufgegangen' , ' e n t s p r i n g t d i s s o l v e s away l i k e restored until rupted

The c o u p l e t - f o r m stream, and i s n o t

i c e from a mountain

the f i n a l

couplet, completing the i n t e r ('es w e r d e ... ' ) , closes the

subordinate clause

strophe with i t s f i r m p a r a l l e l T h i s sense o f c o m p l e t e n e s s , self completed

clauses. of f u l f i l l e d form, i s i t Blik

through t h e double

echo ('dem o f f e n e n

o f f e n ' ) of the opening,

now no l o n g e r a n e x c l a m a t i o n b u t a

- 106

measured r h y t h m i c s t a t e m e n t . 'ins Offene', which dom of the I n f i n i t e ,

What opened t h e poem, t h e seeks t h e a b s o l u t e

will

by d e f i n i t i o n now

free-

closes the strophe; t h a t i s , the O n l y now is this apparent: true the

formless impulse

ends as f o r m .

t h e ending; v i n d i c a t e s ( t h e s t r o p h i c ) f o r m as and full felt possible fulfilment infinite, of the w i l l

the only and

'ins Offene';

formless form.

extent of t h a t w i l l

i s only

i n the complete The

formal structure wish, pure the f i r s t and line

i s l i g h t l y b u t c l e a r l y marked. u n d e f i n e d e x c l a m a t i o n , opens t h e o f t h e second t r i a d the wish i s

The

original poem. By no

l o n g e r 'naive' b u t d e f i n e d (named), a b s t r a c t , 'Dennoch g e l i n g e t d e r Wunsch' i s a and

lifeless,

so t h a t in

contradiction

terms;

'Wunsch' moves ( a w a y f r o m t h e o r i g i n a l i n w i t h a p r e c i s e symmetry that

s p i r a t i o n ) t o t h e c e n t r e . And

m i r r o r s the weary c l i m b i n g of t h e h i l l , a p p e a r s a t t h e end abstract, lifeless, Hence t h e o v e r a l l of the f i r s t line

' d e r Wunsch' r e triad,

of the t h i r d 'das

but a l s o superseded:

Gewunschte'. 'beginnen' is

structure

of t e n s i o n which

a b l e t o r e l e a s e . The past. But ice;

lifelessness i s itself

remembered,

t h i s r e l e a s e i s n o t , as

'Beginnen

suggests,

pract-

i t is a vision,

i n d e e d , a w i s h . The

strophe i s b u i l t i n the

upon a s u b t l e ' n e g a t i v e d i a l e c t i c ' . course

S p o n t a n e i t y has

o f t h e poem d r a i n e d away t o become mere t h e o r y , an harmony; t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f undermined i t s

empty a s s e r t i o n o f m e t a p h y s i c a l

c o s m i c harmony u p o n t h e h u m b l e o c c a s i o n has reality and

i s o l a t e d the p o e t i c s e l f w i t h i n i t s ideal poetic the poet's

w o r l d . Hence t h e n e e d f o r t h e a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n ;

- 107

achievement i s n o t h i n g other than the original feeling. very deficiency of the

recapturing

of

the

Thus t h e process, the now The

poetic, and

or

idealising, is

experience of l i f e l e s s n e s s

unreality,

c o m p r e h e n d e d , embraced w i t h i n poem w i t h

'song', p o e t i c

harmony.

i t s w i s h f o r p u r e f r e e d o m now

becomes a

s t r o p h e , i n c o m p l e t e and ary) f u l f i l m e n t , but t o deny t h e the

imperfect, a merely p a r t i a l ( v i s i o n That neverideal poetry

f o r t h a t v e r y reason harmonious. c o n f l i c t and tension; life,

i s not

presence of

theless,

contradiction reality,

b e t w e e n 'song' and more be

h a r m o n y and

c a n n o t any

absorbed i n t o be solved

t h a n t h a t b e t w e e n t h e o r y and

practice has

can

within dyn-

p h i l o s o p h y . Here t h i s i m p e r f e c t i o n amic t h a t d r i v e s i n the the poem on,

become t h e

inner

a p r o c e s s more v i s i b l e t h a n coherent the th

other elegies,

whose c o m p l e t e n e s s s u g g e s t s a that the c o n f l i c t between and reality,

s o l u t i o n . Yet lyric start ical ject, I and

t h i s implies

the

w o r l d , between i d e a l b e e n no

i s from a

h a r m o n i o u s . T h e r e has

c o m p r o m i s e , as

politob

i d e a l i s t , because h i s w i l l may be f o r c e d t o adapt h i s not the

is directed ideal to

to a specific circumstances
0

Form i s t h e r e f o r e the insufficiency

s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t whole, part. As a is

but selfthe

of the

self-sufficient

enclosed sphere, the poetic situation of,

elegiac

s t r o p h e c r e a t e s , and the ideal poet i s

i s o l a t i o n , yet

thereby

granted a v i s i o n only imperfection imperfection thus the

o f l i b e r a t i o n and i s that i t i s no

c o m m u n i t y whose This

more t h a n a v i s i o n . 'open' s t r o p h i c reality

finds

expression i n the

form;

i n c o m p a t i b i l i t y o f v i s i o n and vision

seems o v e r 'offen'.

come, f o r t h e

i s pure wish, a n t i c i p a t i o n ,

- 108

It and

i s n o t h u b r i s t i c , d o e s n o t c l a i m t o know t h e f i r m l y d i v i d e s p o e t r y from what i t seeks:

Divine, offner ' ... the

'Statt

Gemeine s i n g '

i c h Gesang' ('Der M u t t e r

Erde', 1.1);

b a l d s i n d w i r a b e r Gesang' ( ' F r i e d e n s f e i e r ' , 1.93)- Y e t v i s i o n i s only p r o c e s s and of any 'open' w i t h i n 'song', w i t h i n the

idealising absence form. force.

cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e ; f u l f i l m e n t , and

i t depends upon t h e Not-Yet i s i t s only proleptic

possible

'Zunge', ' W o r t ' , ' H e r z ' , even ' u n s e r e ' has The p r a c t i c e t h a t breaks through of

t h e l i f e l e s s n e s s o f mere

words i s t h e f u l f i l m e n t Therefore itself

vision. that i s , strophic form is

the imperfect

cosmic harmony. I t i s i n s u f f i c i e n t n o t because o f r e a l i t y , b u t because i t i s 'AuBerung' the

t h e c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n i d e a l and the appearing (4.262, 10, Infinite, strophic concrete e t c . ) or

form of the D i v i n e , the

'Ent-auBerung', s e l f - d e p l e t i o n , of consciousness. as f i r s t

through form has

t h e medium o f f i n i t e not so much p r e s e r v e d

The

created

a metaphysical

perspective.

The

second s t r o p h e should

l a c k s a whole c o u p l e t which and

almost first un-

certainly triad (cf.

have f o l l o w e d 1.22 Yet

completed the

2.578, 18-25). and

t h e r h y t h m seems a l m o s t

impaired, was time

when w r i t i n g o u t h i s f a i r c o p y H o l d e r l i n t h e anomaly. Perhaps by 'Stutgard' and the first the this

c l e a r l y n o t d i s t u r b e d by ( t h e poem i s l a t e r of
1

than

drafts triadic

B r o d und

V/ein' ; see

the Appendix, below)

s t r u c t u r e has

become l e s s r i g i d .

L a t e r , i n 'Heiml o v e . Here this and

k u n f t ' , i t becomes t h e b a r r i e r barrier i s no

o v e r c o m e by

mountain but a ' h i l l ' ,

the transcending

- 109

ascending ' s p i r i t '

not l o v e , ' n i c h t Machtiges', but a f -

f e c t i o n . The c o u p l e t o f t r a n s i t i o n (11.23-24) can be r e a d as though i t belonged t o b o t h f i r s t and second t r i a d : as i t

i s r e a d , i t f o l l o w s n a t u r a l l y as an e p e x e g e t i c i n f i n i t i v e dependent upon 'kommen' and i s r e s t r a i n e d , but the 'verstandig ;

1

once i t has been r e a d i t forms p a r t o f t h e rhythm o f second t r i a d , which i s a s i n g l e s y n t a c t i c a l u n i t n o t

f i n a l l y bound t o g e t h e r u n t i l t h e main v e r b ( ' w o l l e n ' ) . I n t h i s way t h e f i r s t t e n l i n e s (19-28) y i e l d a s i n g l e f l o w i n g movement f r a m e d , l i k e a p i c t u r e , by t h e m o t i f ' w o l l e n , s u p p o r t e d by w - a l l i t e r a t i o n . The p o e t i c of the
1

situation

w i s h p r o v i d e s t h e c o n t r o l l i n g p e r s p e c t i v e w i t h i n which
1

B e g e i s t e r u n g ' , l i b e r a t i n g v i s i o n , can t a k e p l a c e . The

f i r s t two c o u p l e t s r e t u r n t o t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c p a t t e r n o f the first s t r o p h e , t h e pentameter c o m p l e t i n g t h e sense end-

( h e r e , i n each case p r o v i d i n g t h e s u b j e c t ) w i t h i n

stopped c o u p l e t s ; as though t h e hexameter were s e a r c h i n g and q u e s t i o n i n g , and t h e pentameter r e p l y i n g w i t h a filling the embrace (compare 11.19-20 w i t h 9-10; ful-

11.21-22 have
states

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c enjambement, t h e freedom t h a t

n e c e s s i t y ) . But t h e f i r s t word i s a r e s u m p t i v e 'Denn'; t h e rhythm i s n o t what i t was; i t has become an echo which o f

i t s e l f c a l l s f o r t h what i n t h e r h y t h m o f t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e had been a l i b e r a t i n g , t r a n s f o r m i n g a c t . For t h i s reason

t h e s e f o u r l i n e s b r e a t h e a calm r e g u l a r i t y which i s no l o n g e r c a p t i v i t y , b u t a r e t u r n t o t h e normal p u l s e o f l i f e ; to w a l k i n g - p a c e , andante, r i s e and f a l l o f t h e b r e a s t , now

f e l t as p r e p a r a t i o n f o r a second ascent whose rhythm c a s t s a s i n g l e arc t o 'Hugel'. The naming s i g n i f i e s t h e end o f t h e climb.

- 110 -

Thus t h e c e n t r a l c o u p l e t does i n d e e d p l a y a c e n t r a l f u n c t i o n upon w h i c h a l l t e n l i n e s h i n g e . The gaze i s c a s t upwards ( ' d r o b e n ' ) , e n v i s a g i n g a second a s c e n t . But t h e c o u p l e t i t s e l f i s t h e epitome o f o r d e r ; i t does n o t p e r m i t itself t h e l i b e r t i e s ( n o t a b l y enjambement) which have

marked t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i n t h i s poem, b u t d i v i d e s w i t h emphatic p r e c i s i o n i n t o l o n g e r and s h o r t e r , c o m p l e t e , sub-

o r d i n a t e c l a u s e s , a t y p e so f a r o n l y e x h i b i t e d by t h e f i n a l couplet of the f i r s t finality. is the s t r o p h e , where t h e o r d e r r e f l e c t e d

And t h i s rhythm d i r e c t l y i m i t a t e s t h e sense; i t

' v e r s t a n d i g ' , and s t a t e s , q u i t e b a l d l y , t h e purpose o f 'Gang' and t h e m a t e r i a l use o f t h e 'Gasthaus'. I f t h e unadorned

pentameter were i s o l a t e d i t would become a q u i t e s t a t e m e n t o f f a c t ; t h e unformed

sentence says: 'Der v e r 1

s t a n d i g e W i r t h b a u t den Gasten das Haus.' ' V e r s t a n d i g i s e d x f i e d p u r e l y t h r o u g h t h e r h y t h m and c o n t e x t . For w h i l e t h e gaze i s c a s t upwards, t o t h e h i l l , the sky,

heaven, t h e r h y t h m i s t h a t o f l i f e p r o c e e d i n g t o i t s customary measure, t h a t o f ' V e r s t a n d ' , and t h e r e u p o n becomes t h e

p r e l u d e t o an 'open'-ing o f t h e ' h e a r t ' and o f t h e v e r s e so s k i l f u l l y the a c h i e v e d t h a t t h e t r a n s i t i o n i s b l u r r e d , and and d e c i s i v e movement i n

i m p r e s s i o n i s o f one t o t a l

w h i c h a l l measure i s d i s s o l v e d . The s e m i - c o l o n has a l r e a d y l o o s e n e d t h e s t r u c t u r e ; b u t t h e c r u c i a l moment i s t h e c o l l i s i o n between ' k o s t e n und schaun' and 'das Schonste' . By themselves 'kosten' and 'schaun' e p i t o m i s e good b o u r g e o i s

p l e a s u r e , t h e c a u t i o u s e l i m i n a t i o n o f enjoyment t y p i c a l o f t h o s e whom H y p e r i o n c a l l s 'gesezte L e u t e ' ( I I , 113/3), a ' Niichternheit' which f o r H b l d e r l i n i s ' a n g s t l i c h ' : 'Weist

- 111

du, v/oran es l i e g t , d i e Menschen f i i r c h t e n s i c h v o r e i n a n d e r ... , und darum gonnen s i e s i c h wohl Speise und Trank, aber

n i c h t s , was d i e Seele n a h r t ' (B182, 10-12). The r e a l m o f good s t e a k s and good views i s t h a t o f ' V e r s t a n d ' , where enjoyment seems almost r o u t i n e , i n d e e d , measured. The i s meant l i t e r a l l y : lichkeit'
1

caesura

a gap c u t t i n g between b o r n i r t e Haus-

and u n d e f i n a b l e , pure and a b s o l u t e , s u p e r l a t i v e collision,

b e a u t y : 'das Schonste'. Yet t h e c o l l i s i o n i s no

b u t a smooth t r a n s i t i o n , f o r t h e i d e a l i s i n g process i s t h e c r e a t i o n o f microcosmic harmony and so an a c t o f l o v e . L i n e s 23-28 f o r m a s i n g l e u n i t ; t h e f l o w i n g rhythm has a l r e a d y begun i n 23-24, t h e c o u p l e t o f measure, so t h a t by 1.25 is i n f u l l it

s p a t e ; t h e work o f Dionysus, so o f t e n expressed

by a c o n c e n t r a t e d s e n s u a l i t y o f sound, i s p r e s e n t i n t h e f o a m i n g sh ('kosten und schaun das S c h o n s t e ' ) . The o f t h e c o u p l e t i s no l o n g e r f u l l ; 'Schaale'

i t o v e r f l o w s w i t h 'des

Lebens Wein, d e r G e i s t ' ( ' H e i l i g e GefaBe s i n d d i e D i c h t e r ' ( ' B u o n a p a r t e ' ) ) , a f l o o d which sweeps away t h e b a r r i e r s o f p t h e p r e c e d i n g c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n and t h e caesura. There i s no c o n f l i c t ; r e a l i t y p a r t i c i p a t e s i n t h e i d e a l . The s i m p l i c i t y o f 1.24 was n o t r e a l i s m , b u t t h e h i g h e s t detail,

i d e a l i s m , e l e v a t i n g and r e d u c i n g t o pure f o r m s . Any f o r example an i n d i v i d u a l

1

' W i r t , would r e m a i n o b s t i n a t e l y

what i t i s ; i n s t e a d , r e a l i t y i s r h y t h m , rhythm i n t h e f o r m of l i m i t e d measure, which i n t u r n depends upon ' V e r l a u g n ung a l l e s A c c i d e n t e l l e n ' , and t h e w o r l d has t h r o u g h song become 'schon', though n o t y e t 'das Schonste'. What i s envisaged i s no l e s s t h a n a r e - v o l u t i o n , conv e r s i o n . The secondary ( f o u r t h - f o o t ) caesura i s v i r t u a l l y a g e s t u r e , f o r t h e pause d i s t u r b s t h e r e g u l a r p a t t e r n o f

- 112 -

caesura i n t h e f i r s t

t h r e e hexameters: i t expresses t h e t o o i s now

sudden wonder o f an opening eye. The rhythm

open, and f l o w s on unpausing t h r o u g h t h e n e x t two l i n e s , s y m b o l i s i n g t h e opening the o f t h e h e a r t ; ' V e r s t a n d ' , measure, i n s h o r t , man's w i l l t o

w i s h t o c o n t r o l and t o have

power

g i v e s way t o t h e j o y o f b e i n g , which knows no

bounds. I n t h i s r h y t h m i c c o n t e x t what i s named i s no l o n g e r defined ('be-griffen', slavement. 'possessed'), b u t l i b e r a t e d from en-

'Begeisterung' i s the opposite o f u t i l i t y

( e x p l o i t a t i o n ) ; t h e ' F u l l e des Landes' i s no l o n g e r what it ies, was f o r t h e p h y s i o c r a t s , a l o n g l i s t o f u s e f u l commoditb u t f r e e l y - g i v e n c o r n u c o p i a , and t h e meaning o f 'das

Schbnste' i s open, a p a r a d i g m a t i c r e f u s a l by t h e poet t o d e f i n e . P o e t r y i s t h u s 'Beginnen', p r a c t i s i n g revolution; from

i t does n o t j u s t t e a c h and p r e a c h , b u t i s , l i b e r a t i o n 'Verstand'. Now t h i s movement i n t e n s i f i e s w i t h t h e a n a p h o r i c the pentameter no l o n g e r responds, b u t catches

'DaB';

t h e hexameter

up and l i f t s

i t h i g h e r . A g a i n t h e r e i s t h e f i n e s t a r t here. s t r o p h e , 'Herz', 'Wunsch' and

The k e y words o f t h e f i r s t

' O f f e n ' , j o i n e f f o r t l e s s l y t o become a s i n g l e concept, b u t w i t h i n t h e scope o f a minor s u b o r d i n a t e c l a u s e , y i e l d i n g a p o w e r f u l b u t f a l s e c l i m a x which l e n d s c l i m a c t i c to anticipation

t h e postponed 'DaB'-clause. T h i s merging opens t h e words'

meaning. I t i s f u t i l e t o c o l l e c t examples ( c f . 2.583, 1 8 f . ) of 'offen

1

i n H o l d e r l i n ' s work. 'Offen' i s an a b s t r a c t i o n ; h i s p o e t i c language,

t h u s t o i s o l a t e a word i s t o c o n t r a v e n e

which i s i n t e n d e d as a m i r r o r o f N a t u r e , v/hose A l l i s One. Not o n l y do t h e words mean t h e l i v i n g c o n t e x t i n which they

- 113 -

stand, and n o t h i n g e l s e , b u t t h e i r i n t e n d e d t o symbolise their

collocation i s actually

democracy. U n l i k e t h e word a l l e g i a n c e ; b u t are ' jeder s e i , /

1

'God', t h e y do n o t demand e n s l a v e d

' Sprache d e r Natur' (4.26'+, 8 ) , h e r c h i l d r e n : Wie a l l e '

1

('Empedokles' I , 1558f.). To add o f f e n

to a

concordance may be a r e s p e c t a b l e s c h o l a r l y achievement, b u t it i s a l s o c l e a n d e s t r u c t i o n o f H o l d e r l i n ' s aim: t h e l i b e r -

a t i o n o f language. The same i s t r u e o f ' G e i s t ' . By v i r t u e of the preceding

t h e m a t i c c o n c e n t r a t i o n t h i s new word r e c e i v e s t h e p r i n c i p a l s t r e s s o f t h e l i n e , and becomes t h e animus, b r e a t h o f l i f e , t h a t now a t l a s t the poet's can e n t e r t h e poem; j u s t as i t has been

task t o c a l l f o r t h

t h e S p i r i t . What i s 'dem t h a t does n o t pause t o de-

G e i s t e gemaB'? t h e p o e t i c rhythm

f i n e , b u t w i l l s f o r w a r d beyond t h e 'MaB', t h e c o u p l e t division, t o t h e c l i m a x o f t h e s t r o p h e . The H o l y S p i r i t o f ( r e g a r d l e s s ) o f him

C h r i s t i a n d o c t r i n e e x i s t s independently who e x p e r i e n c e s i t . This ' S p i r i t '

i s revolutionary liber-

a t i o n from t h a t S p i r i t , a s e l f - l e s s l o v e t h a t renounces i t s ' H e r r s c h a f t ' ( ' F r i e d e n s f e i e r ' , 1.28) among words and s u r r e n d e r s t o an a l l - e m b r a c i n g rhythm. I n so d o i n g , i t i s f r e e d an

from t h e i m p r i s o n m e n t o f i n f i n i t y , what L e s s i n g c a l l s u n b e a r a b l e 'Langeweile' ( c f . the poet's The 'Begeisterung'.

3-^95,

131-35), t o l i v e w i t h i n

following line

( 2 7 ) g a i n s i t s power t h r o u g h r e -

s o l v i n g t h e t e n s i o n t h a t has b u i l t up, b u t so c o n c e n t r a t e d i s t h e p o e t r y h e r e t h a t even w i t h i n t h i s space t h e r e i s a major and minor c l i m a x , s t r u c t u r e d by t h e c a e s u r a . The l i n e as a whole c o n t a i n s f i v e s u b s t a n t i v e s (compare t h e

- 114 -

o r i g i n a l d r a f t (2.579, 31): ' O f f e n das Mahl und d e r Tanz ... '). w i t h i n - - i t 'Mahl und Tanz und Gesang' forms a d i s -

c r e t e u n i t , s e p a r a t e d f r o m t h e v e r b , each i d e a l i n k e d t o the o t h e r s w i t h no q u a l i f i c a t i o n whatsoever and t h e t o t a l -

i t y o f ideas h e l d w i t h i n t h e i r r e s i s t i b l e f l o w o f t h e v e r s e . By themselves ' M a h l , 'Tanz' and 'Gesang' are p l e a s u r a b l e a c t i v i t i e s . The u n q u a l i f i e d c o n j u n c t i o n and s i m u l 1

taneous s u b o r d i n a t i o n t o an o v e r a l l rhythm t h a t has n o t y e t reached i t s peak reduce them t o what t h e y have i n common

immediacy, t h e r e - n e s s . The s u b s t a n t i v e s a r e t h u s t h e substance, f u l f i l m e n t , of the v i s i o n ; but, equally, the or deprives them o f substance, pleas-

vision frees

u r a b l e i n d i v i d u a l i t y . The l i m i t a t i o n s o f s o c i a l i n t e r c o u r s e and t h e i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f p o e t i c v i s i o n a r e here a n t i thetical The 'measures' o f l i f e . d e f i n i t i v e c l i m a x i s n o t reached u n t i l 'Stutgards

Freude'. The v i s i o n i s t h u s formed w i t h t h e most c o n c e n t r a t e d a r t . 'Mahl und Tanz und Gesang' were i d e a l substance.X

Now t h e s e words t o o a r e h e l d i n t h e stream o f 'und's characteristic of i n s p i r a t i o n , b u t 'Stutgard' i s i n f a c t

a n o t h e r c o l l i s i o n , i s , so t o speak, y e t more r e a l , t h e h e i g h t o f f u l f i l m e n t . Yet a t t h e same t i m e t h e postponement of t h e place-name, t h e most c o n c r e t e word i n t h e poem, t i l l the c l i m a x achieves Had an utmost d e c o n c r e t i s i n g o f r e a l i t y .

' S t u t g a r d ' appeared anywhere b e f o r e i t would have

b r o u g h t c o n n o t a t i o n s o f t i m e and p l a c e , o f t h e Swabian town a t t h e t u r n o f t h e c e n t u r y . I t was t h e r e f o r e t h i s word that

demanded t h e g r e a t e s t 'Verlaugnung a l l e s A c c i d e n t e l l e n ' , and i t forms t h e summit o f t h e i d e a l i s i n g p r o c e s s . Stuttgart

- 115 -

had been t h e s t a r t i n g - p o i n t , t h e v a l l e y ; i t has now become t h e g o a l , t h e h i l l , w h i l e t h e whole p o e t i c process

emerges as an h e r o i c endeavour t o t r a n s f o r m t h e town's ' b o r n i r t e H a u s l i c h k e i t ' i n t o 'Freude'. T h i s i s n o t a c e l e b r a t i o n b u t a r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t ; ' S t u t g a r d s Freude' i s a paradox, a 'hoher Besinnen' t h a t s p r i n g s 'von t r u n k -

ener S t i r n ' ' ; what would, were i t n o t f o r t h e p o e t ' s a c t o f l o v e , have been a c o n t r a d i c t i o n i n terms, b u t i s now ' h i m m l i s c h Gesprach' ('Ganymed', 1.24). The vision r h y t h m i c summit has been reached, t h e i d e a l i s i n g 'gekront'. With a c o n s t r u c t i o n p a r a l l e l t o the s t r o p h e , t h e 'DeBhalb''Begeisterung
1

corresponding l i n e (18) of the f i r s t c l a u s e completes

t h e second t r i a d : t h e e n t i r e

i s c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n t h e i n t e r p o s e d s u b o r d i n a t e c l a u s e , so t h a t , j u s t as t h e form o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t emerges t h r o u g h t h e l i b e r t y o f enjambement, t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e i s h e i g h t e n e d by t e n s i o n and r e l e a s e . Here t h e t h e m a t i c c o n c e n t r a t i o n has t h e r e v e r s e e f f e c t t o t h a t o f l i n e 26, where i t had been a g a t h e r i n g o f r e s o u r c e s f o r t h e f i n a l endeavour; t h e r e s u m p t i o n o f t h e themes o f w i l l and w i s h , s u p p o r t e d by p e r v a d i n g a l l i t e r a t i v e w, s e a l o f f and frame t h e v i s i o n w i t h d e c i s i v e f i n a l i t y . The poet r e t u r n s from i n s p i r a t i o n t o t h e l e v e l of u n f u l f i l l e d wish: the v i s i o n i s mere v i s i o n . I t i s t h i s l i m i t a t i o n t h a t h o l d s t h e v i s i o n ; p o e t i c form i s t h e n e c e s s i t y , t h e l i m i t a t i o n , t o which t h e p o e t , as mere i n d i v i d u a l e n v i s a g i n g comimmity, i s s u b j e c t e d . H i s poem i s t h e r e w i t h ' o f f e n ' towards t h e future.

- 116 -

The

problem

o f openness

The poem's s t a r t i n g - p o i n t and 'Grund' i s t h e w i l l

'ins

Offene', the l o n g i n g f o r s e l f - d i s s o l u t i o n i n the i n f i n i t y of heaven; a r e i n e I n n i g k e i t '

1

(4.149, 3) t h a t

would

shake o f f a l l e a r t h l y l i m i t a t i o n s , an Empedoklean d e a t h w i s h . B u t such a w i s h i s b o t h f o r m l e s s and and i t s l o g i c a l c o n c l u s i o n i s i n d e e d incommunicable,

self-destruction. The w i l l

Thus t h e poem r e p r e s e n t s an e n t r y i n t o l i f e .

' i n s O f f e n e ' i s f r o m t h e s t a r t l i m i t e d , by t i m e and p l a c e , s e t t i n g , p e o p l e , purpose. I t i s a concretisation of the i t s height i n

' r e i n e r G e i s t ' (4.149, 2) t h a t reaches ' S t u t g a r d s Freude', t h a t p o i n t beiden S e i t e n g l e i c h i s t '

'wo G e i s t und Leben a u f

(4.262, 1 5 f . ) , i d e a l and r e a l i t y

r e c o n c i l e d . A t t h e same t i m e i t i s an i d e a l i s a t i o n o f r e a l i t y t h r o u g h and by t h e 'pure s p i r i t ' . Reality i s

therefore not j u s t l i m i t a t i o n , but c a p t i v i t y i n the f i n i t e s t a t e . The b a s i c r h y t h m i c p a t t e r n which i n f a c t t u r n s t h e end-stopped weight of form t h e i m p u l s e t o freedom c o u p l e t i n t o t h e dead-

i s t h e c o n c r e t e image o f t h e w i l l t o

shake o f f t h e i n c u r r e d s h a c k l e s o f r e a l i t y ; and t h e 'AuBerung', t h e c o n c r e t i a a t i o n o f pure l o n g i n g i n a g i v e n s i t u a t ion, has t h e f o r m o f c a p t i v i t y . The i m p r i s o n m e n t by f o r m

has a m b i v a l e n t significance.

s i m u l t a n e o u s s o c i a l and m e t a p h y s i c a l

T h i s phenomenon i n d i c a t e s t h e u n d e r l y i n g meaning o f H b l d e r l i n ' s p o e t i c f o r m ; i t i s an acceptance The but of destiny. Nature,

s o u l no l o n g e r seeks e x c l u s i v e d i v i n e u n i o n w i t h

i s bound by i t s ' S t o f f , t h e w o r l d o f men. T h e r e f o r e

- 117 -

n o t o n l y does t h e w i l l ' i n s O f f e n e ' appear, become r e a l i s e d , b u t t h e human r e a l m , t h e e x c u r s i o n t o t h e 'Gasthaus', demands l i b e r a t i o n from i t s e l f . The r e s u l t i s a paradigma t i c a c t whereby men p e r c e i v e t h e cosmic s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e i r d o i n g s . The c o n c r e t e form o f t h e 'pure s p i r i t ' i s t h u s t h e i d e a l i s i n g p r o c e s s ; i t i s t h e e l e g i a c s t r o p h e , and the poem has f o r m , becomes a microcosm, t h r o u g h t h i s a c c e p t ance of. l i m i t a t i o n .

The

entry into l i f e

i s t h u s s e v e r e l y c o n d i t i o n e d . The

poem i s open towards

i t s f u t u r e r e a l i t y , communal f u l f i l -

ment, so t h a t t h e gap between p o e t r y and l i f e , i d e a l and r e a l i t y , i s b u i l t i n t o i t s v e r y s t r u c t u r e ; t h e s t r o p h e and the poem as a whole a r e f o r m a l l y i d e n t i c a l : 'Welt i n d e r

Welt'. T h e r e f o r e completed poem

and t h i s i s most apparent i n t h e unt h e autonomous t o t a l i t y i s really a

( p o t e n t i a l l y endless) defect i s i t s e l f

'Streben'. B u t t h i s means t h a t t h e

a l r e a d y comprehended and overcome; i t no

l o n g e r has t h e power t o d e t r a c t from microcosmic harmony. T h i s a b s o r p t i o n o f communication ( i n t h e w i d e s t sense) into poetry i t s e l f transforms i t i n t o a f u n c t i o n of the

p o e t ' s own Weltanschauung. Thereby t h e openness o f t h e f o r m i s enabled for s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t o express an endless search

t h e D i v i n e , an endless r e g r e s s from t h e c o n c r e t i s e d ' s p i r i t ' , whereby t h e i n i t i a l act of

form t o t h e pure

r e a l i s a t i o n appears as t h e v i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e d i v i n i t y o f of t h e con-descending ' s p i r i t ' t h r o u g h r e a l i t y . The s t r o p h i c

sphere i s t h u s an image o f t h e p u r i t y o f t h e s e l f , i t s Empedoklean a p a r t n e s s from t h e w o r l d ; i t s open-ness i s a p a r t o f t h e v i s i o n , and e q u a l l y i n s u b s t a n t i a l .

- 118 -

In the

l i n e 28 t h e s t r o p h e s i n k s back t o r e s t ,

fulfilling

t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e and r e t u r n i n g t o t h e l e v e l o f 'wish'.

By v i r t u e o f t h e .journey which i s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e i d e a l i s i n g process and t r a n s f o r m i n g a c t , t h e 'wish' has

become p u r e , a b s o l u t e ; t h e t h e m a t i c c o n c e n t r a t i o n , e c h o i n g the poem's e n t i r e c o u r s e , i s f r e e from any r e s t i c t i n g i n exclamation,

f i n i t i v e , and t h u s r e f e r s back t o t h e opening

f u l f i l l i n g i t s i d e a l meaning, s e a l i n g o f f t h e poem. The 'walk' i s o v e r , and t h u s t h e f i n a l word 'Hugel' i s c h a r a c t (supposedly) climbed,

e r i s t i c a l l y d e i c t i c ; we a c t u a l l y see what still

l i e s b e f o r e u s , because we have i n f a c t a rhythmic h i l l .

experienced, to the the

This p l a s t i c i t y i s e s s e n t i a l

t h e poem's a e s t h e t i c v a l u e . With t h e word 'Hugel' comes s i g h o f p l e a s u r e and r e l i e f t h a t belongs to reaching i t s con-

t o p . The r e s t o f t h e s t r o p h e i s drawn towards

c l u s i o n by t h e echoing memory o f t h e f i r s t ; his of

t h e poet and

f r i e n d s wander away e a s i l y over t h e r h y t h m i c p l a t e a u t h e h i l l s h i g h above t h e town: 'Wir ... haben das Unsre

gethan*' Thus t h e second s t r o p h e has assumed and resumed t h e p a t t e r n of the f i r s t , formed i t . The unique the and t h e r e b y s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t r a n s e x p e r i e n c e becomes an echo, I t i s s o f t b u t c l e a r , o f t h e Swabian

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c rhythm,

c o u n t r y s i d e w i t h i t s h i l l s and v a l l e y s ; b u t t h i s i s i n t u r n i m m e d i a t e l y s e t w i t h i n a cosmic rhythm o f r e c u r r e n c e , o f Nature h e r s e l f i n h e r 'Wechsel des E n t f a l t e n s und V e r s c h l i e B e n s ' , which e f f o r t l e s s l y comprehends t h e i d e a l o f a blossoming humanity. ' S t u t g a r d ' , which had been t h e n a r r o w , i s no l o n g e r l o c k e d i n

s e l f - e n c l o s e d w o r l d o f 'Verstand',

- 119

h e r ' H i i i s e ' , a l i e n a t e d s e p a r a t e n e s s , as a town down i n t h e v a l l e y , b u t has come f o r t h t o be t h e ' s p i r i t ' of the

Nature t h a t s u r r o u n d s h e r , a Nature t h a t , l i k e t h e A r c h i p e l a g o i n s p r i n g - t i m e , seeks and misses 'das Herz, d e r f i i h l e n d e n Menschen' ( 1 . 6 1 ) . And t h u s t h e S p i r i t itself

has t a k e n f o r m and become t h e 'Geist d e r Sphare' (4.277, 2 6 ) , t h e 'Gott d e r Mythe' ( 4 . 2 8 1 , 7 f - ) , j u s t as t h e ' s p i r i t ' o f 'Heimkunft' i s t h e a e t h e r e a l god o f t h e A l p s . The l a t t e r i s genus s u b l i m e , t h e s p i r i t o f t h e h i l l genus

h u m i l e ( ' l e i c h t e r Gesang'); b u t t h e p o e t ' s r o l e i s t h e same. He ' c a l l s f o r t h ' t h e ' S p i r i t o f Nature-' (' Empedokles'

II,

531-38).
T h i s cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e and ' D i c h t e r b e r u f ' , and w i t h

it

t h e h i g h v a l u e o f t h e poem, depends upon what i n f a c t

does n o t e x i s t , t h e r e s t o f t h e poem; i t would be l o s t i f one t h o u g h t b e t t e r , g i v e n t h e poem's i n c o m p l e t e s t a t e , t o p u b l i s h i t as two ( a l m o s t ) s a t i s f a c t o r y s t r o p h e s and f i n i s h w i t h 'Wir ... haben das Unsre gethan'. For t h i s reason t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m i s nowhere c l e a r e r t h a n h e r e , where i t has b r o k e n down. What we have i s one more complete t r i a d ; a l l we need i s i t s i n i t i a l effect

'Aber' t o sense t h e r e s u l t i n g c o n c e n t r i c s t r o p h i c

and i t s dynamic, t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f endless s t r i v i n g , o f infinity. The completeness o f t h e i d e a l i s a t i o n o f t h e o f t h e poem; t h e essence

occasion i s t h e incompleteness

and a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n i s t h e r e f o r e t h e need t o c o n t i n u e , r a t h e r than the content of c o n t i n u a t i o n . The f o l l o w i n g and f i n a l t r i a d (11.35-40) d e p i c t s

Nature's response t o man's s e l f l e s s a c t ; t o h i s a b d i c a t i o n

- 120

of the the

mastery and t h e opening o f h i s h e a r t . The up-beat i s p l a i n e s t o f s t a t e m e n t s : ' Aber schb'n i s t d e r O r t ' ( i n d r a f t even s i m p l e r : 'Schon d e r O r f

(2.579, 1 8 ) ) . But

t h i s r e s t r a i n t , w h i c h a g a i n expresses t h e c a p t i v i t y o f human l i m i t a t i o n , i s now the so n a t u r a l , so e a s i l y f e l t as

t h r e s h o l d o f i n s p i r a t i o n and j o y , t h a t i t d i s s o l v e s

even as i t i s r e c o g n i s e d . L i b e r a t i o n has moved, w i t h s t r i k i n g symmetry, f r o m t h e end t o t h e m i d d l e and thence to t h e head o f t h e s t r o p h e ; l o g i c a l l y enough, f o r once man

has been t r a n s f o r m e d from s e l f - c e n t r e d despot t o p a r t i c i p a n t i n an harmonious cosmos, N a t u r e h e r s e l f needs no 'die Ge

T

l i b e r a t i o n , b u t o n l y t o be what she always was, liebte'

who was m e r e l y a w a i t i n g t h e coming o f her l o v e r . lines

For what f o l l o w s i s Nature as she r e a l l y i s ;

35-^0 a r e a v i s i o n o r f o r e t a s t e o f t h e b e a u t y w i t h which she w i l l g r e e t man i f he p l a y s t h e p a r t p a r a d i g m a t i c i s d i v i d e d f r o m Nature by

i n t h e f i r s t two s t r o p h e s . Man the

i n t e l l e c t , w h i c h observes, d i v i d e s up i n t o r i g i d c a t e g -

o r i e s , l a b e l s as s e p a r a t e phenomena, and e n s l a v e s t o h i s purpose. Here, s p r i n g i s no l o n g e r seen t h r o u g h t h a t c o l d eye w h i c h o n l y s e r v e s u n d e r s t a n d i n g , b u t i s t h e o b j e c t of ' i n t e l l e k t u a l e Anschauung'; t h e i n t e l l e c t s u r r e n d e r s i t s h o l d over N a t u r e , and sees. For p o e t i c f o r m i s the S u b j e c t ' s p a r a d i g m a t i c r e n u n c i a t i o n o f e x t r a n e o u s p u r p o s e , an a c t i n which the i n t e l l e c t ( s u b j e c t i v i t y ) ceases t o a c t . Because

Nature's s e n s u a l i t y , her ' b e i n g ' , i s h e n c e f o r t h f o r i t s own sake, she comes a l i v e . With t h i s t h i r d act of l i b e r a t i o n ( r e v o l u t i o n ) , the act has t h u s become a s u r r e n d e r . The r h y t h m o f a s c e n t g i v e s

- 121 -

way

t o t h a t o f t h e opening

eye, f o r i t i s t h e s p r i n g - t i m e statement

n o t o f man b u t o f N a t u r e . Unformed, t h e opening

i s on t h e same l e v e l as ' k o s t e n und schaun' : ' V/hat a f i n e view!' But t h i s r e s t r a i n t , t h e b a n a l i t y o f a f i x e d ('ist'),

f r o z e n r e l a t i o n s h i p o f enjoyment, i s t h r o u g h t h e p r e c e d i n g 'Aber' a l r e a d y absorbed i n t o t h e p o e t i c r h y t h m , which now b e g i n s , w i t h l i g h t f - a l l i t e r a t i o n , t o blossom an image

p i c k e d up by 'Aufgegangen', which t h r o u g h enjambement 'opens' t h e v e r s e - f o r m , and l i f t e d upwards by t h e a n a p h o r i c 'wenn' (compare t h e 'DaB'-clause o f 1.26), which a l l o w s no pause and c a r r i e s t h e l i n e over t h e c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n . This

formal d i s s o l u t i o n j o i n s e f f o r t l e s s l y with the content; t h e ' S t r o m g e i s t ' , t h a t f l o w s by d i v i n e and n o t by human law ( c f . 5'289f.) i n f o r m s t h e ( t o c o l d eyes, l i f e l e s s ) g r o w t h on t h e banks. The t h u s 'opened' form g i v e s t o l i n e 37, i n which one a f t e r a n o t h e r t h e v a r i o u s s u b j e c t s o f t h e sentence a r e named, a p o w e r f u l sense o f r e l e a s e , b u t a t

t h e same t i m e i m p e l s f o r w a r d t o t h e n e x t l i n e . The e f f e c t i s w o n d e r f u l l y p l a s t i c . I t i s s p r i n g ; 'Weiden , 'Wald', 'Baume', s p r i n g up, each i n t u r n , r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e h o l d o f w i n t e r . But t h e i r s u b s t a n t i v a l q u a l i t y i s n o t f i x e d , as i n prose, b u t f l u i d ; besides t h e formal d i s s o l u t i o n , this
1

i s enhanced by e l i m i n a t i n g a l l s p e c i f i c a t i o n , even d e f i n i t e a r t i c l e s ( e x c e p t o n e ) : A l l i s One, e v o l v i n g , b u t p a s s i n g away, m e r g i n g back i n t o t h e A l l i n s e l f l e s s abandonment o f i d e n t i t y , and g r a n t e d i n r e t u r n t h e freedom t o reappear i n new form ( j u s t as D i o t i m a , t h e ' schb'ne Seele', t e l l s Hyperion: ' ... wenn i c h auch z u r P f l a n z e wiirde, ware denn d e r I c h werde seyn' ( I I , 1 0 2 / 1 4 f . ) . The

Schade so groB?

- 122

r h y t h m , w i t h i t s ( r a t i o n a l l y r e d u n d a n t ) pleonasms ('griinend' t w i c e , 'Wald' and sound and 'Baume'), p r o f u s e w - a l l i t e r a t i o n , al(l)-

p l e t h o r a o f l i q u i d I s , i t s ' r o c k i n g ' rhyme ( ' L u f t ' / four verbal adjectives suggesting vitality,

' D u f t ' ) , and

submerges t h e forms of l i f e w i t h t h e i r o u t l i n e s i n t h e 'spirit' t h a t permeates them. These two couplets depict a the

c o h e s i v e b u t d a n c i n g w o r l d whose ' s p i r i t '

i s the r i v e r ;

c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n (11.36/37) i s l i k e a n a t u r a l dam, d e t a i n i n g , then pouring f o r c e , to issue

briefly

f o r t h i n the hexameter w i t h r e d o u b l e d of t h e p e n t a way

out i n t o t h e pure s p r i n g - t i m e

m e t e r , where t h e s u b j e c t s to a single all-embracing

o f the hexameter have g i v e n 'Wallen', i n f i n i t e and

nameless

(compare 'Heimkunft', l.k^>: ' E i n f r e u d i g e s The

Wallen'). with i t and

'Aber' of l i n e 39 l i f t s t h e r h y t h m , and

( a g a i n w i t h d e i c t i c f o r c e ) t h e eye, its

up over the v a l l e y their

l u x u r i a t i n g g r o w t h t o t h e s l o p e s and

vineyards.

T h e r e , a l l was t h e one

nameless f l o w i n t h e j o y o f s p r i n g ; here i s

s p e c i f i c t h i n g , i t s c l a r i t y of o u t l i n e y e t f i r m e r the

t h r o u g h b e i n g r h y t h m i c a l l y 'concealed', d e l a y e d t i l l key p o s i t i o n a t t h e end o f t h e hexameter. But

here i t i s the

t h e v e r b s , postponed t i l l

the pentameter, which c a r r y sequence, i m p e l l i n g

power; i n t h e i r c o n c e n t r a t e d to t h e end

forward growth of

of t h e t r i a d , t h e y express an i n e x o r a b l e outwards. The

t h a t t h r u s t s upwards and the

clear i d e n t i t y

'Weinstok' i s a n y t h i n g

b u t a dead r i g i d i t y ;

through

t h e c o n t r a s t t h e d i f f u s i o n o f s p r i n g here seems concent r a t e d i n a s i n g l e v i t a l force which, although above, r h y t h m i c a l l y and e l e m e n t a l source. The i n Nature's h i e r a r c h y i t lies is their 'der

'stem o f t h e v i n e ' i s , l i k e

- 123 -

Taunus' i n 'Der Wanderer', p r e s i d i n g d e i t y , and i n v e s t e d w i t h t h e same d i o n y s i a c f u l f i l m e n t ( c h a r a c t e r i s e d by t h e o r g a n i c a l l y - b i n d i n g 'und'-assonance) as a t t h e end o f t h a t poem. Thus t h e r h y t h m i c o r d e r i n t h i s c o u p l e t , w h i l e seeming c l o s e r t o t h a t o f t h e i n t e l l e c t , i n f a c t goes f u r t h e r and deeper t h a n t h e f i r s t t w o ; here i s n o t f r e e r e n u n c i a t i o n of i d e n t i t y and purpose, b u t t h e v i t a l p u l s e ('Dammert und

wachst und erwarmt') o f an e l e m e n t a l w i l l and o r d e r . I t i s a Priapean spirit. 'DaB s i e k o s t e n und here finds

Thus t h e v i s i o n o f l i n e 25

schaun das Schonste, d i e F i i l l e des Landes'

p a r a d i g m a t i c r e a l i s a t i o n . The poem has been c a r r i e d f o r w a r d to seek t h e D i v i n e ; where i t c o u l d have r e s t e d (1.3*0 w i t h

an exemplary v i s i o n o f t h e 'open' h e a r t , o f human a c h i e v e ment, i t s purpose i s t o have no such d i d a c t i c s o c i a l pose, b u t t o e x i s t w i t h i n t h e pure and i n f i n i t e i n w h i c h alone t h e i n d i v i d u a l can ' c a l l f o r t h ' N a t u r e , t h e A l l , as h e r T h i s purpose, metaphysical 'spirit'. pur-

perspective and encounter

however, a r i s e s n o t as t h e r e s u l t o f a

moment o f d e c i s i o n , and so a t a s p e c i f i c p o i n t w i t h i n t h e poem, b u t as a s i n g l e p r o c e s s . As t h e second s t r o p h e becomes the echo o f t h e f i r s t , t h e beauty o f t h e v i s i o n supersedes

i t s purpose, the

so t h a t even as t h e poem t a k e s t h e f o r m o f

s t r o p h e t h e poet seeks t h e d i v i n e beauty o f h i s own

v i s i o n . Thereby p o e t i c f o r m i s a f f i r m e d as an end i n i t s e l f and c a l l s i t s e l f f o r t h i n new f o r m ; t h e c o n f l i c t between v i s i o n and f u l f i l m e n t , i d e a l and r e a l i t y , and w i t h i t t h e o r i g i n a l i d e a l i s i n g i n t e n t i o n , which r e f l e c t s t h e w i l l t o change s o c i e t y , i s now, t h r o u g h t h e p r o g r e s s i v e e l i m i n a t i o n

- 124 -

o f t h e communicating o r s o c i a l p u r p o s e ,

held w i t h i n a

t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e , and t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a s u r r e n d e r t o b e a u t y . Thus i n t h i s c o n t e x t beauty i s necessarily the 'Zweck an s i c h

1

and a n t i t h e t i c a l t o purpose;

with

'open' f o r m , an e n d l e s s , cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e opens up,

l i k e r i p p l e s s p r e a d i n g outwards on t h e calm s u r f a c e o f a lake. For i t i s t h i s process o f s u r r e n d e r which t u r n s

1

poetic

form i n t o t h e c a p t i v i t y o f ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ; t h e p a t t e r n o f the e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , l i b e r a t i o n and c a p t i v i t y , becomes t h e exists

microcosm o f t h e s t r o p h e , and t h e s t r o p h e i t s e l f 'purely'

w i t h i n the i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l of the transcending o f s o c i a l purpose i s n o t s h a l l o w as t h e p o e t no l o n g e r commun-

form. B u t t h i s e l i m i n a t i o n aestheticism. I n proportion

i c a t e s , b u t s u r r e n d e r s t o , h i s v i s i o n t h e s t r o p h e assumes the f u n c t i o n o f e x i s t e n t i a l sphere, o f t h e bounds w i t h i n

which p a r a d i g m a t i c m e t a p h y s i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p may t a k e p l a c e . The w i l l t o persuade i s purpose, the and f a l l s under

s t i g m a o f u s i n g language as t h e means t o an end, and over N a t u r e . As i t g i v e s way t o

so o f p e r p e t u a t i n g mastery the echoing s t r u c t u r e

i n which t h e d i v i n e b e a u t y o f t h e

poetic

e x p e r i e n c e becomes i t s own end, c a l l i n g f o r t h i t s e l f

i n new f o r m , t h e a t t e m p t t o persuade men t o l o o k beyond t h e i r narrow h o r i z o n s ( w h i c h i s o f course p r e s e n t ) g i v e s way t o complete fundamental renunciation o f i n d i v i d u a l w i l l , and t h e an absolute,

premise

of metaphysical s t a t u s ,

r e j e c t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a t i o n as i r r a t i o n a l m u l t i p l i c i t y o f w i l l s , synonymous w i t h l i m i t a t i o n by and t h r o u g h t h e i n t e l l e c t ( t h e i n t e l l e c t d i v i d e s ) , r e p l a c e s t h e premise o f

- 125 -

moral and

purpose. But

this

surrender

is itself

an a c t o f

will

a paradigm. Thus t h e echo o f t h e o r i g i n a l liberating vision is of o t h e r s ) , but itful-

s e l f no fils

longer l i b e r a t i n g which

( i n respect now

a cosmic rhythm As this

absorbs the o r i g i n a l

vision

itself.

t a k e s p l a c e , the second s t r o p h e , felt

which to exist

c o u l d c e a s e i n ' l e i c h t e r Gesang', i s i t s e l f w i t h i n the transcending to the d i v i n e beauty elegiac form:

the poet he

surrenders has calls and

o f t h e cosmic r h y t h m as i t becomes a n end

himself

created; the rhythm, forth i t s own beauty.

in itself,

I t calls forth of the t h i r d

t h e word

'schon',

thus the f i r s t t r i a d erated: for the free;

strophe i s already n e e d f o r an

lib-

t h e r e i s no

l o n g e r any

ascent, As

e l e g i a c f o r m and beauty

i n s p i r a t i o n h a v e become i d e n t i c a l . Nature

o f t h e v i s i o n becomes s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , true self and regains her

becomes h e r

free, unfettered as s o o n as she

s e n s u a l i t y , f o r she is liberated, as

i s of h e r s e l f b e a u t i f u l

s o o n , t h e n , as t h e p o e t , t h e

paradigmatic revelation,

individual, and

renounces a l l purpose o t h e r than her self-depiction.

becomes i n s t r u m e n t o f h e r This process

i s p o e t i c technique.

I t i s t h e r e f o r e not

a s e r i e s of d e c i s i o n s a t c e r t a i n p o i n t s ( f o r example, a t the beginning o f t h e s e c o n d and third strophes), but the

c r e a t i o n of a c o u p l e t has ity, the is

' p r e s t a b i l i s e d h a r m o n y ' . Thus t h e e l e g i a c the heightened meaning o f captivof

at the s t a r t

i t s l i m i t a t i o n being pure

the self-imposed experience

limitation of

poetic world, but this

captivity

a t t h e same t i m e t h e m i c r o c o s m i c i m a g e o f t h e a e s t h e t i c w i l l . b e brought i n t o b e i n g by l i b e r a t i o n . The

world which

- 126 -

act of

o f surrender which produces t h e p r e s t a b i l i s e d t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g form communicates i t s e l f

harmony

t o the micro-

cosmic p a r t , eternal rise

t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t o u t o f whose p o t e n t i a l l y and f a l l that f o r m h a s b e e n c r e a t e d . What

seems a l i n e a r p r o c e s s , couplet from i n i t i a l spiration ultimate (11.35-^0), identity

the transformation of the elegiac (11.1-2) i n t o released i n and i s c r e a t e d o u t o f t h e and i n s p i r a t i o n ,

captivity reflects

f o r Holderlin of captivity poetic

n e c e s s i t y and freedom,

f o r m and u n c o n d i t i o n a l w i l l aspiration, p o s s i b l e here

'ins Offene'. I t i s the nature of i n d i v i d u a l its unfulfinability, t h e pure w h i c h h a s made f r e e d o m poetic world.

only w i t h i n The structs first

poetic process,

i n s e e k i n g i t s own b e a u t y , self,

reconthat

t h e d i v i n e harmony o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l assumption

and i r r e d u c i b l e

o f Hb'lderlin's thought. and l i n e s 35-^0

Thus t h e poem i s e s s e n t i a l l y c o m p l e t e , have a s e n s e o f f i n a l i t y external

(contradicting,

of course, the

f o r m ; I am n o t s u g g e s t i n g t h e poem c o u l d o r s h o u l d triad of couplets i n

end h e r e ) r e m i n i s c e n t o f t h e f i n a l each h a l f aesthetic

o f ' Der Wanderer'. B u t t h i s completeness ( a n d success) fulfils t h e 'open', t r a n s c e n d i n g , f o r m muB es

and m e r e l y d r i v e s t h e poem o n : 'Schoner f r e i l i c h werden' had (2.582, 5 ) . The h e r o

o f t h e 'Fragment v o n H y p e r i o n '

t o l d B e l l a r m i n : 'Wir s i n d n i c h t s ; was w i r s u c h e n , i s t (220/1). Here, seven y e a r s later, this conviction which

alles' has

found a l o g i c a l

c o n c l u s i o n i n t h e p o e t i c process as a n e n d l e s s

r e c o n s t i t u t e s d i v i n e beauty

search f o r i t s e l f .

There f o l l o w t h r e e separate fragments, t h e l a s t o f which (2.582, 13-583, 13) is semi-versified, t h e f i r s t two

- 127 -

(2.580, motifs. of

23-581,

11; 2.582, stage

1-12) c o n s i s t i n g o n l y o f s c a t t e r e was i n t e n d e d t o be t h e e p i p h a n y i t as a p l a n m e r e l y l a c k i n g

This f u r t h e r

t h e gods. B o t h e d i t o r s t r e a t

execution vierte

('Den E n t w u r f d e r ' + . Strophe u b e r l i e f e r t d i e ... ', 2 . 5 8 2 , 15; c f . FHA 6 .

Seite der Handschrift

2 8 7 f i where t h e v a r i o u s f r a g m e n t s single it

ai'e s i m p l y p r i n t e d i n a

s e q u e n c e ) . B u t t h e f r a g m e n t 2 . 5 8 0 , 2kff. , a s s u m i n g elegy (this seems l i k e l y , therest although i t i s

belongs t o t h i s

w r i t t e n on a s e p a r a t e the rough d r a f t

manuscript

o f which

contains

o f t h e e n d o f 'Der W a n d e r e r ' ) i s a l r e a d y 35 -^0 a n d t h e f o l l o w i n g m o t i f s ( 5 8 2 , beginning

superseded by l i n e s

1-12) , and s i n c e t h e s e m i - v e r s i f i e d f r a g m e n t

'Aber f r a g e t m i c h e i n s , was s o l l e n G o t t e r i m G a s t h a u s ? ' itself of comes t o n o t h i n g , i t c a n n o t be c a l l e d strophe. represent a single the outline

thefourth Indeed,

a l l t h r e e fragments

attempt ' ... was

to

b r i n g t h e poem t o i t s c o n c l u s i o n . The q u e s t i o n

s o l l e n G o t t e r im Gasthaus?' i n t r o d u c e s a c r y p t i c

theology

whose m e a n i n g i s much l e s s i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e r e a s o n s f o r t h e poem's f a i l u r e the poet t o conclude, a failure acknowledged by

h i m s e l f , who w r o t e

the couplet

'Singen w o l l t i c h theology (rather

l e i c h t e n Gesang ... ' a l o n g s i d e than thet i t l e or the f i r s t

thecryptic

s t r o p h e ) . Indeed,

I hope t o

h a v e shown t h a t But

so f a r as i t goes t h e poem h a s ' s u c c e e d e d ' .

i t s v a l i x e h a s i n t h e p r o c e s s become i t s own v i s i o n ,

r a t h e r t h a n t h e i d e a l i s i n g c e l e b r a t i o n o f o r d i n a r y human life ial de w i t h which i t began; t h e 'Gasthaus', w h i c h i s s u b s t a n t a n d m a t e r i a l , h a s been d i s p l a c e d b y t h e poem itself,

f a c t o t h e ' s p h e r e ' i n w h i c h gods a n d men m e e t . A t t h a t

- 128 -

prestabilised

p o i n t where t h e p o e t i c p r o c e s s

becomes but

a search f o r beauty, by p o e t i c the

i t i s t r a n s c e n d e d n o t by r e a l i t y , Therewith

form, the metaphysical perspective.

occasion i s l o s t . The Empedoklean s i t u a t i o n h i g h poetry into above t h e w o r l d has sub-

turned

a search f o r , e n t r y i n t o ,

an a l w a y s

ordinated all poetry

r e a l i t y by the i s now

'pure p o e t i c S p i r i t ' ; to r e a l i t y ,

i n principle 'leichter he

a con-descension

Gesang', and 'never'

i t is i n this The

sense t h a t H o l d e r l i n says

succeeds.

s p e c i a l demands o f t h e (thereby

Gelegenheits-

g e d i c h t a r e subsumed u n d e r this o v e r r i d i n g problem, p o i n t , the

admittedly h i g h l i g h t i n g

so t h a t i t t o o a r r i v e s a t t h e of the Divine.

critical

'naming' ( 2 . 5 8 1 , 8 )

- 129

Appendix

1.

Date of
1

FHA p r o p o s e s a r e d a t i n g

D e r Gang a u f s L a n d : Somrner o d e r j e d o c h im

'Der Herbst

e l e g i s c h e E n t w u r f w u r d e b i s h e r i n den 1800 gesetzt, dem I n h a l t n a c h i s t e r o d e r A n f a n g Mai 1801

Eriihling, entdie

v m t l . Ende A p r i l standen ...

in Stuttgart

Neben s t i l i s t i s c h e n Momenten s p r i c h t a u c h ... fiir diese

r a u m l i c h e Nahe zu H e i m k u n f t I (6.265). I t s e d i t o r s are

Neudatierung' to from

t h u s l e d t o assume a v i s i t 'home-coming'

Landauer i n S t u t t g a r t H a u p t w i l , whereas the the and long period

'soon' a f t e r t h e

S t u t t g a r t e r Ausgabe s e t s t h e

poem i n summer

spent a t Landauer's house d u r i n g A visit

the

autumn o f t o be

1800.

a f t e r H a u p t w i l would i n f a c t poem, s i n c e and 2k Holderlin the

h a v e had did not

immediate t o f i t the mid-April,

r e t u r n home t i l l

w o u l d cramp 'V/irth'

time-span of the ing, the be i n 11. redating

poem, f o r i n l i n e 'Mailicht'

the

is buildBut not

29-50 t h e

speaks t o the

guests.

becomes q u i t e

s u p e r f l u o u s i f H o l d e r l i n need i n spring. Spring and

bound t o w r i t i n g a b o u t s p r i n g his

autumn are b o t h the

s e a s o n s , f o r t h e y mark t r a n s i t i o n , and hen d i a p h e r o n h e a u t o and the cosmic

thus necessity I

divine

o f c h a n g e . R a r e l y does he suggest d a t i n g but w i t h i n the the

w r i t e a b o u t summer o r w i n t e r . 'Herbstfeier' of

poem a f t e r t h e period

'Stutgard', in

attested w i t h the

a t L a n d a u e r ' s house to

December 1800, 'Aber daB d e r heilige

poet already looking

spring: die deutsche

E g o i s m u s ...

s i c h beugen w i r d u n t e r Gute ... , daB das

H e r r s c h a f t der

L i e b e und

H e r z i n s o l c h e m K l i m a , u n t e r dem

Seegen d i e s e s

neuen

- 130

Friedens erst recht wachsende N a t u r , entfalten wird,

aufgehn,

und

gerauschlos, wie

die

s e i n e geheimen w e i t r e i c h e n d e n d i B m e i n ' i c h , d i B seh' u n d

Krafte

glaub' i c h ' the New

( B P ? ? , 27 -32; w r i t t e n p r o b a b l y i n N i i r t i n g e n a r o u n d Y e a r 1800/01 poem, w h i c h Hauptwil title; ( c f . 6.1044, 2 7 - 2 9 ) ) .

P e r h a p s he t o o k t h e him to

t h e n becomes a p a r t i n g w i s h , w i t h

(he a t f i r s t 25).

d i d no more t h a n n o t e - a p o s s i b l e T h i s would explain the 'raumliche

c f . 2.575,

Nahe' t o t h e f i r s t not e v i d e n c e . The

1

version

o f ' H e i m k u n f t ' , w h i c h i s anyway

1

s t i l i s t i s c h e Momente

i n fact

suggest struct-

an e a r l i e r d a t e t h a n ' H e i m k u n f t ' , w h e r e t h e t r i a d i c u r e has belongs been l o o s e n e d ; with stylistically

'Der Gang a u f s L a n d '

'Stutgard'.

2. The

Title title of the f a i r copy i s t o r n o f f , l e a v i n g the o f '"Das that

letters

' a s t ' , w h i c h h a v e b e e n p r e s u m e d t o be p a r t returns t o H e l l i n g r a t h ' s assumption this second t i t l e , ...

G a s t h a u s ' . FHA

Hb'lderlin, d i s s a t i s f i e d with off: ' dadurch

tore i t immer n o c h doubt

ware d e r u r s p r i i n g l i c h e T i t e l

gultig' BeiBner the

( 6 . 2 8 4 ) . T h e r e seems no r e a s o n , h o w e v e r , t o when he says t h a t had Holderlin wished

t o change BeiBner,

title

he v/ould h a v e c r o s s e d i t o u t ( F r i e d r i c h elegischen Bruchstucks

' D e u t u n g des in

'Der Gang a u f s L a n d ' ' , Todestag, ed.

Holderlin:

G e d e n k s c h r i f t z u s e i n e m 100. ( T u b i n g e n , 1 9 4 4 ) , pp.247-66

Paul Kluckhohn

(pp.248-49)).

3 In

' ...

was

s o l l e n G o t t e r im Gasthaus?' (p.265), BeiBner says t h a t this frag-

t h e same a r t i c l e

-131

meritary ending r e f e r s t o t h e c o n f l i c t between and 'the T i t a n s ' :

'the

Divine' das

' U n b e d i n g t e V o r a u s s e t zung n a m l i c h f i i r des

B r a u t f e s t z w i s h e n E r d und Himrael i s t d i e H e r r s c h a f t G b t t l i c h e n , des H b c h s t e n , dem das rnuB. ' The t i m e and p l a c e o f t h i s "andere" b l i n d

gehorchen

s t a t e m e n t make i t d i s autoreason 25-

t u r b i n g . A c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e D i v i n e as i n any sense cratic w o u l d be a n a t h e m a t o H o l d e r l i n . There i s no

t o i n t r o d u c e t h e T i t a n s h e r e . The

'Denn'-clause (2.582, the

5 8 3 , 1 ) g o v e r n s t h e two ways i n w h i c h ( r e a s o n s why) 'gods' n e v e r become ' d i e H i m m l i s c h e n u n s ' (emphatic

juxta-

p o s i t i o n ) . H o l d e r l i n p r o b a b l y means t h e C h r i s t i a n Greek r e l i g i o n s : (582, 2 5 ) , t h a t ' e n t w e d e r es h e r r s c h t i h r

and

Hochstes'

i s , t h e a u t o c r a t i c A l m i g h t y and h i s Son 'Oder s i e l e b e n i n

w i t h h i s claim t o unique d i v i n i t y ; Streit' (582, 28-30), i f , that

i s , one adds t h e G r e e k else

pantheon, which e i t h e r r e q u i r e s a ' F r i e d e n s f e i e r ' , or 'schwindet ... Wie beim t r u n k e n e n Mahl' Greek c u l t u r e The (2.582,

34-583, 1 ) ,

as d i d t h e h i s t o r i c a l Diotima', s i x t h divisive is who

( c f . 'Menons K l a g e n urn

strophe).

'temples' r e p r e s e n t the o l d , 'das Gasthaus'

and d i v i d e d , f o r m a l r e l i g i o n s , w h i l e

t h e .paradigm o f t h e r e l i g i o n

o f t h e h e a r t and o f h e r ('Wie wenn

i s ' l i b e r d i e G o t t e r des Abends u n d O r i e n t s ' ... ', 1 1 . 2 1 - 2 3 ) : Nature.

am F e i e r t a g e

- 132 -

IV.

'STUTGARD': THE QUESTION OF COMMUNITY

The

first

strophe o f t h i s elegy i s a wonderful exexcept i n the first

ample o f H o l d e r l i n ' s a r t ; nowhere,

1

s t r o p h e o f ' B r o d u n d W e i n , i s t h e e l e g i a c f o r m more musically achieved. The background and c o n d i t i o n i s 'Durre', l i k e the f i r s t ice a

dangerous picts with

extreme, a ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' ;

t r i a d decomplete

l i b e r a t i o n from t h i s s t a t e , a palingenesis t h e word

'Gesang', a n d h a s a c c o r d i n g l y a b u r g e o n i n g , c r u e l t y o f the sun

swelling, is

m o u n t i n g r h y t h m . The p i t i l e s s

a n enemy p o w e r b a n n e d a t t h e o u t s e t f r o m t h e h a r m o n ' r e a l m ' o f t h e poem, a n d a p p e a r s i n the f i r s t couplet

ious

as s o m e t h i n g t h a t no l o n g e r i s . F o r i t a p p e a r s i n p o e t i c form, i n the b a r r e n r e g u l a r i t y w i t h which the pentameter i m p r i s o n s t h e p r o s p e c t opened b y t h e hexameter, c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a n s w e r i n g 'Und'-clause c o u p l e t , emphasised third-foot the with its the of the i n the

end-stopped

b y t h e w e i g h t o f t h e pause a t t h e

c a e s u r a ; and i n t h i s f o r m i t p a r t i c i p a t e s i n The s e c o n d couplet

rhythm o f l i b e r a t i o n which f o l l o w s .

i t s a n s w e r i n g p e n t a m e t e r seems t o echo t h e f i r s t , b u t opening 'Offen', a Sprachgestus t h a t v i v i d l y conveys

throwing-open o f the 'Saal', p r o c l a i m s the expanding that carries the f i r s t clause over t o the f o u r t h -

structure foot

caesura and t h e n , moving

f r o m t h e two p a r a l l e l c l a u s e s

= 133 -

of is the

t h e hexameter t o t h e s i n g l e clause o f t h e pentameter, finally lifted b e y o n d t h i s p o i n t i n an a r c r i s i n g t o corresponds that t h e h i e r a r c h y o f phenot h e second, echo-

end o f 1 . 5 .

To t h i s

mena. W i t h ing,

t h e pentameter

completes

c o u p l e t t h e sweet r e f r e s h m e n t i n sch-alliteration,

of rain, wonderfully

present ating verse in

e n t e r s t h e poem a n d , l u x u r i l i f t the

like

t h e v e g e t a t i o n , t h e i d e a s and r h y t h m

i n gradual a c c e l e r a t i o n over

the couplet-division; of dactyls, however,

the f i f t h line

t h e form d i s s o l v e s i n a stream

p o u r i n g over t h e caesura.

This e n t i r e d i s s o l u t i o n , t h e form from which

p r e s u p p o s e s and c a l l s f o r t h been l i b e r a t e d ,

i t has

and t h u s c r e a t e s a p o w e r f u l t e n s i o n which 'alle g e b u n d n e n . These words,

1

reaches i t s climax w i t h separated 'all', from t h e i r

thus

substantive, at f i r s t

r e f e r back t o triad

t h e w h o l e movement o f l i b e r a t i o n ;

t h e whole

p a u s e s i n bondage b e f o r e f i n a l l y , falling pure the The back t o r e s t .

i t s tension dissolved, a sense o f

This gives t o ' F i t t i g e '

f r e e d o m ; t h e w o r d emerges f r o m t h e i n t e n s e u n i t y o f preceding l i n e s with the delicate c l a r i t y swelling-up of the f i r s t storm which must f i r s t into five o f wings. a puri-

lines i s like

fying can

pass over b e f o r e t h e b i r d s complete

' v e n t u r e back'

t h e now c l e a r a i r . The

sense and u n t r o u b l e d r e g u l a r i t y o f t h e t h i r d enhance t h i s finality. i s Nature's

pentameter

This l i b e r a t i o n an i d e a l is

p a l i n g e n e s i s , a n d so h a s 'Durre' (cf. Here

s i g n i f i c a n c e beyond t h e g i v e n s i t u a t i o n . over Nature

t h e d e s o l a t e G a r d e n o f man's m a s t e r y ^-15), a self-incurred state

if.l'fl,

of alienation. h i s truer role,

man i s e x c l u d e d , b u t t h u s t o f u l f i l

- 13^ -

appearing i n d i r e c t l y i n the paradigmatic person of the p o e t who renounces a l l p r e t e n s i o n t o mastery and thus of

g a i n s t h e t r u e r power o f ' i n v o k i n g t h e l i v i n g N a t u r e . An a s p e c t o f t h i s p r o c e s s restrictions in reality (like

Spirit'

i s the dissolving

of the

imposed upon h e r by t h e i n t e l l e c t , f o r e x a m p l e , an i d y l l i c

f o r she i s

not j u s t ,

landscape

H y p e r i o n ' s ) b u t ' E i n s und A l l e s '

( H y p e r i o n , I , sh/2).

Thus t h e d i s t i n c t l y human s p h e r e , t h e a p p a r e n t l y i n a n i m a t e 'Saal' 'ist'), and tame ' G a r t e n ' , w h i c h seem s t a t i c ('steht',

i s f r e e d from merely f u n c t i o n a l i n Nature's panta r h e i

existence to

participate

and, however humbly,

i n b e a u t y . E q u a l l y , t h e p o e t does n o t g u s t d e s c r i b e what is, b u t r e s t o r e s cosmic harmony by c h a n g i n g t h e w o r l d . o f o u t l i n e and fixed

When, i n t h e g r a d u a l d i s s o l u t i o n identity now

( o f c a p t i v i t y ) which runs from the

negativity, through swelling 'alle', gone birds,

no more t h a n a memory, o f t h e o p e n i n g c o u p l e t , and 'Garten', the l u x u r i a t i n g v a l l e y and,

'Saal'

l i k e buds, the r a c i n g streams, t o t h e t r i u m p h a n t the rhythm a t l a s t pauses, ' ...

i t e m b r a c e s a l l t h a t has

before:

iedes, i n seiner A r t , / Bliiht'. of freedom, also symbolise the

Thus t h e

supreme s y m b o l unity

liberated

of Nature. a c t , o f l i b e r a t i o n , w h i c h s t r e t c h e s open t h e elegiac

The

r h y t h m i s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e b o n d a g e o f an e x t r e m e

tension

d e m a n d i n g r e l e a s e and t h u s t r a n s f o r m i n g c a p t i v i t y i n t o freedom (cf. 'Empedokles' I , 1 5 6 9 - 7 1 ) , s e l f - e n c l o s e d and dead f o r m into opening of

b e a u t y . The

so d e a d w o r l d o f t h e The

c o u p l e t i s r e v e a l e d as t h e ' r e a l m o f s o n g ' . form i n p r a c t i c e

finality

depends upon t h e a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n . I n t h i s

- 135 -

sense t h e f i r s t failure

triad

i s , irrespective

of t h e success 'song', an

or

o f t h e r e s t o f t h e poem, i t s e l f

antiand

c i p a t o r y microcosm

of paradigmatic p u r i t y

of purpose

an i d e a l r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t : when t h e human c o n s c i o u s n e s s is p o e t i c , a pure m i r r o r o f N a t u r e , the-n she f o r h e r ( i n prosaic intellect), part,

s i n c e man arily

no l o n g e r s p e a k s

necessbut

s i n g s , and t h e A l l i s no l o n g e r an a b s t r a c t i o n , e x i s t s f o r i t s own

a l i v i n g unity that

sake and i n w h i c h 'Diirre',

h i e r a r c h y ( 'Herrschaft' ) i s t h e r e f o r e meaningless. 'Gesang', a l l i s h a r m o n y . The the part

m i c r o c o s m i c poem, i n w h i c h i s no more

i s a l r e a d y t h e whole w h i l e t h e whole i s already achieved.

than a part, The death' and song

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of the elegiac couplet from ( o n e m u s t remember t h a t 'Elegie' itself

'living-

lamented into

s o u g h t t o overcome t h e l o s s o f S u s e t t e G o n t a r d ) calls f o r t h t h e echo o f i t s own b e a u t y . Form triad one.

and The

harmony a r e i n t h e sphere

o f t h e second calls forth

r e s t o r a t i o n o f o r d e r i n 1.6 an e f f o r t l e s s and

and e c h o e s on i n end-stopped

succession of ordered couplets,

symmetrical, of which the f i r s t , 'Voll'

with i t s chiastic
1

enclosure by t h e p r e d i c a t e s

and

e r f i i l l t ' , i s the demonstrates the elegiac full

v e r y image o f p e r f e c t m e a s u r e ( a n d p e r f e c t l y w h a t i s meant b y 'prestabilised'

transformation:

c o u p l e t i s o n l y e x p e r i e n c e d as t h e l i m p i d p u r i t y o f t h e cup b e c a u s e i t i s i n i t i a l l y 1.33) of 'living-death' the s p i r i t community, a 'Schaale' (cf.

'Der W a n d e r e r ' , liberharm-

t h a t l o n g s f o r and demands of the birds i s the graceful an o r d e r i n w h i c h t h e

a t i o n ) . And ony o f t h e i r f r e e l y and

individual

spontaneously p a r t i c i p a t e s ,

expressed i n the

- 136 -

l i g h t paradox o f a d i s p e n s a t i o n o f t h e h e a r t ( 1 . 1 1 ) . e x i s t as i n a R o u s s e a u e s q u e f r e e - s t a t e t h e Greek p o l i s

'They

o r t h e 'Anmuth' o f Birds,

( t h a t was t h e i d e a o f A r i s t o p h a n e s ' II,

while, according t o Hyperion, Athens,

1 1 2 / 8 f . , O e d i p u s came t o Seelen

'wo i h n d e r G b ' t t e r h a i n e m p f i e n g ; u n d s c h b n e children

ihm b e g e g n e t e n ' ; f o r t h e Greeks were a l w a y s ('Empedokles' I I I , l i n e 8 suggests But implicit this 3^7;

c f . 'Fragment v o n H y p e r i o n ' , assembly.

193/2));

an i d e a l

element

of personification,

w h i l e c r e a t i n g an ( c f . 11.31-36) pur-

c o n t r a s t t o human s o c i e t y , i n w h i c h

h a r m o n y must f i r s t

be won, does n o t s e r v e a d i d a c t i c

p o s e . The b i r d s , who d w e l l i n t h e ' r e a l m o f s o n g ' , a r e n o t named as s u c h ; a the personification turns their 'sphere' into

' r e a l m o f s o n g ' , a n echo o f t h e c o s m i c h a r m o n y . The forth i t s own

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f f o r m i n t o harmony c a l l s echo b e c a u s e i t r e n o u n c e s p u r p o s e ; the p a r t i c u l a r form o f i d e a l this

echo h a s , n a t u r a l l y ,

( p u r p o s e - and i n t e r e s t - f r e e ) I t i s

society, y e t i t s value i s n o t moral, b u t aesthetic. one,

b u t no more t h a n o n e , p o s s i b l e f o r m , o r e x p r e s s i o n ,

o f t h e ' G e i s t d e r Welt' , t h e u n i v e r s a l harmony. T h e r e b y t h e birds too are l i b e r a t e d , to participate i n Nature's order;

t h e i r h a r m o n y i s no l o n g e r a m o r a l owned, a l i e n , poetic is potentially

exemplum

(something echo o f t h e word

e n v i e d ) , b u t a pure

e x p e r i e n c e : a 'sphere'. I n each case t h e f i n a l

also t h e key word, s e a l i n g o f f t h e t r i a d ; echo one a n o t h e r .

'Gesang' and

'Geist'

Thus t h e c o m p l e t i o n a n d p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e s e c o n d calls forth

triad

i t s own echo ( a n d i s t h u s , b u t o n l y t h u s , i n o f t h e strophe w i t h i t s

c o m p l e t e ) ; i t seeks t h e f u l l n e s s

- 137 -

triadic

. s t r u c t u r e . The

ideal

o f cosmic harmony i s

expressed

i n the mathematical triad,

symmetry o f t h e p o e t r y : t h e

central strophe and to

w i t h i t s t h r e e p e r f e c t c o u p l e t s , i s the

w i t h i t s t h r e e t r i a d s i n m i n i a t u r e . I t seeks i t s e l f , finds w h a t i t was, a p r e s t a b i l i s e d harmony. A w i l l and

fulfilment

i s thus generated,

a p p e a r s as a d i o n y s i a c given free r e i n ; he

urge; but t h i s Dionysus i s not r e a l l y s e e k s n o t h i n g more t h a n t o f u l f i l and here

t h e bounds o f p o e t i c f o r m Irrational is

t o s e a l o f f t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem. The a rational element.

Hence t h e b e a u t i f u l l y - J u d g e d 'Wandern' o f t h e f i n a l d e r des H i m m e l s ' . The triad and

c o n t r a s t , between the the 'Irren' of the 'Kin-

'spirit' ('+.279,

o f t h e s e i s an 23) and i n which

'harmonisches individual the 'Irren'

Ganze v o n L e b e n s w e i s e n '

existence i s e n t i r e l y f u l f i l l e d is a

w i t h which the way,

' n a i v e ' , u n r e f l e c t i n g accordance. But individual, g o i n g t h e i r own

'Wanderer' seeking

are d i s t i n c t ,

r a t h e r than f i n d i n g , w i l l e d principle heart. to the and The which

onwards by a r e s t l e s s d i o n y s i a c

c o n t r a s t s w i t h the g r a c e f u l order of the of the rhythm impels forward

ecstatic v i t a l i t y

t h e g o a l ; t h e a n a p h o r a ('haben') i m m e d i a t e l y legacy of ordered form i n h e r i t e d lifts t h e v e r s e up 'Voll-':

resolves triad,

from the second

over the c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n t o the second

emphatic

a f u l l n e s s no l o n g e r , as i n t h e 'Voll' in parallel

t r i a d , ( w h i c h began w i t h

position), green s t r e n g t h

m e a s u r e , b u t an e l e m e n t a l

spirit

whose s i n e w y

recks n o t h i n g o f , twines about The

and

over, a l l boundaries. outline,

form i s w o n d e r f u l l y g r a p h i c ; the word of coincides p r e c i s e l y w i t h the

'Stab',

couplet-division,

- 138 -

and und

the j o y f u l l y Laub , with

1

exuberant

dionysiac growth

( Trauben of intox-

the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c

sound-poetry

i c a t i o n ) b u r s t s out ( o f t h i s lovingly Thus t h e has

'Hiilse'): Nature's man has

ornament, brought.

embracing the t r i b u t e 'full' cup

w r o u g h t and

of the c o n t r a s t i n g c o u p l e t

(11.7-8) of

reappeared

e m b e l l i s h e d by t h e s u r r o u n d i n g b o r d e r we see on G r e e k v e s s e l s a formal

t w i n i n g growth demonstrating

pattern

the u l t i m a t e u n i t y of the strophe, aspect.

within

w h i c h D i o n y s u s i s b u t an h a r m o n i o u s After this initial

break-through, p r o p e l l i n g to a syntax forof

fourth-foot

caesura,

d i s l o c a t i o n o f m e t r e and line

b i d s any p o i n t

of r e s t ;

16 d i s s o l v e s i n a s t r e a m merging an a l l outline and

d a c t y l s , a single flow of l i f e single impersonal accountable, will, spirit,

in a unthe no exact

'es', a l i v e t i m e and can

a 'Jauchzen'

i n which

place,

f u n d a m e n t o f man's o r d e r i n g i n t e l l e c t ,

themselves

l o n g e r be k e p t a p a r t ( t h e p a u s e a t 'Tag' c r e a t e s an echo o f 'von D o r f e m e t r i c a l break A t t h e end zu D o r f , ' D o r f caesura). m e t r e and s y n t a x meet a g a i n pausing

at the p u r e l y

of the o f 1.16,

and

f o r m i s r e s t o r e d , so t h a t t h e f i n a l in (a i t s unity. process The rhythm, w h i c h has

couplet i s set apart b e e n s t r e t c h e d , open impersonal unfettered

c u l m i n a t i n g i n 1.16,

where t h e

vitality

o f t h e d a c t y l s was now

entirely

o p e n and The

by i d e n t i t y ) , weight

s i n k s back t o r e s t . spondee ('Und The

contrasting turning-

of the opening

w i e ' ) marks a

back, a ' R e - f l e x i o n ' . through the delayed will to rest;

drawing-out

of the hexameter the

subject powerfully intensifies i t s promised

through being denied

fulfilment

. 139 -

t h e h e x a m e t e r becomes a s e a r c h 'bespannt', the l o n g s y l l a b l e echoed i n t h e r h y t h m ,

for i t . 'ziehn',

Thus l i n e 17 i s marvellously For is

m e a n i n g more t h a n mere m o t i o n . what i s d e l a y e d The drawn-out as t h e

t h e d e l a y e d , s u b j e c t i s 'Berge' , and the f u l f i l m e n t of the e n t i r e

strophe.

h e x a m e t e r t h u s becomes an u p w a r d s l o p e 'Serge' i s r e a c h e d , and of

climbed

word

t h i s word i s the c l i m a x , mountains, which Hegel the e n t i r e

summit, called

t h e w h o l e s t r o p h e . The

' t o t e M a s s e n ' , move. S i m u l t a n e o u s l y

strophe sensual re-

becomes a l i b e r a t i o n o f N a t u r e t h r o u g h opposite of i n t e l l e c t act. S t r i c t l y 'Wagen' and are

rhythm,

t h e p o e t ' s o r p h i c w o r d and speaking, the mountains

volutionary likened to

are by grave disthey

themselves drawn a l o n g i t i s t h e y who,

'freies Wild'; but rhythmically but inexorable might, order

with

'draw' w h a t now As

emerges as t h e ('voran'), poet's

ordered

of a procession.

t h e van as

a r e t h e summit o f t h e e n t i r e

strophe

of the has

achievement: the seemingly deadest weight the ' t o t e Massen' a r e ' f r e i e s W i l d ' . The

come a l i v e , strophe, triad, this own

entire

not j u s t ( c f . Insel-Ausgabe, i i i ,

5 0 ) "the f i n a l

becomes a b s o r b e d i n t o t h i s d i o n y s i a c p r o c e s s i o n , 'Jauchzen'; t h e v e r y m o u n t a i n s have j o i n e d free will, and the poet's

of t h e i r

achievement i s t h e i r among t h e

spontaneity, dead

antithesis matter, With

of t h e i r c a t e g o r i s e d place 'object', of the

the enslaved

intellect. fulfilment is to the hexa-

'Berge' t h e t e n s i o n o f d e l a y e d the r e s t o f 1.18,

r e l e a s e d , and meter, slopes

responding

downwards t o r e s t . The eilet'

characteristic sets the seal of

c o n c l u d i n g p a r a d o x ' t r a g e t und

- 140 -

form upon t h e s t r o p h e :

The

opening,

or stretching,

o f p o e t i c form

i s itself

a f o r m a l aspect and

and p r e s u p p o s e s t h e i n i t i a l

orestabilised

m i c r o c o s m i c h a r m o n y , so t h a t

the elegiac couplet, the a r e each

triad, an of

t h e s t r o p h e , a n d i d e a l l y t h e poem i t s e l f

image o f t h e h e n k a i p a n , d i v i n e u n i t y .

The p e r f e c t i o n of i t s

t h e opening e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i s , by v i r t u e statement of the self-sufficient

essential a 'Durre'

poetic world, i s merely

( f o r which t h e occasion,

the drought,

p o e t i c m a t e r i a l ) w h i c h i s , however, s i m u l t a n e o u s l y and immediately all (even as i t i s s p o k e n ) a b s o r b e d i n t o t h e over-

harmony o f a v i s i o n o f l i b e r a t i o n ,

and i s t h e r e f o r e

beautiful.

The p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e s t r o p h e w i t h w h i c h t h e ends i s t h e echo o f t h e o p e n i n g couplet, ofthe

poem ( b r i e f l y ) and this

'negative

d i a l e c t i c ' , namely, t h e f a i l u r e

poietic in

a c t t o touch r e a l i t y ,

d r i v e s t h e poem f o r w a r d , a n d form.

so d o i n g The

c r e a t e s w h a t I h a v e c a l l e d t h e 'open'

f u l f i l l e d s t r o p h i c form like

echoes i t s m i c r o c o s m : t h e 'feels

elegiac couplet which, itself

a bow, s t r e t c h e s o p e n ,

( c f . e.g. H y p e r i o n ,

I I , 2 7 / 1 J f . ) and ' r e t u r n s t o

i t s e l f : 'Wechsel d e s E n t f a l t e n s u n d V e r s c h l i e B e n s ' , ' A u s f l u g und Riikkehr zu s i c h s e l b s t ' . strophe As t h e e n t i r e

r e c r e a t e s i t s microcosm ( t h a t i s , i t s e l f ) i t s culmin-

e n t i r e movement a n d p u r p o s e , i t s ' S t r e b e n ' , w h i c h

a t e d i n 'Berge', t h e moving o f t h e m o u n t a i n s , i s absorbed into t h e cosmic rhythm of r i s e and f a l l . The s e l f - c r e a t e d

cosmos i s , h o w e v e r , w h a t a l r e a d y was: a p r e s t a b i l i s e d harmony. W i t h i n t h i s harmony a l l i s w i l l , 'Streben', b u t ,

= 1Jf1 -

equally, a l l 'strives'

' p u r e l y ' towards harmony. The as t h e y a r e spoken, one might

1

i n d i v i d u a l p a r t s , of which,

f e e l t h a t some, l i k e 11.5 and 16, ' h a s t e n , o t h e r s , l i k e ' ! I.. '/-']P, ' i d l e ' , merge i n t o a m y s t i c a l u n i t y : t h e ' Auss i c h - h e r a u s g e h e n des G e i s t e s ' . As t h e s t r o p h e echoes it-

s e l f ( t h e c o u p l e t ) , so t h e c o u p l e t seeks t h e s t r o p h e . The paradox ' t r a g e t und e i l e t ' p o e t i c experience, expresses t h e f u l f i l m e n t o f t h e

t h e b e a u t y o f t h e r i p p l i n g echo i n

w h i c h purpose, change and t i m e , t h e s t u f f o f r e a l i t y , have become i l l u s i o n . A l l i s w i l l , fulfilment; a l l idles, it ' E i l e n ' , f o r i t seeks t h i s that

'traget', f o r the f u l f i l m e n t

seeks i s n o t h i n g o t h e r t h a n i t s e l f . The a c t s o f l i b e r rhythm.

a t i o n a r e comprehended w i t h i n t h i s t r a n s c e n d i n g

T h i s m y s t i c a l u n i t y d e r i v e s from t h e s e a l i n g - o f f o f the p o e t i c w o r l d , t h e drawing o f a magic c i r c l e within

w h i c h t h e p o t e n c y o f a s p e l l i s r e l e a s e d . P o e t r y i s conc e i v e d o f n o t j u s t as a p l e a s a n t r e l i e f from what Hegel calls ' d i e Prosa des w i s s e n s c h a f t l i c h e n Denkens', b u t as

i t s d i r e c t a n t i t h e s i s . The l i b e r a t i o n o f N a t u r e i s t h e endowment o f t h e w o r l d w i t h , i n t h e l i t e r a l sense, f a s c i n -

a t i o n , and t h e s p e l l draws i t s p o t e n c y from t h e e r o t i c i s a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d . The poem f a l l s back t o r e s t , takes

s t r o p h i c f o r m , by moving on t o t h e second s t r o p h e , w i t h i t s resumptive 'Aber' and t u r n t o t h e 'du'^an i d e a l a c t o f

communication. B u t t h i s v e r y openness g i v e s t o t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e i t s beauty. W i t h t h e word 'Pfad' a p e r f e c t symmetry

i s a t t a i n e d i n which mathematical

i s subordinated t o p o e t i c

p r o p o r t i o n . Not o n l y i s t h e c e n t r a l t r i a d w i t h i t s t h r e e p e r f e c t c o u p l e t s t h e microcosm o f t h e s t r o p h e w i t h i t s

142 -

three t r i a d s ; the final first

l i b e r a t i o n i n the

first

four

l i n e s of l i n e s of

the the

t r i a d responds t o t h a t i n the t r i a d , w h i l e the

l a s t four

f i n a l couplet i n i t s self-enclosed f i r s t , an e f f e c t poetically line. one

formal perfection h e i g h t e n e d by Thus the of the

echoes the

d e l a y e d f u l f i l m e n t of the of f i r s t

final

overall relationship contraction

to l a s t t r i a d i s

e x p a n s i o n and

( f o r a l t h o u g h 11.13-16 themt r i a d , they e x i s t w i t h i n fall. falls. the

s e l v e s expand w i t h i n t h e i r own r e v e r s e echo o f t h e Thus the The first

t r i a d ) , of r i s e and

e n t i r e rhythm r i s e s i s the

( t o 'Berge') and echo of the

symmetry of t h i s arc

microcosmic

f o u n d a t i o n ('Grund'), the

e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , whose f i r s t whose and

h a l f , t h e hexameter, r i s e s , e n t e r i n g the Unknown, but

second h a l f , the p e n t a m e t e r , f a l l s back i n e l e g i a c l o s s l o n g i n g . T h e r e f o r e the whole s t r o p h e i s a ' s t r i v i n g ' complete the a r c , that point and 'Berge
1

to

i s but

i t s utmost origin,

point, but,

which seems f u r t h e s t f r o m the

given the p r e s t a b i l i s e d

f i g u r e , i s i n f a c t n e a r e s t home:
>

T h e r e w i t h i t has and by

the

form of i d e a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s , 'Hingabe' imaginative entry potential. of a f u l f i l m e n t ' G e i s t ' ; and a i n t o the world

'Eigenmacht': t h e

a s p i r i t of i n f i n i t e

Thus the word 'Pfad' becomes t h e p o i n t w h i c h echoes but a l s o absorbs 'Gesang' and

w o n d e r f u l sense o f peace spreads over the poem. T h i s f o r m a l perfection and b e a u t y depends, however, a b s o l u t e l y upon

- 143 -

t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g 'open' f o r m ; t h r o u g h t h e sense o f r e sumption, t h e r e t r o s p e c t i v e e f f e c t o f the s t r o p h i c form, an

t h e s t r o p h e i s absorbed i n t o many, i n t o , p o t e n t i a l l y , i n f i n i t e cosmos o f e c h o i n g microcosms. T h e r e w i t h i t i s no l o n g e r t r a n s c e n d e d

by r e a l i t y , b u t by t h e w o r l d o f t h e

poem a l o n e , and t h a t i s : by i t s e l f . An echo must open t h e prospect of p o t e n t i a l l y i n f i n i t e self-reproduction; this

p o t e n t i a l i n f i n i t y i s n o t the s t a t i c e n t i t y ( t h e poem as a w h o l e ) , b u t t h e i d e a l t r a n s c e n d i n g form w h i c h , although

never more t h a n a phantom o f t h e i m a g i n a t i o n , i s t h e o n l y t r u e analogy t o t h e A l l : in Allen' (k.282, 9f.). ' d i e Welt a l l e r W e l t e n , das Alles

I n t h a t t h e a c t o f communication i s a l r e a d y p r e s e n t w i t h i n t h e poem, absorbed as t h e 'open' f o r m , t h e p e r f e c t i o n o f harmony i s f r e e d from purpose and e x i s t s f o r i t s own sake. And indeed t h i s i s the a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n ; f o r

t h e pure r e n u n c i a t i o n o f p u r p o s e , of,- t h e n , r e l a t i o n s h i p t o r e a l i t y , i s none o t h e r t h a n t h e s p e l l t h a t l i b e r a t e s Nature,

and t h a t t h e r e b y g a i n s t h e daemonic power o f l o s s o f s e l f : of r e l a t i o n s h i p , 'Hingabe', w i t h i n t h e e x i s t e n t i a l sphere,

t h e 'Eigenmacht' o f an a c t o f s e l f - e n c l o s u r e .

The p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e f i r s t second. The

s t r o p h e echoes on i n t h e with echoes

opening words open the f o r m , t u r n i n g

d i r e c t address t o t h e second person. Yet t h e 'du'

t h e 'Diirre' o f 1.1; i t i s t h e d i s c o r d , c o n f l i c t , out of w h i c h comes harmony, and l i k e t h e d r o u g h t i s a l r e a d y sorbed i n t o t h e p o e t i c w o r l d . For t h e Entgegensezung' between t h e p o e t i c s e l f and t h e 'du' i s a l s o a l r e a d y
1

ab-

- 144

h a r r n o n i s c h ' ; as o f t e n , H o l d e r l i n endows t h e word w i t h a s o f t n e s s and i n t i m a c y . The t h r e e end-stopped

wonderful

c o u p l e t s a c t as a s o o t h i n g i n c a n t a t i o n ; t e c h n i c a l l y each i s a question, but f i r s t t h e 'du' w i t h i t s 'Aber', t h e n the

t h e 'umsonst', t h e v e s t i g e o f d o u b t , passes away, and d i v i n e munificence fills the vessel of the couplet

(11.23-

2 4 ) . Thus t h e 'du', s o f t e n e d a l r e a d y i n t h e opening main clause, 'Aber meinest du nun' ( w i t h the characteristic

l i n g e r i n g e of the verb-ending;

compare Goethe's ' b a l d e /

Ruhest du auch' ( b u t H o l d e r l i n ' s s i s s o f t ) ) , i s drawn i n t o microcosmic harmony. Thus t h e f i r s t t r i a d opens and c l o s e s about t h e 'du'

as a dream b o t h u n f o l d s b e f o r e and envelops t h e dreamer. I t b e g i n s w i t h t h e 'opening' o f t h e gates ( t h e p o s i t i o n of 'Aufgethan' i n enjambement i s a v i v i d Sprachgestus),

first

o f t h e g i f t s of t h e 'gods'. As these a c c u m u l a t e , t h e ( w i t h the gradual e l i m i n a t i o n

sentence-structure diminishes

of t h e 'Aber', t h e d i s c o r d ) ; as each g i f t i s u n v e i l e d , so t h e r e s i s t a n c e d i m i n i s h e s , f o r each i s more p r e c i o u s the l a s t . ond, I n the f i r s t than

c o u p l e t t h e gates open; i n t h e secproper and

t h e t a b l e i s s e t ; and i n t h e t h i r d , t h e g i f t s o f day

( g i f t s are exchanged a t f e a s t s ) , t h e ' l i g h t '

t h e d a r k n e s s of ' n i g h t ' , w h i c h t o g e t h e r are man's w o r l d , are g i v e n . The second 'schenken' i s l i b e r a t e d from a l l and thus gains i n c a n t a t o r y

qualification (restriction),

power, t h e s o f t sch-sound moving t o t h e dominant p o s i t i o n ; as i t draws deeper i n t o t h e s t r o p h i c 'sphere' t h e t o o d a r k e n , become more sensuous. The colours gust

' l i g h t ' i s not

g i v e n , b u t poured out ('schenken') l i k e deep-red wine.

- 145

Virgil

(Aeneicl, 1 , 5 9 0 f . ) speaks o f 'lumen i u v e n t a e Fasti,

purpureum', 'the ruddy bloom o f y o u t h ' ( c f . O v i d , 6, 252: 'purpurea lux').

(The L a t i n p u r p u r e u s , a l t h o u g h

d e r i v e d from Greek TTO p tji t p<* , t h e s h e l l - f i s h t h a t p r o v i d e d p u r p l e dye, i s used q u i t e randomly f o r r e d d i s h c o l o u r s , and perhaps H o l d e r l i n p r e f e r r e d t o d e r i v e i t f r o m
<|opos TTup-

, 'fire-bearing'

(used e s p e c i a l l y o f t h e

lightening

of

Zeus);

s i g n i f i c a n t l y , Dionysus i s a t o r c h - b e a r e r i n t h e he i s a b l e

n i n t h s t r o p h e o f 'Brod und Wein'.) I n t h i s way to

combine t h e m o t i f o f l i g h t w i t h t h e deepening mood o f

rhythm. T h i s movement i s accompanied by an ever-intensifying

sense o f f l u x i n t h e r h y t h m , w h i c h , b e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e 'Und' o f 1.5 (and t h u s p a r a l l e l t o t h e e l i m i n a t i o n , ab-

s o r p t i o n , o f t h e 'du' and i t s ' A b e r ' ) , a c c e l e r a t i n g as t h e c o n n e c t i o n f a l l s away b e f o r e t h e s o f t sch o f 'Schenken' (so t h a t t h e second c o u p l e t f l o w s i n t o t h e t h i r d ) , reaches

a c l i m a x as i t passes, w i t h two

'und's, i n enjambement

i n t o the f i n a l pentameter ( 1 . 2 4 ) ; t h e e f f o r t l e s s n e s s o f t h i s movement ( i t i s n o t , as i n t h e f i r s t strophe, a l i b e r -

a t i n g a c t ) d e r i v e s , however, from t h e p r e p a r a t o r y f l o w i n g enjambements o f t h e f i r s t two c o u p l e t s . T h i s c l i m a x o f

i

d i s s o l u t i o n i s t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o N i g h t , i n which a l l o u t l i n e d i s s o l v e s ; as i n t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e o f 'Brod und Wein'

( w h i c h i s e a r l i e r ) , t h e c l a r i t y and s i n g u l a r i t y o f d a y l i g h t g r a d u a l l y recedes b e f o r e t h e wondrous nurnen whose opaque presence f i l l s , i s poured OA /er, t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t . t h e end o f t h e

There, however, t h e name does n o t come t i l l second s t r o p h e ; here 'Nacht', f u l f i l l i n g

t h e deepening

- 146 -

(cf.

' t i e f e r e m ' ) and d a r k e n i n g p o e t r y , s e a l s o f f t h e o f darkness e n v e l o p i n g t h e o f darkness

'sphere' w i t h t h e f i n a l i t y

w o r l d . Here as t h e r e t h e homogeneous u n i t y

arid t h e u n i t y o f t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e become one. The charm ( i n t h e l i t e r a l sense o f carmen; t h e e l e g i a c rhythm i n i t s r i s e and f a l l has an i n n a t e tendency t o l u l l a b y , as t h e e n t r y i n t o 'dream' o f ' E l e g i e ' shows), whereby agency, w i l l , passes f r o m t h e q u e s t i o n i n g 'du' t o t h e

Divine (by v i r t u e of the diminishing sentence-structure); t h e sense o f ' p o u r i n g ' ( h e i g h t e n e d by t h e sch-sound) as w i t h

w h i c h t u r n s t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i n t o a cup f u l l , wine, w i t h 'Licht'

and 'Nacht' ( a s our 'sphere' i s f u l l y day and n i g h t ) , and which

comprised o f t h e hemispheres simultaneously of f l u x

f u l f i l s t h e t r i a d ; t h e i n t e n s i f y i n g sense

a l l these elements combine t o pour a s p e l l over that the ' s p i r i t ' o f t h i s 'sphere'

t h e 'du', and I t h i n k

i s t h e d a r k stream o f o b l i v i o n , L e t h e ( s l e e p i s 'poured' over t h e mind i n Greek l i t e r a t u r e ; compare t h e use o f i n Homer's I l i a d , 14, 165, Odyssey, 2, 395; 19, 5 9 0 ) .

N i g h t i s t h e c r o w n i n g g i f t o f t h e gods, t h e s o o t h i n g 'truth' t h a t absorbs t h e ' e r r o r ' ; t h e 'du', as i n (1.33) ' i i b e r t o n t von F r i e d e n s l a u t e n ' ,

' Friedensf eier'

i s drawn i n t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem, and 'Nacht' s e t s t h e s e a l upon t h e i n t i m a c y o f t h i s w o r l d . The f o l l o w i n g and w i t h i t t h e whole s t r o p h e , has become couplet,

'Freundesge-

sprach' i n w h i c h t h e p o e t i c s e l f communicates i d e a l l y , so t h a t t h e f o u r t h c o u p l e t , w h i c h might i n a n o t h e r c o n t e x t have seemed b r u s q u e , speaks i n a magic c i r c l e i n w h i c h a command i s a l s o a s p e l l .

- l<+7 -

The the the

first

t r i a d , from t h e opening

( o f the gates) t o

closing (of Night), i s the p l a s t i c transformation of envisaged j o u r n e y i n i t s e n t i r e t y i n t o t h e cosmic

h a l l o f a f e a s t (one sees how c l o s e t h e poem i s , as subl i m e t o humble genus, t o 'Der Gang a u f s Land'). Light

and N i g h t , t h e bounds o f e x p e r i e n c e , a r e t h e bounds o f t h i s room. I t s harmony remembers t h e f i r s t strophe;

'Gesang' no l o n g e r needs l i b e r a t i o n , has become freedom, and sends f o r t h i t s e c h o i n g harmony i n t o t h e second s t r o p h e (thus the f i r s t t r i a d i s w i t h i t s end-stopped c o u p l e t s

f o r m a l l y a k i n t o t h e second t r i a d t h e r e ( 1 1 . 7 - 1 2 ) ) . The second s t r o p h e i s a c c o r d i n g l y n o t o n l y an e n t r y deeper i n t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem, b u t a search f o r t h e beauty of the the f i r s t . Thus t h e ' du' which opens t h e form fulfils

same r h y t h m i c f u n c t i o n as t h e 'Durre', b u t , b e i n g

t h e r e f o r e no more t h a n an echo, i t s d i s c o r d i s weaker, the s o u g h t - f o r harmony more e a s i l y a t t a i n e d . The r e s u l t

i s t h a t t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e i n t h i s s t r o p h e i s so much the l e s s i n t e n s e . The l i m i t a t i o n upon e x i s t e n c e w i t h i n

p o e t i c harmony i s d i r e c t l y r e f l e c t e d i n t h i s f a d i n g o f b e a u t y , f o r t h e b e a u t y fades i n p r o p o r t i o n as t h e w o r l d of t h e poem comes i n t o b e i n g . Yet t h e c r e a t i o n o f b e a u t y i s dependent upon i t s f a d ing, and t h u s p a r t a k e s o f t h e essence o f e l e g y , l o s s and

l o n g i n g . I n f o l l o w i n g t h e c o u r s e , t h e j o u r n e y , o f t h e poem from s t r o p h e t o s t r o p h e , we move as though t o a g o a l and end; b u t such purpose i s , i n terms o f t h e whole, an i l l u s ion. The p o e t i c p r o c e s s , s e e k i n g and s u r r e n d e r i n g t o

b e a u t y , f r e e s t h e poem from purpose and t h u s c r e a t e s t h e

- 148

v e r y beauty i t i s l o s i n g . W i t h i n the whole t h e beauty the first s t r o p h e i s , and always was,

of

l o s t , and i t i s f o r e l e g y , where t h e s e a l

t h a t reason b e a u t i f u l . I s t h i s s t i l l of

a c c e p t a n c e , i n d e e d o f d i v i n e b e a u t y , has been s e t upon

l o s s ? Loss i s t h e necessary f o r m of t h e D i v i n e : ' E i n s t war i c h s , doch wie Rosen, v e r g a n g l i c h war/ Das ' ('Mein Eigentum', 11.17-18). takes fromme

Leben ...

A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e c l i m a x o f t h e second s t r o p h e place i n the very middle

1

(11.28-29).

The

f o u r t h couplet the d e c i s i v e

i s p r e p a r a t i o n , Freundesgesprach' . I n 1.27 'jezt' and i s subordinated f i r s t

t o 'Anderes', t h e n t o 'komm' an ascent i s c o n s t r u c t e d , f o r

'Herbstes'; i n t h i s way

n o t u n t i l t h e 'noch j e z t '

o f t h e pentameter does t h e word so,

t r i u m p h a n t l y emerge t o dominate t h e whole c o u p l e t , and g i v e n i t s c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n , t h e whole t r i a d , and the given

c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n o f t h e t r i a d , t h e whole s t r o p h e . What i n each o f these t h r e e microcosms ( c o u p l e t ,

follows i s

t r i a d , strophe) a f u l f i l m e n t of form, a f a l l i n g - b a c k t o r e s t : t h e ascent i s over. Thus t h e t r i u m p h a n t of beginning the

t h e f i n a l t r i a d i s a 'Darum' , a consequence. For

first

time i n the strophe, a s t r i k i n g e f f e c t , the verse w i t h t h e word fulan

b r e a k s over i n t o t h e f o u r t h - f o o t caesura

'Gott' , which b e g i n s a m i g h t y chord t h a t d i e s away t o fil t h e s t r o p h i c form. Each o f t h e c o u p l e t s opens w i t h

emphatic s t a t e m e n t , b u t d i m i n i s h i n g over t h e t h r e e c o u p l e t s from t h e i n i t i a l The first

1

f o u r t h - to the regular t h i r d - f o o t

caesura.

Darum'-clause (as f a r as

'Gott') w i t h i t s f o u r t o t h a t of the 'Tisch',

stressed syllables diminishes f i r s t

f a l l i n g back t o a t h i r d - f o o t caesura b u t r e t a i n i n g the

f o u r s t r e s s e s t h r o u g h the detached secondary c a e s u r a )

epithet (creating a

'der g e e h r t e ' ; and t h e n t o 'Pokale',

which subsides t o t h e r e g u l a r d i v i s i o n i n t h e o t h e r hexameters o f t h i s s t r o p h e . T h i s r h y t h m i c f i g u r e , the c h o r d , is c o n f i r m e d by t h e f i n a l , onomatopoeic 'Klang', which r e -

v e r b e r a t e s back t h r o u g h t h e p a r a l l e l r h y t h m i c u n i t s . T h i s cadence i n the hexameters, a m u s i c a l e q u i v a l e n t of the descending s t e p s , t a k e s p l a c e w i t h i n t h e framework o f 'Der

near-synonymous opening and c l o s i n g m o t i f s .

gemeinsame G o t t ' s i t s a t t h e head o f t h e t a b l e (an underl y i n g image s t r o n g l y suggested ing i n t h e sequence); by t h e word 'Tisch' f o l l o w -

b u t t h e f i n a l word, 'Chor', i s t h a t

w h i c h b i n d s t h e whole t o g e t h e r i n harmony. Not o n l y does it the absorb a l l t h e sounds o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d : t h e 'Sauseln', sibil-

humming o f t h e bees ( d e l i g h t f u l l y p r e s e n t i n t h e

a n t b u z z i n g and n a s a l humming o f ' s i z e n und s i n g e n um i n n ' ) , t h e r i n g i n g o f t h e cups; r h y t h m i c a l l y 'der Chor' p e r f o r m s t h e same f u n c t i o n as 'der Pfad' i n t h e first

s t r o p h e , and s e a l s o f f t h e second as i t s echo. Hence t h e s t r i k i n g l y p a r a l l e l s e n t e n c e - s t r u c t u r e : 'so t r a g e t e i l e t der P f a d ' ; 'darum z w i n g e t ... und

zusammen der Chor'.

Here t o o a w o n d e r f u l peace spreads over t h e s t r o p h e , f o r 'Chor' f u l f i l s t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , t h e search f o r harmony of now

and r e t u r n t o r e s t which had begun i n t h e pentameter 1.28. The c l e a r and sublime symmetry o f t h i s s t r o p h e

emerges: t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t ('Grund') i s s t r e t c h e d (beyond i t s i n h e r e n t r i s e and f a l l ) t o ' j e z t ' ( 1 . 2 8 ) , and (end-

f a l l s back t o r e s t w i t h ' b l i i h e t d i e Edle m i t uns'

stopped) ; t h e c e n t r a l t r i a d i s s t r e t c h e d open, and r e t u r n s

- 150 -

t o r e s t i n t h e f o l l o w i n g c o u p l e t ( 1 1 . 2 9 - 3 0 ) ; and t h e whole strophe too stretches, and r e t u r n s to i t s e l f i n the f i n a l

t r i a d . Such symmetry i s b e s t expressed by t h e image o f t h e r i p p l i n g pool with i t s concentric c i r c l e s . As t h e ' D i i r r e ' o f t h e opening s t r o p h e ends i n t h e cosmic r h y t h m o f d e r P f a d ' , so t o o t h e i s o l a t e d the
1

'du' o f

second i n t h e d i v i n e harmony o f 'der Chor'. Each openi n t o the contradictions of l i f e , an ' Aus-

i n g i s an e n t r y

s i c h - h e r a u s g e h e n des G e i s t e s ' and j o u r n e y w i t h i n t h e o v e r all journey, but also, since f o r H o l d e r l i n contradiction

must always u l t i m a t e l y be a s i g n o f harmony, a r e t u r n t o the s t a r t i n g - p o i n t , t o 'Gesang'. A f t e r t h e t u r n i n g - p o i n t 'jezt' (and i t i s t h i s t h a t d e c i s i v e l y marks

of t h e t h i r d it

as a c l i m a x ) ,

t h e 'du', overborne by harmony, g i v e s way:

t o 'uns', ' E i n s ' , ' j e d e r ' , and f i n a l l y t o 'der Chor'. A s i g n i f i c a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e head, or 'god', o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d ( o f t h e 'Pest' and i t s ' T i s c h ' ) and t h i s a l l embracing p o i n t o f r e s t i s c r e a t e d . I t i s 'Chor' t h a t i s t h e key word, t h e h i g h e s t good, t h e D i v i n e ; namely, t h e

harmony t h a t embraces God's m a s c u l i n e w i l l t o be 'monarchisch ... im Himmel und a u f Erden' (B171> 52) , appeases and it. I n t h i s way ' d i e hochste K r a f t ' ( f o r so

reconciles

most t h i n k o f God; compare t h e epigram 'Wurzel a l l e s libels') i s , through love, t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o 'der gemeinsame

G o t t ' ; s u r r e n d e r s , t h e n , h i s w i l l t o r u l e and be worshipped i n r e t u r n (Kantian epistemology) f o r l i v i n g existence: the immanence o f t h e unique ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' o f t h e 'Fest'. The 'hochste K r a f t ' t h u s becomes ' i n i h r e r AuBerung zugleich

d i e b e s c h e i d e n s t e ' , i n t h e sense t h a t i t i s r e a l i s e d i n

- 151 -

t h e human v o i c e s and humane a c t u a l i t y o f the.'Chor' , t h e p o i n t a t w h i c h t h e s t r o p h e has s u b s i d e d g r e i f t i n e i n a n d e r und l e i c l e t ' to rest. 'Alles

(B1?1, 54), since A l l i s

One, t h e D i v i n e ; and p o e t r y i s ( c f . ' V a t e r l a n d ' , 1.29) a r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t , n o t l e a s t i n l i b e r a t i n g from t h e i r r a t i o n a l and d e s p o t i c God o f C h r i s t i a n i t y . But what i s t h i s p o e t i c d e i t y ? The second s t r o p h e i s f o r m a l l y i d e n t i c a l w i t h the elegiac couplet (which d i v i d e s i n t o r i s e and f a l l ) : i t s ' E n t f a l t e n ' actic of leads up t o t h e c l i m 1

' j e z t ' and i s answered, embraced, by t h e ' V e r s c h l i e B e n

t h e r e v e r s e echo. A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e summit o f t h i s
1 1

s t r o p h e i s n o t , as was B e r g e , t h e f u r t h e r m o s t , b u t t h e highest, point ('jezt') of the a r c :

X-

//
/

The

a r c o f t h e second s t r o p h e , p r e s t a b i l i s e d because i t i n the f i r s t , i s a shadow, a

has a l r e a d y been e x p e r i e n c e d

paler reproduction; the r e v o l u t i o n a r y act of l i b e r a t i o n s t r e t c h e s t h e bow o f p o e t i c form o n l y as f a r as t h e centre of t h e strophe. Therewith the a c t of the f i r s t s t r o p h e has become an end i n i t s e l f , cending itself. act 'open' form o f an endless held w i t h i n the trans('Streben') f o r

search

The t r a n s c e n d i n g form t r a n s f o r m s t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c

o f l i b e r a t i o n w i t h i t s r e v o l u t i o n a r y s o c i a l purpose

i n t o a p u r e l y immanent l o s s o f s e l f ; and t h e freedom o f t h e e l e g i a c form presupposes t h e n e c e s s i t y o f t h e e l e g i a c

- 152 -

situation. From t h e p e r s p e c t i v e of t h e poem's l i n e a r progress, which

t h e second s t r o p h e echoes t h e form o f t h e f i r s t ,

t h e r e b y ceases t o bear immediate r e l a t i o n t o r e a l i t y . From the p e r s p e c t i v e o f t h e whole, t h i s p r o g r e s s o u s l y a r e g r e s s , endowing t h e f i r s t and so w i t h i t s beauty. i s simultane-

s t r o p h e w i t h i t s form

S u r r e n d e r i n g i t s p u r p o s e , the a c t

g a i n s t h e i n t e n s i t y o f l o s s of s e l f ; and o n l y t h i s f a d i n g of b e a u t y can c r e a t e t h e b e a u t y i t l o s e s . The beauty: s p e l l c a s t about t h e 'du' i s t h i i s t h e memory o f

echoed, i t becomes t h e i n t e n s e power t h a t draws transforms

t h e d i s c o r d i n t o t h e p o e t i c w o r l d , and i n so d o i n g it i n t o t h e 'Chor'. The

D i v i n e ceases t o be t h e dpgmatic

a s s e r t i o n o f o r t h o d o x r e l i g i o n . But nor i s 'Chor' an a s s e r t i o n o f a s o c i a l i d e a l (such an i d e a l would be b e t t e r t h a n t h e C h r i s t i a n God); still no

i t i s , paradoxically, a and i s

small v o i c e , the r e t u r n t o r e s t t h a t f u l f i l s ,

t h e r e f o r e inseparable from, p o e t i c form: v e r e i n i g t d i e ... Menschen ... tausendfach

' ... d i e Poesie

zu einem leteendigen

g e g l i e d e r t e n i n n i g e n Ganzen, denn eben d i B

s o i l d i e Poe'sie s e l b e r seyn, und wie d i e Ursache, so d i e Wirkung' (B172, 168-75)- That i s , p o e t r y i s n o t a message to, ing b u t a model f o r , s o c i e t y ; i t a l r e a d y per se i s (assumi t i s what i t 'should be') what s o c i e t y has The t o become. an

'Chor' i s d i v i n e p r e c i s e l y because i t i s n o t

a b s t r a c t i d e a l , but a l i v i n g experience

o f cosmic harmony.

These a n t i t h e t i c a l a l t e r n a t i v e s l e a v e t h e poem as n o t o n l y t h e a n a l o g y b u t a l s o t h e o n l y p o s s i b l e r e a l i s a t i o n o f the hen k a i pan, t h e A b s o l u t e . But i n o r d e r t o ex-press t h e

- 153 -

Absolute

t h e poem i t s e l f must e x i s t sub specie

aeterni-

t a t i s ; t h i s i n f i n i t e p e r s p e c t i v e i s achieved

through the

t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m . The search f o r t h e b e a u t y t h e poem has c r e a t e d i s a s e a r c h by t h e p o e t i c s e l f f o r a m i r r o r pure as a p o o l o f w a t e r . The o b j e c t o f t h i s search i s necess-

a r i l y i n s u b s t a n t i a l , f l e e t i n g , l o s t , since t h e m i r r o r o f self-consciousness leaves t h e poet not w i t h t h e r e a l i t y of experienced beauty, b u t w i t h the ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' o f Existence

'Ich b i n I c h ' . But t h i s i s a necessary p r i c e .

w i t h i n a self-enclosed world, the defect i n the highest i d e a l i s a t i o n o f p o e t r y , becomes a c o n t r a d i c t i o n i n t h e n a t u r e o f t h e D i v i n e i t s e l f , and so harmonious. P o e t i c p r a c t i c e , t h e i n f i n i t e hen k a i pan i n t h e form o f t h e poem w i t h i t s l i m i t e d number o f s t r o p h e s and f a d i n g b e a u t y t h i s d e f i c i e n t r e a l i t y i s t h a t o f t h e pure ' G e i s t ' , and t h e r e f o r e by no means d e f i c i e n t . The u l t i m a t e i m p l i c a t i o n is of that the i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y , the e t e r n a l l y l o s t beauty i n a word, l o n g i n g quality,

i s t h e n a t u r e o f God

on e a r t h . T h i s p r o c e s s has, n o t s u r p r i s i n g l y i n view o f t h e c l o s e p r o x i m i t y o f t h e poems, proved in strikingly similar to that strophe first

'Der Gang a u f s Land'. There t o o t h e second

echoed t h e f o r m o f t h e f i r s t , t h e a c t ( o f l i b e r a t i o n ) moving back t o t h e c e n t r e o f t h e s t r o p h e , t h e n ing i n t h e t h i r d , which, a f t e r a f i r s t

disappear-

t r i a d i n which

freedom and f o r m were one ( N a t u r e come a l i v e ) , d i s i n t e g r a t e d in t h e search t o name t h e D i v i n e . In ' S t u t g a r d ' , however, t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e concludes the t r i a d i c

t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e poem, t h e r e b y f u l f i l l i n g

- 154 -

structure:

c o u p l e t , t r i a d , strophe, t r i a d of strophes

( h e m i s p h e r e ) . Such symmetry i s n o t i n i t s e l f o f p o e t i c v a l u e . I n d e e d , by t h e end o f t h i s s t r o p h e t h e b e a u t y o f the poem has almost faded. The t h r e e t r i a d s are no more than blocks of couplets marking o f f (obeying) d i s t i n c t

themes, and s i m i l a r l y t h e c o u p l e t s f l o w i n monotonous end-stopped sequence. The c o n f l i c t o f t h e s t r o p h e , t h e p o e t ' s g r i e f a t t h e memory o f h i s f a t h e r , i s e l e g i a c i n the c o n v e n t i o n a l sense; i t s r e s o l u t i o n no doubt s a t i s f i e s

m o r a l p r o p r i e t y , b u t n o t an a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n . The l a c k of f o r m a l t e n s i o n i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e m e r e l y harmonious u n i t y o f t h e s t r o p h e . I n t h e second s t r o p h e t h e 'du' had been t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o t h e 'Chor', and t h u s t h e t h i r d strophe begins w i t h the 'uns', 'Aber damit uns n i c h t ' s e r v i n g as 'Aber meinest du nun'. B u t

same r h y t h m i c f u n c t i o n

b e g i n n i n g and end o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e a r e t h e same: 'uns'; and t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c r e s u m p t i v e 'Aber', which opened

b o t h t h e second and t h i r d s t r o p h e s and r e f l e c t e d t h e t e n s i o n o f p o e t i c f o r m , becomes i n t h e f o u r t h a smoothly s e q u e n t i a l 'So'. Yet these d e f e c t s would v a n i s h i f , like 'Der Gang

a u f s Land', t h e poem ended a f t e r t h e f i r s t t r i a d ( 1 . 4 2 ) . F o r m a l l y these s i x l i n e s would make a n a t u r a l t o what would The conclusion

t h e n o f course be an i n c o m p l e t e poem. 'Aber' opens t h e form i n an i d e a l a c t o f t h e t u r n t o t h e other: t h e poet's 'Ent-

opening

communication,

gegenkommen'. T h i s new i m p u l s e i s i m m e d i a t e l y absorbed i n t o t h e cosmic harmony o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t ; t h e n e g a t i n g f o r c e o f t h e 'Aber', t h e p u r p o s e - c l a u s e , t h e

- 155 -

enjambement as t i m e ' f l e e s ' o v e r t h e hexameter, combine to c a r r y t h e mind over i n t o t h e p e n t a m e t e r , b u t w i t h t h e i s e x h a u s t e d , and ends. I t

r e l e a s e d main v e r b t h i s w i l l reaches, l i t e r a l l y , 'limit'

o n l y 'as f a r as' ( S p r a c h g e s t u s ) t h e des

o f t h e second c o u p l e t : 'Bis an d i e Grenze

Lands'. T h i s g i v e s t o t h e second and t h i r d c o u p l e t s a l o v e l y sense o f peace and r e s t ; and t h e y i n t h e i r self-

s u f f i c i e n c y ( e n d - s t o p p e d , complete sense) and r i s e and fall (each p e n t a m e t e r a s y n t a c t i c a l complement of the

hexameter) w o n d e r f u l l y express t h e i d y l l i c

whole-ness

( ' H e i l i g - k e i t ' ) o f t h e ' O r t ' . J u s t as t h e p e n t a m e t e r f l o w s about and embraces t h e hexameter, so t o o w a t e r and l a n d e x i s t i n 'harmonious o p p o s i t i o n ' , i n an u n d i s t u r b e d and t i m e l e s s l a n d s c a p e . The e t e r n a l harmonious f l o w o f t h e c o u p l e t i s t h e t e m p o r a l image o f t h i s dream.

The form i s opened because t h e harmonious b e a u t y o f t h e 'Chor' i s i n s u b s t a n t i a l , mere p o e t i c v i s i o n and n o t f u l f i l m e n t , s o l i t a r y song and n o t community: t h e b e a u t y o f the ity p o e t i c experience i s ' a l l z u k l u g ' i f i t replaces real-

('diese neigende Z e i t ' ) w i t h a dream. Yet t h i s i s t h e 'Chor' becomes t h e extra-

v e r y t e c h n i q u e whereby t h e s t r o p h i c

m u s i c a l echo o f a f a d i n g b e a u t y and i s f r e e d from neous purpose. The 'jezt'

o f t h e second s t r o p h e , w h i c h t h e 'Tragen' and 'Eilen'

shook o f f t h e dream o f t h e f i r s t , of of

a p u r p o s e - f r e e b e a u t y , echoes on i n t h e 'neigende Z e i t ' autumn, i n t h e need f o r h a s t e i t s e l f ; and i s t h u s ab-

sorbed i n t o t h e microcosm o f t h e 'Chor'. The i m p u l s e t h a t seems t o shake o f f t h e dream i n p r a c t i c e seeks t o f u l f i l it, and t h e r e s u m p t i o n i s t h e d e f i n i t i v e c l o s i n g o f f o r m .

- 156 -

The new i m p u l s e i s t h e l a s t s t r e t c h i n g o f t h e bow t h a t returns to i t s e l f . from t h e middle The a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n has moved back

( ' j e z t ' ) t o the beginning of the strophe,

1

f u l f i l l i n g t h e e c h o i n g s t r u c t u r e ; t h e r e w i t h komm i c h entgegen' becomes t h e l a s t Entgegensezung', r h y t h m i c a l l y e c h o i n g 'Berge' and ' j e z t ' , and t h e r e b y g i v i n g them their
1

r h y t h m i c f u n c t i o n , f r e e i n g t h e a c t s from p u r p o s e , s e a l i n g o f f t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem. There i s no need f o r any f u r t h e r act o f l i b e r a t i o n , f o r now each c o u p l e t presupposes t h e s t r o p h e s ; and e q u a l l y , acts

transforming acts of the preceding

s i n c e t h e poem i s as much r e g r e s s as p r o g r e s s , these no l o n g e r seek a n y t h i n g b u t t h e p o e t i c w o r l d . Therewith t h e t r i a d i c form has f u l f i l l e d

i t s function,

and r e t u r n s t o i t s b e g i n n i n g , t h e o r d e r e d , end-stopped opening c o u p l e t o f harmony (compare 11.39-40, 41-42, w i t h 1-2). But t h i s becomes d i l u t e d and l o s t w i t h i n t h e dead harmony o f t h e s t r o p h e as a whole. Why, t h e n , does t h e poem c o n t i n u e and n o t , l i k e i n incomplete 'Der Gang a u f s Land', cease

b u t unmarred beauty? t h e q u e s t i o n i s under-

l i n e d by t h e t h e m a t i c p a r a l l e l s d e r i v i n g f r o m t h e analogous r h y t h m i c s t r u c t u r e : t h e communal achievement c o n c l u d i n g t h e second s t r o p h e ; t h e sense o f a r r i v a l i n ' H e i l i g i s t m i r der O r t ' and 'Aber schon i s t d e r O r t ' . I f t h e poem c o u l d end h e r e , t h i s t r i a d would be i t s home-coming; e l e g i a c c o u p l e t and harmony, n e c e s s i t y and freedom, as one. The purpose o f ' S t u t g a r d ' i s h i g h e r t h a n t h a t o f 'Der Gang a u f s Land'. There t h e town comes t o l i f e i s transformed) t h r o u g h t h e d i v i n e b u t humble and t h i s i s a c h i e v e d (moves and (rhythmic)

figure of the h i l l ,

when t h e a r c ,

- 157 -

the

rhythmic

image o f t h e h i l l ,

i s complete.

Here t h e

t o w n i s t o become a p r i e s t e s s ( 1 . 7 6 ) 'Engel des V a t e r l a n d s "

o f t h e gods, t h e The m o u n t a i n s

a r e t o be i n v o k e d .

move. The p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e sublime, The off of (the the 'spirit'

m u s t be b o t h more i n t e n s e and a higher divinity. breaking-

o f t h e 'sphere'

poem h a s t h e f o r m

of a journey: a constant

o f t h e 'dream' ( c f . 1.106) f o r t h e s a k e o f r e a l i t y , the v i s i o n i n favour of f u l f i l m e n t . poet's j o u r n e y t o meet h i s f r i e n d R e a l i t y i s place and b r i n g him t o 'Neigen');

Stuttgart);-time

( h a s t e , urgency, autumnal strophe i s i nthis

communication (each

sense a renewed like Hyperion's

address t o t h e 'du', e p i s t o l a r y almost, letters t o Bellarmin). always,

This r e l a t i o n s h i p t o r e a l i t y s e n t s a mere p o s s i b i l i t y reality the If and is

however, r e p r e -

i n c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e enacted strophe achieves achieve.

o f e n c l o s u r e . De f a c t o t h e f i r s t

u t m o s t i n openness t h a t the c r i t e r i o n ,

t h e poem c a n a n d w i l l

and p e r s p e c t i v e b o t h o f each

strophe

o f t h e w h o l e poem (1.105: 'o kommt! o macht es w a h r ! ' ) , relationship to reality, t h e n e a c h s t r o p h e c a n do no ofthe within

more t h a n r e p r o d u c e first. the and form the the

w h a t a l r e a d y was, t h e e n c l o s u r e strophe itself exists

But t h e r e f o r e the f i r s t

foreknowledge

( p r e s t a b i l i s e d harmony) o f t h i s

failure;

the regressive effect

of the apparently progressive which

i s t o create the c o n d i t i o n of c a p t i v i t y w i t h i n act of l i b e r a t i o n of the f i r s t strophe takes

place:

f o r e k n o w l e d g e o f a 'dream'. The first s t r o p h e a n d t h e poem as a w h o l e a r e t h e a c t ; t h e r e f o r e t h e w h o l e poem

product

of a single creative

- 158 -

("the

'dream') i s a l r e a d y p r e s e n t for liberation strophe

i n the f i r s t conversely,

strophe the exthe

w i t h i t s search perience

and,

of the f i r s t

i s only possible w i t h i n beauty:

regressive echoing-structure of a f a d i n g

The

first

strophe, r i s i n g

t o 'Berge', f a l l i n g t o to

'Pfad'

s t r e t c h e s open t h e f o r m ; falling third to

t h e second, r i s i n g

'jezt', the

'Chor', echoes t h i s

act ( o f l i b e r a t i o n ) ; f a l l s back t o strophe is

echoes t h i s

f a d i n g e c h o , and

rest. itself

Within this

o v e r a l l harmony t h e f i r s t

b u t a microcosm; i t too i n i t s f i r s t

t r i a d s t r e t c h e d open was

t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , t h e harmony o f t h e second t r i a d t h e echo o f t h e f i r s t and ( b e i n g a, and not the,

'sphere'), Only thus

t h e t h i r d t r i a d r a n down t o f u l f i l analogy t o the

the form.

does t h e s t r u c t u r a l

'Welt a l l e r couplet,

Welten' triad, image

become p o s s i b l e , f o r t h u s strophe, of

each p a r t

s t r o p h i c t r i a d (hemisphere) of the A l l .

becomes t h e

t h e o t h e r s and

When, i n t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e , a l l t e n s i o n p a s s e s o u t t h e poem, t h e h e m i s p h e r e has embraces and diminishing described a s i n g l e arc minor arcs

of

which

a b s o r b s a l l t h e manor and intensity;

in i t s

t h e r e w i t h a l l t e n s i o n becomes a t h a t now returns ful-

s i n g l e memory and to itself. The

s t r e t c h i n g o f t h e bow has

t h i r d strophe

the negative

task of

filling Why

this this

harmony. negative f u n c t i o n ? I t makes o f t h e a c t of illusion place the

liberation of is

what i s a l r e a d y , g i v e n t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g a p a s t and

progress,

u n r e a l a c t ; e v e n as i t t a k e s quality of

no m o r e , l o s t

w i t h i n t h e t o t a l i t y . The

-159 -

act, of

i t s diminishing' i n t e n s i t y , will,

r e v e a l s i t as a s u r r e n d e r

a l o s s o f s e l f w i t h i n a dream, a p u r p o s e - f r e e sphere o f t h e poem; and t h e

entry into the existential sphere

i s e x i s t e n t i a l b e c a u s e , as a s u p e r i o r space a n d i t has r e p l a c e d
n o r

potential, Not

reality. evil actions; a l l will,

just,

even p r i m a r i l y ,

thought, conscious

e x i s t e n c e , a r e subsumed u n d e r t h e Purpose

'Trennungen, i n denen w i r denken und e x i s t i r e n ' . always to involves a 'subject'

a n d a n ' o b j e c t ' . P o e t r y has t o prose, replacing love.

become t h e p u r p o s e - f r e e a n t i t h e s i s over Nature

mastery

w i t h harmonious r e l a t i o n s h i p :

The c o h e r e n t m e a n i n g o f t h e poem, w h a t i t c o m m u n i c a t e s , is mediated by a u n i f i e d whole, a succession of strophes

which p r o g r e s s i v e l y achieve f r e e d from purpose, (moving from this

such a meaning. But by b e i n g which i s metaphysical

coherence,

'sinnliche'

t o ' g e i s t i g e Heimat', from t h e f o r m and g a i n s

e a r t h l y t o t h e D i v i n e ) , becomes p o e t i c poetic function.

This f u n c t i o n i s negative: the value of

relationship icative

( t o o t h e r s ) b e i n g c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t h e communturns poetic form i n t o the the elegiac s i t u a t i o n . But

a c t , i t s undermining of 'living-death',

captivity

t h i s n e g a t i v e a c t becomes t h e c o n d i t i o n f o r t h e c r e a t i o n of d i v i n e beauty the poetic ( a s opposed t o m e a n i n g ) ; 'sphere' since the entry

into of of

presupposes t h es e l f - e n c l o s u r e

the coherent

cosmos, i t i s a b l e t o become a r e c r e a t i o n t e r m s : n o t as a n e x e r c i s e o f w i l l , b u t

a c t i o n on i d e a l

as a p u r e

loss of self. relationship with

Thus t h e g r a d u a l p r o g r e s s t o w a r d s the w o r l d becomes a p r o g r e s s i v e f a d i n g

o f b e a u t y and

- 160 -

'Zurukschreken'

t o self-consciousness. This process i s

p o e t i c t e c h n i q u e ; n o t a c c i d e n t a l , b u t w a n t e d . The poem communicates i t s statement the ( f o r poetry perforce shares

(enslaved) instrument of prose,

l a n g u a g e ) ; b u t i n so

doing i t also, i n d i r e c t l y , eternally

communicates i t s v a l u e : t h e which now,

l o s t b u t i n f i n i t e l y i n t e n s e experience

b e i n g gone, echoes t h r o u g h o u t entirety

t h e poem a n d i m p a r t s t o i t s s t r o p h e ) i t s v a l u e . The 'living-

(not just t o the f i r s t

poem s e e k s i t s own b e a u t y ,

and i s f o r t h a t r e a s o n the f i r s t

death' , s e l f - e n c l o s u r e . E n t r y i n t o into

s t r o p h e and

t h e poem as a w h o l e a r e t h e same: a n a c t o f l o v e . Thus t h e v a l u e o f t h e poem i s n o t a b s t r a c t a b l e ( t h e

above h a r d l y i n s o c i a l t e r m s istential;

amounts t o a v a l u e ) , b u t ex-

t h e poem i s s e a l e d o f f f r o m t h e w o r l d , a n d i t s i t s purpose-

v a l u e c a n o n l y be s e n s e d t h r o u g h e n t r y i n t o free is 'sphere'. Only t h e dead s h e l l

c a n be a b s t r a c t e d ; i t

coherent, but r e f t

o f i t s n e g a t i v e f u n c t i o n h a s no v a l u e

whatsoever. In comparing 'Stutgard' with 'Der Gang a u f s L a n d ' i n and 'humile', I d e l i b e r poet which t h e Holderlin's hierarchical

such terms

as t h e 'genus s u b l i m e '

a t e l y c r e a t e d an i m p r e s s i o n o f a ' c l a s s i c a l ' f o l l o w i n g d i s c u s s i o n s h o u l d have d e s t r o y e d . p o e t r y i s n o t b a s e d on t h e k i n d o f o b j e c t i v e values which,

f o r example, Horace expounds i n t h e A r s ' s i n g u l a quaeque l o c u m t e n e a n t sortita

Poetica (73-98): decentem' and is of (92).

On t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e v a l u e i s t h e q u a l i t y of i n d i v i d u a l poetic experience. Poetic form

intensity

not the product of a structured the individual self.

society, but the structure

- 161

The 'naming'

of the Divine

The f i n a l

couplet of the t h i r d

strophe

establishes

the u n i t y of the f i r s t old, v a l u a b l e b u t now

three strophes. out-worn, nature

I t summarises t h e of elegy, the c e l reference and

e b r a t i o n o f ' V e r g a n g e n e s ' i n l o s s a n d l o n g i n g . The to the poet's own great g r i e f s , 'des V a t e r s Grab'

' L e i d e n d e r L i e b e ' , i s t h u s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , and t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i n h i s own e l e g i a c p o e t r y s i n c e 'Elegie' i s i n t e n d e d t o be p a r a d i g m a t i c . 'Achill' With the and final

couplet, which looks t o 'Kunftiges' c o n s i s t s o f two h a l v e s (hemispheres).

( ' E n k e l ' ) , t h e poem The first i s the o l d first

w o r l d , t h e s e c o n d , 'neue W e l t ' is for also 'Ausflug'

( c f . 4 . 1 4 1 , 4 ) . The

and t h e s e c o n d ' R i i k k e h r zu s i c h s e l b s t ' , over, and w i t h h i s

the poet's

o u t w a r d j o u r n e y i s now

f r i e n d he b e g i n s

the r e t u r n to S t u t t g a r t ' V a t e r l a n d ' . T h i s may

and, beyond t h e serve as a p r e c i s

town, t o t h e i d e a l of

t h e poem's m e a n i n g . The h a r m o n i o u s s u c c e s s i o n of couplets (11.39-54) which

brings the f i r s t rhythmic

hemisphere t o i t s c o n c l u s i o n p r o v i d e s the ( a c t of l i b e r a t i o n ) of

basis f o r the fresh s t a r t

t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e , whose f i r s t inherited regularity all restriction falls

couplet flows i n this but then, suddenly, lifts and

as f a r as ' l e i c h t '

away, and t h e ' a b e r ' - c l a u s e Thus ' l e i c h t '

the rhythm over the c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n . 'Aether', by v i r t u e

of the pentameter-halves,

contrast

w i t h i n the motif of light-ness. lightness of being in their

The mundane m e a s u r e , t h e along

' t h a t l o s ' , as t h e t r a v e l l e r s w a l k
1

' S c h i k s a a l - l e s s s t a t e , i s suddenly exposed

- 162 -

( S p r a c h g e s t u s ) t o an a e t h e r e a l l i g h t n e s s , a v i s t a finite lifts purity, a n d so t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a ' d e s t i n y '

of i n that

up t h e m o r t a l t r e a d o f f e n c e d - i n e x p e r i e n c e a n d harmony

l e n d s t o h e a r t s a n d f e e t m e r c u r i a l w i n g s . The d e a d

has beome t h e s t e a d y p a c e s o f t h e p o e t a n d h i s c o m p a n i o n , and so t h e b a s i s f o r a f r e s h a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n . The e n i a m b e m e n t t h a t i n t r o d u c e s t h e p u r e v i s t a o f infinite aether (the strophic sphere i s now o p e n , a t r u e

image o f t h e s k y ) i s n o t p e r m i t t e d t o r e s t , b u t i t s e l f p i c k e d up a n d c a r r i e d o v e r i n t o the pentameter; ' ziehn

f r e u d i g ' , c o n c e n t r a t i n g two r e p e t i t i o n s suggests

( ' e r - z o g e n ' now

' d r a w n ' ) , i s t h e c l i m a x o f t h e t w o c o u p l e t s . The

rhythm i s inseparable from t h e idea, f o r i ti s i t s e l f 'drawn' ( g r a p h i c t h r o u g h t h e l o n g m o n o s y l l a b l e 'ziehn';

compare 1.1?) o u t , i n a n a r c t h a t does n o t r e a c h i t s a p e x t i l l it 'freudig' and t h e second h a l f o f t h e pentameter, I t i s thus i t s e l f an a s c e n t , an a vantagewhere

falls

back t o r e s t .

' H i n a u f z i e h e n ' , a n d w i t h t h e pause a t ' h i n a u f p o i n t has b e e n r e a c h e d t h a t

o v e r l o o k s a new r e a l m . T h i s

o p e n i n g o f t h e r h y t h m g i v e s t o t h e o p e n i n g words o f t h e vista, are the 'GroB i s t d a s Werden umher', d e i c t i c immediacy; they

a t t h e same t i m e a n e n t r y i n t o a s p h e r e , an o p e n i n g o f e y e s as a b a r r i e r t o p e r c e p t i o n f a l l s away. The a u t u m n a l

w e a l t h o f N a t u r e now l i e s but

spread out before the t r a v e l l e r s ;

also spreads about, envelops, t h e i m a g i n a t i o n o f t h e

poet. T h e r e f o l l o w s t h e 'Schau' ( c f . l e t s are end-stopped, a single 1 . 7 3 ) . These f o u r coup-

sequence i n w h i c h t h e t r i a d i c over

d i v i s i o n i s s u b m e r g e d . Such a p r e v a i l i n g o f s e q u e n c e

- 163

division

(over form) i s the rhythmic the

image o f N a t u r e ' s characterised 'Aber', 'Und', expresses in

cornucopia: by

' e p i c ' mode o f e n u m e r a t i o n ,

the p a r a l l e l i s i n g opening conjunctions 'falling l i k e apples from

the couplets

the tree',

an homogeneous 'Werden' i n w h i c h phenomena have v a l u e t h e m s e l v e s . The is, the effect of t h i s merging of formal the next

outline With

however, t o accentuate 'Darum' o f 1.67

triadic division. g i v e s way to a

"the s e q u e n t i a l f o r m

mighty

( ' g e w a l t i g ' ) a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n ; t h e word overflows into

'Fiille' by thus

graphically

the pentameter, i s r e i n f o r c e d so c l o s e i n m e a n i n g , and

t h e enjambement o f initiates five

1

'Reicher',

a rush

of ideas which reaches i t s climax i n the 'Garten', 'Wein', ' G r a s ' , 'Korn', word line, rest.

substantives a

Baume'

'plenitude'

o f s u b s t a n c e whose e v e r y

s u g g e s t s t h e warmth o f autumn. Only t h e n , i n i t s l a s t does t h e t r i a d , and with i t the strophe, fall back t o

A t t h e same t i m e , h o w e v e r , t h i s o n w a r d r u s h i s r e t a r d e d by in is an e b b i n g 1.68 u n d e r c u r r e n t ; f o r t h e s t r o n g sense o f a r r i v a l ... h i e r ' ) means t h a t so f a r as movement sub-

('hierher

concerned the climax i s a l r e a d y achieved. release i s also a release 1.68 t o 1.72

Thus t h e

sequent r h y t h m i c and

from

tension, to

t h e w h o l e movement f r o m

a falling-back

rest. The that act overall rhythm of the strophe i s very similar to an

of the f i r s t .

Here t o o t h e o p e n i n g t r i a d b r i n g s t r i a d i s an

of l i b e r a t i o n ; the c e n t r a l

end-stopped couplet in

harmony r e f l e c t i n g t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f t h e e l e g i a c f r o m dead r e g u l a r i t y the f i n a l

i n t o t h e harmony o f t h e s p h e r e ; and that liberates

t r i a d comes t h e i n t o x i c a t i o n

from

- 164 -

all

measure ( c o m p a r e t h e r h y t h m i c f u n c t i o n o f ' R e i c h e r ' , 'FUlle', with that of 'Voll-' i n 1.15)But

intensifying

despite i t s merit this first

s t r o p h e i s a mere

shadow o f t h e i s weaker: than

i n t e r m s o f a r t . The a r c o f l i b e r a t i o n triad,

both i n the f i r s t 'freudig'

w h e r e i t r e a c h e s no f u r t h e r

a n d t h e n g i v e s way t o t h e e f f o r t l e s s h a r m o n y o f couplets (so t h a t the t r i a d i c division is a l -

end-stopped most l o s t ) ;

a n d i n t h e s t r o p h e as a w h o l e , w h e r e i t r e a c h e s ( 1 . 6 8 ) and t h e n , i t s v i r t u e drain-

no f u r t h e r t h a n ' h i e r ' ing away, s u b s i d e s . It

too, then, i s a loss of self,

a liberation

of Nature

t h a t i s more t h a n mere d e s c r i p t i o n o f a l a n d s c a p e . I t i s a v i s i o n o f b e a u t y ; N a t u r e i n h e r p a r a l l a c t i c g r o w t h and luxuriating autonomy i s 'seen'. 'Schaun' i n t h i s a b s o l u t e

s e n s e i s more t h a n j u s t

t o u s e t h e eye ( t h a t w o u l d be a n i ti s positively to r e and

other subordination of Nature); nounce t h e i n t e l l e c t to

w i t h i t s d i s c r i m i n a t i n g purpose

become a p u r e r e c e i v i n g m i r r o r , and so t o r e g a i n t h e humanity which i s self-consciousness of the Divine the subjective instrument of the divine selbst' act: a

full

(deus s i v e n a t u r a ) : object

( ' w e i l / Die S e e l i g s t e n n i c h t s f i i h l e n von

('Der R h e i n * , 1 1 . 1 0 9 - 1 0 ) ) . I t i s t h e p u r e p o i e t i c surrender of selfhood that of utility

f r e e s N a t u r e f r o m t h e bondage

and r e s t o r e s t h e a u t o n o m y w h i c h was h e r s i n t h e

p e r c e p t i o n and wonder o f c h i l d h o o d , when t h i n g s w e r e 'seen' for their own sake. an E n l i g h t -

Thus N a t u r e c e a s e s t o be s m i l i n g f i e l d s , ened a n d a c c o m m o d a t i n g a p p e n d i x t o man, alluring invitation

a n d becomes a n t o the

t o t h e companions ( b u t r e a l l y

- 165

poet,

whose 'dream' a l l t h i s

i s ) t o lose themselves i n t h e 'seen' , heads, and

warm and l u x u r i a t i n g she this love. ative, no

p l e n t y o f autiimn. Not j u s t over their

h a s p o w e r , r e a c h i n g up ' a l m o s t ' loss of self Her 'might'

i s on e a c h s i d e an e m b r a c i n g , an a c t o f ( c f . 11.67, 73) i s n o t so much quantit-

l i k e Klopstock's

bucket,

as p e r s o n a l , h e r 'goods' but purpose-free, j o i n with the an

l o n g e r function-bound commodities, The e p i t h e t s ' u p p i g '

alive.

and 'gluhend'

only other adjective

i n the t r i a d , 'gewaltig', to yield

i n t e n s e p e r c e p t i o n . And t h u s , as i n t h e f i r s t m o u n t a i n s , so h e r e orphic t h e t r e e s come a l i v e ,

strophe t h e

i n the utmost

achievement o f t h e strophe.

' L i n i n g t h e way',

they are the bystanders, upon t h e p r o c e s s i o n . Thus t h e s t r o p h e rest

s i l e n t l y s t a n d i n g , l o o k i n g down

ends i n a p a r a d o x o f movement a n d ' iiber den Wanderern stehn' ; t h e s t a - s i s where t h e with their never-ending of 1.72

t h a t e c h o e s t h a t o f 1 .18: i s the f u l f i l m e n t still'.

'stehn' poem

of form,

'stands

The t r a v e l l e r s

impulse

t o wander a r e l o s t b e n e a t h ( t h e ' l i b e r ' that o f 1.67) the trees;

intensifies vision

so t o o t h e p o e t ' s whose

i n the v i t a l i t y

o f a s e l f - g o v e r n i n g Nature

h y p n o t i c growth less 'Werden'. But the

'almost'

t h r e a t e n s t o overwhelm i n an end-

this loss of self

i s h e l d by t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g strophe i s a r e c a l l

form;

first

couplet of the f i f t h i t s 'open'

t o conopens

sciousness, the and bis

'Aber' a ' Z u r i i k s c h r e k e n '

that

poem t o r e a l i t y : t o t h e 'du' ( r e n e w e d a d d r e s s ) , t o t i m e place ( ' d e r Weg u n d d e r T a g ' ) : 'ein S t i l l s t a n d ... ,

i h n d i e d i e s e r g e i s t i g e n Wiederhohlung

eigentiimliche ins wirkliche

Vollkomrnenheit und Unvollkommenheit wieder

- 166 -

Leben t r e i b t ' . in

The p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e

i s now s e a l e d

o f f 'as

a v e s s e l ' , s e t a p a r t , o v e r , d e f i n e d : a 'Schau', a 'through' (and so, emerging out o f ) a 'mighty'

wandering

experience. Now t h i s ated, tendency i n Nature t o an o v e r w h e l m i n g , a d m i t t e d l y no more liberthan

' p o e t i c ' , existence i s here

a suggestion time. is

i n a c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e bounty

of harvest-

Similarly,

t h e ' Z u r u k s c h r e k e n ' , a l t h o u g h more o v e r t , o f t h e poem

a l s o more " s u p e r f i c i a l , a n d t h e r e o p e n i n g The f o u r t h strophe

easier, less tense.

i s absorbed i n t o t h e

a c c e l e r a t i n g movement t o w a r d s of

t h e c o n c l u s i o n : t h e 'naming' meaning o f t h e poem.

t h e D i v i n e ( 1 . 9 1 ) and t h e c o h e r e n t

That i s , i t s autonomy i s , i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e f i r s t strophe, diminished, since a t t h i s nearer, so t h a t stage t h e end i s much

t h e s t r o p h e i s no l o n g e r a w o r l d f o r i t s e l f , entry into t h e p o e t i c sphere, that but fourth Nature,

as was t h e i n i t i a l of

s i x . S t r o p h i c autonomy, t h e s p e l l

liberates

c o n t r a d i c t s t h e poem's p r o g r e s s the

t o a coherent

m e a n i n g . As

poem a d v a n c e s t o i t s c o n c l u s i o n , t h e a u t o n o m y o f t h e o f t h e poem, s t r o n g e r .

s t r o p h e becomes w e a k e r , b u t t h a t The v a l u e of

o f t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e , i t s s e n s u a l i t y and l o s s

s e l f , depends upon t h e w e a k e n i n g autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h i c That t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f Nature autonomy i s i n c i d e n t a l here takes t h e form o f as

form.

a luxuriating the strophe

i n so f a r a s , j u s t infinity,

i s one ' s p h e r e '

among a p o t e n t i a l

a u t u m n a l p r o f u s i o n i s b u t one o f h e r p o s s i b l e , p o t e n t i a l l y infinite, tic, manifestations. I n this light the 'epic', paratac-

principle

of the succession

of couplets applies

i d e a l l y t o the succession

of strophes; but that i s notthe

- 167 -

case t i l l intensity all (see

'Heimkunft'. Nevertheless,

i t i s the

inherent loses

o f p e r c e p t i o n , self-exposure, which l a t e r

p r o p o r t i o n i n H'dlderlin's schizophrenic the v a r i a n t s , The town (1.75) 2.587)= i s deliberately left

imagination

unnamed

until

t h e second t r i a d first

o f the f i f t h

strophe.

I t thus

appears

as a n y t o w n , a n d so i n h a r m o n i o u s c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e i t , t h e w o r k o f men, r i s e s 'Fulle' out o f Nature's i n and o u t l i n e , land,

country;

discriminate

t h i n g o f form

s i n g u l a r i t y and purpose. I t g i v e s meaning t o t h e binds

e a r t h t o h e a v e n a s a p r i e s t e s s d o e s men t o g o d s ; a n d i s the k e y t o t h e meaning o f a p e o p l e , like

as a p r i e s t

E m p e d o k l e s i t s s e c r e t h e a r t , so t o o t h e t o w n i s now r e vealed,
1

a s t h e m e a n i n g o f a l l t h a t h a s gone b e f o r e

(the ' es

8 c h . a u ' ) . The i d e a l o f G r e e c e i s i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d : ein gottlich der Natur' L e b e n u n d d e r Mensch w a r d a d e r (Hyperion, I , 150/12f.).

war

Mittel-

punkt

The fifth

d e l a y i n g o f t h e t o w n ' s name h a s a n o t h e r becomes a s y m m e t r i c a l mounting

effect: the

strophe

structure The

l e a d i n g up t o t h e triadic blocks

'naming' o f t h e D i v i n e i n 1 . 9 1 .

d i v i s i o n s are l i k e o f stone piled

a ladder, or rather, great i n the f i r s t triad, third,

u p o n one a n o t h e r :

' S t a d t ' ; i n t h e s e c o n d , i t s name, ' S t u t g a r d ' ; i n t h e ' i h r GroBeren* ; and f i n a l l y , i n t h e l a s t name: ' E n g e l d e s V a t e r l a n d s ! ' . E a c h s t a g e from strophe,

their

removes a v e i l yet,

the D i v i n e , but also, since the Divine i s not ( c f . 1.100),

n o t e v e n a n d l e a s t o f a l l i n 1.91 news t h e v e i l . triad, This ascent begins

named, r e first

already i n the

for in relation

t o t h e c o u n t r y the town h e r s e l f

- 168 -

p o i n t s upwards ('Stab', This

'hoch',

'empor').

' e n t s c h e i d e n d e Wendung z u r g e i s t i g e n H e i m a t ' a n d the strophic division together constitute of

i r r u p t i o n over a break-through 'Vaterland'

i n t o a 'neue W e l t ' , t h e new ' s p h e r e ' a paradigmatic

(1.91)

revolutionary act. s u n ('be-sonnen' i n night-

Bathed i n t h e l a s t rays o f t h e s e t t i n g t h i s double fall sense) t h e poet

stands b e f o r e , a w a i t s ,

a n d t h e c o m i n g o f t h e D i v i n e : God no l o n g e r ( c f . Hyperion,

'iiber den

Sternen'

I , 15/18), b u t ('Mythologie d e r themselves. c o n c l u s i o n must be d i s t i n g u i s h e d o f t h e poem. W h e t h e r t h e s t a r s thought

Vernunft') the very stars The coherence o f t h i s

from t h e a e s t h e t i c value really

a r e d i v i n e , and whether H o l d e r l i n r e a l l y

t h e y w e r e , i s no d o u b t i n t e r e s t i n g ; cannot separate

but poetic value

f o r m f r o m c o n t e n t . The v e r y r e l e v a n c e o f question renders t h e poetry suspect. I n divisions to autonomy;

such a t h e o l o g i c a l

practice the subordination of the t r i a d i c l i n e a r progress the and and of fifth

completes t h e regress i n s t r o p h i c

strophe exists

s o l e l y f o r t h e sake o f t h e poem,

i t i s t h e poem, n o t t h e s t r o p h e , t h a t i s now c o m p l e t e self-sufficient. Y e t t h e poem i s no more t h a n t h e echo

v/hat was. What o u g h t t o be t h e d e c i s i v e a c t o f l i b e r the sixth s t r o p h e o f a poem which

a t i o n i s r e a l l y merely has to progressed reality

t o a dream ( 1 . 1 0 6 ) ; a n d i f t h e poem i s open

('o kommt! o macht es w a h r ! ' ) , i t does no more the f i r s t , and t h e r e w i t h a l s o m o d e l , p o e t i c

than, r e p r o d u c e world:

the strophe. t o be b u t a memory strophe

Thus t h e s e c o n d h e m i s p h e r e p r o v e s of the f i r s t (the exclamations

of the third

- 169 -

'o g u t i g e s L i c h t ! '

i n 1.43 a n d t h e 'naming' o f t h e triad formally intimate the p u r p o s e and over t h e

'Landesheroen' i n t h e t h i r d

c o n c l u d i n g naming o f t h e D i v i n e , t h e apparent c l i m a x o f t h e poem), and t h e a r c t h a t extends

w h o l e poem t o t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y c r y ' E n g e l d e s V a t e r l a n d s ! ' is the no more t h a n a p a l e r e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h a t t o ' B e r g e ' i n first s t r o p h e . The poem r e t u r n s t o i t s b e g i n n i n g a n d so o f r i s e and

fulfils fall.

t h e e t e r n a l cosmos i n i t s e l e g i a c r h y t h m

Both

m a j o r a n d m i n o r a r c s ( t o 1.91 "to 1.18) a r e t h e

extended 'Ausflug' virtue

form of t h e e l e g i a c couplet i n i t s hexametric and p e n t a m e t r i c ' Riikkehr zu s i c h s e l b s t ' ; b y and a r c h e t y p a l

of t h i s rhythmic function the f i r s t

c o u p l e t becomes t h e m i c r o c o s m i c and

'Grund' o f t h e w h o l e poem, and o f t h e 'Grund'. t h a t has performed

b o t h a r c s a r e e c h o e s o f one a n o t h e r It i s not t h e ideas, b u t the rhythm,

a j o u r n e y a n d now r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f . coherent

A t t h e v e r y moment o f that moment

m e a n i n g , t h e 'naming' o f t h e D i v i n e

where p o e t r y seems t o h a v e become a t h e o l o g i c a l in

statement

a l l t e n s i o n p a s s e s o u t o f t h e poem; t h e bow s l a c k e n s , o r , t h e terms o f H y p e r i o n ' s w o r l d , t h e cosmic Eros-Logos the f i n i t e

withdraws

from i t s a c t o f l o v e , t h e e n t r y i n t o

w o r l d . W i t h i n t h e 'sphere' poetic experience

o f t h e poem t h e i n t e n s i t y o f

i s now no more t h a n a memory, a n d t h e poem The 'naming' h a s as he

as a w h o l e i s a 'dream', 'open' t o r e a l i t y . proved an i l l u s i o n ( 1 . 1 0 0 ) , and t h e p o e t 'allein

isleft

began, w i t h But

'Durre':

j a / B i n i c h ' (105-06).

this

seeming n e g a t i v i t y and s e l f - r e p r o a c h o f t h e negated t h r o u g h b e i n g t h e conof poetic

poetic situation i s i t s e l f

d i t i o n o f t h e d i v i n e i n t e n s i t y and b e a u t y

- 170 -

experience.

The r h y t h m i c

law o f d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s i t y

does

n o t make t h e f i r s t ful, ly

strophe, or the f i r s t

hemisphere, b e a u t i defectiveand

t h e r e s t n o t ; i t i s t h e w h o l e poem t h a t i s beautiful. I t holds t h e memory o f e x p e r i e n c e ;

memory i s t h e n e c e s s a r y f o r m o f t h e D i v i n e , w h i c h i s t h u s present, realised illusion i n t h e poem. The poem's p r o g r e s s i s an out-

('Traum') b e c a u s e i t h a s s o u g h t ,

not anything

s i d e t h e poem, b u t t h e b e a u t y loss of self, coherent

of the already-experienced The

t h e ' A u s - s i c h - h e r a u s g e h e n des G e i s t e s ' .

m e a n i n g o f t h e c o m p l e t e poem, l o s i n g i t s p o s i t i v e ' Zurlikschreken' o f f o ra pure m i r r o r

function, i s rhythmically the overall and into self-consciousness,

t h e search

which i n t u r n creates, through progressive regress, t h e sphere o f i d e a l fire: der of lost (purified) relationship, i n t e n s e as b u r n i n g ... i s t i n gottlicher

l o v e . 'Das u n t e r g e h e n d e V a t e r l a n d

f r e i e n Kunstnachahmung e i n f u r c h t b a r e r aber 2, 2 8 3 , 2 5 f . ) ; ' ... i c h s o i l 5^f.).

Traum' ( 4 . 2 8 2 , nie

wahrscheinlich

l i e b e n , a l s i m Traume' In

(B99,

' E l e g i e ' what i s l o s t i s divinity itself;

(Diotima) i s divine.

Here, what

is

lost

t h e process of loss i s t h e

n e c e s s a r y n a t u r e o f t h e D i v i n e , and i n s t r i v i n g t o w a r d s l o s s t h e poem a c h i e v e s context, in t h e h i g h e s t good. B e y o n d i t s i m m e d i a t e (1.107) has f o r m a l function

'das moge genug s e y n '

expressing

t h e poem's l i m i t a t i o n : state, that

an acceptance o f to lost 'Seelig-

'destiny', f i n i t e keit', Spirit) lost into

corresponds

infinity. life

The e n t r y b y t h e A b s o l u t e

(pure

f i n d s i t s analogy potential,

i n t h e 'Eigenmacht', of the individual infinity,

preservation of i n f i n i t e 'spirit',

whose l i m i t a t i o n ,

defective (lost)

- 171

serves act

as t h e c o n c r e t e r e a l i s a t i o n

o f t h e A l l . 'The p o e t i c has metaphysical

t h e r e f o r e both serves But

t h e D i v i n e and life

justification. Might falls;

the e n t r y i n t o

remains u n r e a l . him with i t s is due.

the poet's

w o r l d closes about

i m p r i s o n i n g w a l l s o f f o r m . A new

act of l i b e r a t i o n

- 172 -

V. 'BROD UND WEIN': THE ANATOMY OF LONGING

The f i r s t The

s t r o p h e i s o f a u n i q u e p e r f e c t i o n and b e a u t y . of the t r i a d i c structure unites i n each

clarity

harmonious triad

tension with i t s gliding transitions;

i s a p e r f e c t and complete

'sphere', but f o r t h a t into thegreater whole.

very reason passes e f f o r t l e s s l y The sphere of t h e f i r s t

triad

i s s e a l e d o f f and so t h a t
1

e n c l o s e d . I t b e g i n s and ends w i t h ' r e s t ' , der g e s c h a f f t i g e Markt

1

'ruht

a n s w e r s and a f f i r m s

ruhet die of the

S t a d t ' , and so t h a t r h y t h m i c a l l y t h e opening u n r e s t hexameter

ends i n t h e p e a c e o f t h e p e n t a m e t e r . W i t h i n t h i s 'ruhen' ( 1 . 3 ) i s a half-way stage: half of the

figure the central 'rest'

h a s moved t o t h e s e c o n d , f u l f i l l i n g , but a w a i t s t h e pentameter.

hexameter,

Thus t h e t r i a d And

i s a s e a r c h f o r and a t t a i n i n g o f p e a c e . c r e a t e s an each

w i t h i n t h i s framework t h e e l e g i a c rhythm t e n s i o n o f movement and r e s t .

harmonious

Since

p e n t a m e t e r r e s p o n d s t o i t s hexameter

with a p a r a l l e l

' U n d ' - c l a u s e , t h e p e n t a m e t e r s form a p a t t e r n , a s i n g l e complement t o t h e u n q u i e t s e a r c h i n g o f t h e h e x a m e t e r . B u t a g a i n s t t h i s r u n s a n a s c e n d i n g movement c a r r i e d upwards

by t h e h e x a m e t e r s ; t h e a b s o l u t e r e g u l a r i t y o f t h e opening couplet (end-stopped p a r a l l e l i s m of pentameter, strong

third-foot

c a e s u r a marked by s e m i - c o l o n i n h e x a m e t e r ) i s with i t s fourth-foot

b r e a c h e d by t h e s e c o n d hexameter

175

c a e s u r a ( u n i q u e i n t h e s t r o p h e ) , and t h e n , an u t m o s t i n s t r i v i n g , t h e t h i r d w i t h i t s enjambement b r e a k s o v e r t h e couplet-division itself.

It

i s , however, a s t r i v i n g embrace o f t h i s

to rest,
1

and

the t r i a d effect is

is

the rhythmic heightened 'wird' and

'Streben . This

by t h e u n n a t u r a l s t r e s s e s l a i d by 'steht' by ( 1 1 . 1 , 5)* which are thus and

1

the metre rectified, 6; the

on

reassured,

'rauschen'

ruht'

(11.2

and

second f i g u r e i s by The final

sound t h e

slightest

echo o f t h e

first). of

words s e a l o f f t h e t r i a d :
1

i t i s the

'sphere'

'der g e s c h a f f t i g e M a r k t , o f day the busy rush of l i f e . But

(1.3) i n the d a i l y r i s e s and

sense,

the rhythm

falls, c l o s i n g of world (so the

b r e a t h i n g p e a c e o v e r t h e w o r l d , an o p e n i n g and t h e eye; of men,

i t i s t h e cosmic harmony t h a t absorbs t h e a perspective which i s sensual, 'ruhen') t h a t a lullaby sleep.

p a t t e r n of

sings the world to

This l u l l a b y begins

t h e en-chantment t h a t c a l l s M e n s c h e n ' , f o r she She

forth and

' d i e F r e m d l i n g i n u n t e r den can

appears, is

o n l y a p p e a r , when t h e y h a v e d e p a r t e d .

literally the

beyond them. I t i s t h u s t h e i n i t i a l

sealing-off of

s p h e r e o f t h e poem, t h e c r e a t i o n o f a m a g i c s p a c e , a t e m e n o s w i t h i n whose b o u n d s a l o n e The in is t h e s p e l l may regularity be released. as

opening couplet i n i t s absolute

is (just

' S t u t g a r d ' ) t h e t y p e o f cosmic harmony, a microcosm. I t t h e m y s t i c a l 'Grund', i n i t s r i s e ( ' S t r e b e n ' ) and fall

the analogue of the e t e r n a l rhythm the p r o c r e a t i v e act of love. Beside the c l e a r o u t l i n e couplets of and ' E l e g i e ' now

of the W o r l d - S p i r i t :

of the t r i a d i c

structure

the loss

appear unformed: a f o r m l e s s

l o n g i n g , i n which the hexameter's s t r i v i n g

('Taglich

174

geh' i c h h e r a u s u n d s u c h ' e i n A n d e r e s immer ... / Ruh e r b i t t e n d ... ') and t h e p e n t a m e t e r ' s r e s i g n a t i v e f a l l (' ... u n d s i n n l o s d i i n k t l a n g e d a s U b r i g e m i r ' ( 1 . 5 4 ) ) t o g e t h e r c o n s t i t u t e a ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' i n t h e absence o f w h a t l i e s o u t s i d e t h e poem, t h e b e l o v e d . H e r e , i n t h e strophe, t h e couplet recreates i t s e l f i n the t r i a d , thus r e c r e a t i n g t h e w o r l d i n i t s own i m a g e . The r e s i g n a t i v e p e n t a m e t e r h a s become t h e f e m i n i n e p r i n c i p l e w h i c h , r e a p p e a r i n g as t h e t r i a d o f c o u p l e t s , embraces t h e a c t ; and t h e a c t i s no l o n g e r d e v o t e d away f r o m t h e poem, b u t l i b e r a t e s w i t h i n , an immanent f o r m - and l i f e - g i v i n g p r i n c i p l e . The s t e p f r o m ' E l e g i e ' h a s b e e n , n o t a n o v e r c o m i n g o f g r i e f , b u t t h e c r e a t i o n o f a w o r l d ( c f . B182, 33) o u t o f t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n . Thus t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i s r e c r e a t e d as t h e t h r e e f o l d echo o f i t s e l f : t h e t h e s i s , t h e s t a t e m e n t o f h a r m o n y , t h e m y s t i c a l 'Grund' o f t h e cosmos, t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t ; t h e a n t i t h e s i s , t h e n e g a t i v e a s p e c t o f t h i s harmony, i t s a b s t r a c t l i f e l e s s n e s s o f m e t a p h y s i c a l a s s e r t i o n , g e n e r a t i n g t h e n e e d t o go b e y o n d , b r e a k open t h e f o r m ; t h e s y n t h e s i s , t h a t t h i s s e e m i n g n e g a t i o n i s t h e v e r y means w h e r e b y p o e t i c f o r m i s r e c r e a t e d , i n t h e rhythm o f t h e t r i a d , which absorbs t h e a n t i t h e t i c a l s t r i v i n g and makes o f i t a ' p u r e l y ' immanent p r i n c i p l e : a ' s p i r i t ' ( ' d e r G e i s t , d e r i n d e r S p h a r e h e r r s c h t ' ( c f . 4 . 2 7 7 , 2 6 ) ) . The a c t the violence of t h e F i c h t e a n T h a t - h a n d l u n g ' ( d i v i s i v e consciousness) w h i c h t o r e open t h e ' e n g v e r e i n t e K n o s p e ' , t h e ' s i c h r e E i n - f a l t ' ('Mein E i g e n t u m ' , 1 . 4 5 ) o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l m i c r o c o s m h a s p r o v e d t o be no a c t , b u t t h e means t o cosmic harmony ( t h e m a t h e m a t i c a l symmetry, t h e t h r e e
1

175

dead

c o u p l e t s , i s o f c o u r s e no more t h a n t h e i n i t s e l f s h e l l f o r t h i s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of the w o r l d ) . The and thus the central t r i a d mediates between 'rest'

among

men and

'coming' o f N i g h t .

I t i s the s p e l l The the

itself,

b e g i n s w i t h music ( ' S a i t e n s p i e l ' ) . infinite gentleness;

transition opening 'Aber' advancing

( 1 1 . 6 / 7 ) i s o f an

seems s c a r c e l y a d v e r s a t i v e , s c a r c e l y more t h a n t h e h o u r and reflects is blind Day, just a new p e r c e p t i o n . Now this gliding

transition o f men that poem) Not

t h e p o e t ' s agape, l o v e f o r t h e w o r l d both to Night and

t o (what l i e s beyond t h e (1.3), a chaotic

1

knows o n l y i t s 'Tag' 'satt' and

'Treiben'.

' w o h l z u f r i e d e n , a l l t h e words d e s c r i b i n g here p o t e n t i a l l y 'Gewinn und pejorative: 'geschafftig', no judgement i s

man's a c t i v i t y a r e 'Werke d e r H a n d , p a s s e d . The

1

V e r l u s t ' . But longer, as

p o e t ' s t a s k i s no

i n Hyperion's

S c h e l t r e d e , t o oppose t h e 'Wahrheit': 'Wo

' I r r t u m ' , but t o absorb i t i n t o [ d i e K n e c h t e und I , 48/12). of men are Bar-

m o g l i c h , l e h n t man die Seite'

baren] s a n f t auf It and

(Hyperion,

mediates between the a n t i t h e s e s , the w o r l d 'Menschen' and t h a t the

the mystery of the Divine. o p p o s e d ( i t i s no of these triads,

'Nacht' central

directly statements

accident

' r u h e n d i e Menschen' and

'die

N a c h t kommt' , h a v e t h e same m e t r i c a l p o s i t i o n ) . both o r p h i c and and r e v o l u t i o n a r y act, both

Rhythm i s the 423-37)

soothing

titanic and

s h a p e l e s s c h a o s ( c f . 'Empedokles' I I I , the ' U n t e r g a n g o d e r U b e r g a n g des

performing

Vater-

landes'

(4.282, 23) Through the s t r o p h i c form d e s t r u c t i o n and violence love. i s the o l d w o r l d , the

becomes t r a n s i t i o n , Through 'aufgelost'

'song' t h e w o r l d o f men

( c f . 4 . 2 8 2 - 8 5 ) , a phase i n t h e r h y t h m o f

- 176

cosmos. L o s t i n t h e i r w o r l d ( t h e p o s i t i o n o f ' d i e Menschen' i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e t r i a d and p a r a l l e l t h r o u g h ' r u h e n ' w i t h ' d i e S t a d t ' and d e r M a r k t ' , t h e e n c l o s i n g w o r d s , u n d e r m i n e s t h e i r c o n t r o l o v e r t h e i r s p h e r e ) , t h e y a r e abs o r b e d and c o m p r e h e n d e d . And t h u s t h e y become, f o r a l l t h a t t h e y t h i n k t h e m s e l v e s and t h e i r a f f a i r s o f g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e , l i k e c h i l d r e n t o whom t h e i r games w e r e e v e r y t h i n g and now, t u c k e d up i n b e d , s l e e p s o u n d l y .
1

The the

c o n f l i c t i s 'drowned i n sounds o f p e a c e ' ; t h r o u g h i n chiastic / 'das S a i t e n -

g l i d i n g t r a n s i t i o n the j u x t a p o s i t i o n ('ruht der g e s c h a f f t i g e Markt'

antithesis spiel

t o n t ' , verb and

+ substantive / substantive + verb) i s t h e r e i s no p a u s e a t ' t o n t ' . B u t this that

scarcely f e l t , act the

o f r e c o n c i l i a t i o n i s ambivalent. I t presupposes 'sphere' o f men i s t h e r e a l m o f 'day', n o r m a l

perceptpoet

i o n , naive l i m i t a t i o n , f o r t h i s i s the realm that the now leaves behind. experience

Such an a c t p r e s u p p o s e s d e p e n d e n c e o f on t h e p o e t ' s otherness. I t i s , indeed,

1

poetic

a t once a p r i e s t l y ' o d i p r o f a n u m v u l g u s e t a r c e o Odes, I I I , ion; and 1 , 1.1) and a magic key t o t h e door 'der

(Horace,

of perceptgeschafftige 'das

so an a c t o f s e l f - e x c l u s i o n . As and absorbs

Markt'

closes about

' d i e M e n s c h e n ' , so

Saitenspiel' of

o p e n s a new

r e a l m , a second eye; b r o u g h t about

t h e melody triadic

the c h i a s t i c

antithesis

by t h e

structure

effects

t h e s p e l l whereby t h e poet

creates the t o the rhythm

a u t o n o m o u s s p a c e o f t h e poem. H i s r e l a t i o n s h i p world of o f men,

t h e i r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o the cosmic

t h e W o r l d - S p i r i t , a l s o c a s t s o f f t h e s h a c k l e s o f human and serves t o generate the i n t e n s i t y of poetic

limitation,

experience. The 'day' o f men

177

is clarity:

intellect,

Enlightened distinct,

normality, h a r d and now

i n w h i c h what i s i s what i t i s , known, This hold t o be on life

fast.

(mastery over Nature) i s As b e f i t s the central intuition,

gradually

relinquished.

sphere, perception

i s here h a l f knowledge, h a l f as to the is n a t u r e and

a dreamy s p e c u l a t i o n things. source, ing with insects. following The

o r i g i n of

'Saitenspiel'

'fern', unidentifiable; i t s q u a l i t y o f i t s sound, mergon grass, birds and the governs

'aus G a r t e n ' , more t h e the nocturnal

s c e n t s , dew

I t i s at f i r s t

d i s e m b o d i e d , p u r e s o u n d , and

' v i e l e i c h t , daB' r e n o u n c e s k n o w l e d g e , and

a p r o g r e s s i v e loosening of the

metre-syntax r e l a t i o n . of the intellect

This r e l a x a t i o n of form i s a d i s s o l v i n g with the i t s demand f o r c l a r i t y and

s t r u c t u r e ; to i t corresponds as given

g r a d u a l e l i m i n a t i o n o f human c o n s c i o u s n e s s instance. For first

controlling way to

' d i e Menschen' h a v e

'ein Liebendes' the

( t h e n e u t e r i s a dreamy of purpose), but an object he,

imprecision, despite his conhis (the of

softening the

masculinity

b e a u t y o f h i s m u s i c , has

i n mind,

b e l o v e d ; t h e n , however, t o the trasts object gently but directly with i n elegiac

' e i n s a m e r Mann', who ' d i e Menschen'. F o r longing, merging

i s vague, l o s t of

repetition

' f e r n ' , advanced t o the w i t h the

emphatic p o i n t m u s i c he so

enjambement, i s i n c a n t a t o r y )

'perhaps'

produces; h i s thought a d e l i c a t e thread passes, w i t h purity the of the i t s unshed t e a r s , fountains.

fine that i t eternal expressed thought i n the by

away i n t o t h e

This i s wonderfully semi-colon; mortal perceptible;

s l i g h t e s t pause, the i t s end

itself flowing

ends h e r e , and

is just

178

'und's, t h e c l i m a x o f t h e d i s s o l v i n g r h y t h m , t h e o b j e c t s of h i s t e a r s ( h i s ' d i s t a n t f r i e n d s ' , h i s 'youth') d i s s o l v e i n t o 'die Brunnen'.

Thus 1.10, w h e r e t h e e n d - s t o p p e d p e n t a m e t e r

ends t h e a puri-

d i s s o l u t i o n o f form, gains f i n a l i t y ; i t concludes fication. M o r t a l men a r e n e a r e s t

such p u r i t y i n s o r r o w i n g will, i s l i g h t and the streaming

t e a r s , f o r t h e n t h e i r h o l d on l i f e , wavering. rhythm But t h e waters o f Nature

i n t o which

passes a r e unmarred, c l e a r ,

' i m m e r q u i l l e n d ' , and seems i m p u r e . The itself;

b e f o r e them e v e n t h e p u r e s t g r i e f pentameter the

seems t o d e m a r c a t e t h e r e a l m

of thought

poem, p a s s i n g b e y o n d , i s i n i t i a t e d , The sixth which

open t o t h e D i v i n e .

couplet i s isolated. Within the central i t s e l f mediates between 'day' a n d t h e D i v i n e ,

triad, it

mediates between m o r t a l t h o u g h t and t h e coming o f

N i g h t , as r h y t h m i c a l l y b e t w e e n t h e d i s s o l v i n g o f f o r m complete is The w i t h 1.10 and t h e f i n a l t r i a d . Thus i s o l a t e d , i t transformation. impending

a moment i n t i m e , t h e moment t h a t p r e c e d e s w o r l d i s as a l w a y s ,

b u t u n d e r t h e s i g n o f an

c o m i n g , a h i g h e r m e a n i n g , so c e r t a i n t h a t t h e m e a n i n g o f w h a t i s p e r c e i v e d ("Gloken' , ' W a c h t e r ' ) i s s u s p e n d e d , no longer v a l i d . The b e l l s r i n g , t h e watchman c a l l s t h e hour,

b u t t h e r e i s no c o n t e x t f o r t h e s e r e s o l u t i o n o f m o r t a l consciousness s t r u c t u r e o f human l i f e and serve (tell i n which

events. For w i t h the the individuated place in

t h e y have t h e i r

t h e t i m e ) has f a l l e n

away; i s o l a t e d

their the

c o u p l e t , each p u r i f i e d

from i n c i d e n t a l

significance,

b e l l s through t h e t a u t o l o g y 'ertonen g e l a u t e t ' , t h e each i s a

w a t c h m a n t h r o u g h h i s i n t e n t n e s s on t h e h o u r s , pure event

and t h e r e f o r e , because t h e meaning i s o n l y

179

of form, of the pure b e e n no suggestion of be a sphere, night-

revealed with the f u l f i l m e n t a signal. fall, of and Till now t h e r e has ten lines

the f i r s t

could s t i l l

celebration

evening

stillness;

but with t h i s t o t h e one end.

couplet a l l twelve Thus ' Z a h l the hours

1

l i n e s become d e v o t e d final

i s the of day,

w o r d ; t h e i r number i s now, filled up.

like

twelve, Yet ing of

the couplet a r i s e s o r g a n i c a l l y out of the For t h e p u r i t y o f t h e sounds i s a

preced-

lines.

restoration

t r u e purpose dependent upon t h e d i s s o l v i n g o f t h o u g h t Such p u r p o s e i s h a r m o n y i n t h e l i v e s o f men but accord The second with are no

w i t h i t s h o l d upon l i f e .

N a t u r e , when t h e t r a n s i t i o n s

longer a d i s t r a c t i n g m u l t i p l i c i t y , o u s l y w i t h h e r s , t h e One (11.12/13) of the day purpose.

spontanetransition The movement all; single,

i s t h e symbol o f t h i s i s one

accordance.

into night

movement, e x p e r i e n c e d by fall away before t h i s

myriad

concerns

o f men

unified, at an man

purpose;

b u t t h e b e l l s mark i t , t h e watchman i s p e r c e p t i o n o f t h i s purpose i s pure, is One,

i t s service.

The

' i n t e l l e k t u a l e Anschauung'. For whereas N a t u r e i s chaotic singularity; eyes, every consciousness and

sees t h e

w o r l d t h r o u g h i t s own

imposes upon i t i r r e d e e m i n the f i g h t o f each away

a b l y mundane d e s i r e , n o t l e a s t individual all for survival. and The

poetic act i s t o s t r i p that

such a c c i d e n c e

l i b e r a t e Nature:

i s , poetic and, equally, and

p e r c e p t i o n i s a surrender t o Nature's he who performs

purpose,

t h i s a c t i s by d e f i n i t i o n b o t h p o e t (Hyperion, I I , who

' P r i e s t e r der g b t t l i c h e n Natur' W i t h t h e word

10Vl1f.). waiting; here.

'Zahl' i t i s Nature

pauses,

a p o w e r has b e e n s e t f r e e ,

i s immanent, b u t n o t y e t

180 13-15

Lines

are

the advent. p

As

the signal c a l l s f o r t h

the

'Spirit the

of Nature',

so i t comes f i r s t

as

'Wehn'. Thus the triads hours.

'jezt

auch', the g l i d i n g

transition,

i s again two

v e h i c l e of a sharp a n t i t h e s i s . ended i n s t a s i s :

Both the f i r s t

t h e r e s t i n g m a r k e t , t h e number o f closes the world of order.

Thus t h e s e c o n d t r i a d

The substant-

drawn-out onomatopoeic s y l l a b l e ive, from the f i r s t :

'Wehn' i s a v e r b a l

movement e n t e r s t h e poem, a g e n c y p a s s e s perceived. e v e r - g l i d i n g rhythm I at least 'die ex-

the p e r c e i v e r t o the The

t e n s i o n between the assured,

and

t h e d a e m o n i c c o m i n g now

intensifies.

perience

a f r i s s o n o f f e a r as Hains', touches,

the b r e a t h touches

G i p f e l des Earth's

then, the highest

leaves, this is and

most s e n s i t i v e p a r t , n e a r e s t

Heaven* F o r into

a s u p e r n a t u r a l communication, a glimpse forbidden realm; as t h e g r o v e has

a closed

been w a i t i n g f o r t h e

Spirit

f o r a l o v e r . The

erotic undercurrent p a s s i v i t y was

bespeaks a daemonic The final the

N a t u r e whose a p p a r e n t s p h e r e has will

a veil.

gone b e y o n d s u r r e n d e r

of w i l l ;

to perceive

o f N a t u r e i s t o l o s e one's own

power, mastery

over

the world. Therewith

t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f a dream t h e r e i s no

prevail, The

w h e r e w h a t comes comes, and p o e t i c p r o c e s s has of will

control.

been a c a l c u l a t e d , w i l l e d , experience. The

surrender apparent revealed en-

f o r t h e sake o f t h i s

c o n t r o l , t h e ease o f t h e g l i d i n g r h y t h m , as t h e v e r y means t o t h i s chantment . Its ing ease, t h e f l o w i n g c o n n e c t i o n s , ('ruhen', 'rauschen', loss of s e l f ;

i s now

a serpentine

enhanced by 'kommen'),

echo-

figures

'fern',

= 181 -

b e t w e e n and w i t h i n t h e l i n e s , ordinate clauses, regularity exclamations

a v o i d i n g emphases, s u b and q u e s t i o n s , a n d i t s c a l m 'Und'-clauses i n t h e hexametric so t h a t t h e

( f o u r complementary

p e n t a m e t e r , a l l b u t one s t r o n g t h i r d - f o o t caesuras, strophe each l i n e

w i t h i t s one m a i n v e r b ,

seems t o u n f o l d ) h a v e become a m b i v a l e n t ; no twelve lines (which by themselves

l o n g e r , as i n t h e f i r s t

w o u l d h a v e no i n t e n s i t y ) t h e p l a c i d d e s c r i p t i o n o f a s c e n e , b u t t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f an i r r e v o c a b l e e n t r y i n t o the unknown. Thus t h e o n s e t o f Night i s u n c o n t r o l l e d y e t formed, and t h i r d triad are a n t i 'comes';

rushing yet unhurried. First theses. 'die

As t h e w o r l d o f men ' r e s t s ' ,

so N i g h t

F r e m d l i n g i n u n t e r d e n Menschen' e c h o e s

'zu r u h e n d i e response open

Menschen', and t h e t r i p l e to the threefold 'ruhen':

'kommen' i s t h e d y n a m i c t h e r e , enclosing, here,

form, i m p e l l i n g

forward; together, the rhythmic

figures I n 11.13-15

weave an i n c a n t a t i o n a b o u t t h e s t r o p h i c s p h e r e . the rhythm g r a d u a l l y a c c e l e r a t e s , as t h o u g h

each phase a dimin-

were a l e s s e n e d ishing structure

r e s i s t a n c e t o N i g h t ' s coming (hexameter, pentameter, sense ( 1 . 1 4 )

hexameter-half) and metre (1.15)

achieved and 'die

through incomplete

culminating i n t h e separated

substantivised epithet rhythmical unit

S c h w a r m e r i s c h e ' , e a c h member o f t h i s forward t o completion.

impels

So t o o 'kommen' g a i n s i n accelerates, f i r s t backforaway.

s t r e n g t h , m o v i n g , as t h e r h y t h m

wards t o t h e emphatic p o s i t i o n i n enjambement, t h e n ward t o t h e f i n a l position, the languid e dropping

This quickening pulse

j o i n s w i t h an e v e r - i n t e n s i f y i n g

- 182 personification, you is The can the so that with

the : ' < , k of 'Schwarmerische' end

almost hear the b r i e f e s t of

swish of her

d a r k c l o a k . The

statements: three

' d i e N a c h t kommt'. unadorned climax structure

b r e v i t y of the of the

monosyllables, the

simplicity of the that

statement, i t s p o s i t i o n at the rhythm w i t h the diminishing

accelerating

finally

s t r i p s away e v e r y t h i n g

'accidental', a l l verb of motion,

attribute;

the

dynamic r e p e t i t i o n of the

breaking the

long

sequence o f l i n e s w i t h t h e i r single recounting

descriptive forces

f u l l n e s s o f n o u n s and

verb: these

c o n c e n t r a t e , i s o l a t e , and ' d i e N a c h t ' . She, noumenon, t h e whose v e h i c l e the paratactic and this

give

g r e a t power t o t h e substantive, becomes

words the

single

w i l l , b e h i n d a s e q u e n c e o f p r e c e d i n g phenomena i s the 'epic' sequence o f f l o w i n g couplets The (again endfalls; un-

form of pure p e r c e p t i o n ) .

point the

c l i m a x i s t h u s t h a t moment when d a r k n e s s s i m p l i c i t y i s the linguistic i m a g e o f an

stark

f a t h o m a b l e o t h e r n e s s and of the far 'coming' i n t o t h e

w o r d l e s s m y s t e r y . The same l i n e as

compression moon,

t h a t of the

f r o m w e a k e n i n g , endows i t , by flow,

v i r t u e of the The

preceding is has

regular the

w i t h daemonic v i t a l i t y .

simplicity

moment a t w h i c h w h a t has

b e e n c o n j u r e d comes, w h a t three words are not the just

b e e n s o u g h t h a p p e n s , so f o r m u l a , word o f power, d e s c r i p t i o n but of the spell,

t h a t the of the

magical a

p r i e s t , and the

a command; i t i s a l s o moment o f no of

irrevocability absolute-

the

r e t u r n . I t i s the darkness. climax of the

ness, i n f i n i t y , But last

uniformity, also

these words are

the

strophe.

The

three

l i n e s f a l l b a c k t o r e s t as the sphere, the word

N i g h t ' s opaque beginning

pre-

sence f i l l s

'Voll'

this

- 183 fulfilment o f f o r m . The p o i e s i s i s o v e r . The aesthetic return to The

r e s t i s drawn out w i t h p e r f e c t hexameter (1.15)

judgement.

w i t h i t s c l i m a x l e a v e s t h e whole

strophe

w i d e o p e n . The antithetical tactically

f o l l o w i n g pentameter ('Voll ...

embraces i t w i t h i t s ... '),

1

unity

j j wenig

and

synthis

t h e s t r o p h e c o u l d end w i t h

'urn u n s . To

e x t e n t t h e p e n t a m e t e r hangs back w i t h t h e body o f t h e strophe, so t h a t t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t becomes d e t a c h e d ; the d e i c t i c this

g i v e s t o 'Glanzt', i t s opening word, revelation. revelation Night at last is really

force of this

appears, i s r e v e a l e d . But as t h e f i n a l

fulfilment:

couplet itself

s t a n d s a p a r t f r o m t h e s t r o p h e , so t h e s t r o p h e

becomes d a r k n e s s , a n d , i n s e t l i k e d i a m o n d s , t h e g l i t t e r i n g , infinitely-distant s t a r s , which themselves shed no l i g h t , the

c o m p l e t e t h e e t e r n a l m y s t e r y . Thus l i g h t f u l f i l s r e v e l a t i o n of Night. As she comes, h o w e v e r , t h e mood c h a n g e s . The

dynamic 'die has four lines

l i n e a r movement o f t h e s t r o p h e ends w i t h t h e w o r d s N a c h t kommt'; t h e g o a l i s r e a c h e d . Y e t t h i s c h a n g e a l r e a d y b e g u n i n 1.15 are r e a d as a u n i t , itself, so t h a t i f the l a s t

a b a l a n c e d , r o c k i n g r h y t h m emerges, a hems t h e i m p e t u s and

r a l l e n t a n d o whose i n c r e a s i n g w e i g h t f i r s t of

t h e s t r o p h e , t h e n b e a r s down u p o n i t l i k e a s h r o u d , f i n a l c o u p l e t , an isolated

so b r i n g s i t t o an e n d . The and

s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t m a i n c l a u s e s h u t away i n i t s s e p a r a b l e ... h e r a u f ' ) , i s spanned by a single

components ('Glanzt verb; not t i l l

the d a c t y l s of the pentameter's

second

h a l f i s i t s m e a n i n g r e l e a s e d . I t t h u s f o r m s an a r c r i s i n g to ' Gebirgeshb'hn' , a t once i t s s u m m i t and t h a t o f t h e s t r o p h e , w h i c h now subsides t o r e s t .

y

entire

Each h a l f

of

- 184 = t h e p e n t a m e t e r d i v i d e s i n t o f e e t t h a t m a t c h , t h e f i r s t bysound ( ' l i b e r G e j b i r g e - ' ) , t h e second b y sound and sense ( ' t r a u r i g u n d p r a c h t i g ' ) . Thus t h e t w o h a l v e s b a l a n c e and c o n t r a s t w i t h one a n o t h e r , an e f f e c t i n t e n s i f i e d b y t h e l o n g s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s ( l i b , b i r g , hb'hn, t r a u ) , a n d b y t h e w e i g h t o f t h e m e a n i n g o f ' G e b i r g e s h o h n ' as o f s a d grandeur.

L i n e 18 i s t h u s a d o u b l e d thetical which unity

i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of the a n t i a rhythmic ascent

o f 1.16; 1.16 t h u s b e g i n s ' h e r a u f , b u t which

ends w i t h

i s also a gradual

s l o w i n g o f momentum, d e e p e n i n g o f mood, w e i g h i n g - d o w n o f the strophe. This ascent a b s o r b s t h e h e x a m e t e r s ( 1 1 . 1 5 and itself, and i t

1'7)i w i t h t h e i r brings out t h e i r

open, s e a r c h i n g e n e r g y , i n t o parallelism ( t h e opening

with

delayed

main v e r b s , t h e marked pause a t t h e c a e s u r a , substantivised in of attributes o f Night opening ending,

the feminine half

t h e second

a p p o s i t i o n ) . The f a l s e the strophe. The

1.16, i s t h u s t h e p i v o t

mood t h a t e n t e r s t h e poem i s s o r r o w ,

and i t i s Night.

this It

t h a t a b s o r b s t h e daemonic speed o f o n r u s h i n g

i s t h e e l e g i a c form t h a t

i s r e s t o r e d ; t h e open c o u p l e t ,

whose u t t e r r e g u l a r i t y was an a s s e r t i o n o f f o r m , r e t u r n s to itself i n cosmic 'Wechsel d e s E n t f a l t e n s u n d V e r s c h l i e B has g a i n e d infinitely i n weight

ens', and

b u t i n t h e process has, indeed,

pathos,

become ' t r a u r i g u n d p r a c h t i g ' .

L i k e d a r k n e s s i t c l o s e s a b o u t t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem, s e a l i n g it o f f ; a n d t h e poem becomes a s p h e r e , 'Welt i n d e r W e l t ' , and fall

held i n t h e transcending form, t h e e t e r n a l r i s e of the breath of l i f e .

The i n t e n s i t y o f t h e p o e t i c

- 185 e x p e r i e n c e snaps, and g i v e s The easeful forth way t o l o s s and l o n g i n g . The calls o f ex-

a r t of the strophe resides rhythm, g l i d i n g i n i t s flow

i n this tension. and r e g u l a r i t y ,

the Divine

by r e l e a s i n g and f a l l

a daemonic i n t e n s i t y of the couplet itself,

perience.

As t h e r i s e

creates the

sphere t h a t draws t h e p o e t i n t o renunciation the

so t h e p o i e s i s i s

o f p u r p o s e . The w o r l d

o f 'men', t h e ' l o v e r ' , 'Bleibendes' as i t i s l e f t (cf. behind,

' s o l i t a r y man', e a c h i s a w e a k e r and t h u s , hold

'Empedokles' I I , 6 5 0 - 5 3 ) , a lessening 'Halt'

( c f . 1.32),

on l i f e , a s t a g e i n with

s u r r e n d e r o f s e l f a n d an e n t r y e v e r d e e p e r i n t o u n i o n N a t u r e . The p u r p o s e o f t h e i n c a n t a t i o n was n o t j u s t t o summon N i g h t , so but t o l u l l the w i l l , the ordering

s e l f , and

t o carry the self

surely, inexorably,

i n t o the Other,

t h e Unknown. I n t h i s

sense t h e s t r o p h e i s an e x i s t e n t i a l otherness. and

s p h e r e . The O b j e c t i s d a r k n e s s , m y s t e r y , a b s o l u t e For i t t o come, as a d i v i n e as a S u b j e c t , spirit

and n u m i n o u s w i l l ,

therefore

the Subject,

man, must e x c h a n g e open. This

r o l e s w i t h N a t u r e a n d become p a s s i v e , a n o b j e c t : is

the r e - v o l u t i o n a r y a c t t h a t turns round the conventional, r e l a t i o n s h i p o f man t o N a t u r e . through i t s i r r e v o c a b i l i t y , Relation-

Enlightened

This process i s a s p e l l and ship

i t i s i r r e v o c a b l e because i t i s c a l c u l a t e d . i s recreated w i t h i n the ideal world,

t h e mythopoeic

imagination, formulated,

and i s an a c t o n l y w i t h i n t h e r a t i o n a l l y a n d so c o n t r o l l e d , s t r u c t u r e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s serves vulnera-

( ' H i n g a b e ' a n d ' E i g e n m a c h t ' ) . No d o u b t t h e c o n t r o l to protect the poetic self i n i t s sensitivity nevertheless, and

bility

from t h e r e a l world;

t h e prime

- 186 purpose i s t o create a f i t t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e w o r l d , f i t t i n g i n view o f t h e d i v i n e nature o f the i n d i v i d u a l . For t h e r o l e played by t h e p o e t i c s e l f i n t h i s s t r o p h e i s g i g a n t i c , and t h i s t i t a n i s m i s m i t i g a t e d o n l y b y t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m i n w h i c h i t i s h e l d and b y v i r t u e o f w h i c h t h e e x p e r i e n c e i s , e v e n as i t t a k e s p l a c e , o v e r , and so a l o s t S e e l i g k e i t ' , b e a u t i f u l , s h r o u d e d i n l o n g ing.
1

Thus t h e s o r r o w o f t h e f i n a l

lines,

implicit

i n 'wenig
1

bekummert' and ' F r e m d l i n g i n ' , e x p l i c i t v/hich a b s o r b s t h e c o m i n g o f N i g h t ably out of the poetic experience, form, place. self

i n ' t r a u r i g , and arises inevitpoetic

i n 1.15, since

i t fulfils

t h e sphere w i t h i n which alone t h a t experience can take I t s intensity, the arc that i n a single loss of line t o ' d i e N a c h t kommt',

s t r e t c h e s from

the f i r s t

must f a l l b a c k i n l o s s and l o n g i n g , f o r t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d sphere i s f o u n d e d on t h e r e s i g n a t i v e e l e g i a c The necessity o f p o e t i c form situation. elegiac

i s w e i g h e d down w i t h

s o r r o w i n p r o p o r t i o n as t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e i s i n t e n s e . The couplet returns to itself, r e c r e a t e d by t h e strophe a p a r t , i n acknowledge-

w i t h i t s arc; Subject ment o f t h e i n f i n i t e The strophe

and O b j e c t f a l l

otherness o f Night.^ published separately, with

was o r i g i n a l l y

the t i t l e but

'Die N a c h t ' ; i n t h a t f o r m

i t i s not a form

strophe

a poem. T h e r e b y t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g

i s l o s t , and sorrow, which becomes

with i t both

t h e i n t e n s i t y and t h e i n h e r e n t

communicates i t s e l f

back t o t h e whole; t h e s t r o p h e

a calm, even b e a u t i f u l , b u t n o t i n s p i r e d , c e l e b r a t i o n o f n i g h t . D i d t h i s n o t h a p p e n b e c a u s e i t makes t h e poem easier? many w o u l d p r e f e r i t w i t h o u t d e o t h o r d a e m o n i c

- 187 feeling. product B u t t h e poem i s a s i n g l e i n d i v i s i b l e of poetic techique. t o systematise then appearing whole, t h e

By t h e same t o k e n , t h o s e who l i k e Holderlin's poetry within a coherent

t h e meaning o f ' n i g h t '

c o n t e x t (sum m e a n i n g o f t h e poem) s u c h and overcoming t h e s t a t e o f w e s t e r n and f r u i t f u l relationship man,

as: u n d e r s t a n d i n g

a c h i e v i n g an a c c e p t a b l e Germany and G r e e c e

between

( ' d i e e r h o f f t e Wanderung

gottlicher 54)

E r f i i l l u n g v o n O s t e n nach Westen': I n s e l - A u s g a b e , i i i , must r e c k o n 7

with the regressive value of the transcend-

ing form. to find it,

The poem does i n d e e d and t h i s failure

s e e k f o r Day, b u t f a i l s t o poetic

also belongs

t e c h n i q u e . Day l i e s

o u t s i d e p o e t r y qua p o e t r y , a n d t h e (elegiac) discovery that longing orienttranscends

poem i s t h e p r e s t a b i l i s e d

and c o n s o l a t i o n a r e t h e v a l u e s w h e r e b y p o e t r y must ate i t s e l f . I t i s t h i s p r e s t a b i l i s e d harmony t h a t of the f i r s t

the experience relationship contrary:

strophe, not the systematic

o f N i g h t t o Day, Germany t o G r e e c e . On t h e

f o r e k n o w l e d g e o f l o n g i n g and c o n s o l a t i o n bestows s t r o p h e i t s a u t o n o m y ; i t i s 'open' Proof only

upon t h e f i r s t

w i t h i n t h e c l o s e d sphere o f darkness. abstract

lies not i n

c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , b u t i n a e s t h e t i c assessment o f i s i n practice a l o s s o f beauty. My

t h e poem, w h i c h argument would

n o t a p p l y , were i t o f c o n s t a n t v a l u e . B u t systemati-

a e s t h e t i c a s s e s s m e n t , as o p p o s e d t o i n t e l l e c t u a l

s a t i o n , i s an e n t r y i n t o t h e s p h e r e o f t h e poem, and y i e l d s an e x i s t e n t i a l criterion.

'Wunderbar' ( ' w o n d r o u s ' ,

' s t r a n g e ' ) summarises t h e

- 188 e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e ; t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e secondi s t h u s t h e a b s t r a c t i o n o f t h e f i r s t , and s e a l s i t o f f . The i n - s p i r a t i o n o f t h e f i r s t t r i a d i s t h u s l e s s i n t e n s e , a l i g h t e r mystery; t h e q u i v e r i n g s u p e r n a t u r a l communication of 1.13, t h e 'Wehn', h a s become a memory, ' e r - i n n e r t ' , and b r e a t h e d over t h e f i r s t f o u r l i n e s w i t h t h e i r w - a l l i t e r -

Q ation. Here i s t h e s e t t i n g - o u t i n search o f Day, o f t h e

counter-principle within a unified attempt t o f i n d of a coherent

cosmos. I t i s t h e understanding o f man. I n t h e Gott',

and c o n v i n c i n g state

and s o l u t i o n t o t h e contemporary triad this cosmic p r i n c i p l e ,

first

'der o b e r s t e

absorbs darkness i n t o h i s dualism. Already Welt' hold the act

'bewegt s i e d i e emotive through

i s ambiguous, s u g g e s t i n g n o t o n l y N i g h t ' s

on ' t h e w o r l d ' , b u t t h e movement o f t h a t w o r l d phases o f n i g h t of 'will', a n d d a y . Then t h e ' W i l l '

o f 1.5 i s an

g r a p h i c a l l y breaking through the couplett h r o u g h N i g h t ' s h o l d on men, and p u t t i n g Her b r e a t h i s b r e a t h e d o u t , i n the past. i s t h u s an both

division an

as t h o u g h

end t o t h e w - a l l i t e r a t i o n .

exhausted, The

h e r daemonic presence l i e s

t u r n t o t h e 'du' o f t h e s e c o n d s t r o p h e

o p e n i n g - u p o f t h e poem, t h e s p h e r e o f n i g h t , t o w a r d s day-light ful

and t h e a d d r e s s e e , t h e o t h e r . I t i s o f a wonderi s t h e sphere ,

i n t i m a c y a n d w a r m t h : t h e summer n i g h t

w i t h i n which

t h e p o e t i c ' I ' s p e a k s t o t h e ' t h o u ' . These answer t o Heinse 'der A l t e '

words a r e p r o b a b l y a d i r e c t (cf. 2.596, 17),

' d e r Weise'

who c o u l d see no good

anywhere b u t i n t h e d a z z l i n g sun and i n n o c e n t v i t a l i t y o f H e l l a s and 'the b l e s s e d i s l a n d s ' . Holderlin's reply, infinitely This 'wisdom' i s now, i n

softened, i t s jagged,

- 189

i n t r a c t a b l e edges smoothed by l o v e . Hence t h e s o o t h i n g r e p e t i t i o n o f ' l i e b - ' , l i n g e r i n g on, c a r e s s i n g , i t s l o n g s y l l a b l e , hence t h e s o f t d - a l l i t e r a t i o n , s p i n n i n g t h r e a d s about t h e 'du' t h a t t a k e t h e i r warmth (no l o n g e r t h e h a r s h heat o f c o n f l i c t i n g i d e a s ) f r o m 'be-sonnen'. The very

ambivalence o f t h i s word i s p o e t i c m i t i g a t i o n o f t h e s i m p l e d i r e c t n e s s o f Heinse's v i e w . The t r i a d i c t r a n s i t i o n (11.24 /25) i s t h u s an a c t of ' l i e b - ' i s a b r i d g e between b o t h 'I'

love; the t h r e e f o l d and 'thou' and Day

and N i g h t . 'Tag', which c l o s e s t h e f i r s t w o r l d o f t h e 'du' , and

t r i a d , i s t h e boundary o f t h e one-sided or,

i n o t h e r words, t h e 'du' i s drawn beyond i t s w o r l d

i n t o t h a t o f t h e p o e t and o f harmonious c o n t r a s t ; f o r t h e second t r i a d i s t h e sphere o f n i g h t , and completes t h e cosmic d u a l i s m . Thus ' k l a r e s Auge' i s t o 'der besonnene Tag' as 'das S a i t e n s p i e l a new
1

t o 'der g e s c h a f f t i g e M a r k t ' ; i t opens enclosed the eye

r e a l m . That l e f t b e h i n d i s warm and p a s s i v e ,

by t h e b e n e v o l e n t w i l l o f 'der o b e r s t e G o t t ' . Now opens. Agency passes f r o m t h e d i v i n e t o t h e human the

sphere;

eye i s c l e a r , and, f r e e d from t h e c l o y i n g warmth of i t sees, sees beyond t h e d i v i n e 'will'. limit(even

'der besonnene Tag',

But i f human, t h e eye i s a l s o ' c l e a r ' , f r e e from t h e a t i o n o f a human possessor; f r e e of a l l q u a l i f i c a t i o n the

a r t i c l e s ) , i t i s n o t s u b j e c t e d t o use, b u t i t s e l f s u b j e c t : pure s e e i n g , t r a n s c e n d e n t a l , disembodied.

This

c o n t r a s t w i t h the p a s s i v i t y of the f i r s t t r i a d i s b e a u t i f u l l y enhanced by t h e c l e a r , l i q u i d 1 - a l l i t e r a t i o n t o which t h e warm and i n t i m a t e d g i v e s way, open au-assonance m a r k i n g and by t h e round, and

and marked by t h e caesura,

- 190

t h u s o p e n i n g ( S p r a c h g e s t u s ) t h e r o u n d eye. Yet t h e emphasis f a l l s n o t on 'Auge' b u t on 'klares',

and t h u s ' k l a r e s Auge' i s welded i n t o one i d e a . I t i s t h e c o o l l i m p i d p o o l , s u r r o u n d e d by warm d r y l a n d as t h e eye i s a m y s t i c a l s p i r i t u a l c i r c l e i n t h e warm p h y s i c a l i t y o f t h e human f a c e . T h e r e f o r e , by a paradox o f t h e k i n d H o l d e r l i n l o v e s (compare a l r e a d y 'stand d e r Strom' i n 'Die . q M e i n i g e ' ) , t h e p o o l o f t h e eye i s an i s l a n d . Since t h e c i r c l e o f t h e eye c o n t r a s t s w i t h t h e whole 'sphere' o f 'der isolates

besonnene Tag', t h e r h y t h m c o n c e n t r a t e s about and

' k l a r e s Auge'. N i g h t , t h e i n s c r u t a b l e m y s t e r y o f t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e , and Day, t h e h a r s h and uncompromising, indeed,

i n s e n s i t i v e and s e l f - i n d u l g e n t , s i n g l e - m i n d e d n e s s o f Heinse's v i e w , are mediated: hemispheres shade, 'Wechsel der Tone

1

o f warmth and

w i t h i n t h e cosmic r h y t h m , t h e

love, of the W o r l d - S p i r i t . The warmth o f day seeks t h e c o o l o f n i g h t , and t h e 'du' i s drawn beyond i t s e l f ; t h e ' k l a r e s Auge' seeks 'shade and ' s l e e p ' , and i n so d o i n g goes beyond t h e ' w i l l ' and, of the

'god', l o o k s beyond day and i n t o a new s e c r e t r e a l m . The

implicitly,

'Aber' i s t h e opening o f a door t o t h e 'liebe-

m y s t e r i e s o f t h e u n i v e r s e ; by sound s u b t l y resuming

which t h e n re-emerges i n ' l i e b t ' , i t s e l f echoed i n ' L u s t ' , i t b e g i n s a l i q u i d l u l l a b y sung by t h e c o u p l e t , and a t e s a r e l a x a t i o n o f o r d e r ; w i l l , now sun, s u r r e n d e r s t o i n c l i n a t i o n : initi-

associated w i t h the 'ver-

'zuweilen l i e b t ' ,

suchet zu L u s t ' , 'eh' es d i e Noth i s t ' ,

each c l a u s e loosens ' I s t ' , and as

t h e f i r m , emphatic s t r u c t u r e o f ' W i l l ' and

' l i e b t ' passes t o t h e human s u b j e c t , t o ' k l a r e s Auge', t h e

- 191 'du' i s l i b e r a t e d from e x t e r n a l n e c e s s i t y . T h i s l i b e r a t i n g s u r r e n d e r t o 'Liebe' and ' L u s t ' , unf a s t e n i n g o f t h e cosmic o r d e r , c o o l l i q u i d l u l l a b y expressed of n o t j u s t i n t h e sounds, b u t i n t h e r o c k i n g c r a d l e

t h e c o u p l e t i n i t s p e r f e c t r i s e and (complementary 'liebt' / 'Lust',

pentameter w i t h a l l i t e r a t i v e p a r a l l e l i s m : 'Schatten' / S c h l a f ) f a l l ,
1

t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e o p e n i n g and change

rounded au-assonance: these are t h e f o r c e s t h a t

c o n t e x t and meaning o f ' k l a r e s ' , so t h a t t h e c l a r i t y i s no l o n g e r t h a t o f t h e sun and o f wisdom ( b e s o n n e n ) , b u t t h e c o o l and l i m p i d p o o l o f t h e eye. The w o r l d - o r d e r i s b r i e f l y r e l a x e d . But t h i s t h i s t r a n s g r e s s i o n symbolised is i n the t r i a d i c briefly,
1 1

transition,

a p o e t i c f i c t i o n . For 'der o b e r s t e G o t t ' i s n o t r e a l l y , 'monarchisch im Himmel', a d e s p o t i c

l i k e t h e C h r i s t i a n God, dispenser

o f law and p u n i s h e r o f s i n . He i s a p r o d u c t o f

' M y t h o l o g i e d e r V e r n u n f t ' , and t h e r e f o r e q u i t e s i m p l y an a f f i r m a t i o n o f what i s : ' A l l e s i s t g u t .

1

Thus t h e s t a t e o f

w e s t e r n man, d i v i n e absence, i s N i g h t , good, d i v i n e ; b u t he who bends t h e ' w i l l ' enacts t h e hen d i a p h e r o n o f God e q u a l l y p e r f o r m s his will,

h e a u t o , as l o n g as he can f e e l

t h e d i v i n i t y o f t h i s a c t . The o n l y c r i t e r i o n i s t h e b e a u t y of experience. Thus t h e t r a n s g r e s s i o n i s j u s t i f i e d by t h e power o f 'song', o r r a t h e r , t h e a e s t h e t i c c o m p l e t e l y s u b o r d i n a t i n g any r e l i g i o u s moral c r i t e r i o n , i s i t s e l f song. By becoming t h e t r i a d i c t r a n s i t i o n , t h e b a r r i e r t o experience upon men i s t r a n s f o r m e d imposed

i n t o the a l l u r e of a forbidden

r e a l m t h a t now opens, and so i s r e a l l y a means t o h e i g h t e n e d

e x p e r i e n c e . The a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n , t h e e x i s t e n t i a l f u n c t i o n o f t h e sphere, o f p o e t i c f o r m , o v e r r i d e s , y e t a t t h e same t i m e e x p l o i t s , religious ist t r a d i t i o n a l structures of

b e l i e f i n w h i c h human b e i n g s and d i v i n i t y ex-

i n unrelenting difference. The song i s a s p e l l w i t h t h e f o r m o f t r a n s g r e s s i o n ,

b i n d i n g day t o n i g h t ('wie d i e Rebe ... aus L i c h t und Nacht geboren': 'Empedokles' I I I , 'du' i n t o s u r r e n d e r

371-7*0, s o o t h i n g t h e

o f s e l f . The second t r i a d i s b o t h an

i n c a n t a t i o n and a hymn t o N i g h t . I t has a s t r a n g e and unique r h y t h m . There a r e no end-stopped c o u p l e t s , b u t i n s t e a d a s i n g l e onward f l o w marked o n l y by a g e n t l e pause r e c u r r i n g a f t e r each l i n e . The r i s e and f a l l o f t h e f i r s t c o u p l e t g i v e s way, i s absorbed i n t o a u n i f o r m i t y o f hexameter and p e n t a m e t e r ; t h e u n r e s t i n g b u t smooth r e s u m p t i o n s ('Und', 'Oder , 'Ja', ' W e i l ' ) y i e l d a s i n g l e
1

inexorable

b e a t t h a t a t l a s t e x c l u d e s a l l change. T h i s u n i f o r m i t y o f rhythm u n i t e s w i t h a deepening d a r k n e s s : 'Schatten' ( t h e l o n g shadows o f e v e n i n g ) , 'Schlaf, 'Nacht'; ' k l a r e s A u g e , surrenders

1

' e i n t r e u e r Mann', ' I r r e n d e n ' ,

'Todten', each

t h e v e s t i g e o f l i g h t and l i f e h e l d by t h e l a s t , moving from i s o l a t i o n ( e i n ... Mann') t o t h e e e r i e h o l d on l i f e o f the ' I r r e n d e n ' , and so t o t h e 'dead', who have i d e n t i t y i s sheer and u t t e r a l l transitive darkness

o n l y i n name. The c l i m a x , 1.30, e t e r n a l , unmoving a t t r i b u t e s ,

(changing)

forms ( s u b j e c t and o b j e c t ) gone. Here, o t h e r t h a n i n t h e f i r s t strophe, night i s not f a r

f r o m d e a t h . L i k e t o l l i n g b e l l s o r t h e death-watch i n s e c t , t h e s i n g l e r e c u r r i n g pause i s an image o f e t e r n a l d a r k n e s s ,

- 193 and t i c k s on i n t h e sheer b e i n g o f N i g h t : 'Selber aber b e s t e h t ' ; a r h y t h m i c f i g u r e a n t i c i p a t e d by and f u l f i l l i n g the 'lieb-' ('Aber') sequence o f 11.23-25Rhythmically

s p e a k i n g , t h e 'Todten' w a i t on t h e b r i n k o f darkness as

10
on t h e edge o f Charon's r i v e r ; all in Add and t h e e l i m i n a t i o n o f 'Bestehen' itself.

t r a n s i t i v e p o t e n t i a l from N i g h t ' s a b s o l u t e

t h e f i n a l pentameter i s t h a t o f consciousness t h e i n t e n s i f y i n g f o r c e o f 'Oder', 'Ja',

'Weil',

t h r o u g h which t h e i n d i v i d u a l l i n e g a i n s i n c r e a s i n g i n d e pendence ( c u l m i n a t i n g i n t h e a b s o l u t e independence o f 1 . 3 0 ) , and t h e c o o l r i s e and f a l l o f t h e opening couplet

becomes absorbed i n t o a d a r k and e t e r n a l S t y g i a n f l u x ; i t is the t h u s t h e L e t h e t h a t l o o s e n s a mind p r e o c c u p i e d with

easy, s e l f - e v i d e n t forms and shapes o f t h e w o r l d o f

'day', and opens, o r r a t h e r s u r r e n d e r s , i t t o a n o t h e r and d a r k e r e x p e r i e n c e . I t has something o f a d e a t h - w i s h so f a r from Keats' twenty years not

'Ode t o a N i g h t i n g a l e ' ( w r i t t e n some

later). seem l e s s extreme w i t h i n t h e

This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n w i l l

c o n t e x t o f t h e s t r o p h e as a whole, f o r t h e sphere o f e t e r n a l d a r k n e s s i s i t s e l f r e l a t i v i s e d ; t h i s was not t h e case i n t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e , where N i g h t ' s autonomy depended

upon t h e a b s o l u t e autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h e w i t h i n t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g poem. Here she no l o n g e r f i l l s , the In b u t appears w i t h i n ,

s t r o p h e , w i t h i n t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f 'der o b e r s t e G o t t ' . t h e f i n a l t r i a d t h e rhythm becomes 'das stromende Wort',

d i s s o l v i n g t h e e t e r n a l p u l s e o f darkness i n an e v e r - s w i f t e r stream o f words which f i n a l l y pours i n d i s o r d e r e d c o n n e c t i o n

over t h e l a s t hexameter b e f o r e f a l l i n g back t o r e s t ; and

- 19** t h i s d i s s o l u t i o n i s prepared cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e . The f o r by t h e ' H a l t ' o f t h e

power o f N i g h t i s a c c o r d i n g l y suggestion. strophe, as

d i m i n i s h e d , her f a s c i n a t i o n a The

f i n a l word i s 'Nacht'. T h i s s e a l s o f f t h e

w h i c h i s t h e r e w i t h t h e sphere o f d a r k n e s s . But gust 'Wunderbar' was

t h e a b s t r a c t i o n , t h e memory, o f her i n -

s p i r a t i o n , so t o o 'Nacht' i s t h e ' E r - i n n e r u n g ' o f t h e first s t r o p h e . Time has moved on; t h e s i t u a t i o n i s no and 'grant' 'das

l o n g e r n i g h t - f a l l ('coming'), b u t t h e dead o f n i g h t , t h e r e f o r e so much t h e n e a r e r d a y l i g h t . She must now

' e i n i g e s H a l t b a r e ' , and t h i s , p a r a d o x i c a l l y enough, i s

stromen.de Wort'. For b o t h t h e cosmic p e r s p e c t i v e ( t h e d u a l hemispheres o f t h e f i r s t two t r i a d s ) and t h e d i o n y s i a c i n t o x i c a t i o n o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d are an i n s i s t e n c e on human consciousness w i t h i n , and so r e l a t i v i s i n g , N i g h t . f o r m - r e s t o r i n g f u n c t i o n of the l a s t l i n e gives t o The 'Ge-

d a c h t n i s ' a r h y t h m i c a l meaning beyond t h e p r o s p e c t i v e s y s t e m a t i c v a l u e (memory o f Greece); b o t h 'Gedachtnis' 'wachend' suggest what has been a c h i e v e d : sciousness, and

'Denken', conand

( p a r t i a l ) l i b e r a t i o n from t h e immediacy s t r o p h e . As

overwhelming presence o f t h e f i r s t c l o s e s , envelops,

'Nacht'

t h e s t r o p h e , t h e e x i s t e n t i a l sphere, so

the p o e t i c s i t u a t i o n i s existence, the s h a f t of l i g h t (consciousness) The within her.

act of l i b e r a t i o n i s t h e r e f o r e i n v e r t e d , r e t r o search f o r day i s advanced

g r e s s i v e . While the coherent

('Gedachtnis' a n t i c i p a t i n g t h e j o u r n e y t o G r e e c e ) , what matters a e s t h e t i c a l l y i s the tension thereby between f i r s t and second s t r o p h e s . The created

'einiges Haltbare'

- 195 -

o f 11.51-35 r e f l e c t s t h e g r a d u a l u n p r i s i n g o f t h e o f N i g h t upon t h e s o u l . I t i s t h e weakening o f her w h i c h was none o t h e r t h a n t h e poet's own spell,

'hold' spell,

consisting

i n s u r r e n d e r o f s e l f . I n t h i s t h e second s t r o p h e i s a memory o f t h e f i r s t : ically 'der besonnene Tag' remembers r h y t h m -

'der g e s c h a f f t i g e M a r k t ' ; 'Aber ... k l a r e s Auge' dark-

remembers 'Aber das S a i t e n s p i e l ' ; and t h e e n t r y i n t o

ness i s a g a i n a l o s s o f s e l f , p a s s i n g f r o m ' l i e b t ' ( c f . ' e i n L i e b e n d e s ' ) , t h r o u g h ' e i n t r e u e r Mann' ( ' e i n einsamer Mann'), i n t o t h e depths o f n i g h t . But t h e n f o l l o w s t h e exh i l a r a t i n g a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n ; her h o l d i s b r o k e n , and t h e fulfilment 11 Nacht' . schreken' o f f o r m i s n o t 'Nacht', b u t 'wachend ... b e i

I t i s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a long-drav/n-out ' Z u r i i k from t h e D i v i n e . The d i o n y s i a c i n s p i r a t i o n now

seems a m b i v a l e n t ; tantamount The third

almost t o t h e l i g h t o f Reason. foreshadowed t h r e e strophes de-

s t r o p h e enacts t h e l i b e r a t i o n

i n t h e second (compare and c o n t r a s t t h e f i r s t of 'Der Wanderer'). The f i r s t two t r i a d s

are e n t i r e l y

v o t e d t o a c h i e v i n g t h e opening impact o f t h e t h i r d : an den I s t h m o s komm!' Thus t h e f i r s t triad is filled with a restless

'Drum

dis-

c o n t e n t , an.urge t o be o f f . P o e t i c f o r m , t h e c o u p l e t , now r e p r e s e n t s a no l o n g e r t o l e r a b l e ' h o l d ' upon t h e 'Muth' of the orig-

(Greek thumos; b u t perhaps a l s o w i t h something inal force: now 'mood', f e e l i n g ,

d e s i r e ) , a 'Hindernis'

that

breaks down. 'Mocht' es h i n d e r n ' sweeps over t h e 'Aufzubrechen' i s a ' d e p a r t ' - i n g t h a t But t h e

couplet-division;

'breaks open' t h e form y e t more r a d i c a l l y .

- 196 -

l i b e r a t i n g and l i b e r a t e d

e x c l a m a t i o n 'So komm!' i s a t once purpose-clauses

hemmed i n a g a i n , t h e l o n g e r and i n d i r e c t

h o l d i n g down t h e 'open' and d i r e c t c r y ; *daB w i r das Offene schauen' i s a mere w i s h t h a t , e n c l o s i n g t h e t r i a d , r e a s s e r t s o r m . 12 f The sphere o f t h e t r i a d i s t h e s h e l l o f c o n t a i n m e n t

('Hulse', VSchaale'), and 'So komm!' t h e b u r g e o n i n g seed of i m p u l s e , s e e k i n g t h e l i g h t o f day ( t h e s e images a r e n o t i n t e n d e d as s t y l i s t i c e m b e l l i s h m e n t s ; H o l d e r l i n ' s concept-

i o n o f f o r m i s founded upon t h e o r g a n i c s o u r c e , N a t u r e ) . The second t r i a d r e d o u b l e s t h e 'Streben' o f t h e f i r s t ; t h e

t r i a d s have become i m p r i s o n i n g b a r s t h a t now serve o n l y t o r e v i t a l i s e the d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o break through ( t h e storming o f t h e B a s t i l l e was a symbol o f r e v o l u t i o n f o r the incarcer-

a t e d s t u d e n t s a t T u b i n g e n ) . ' F e s t b l e i b t E i n s ' i s a pause acknowledging t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f r e s t r a i n t ( t h e p o s i t i o n o f 'Fest' hardens t h e f u n c t i o n o f the t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n ) i n

11.41-42. B u t t h e words cannot be r e a d s l o w l y ; t h e wouldbe spondaic and l a w - a b i d i n g rhythm i s caught up by t h e m i n i m a l pause ('es s e i ' ) a t t h e c a e s u r a , h u r r y i n g t h e r e luctant foot spondees on t o t h e d a c t y l i c release o f the fifth 'open' dactylic regular Ist

('oder e s ' ) ; 'gehe' l e a v e s t h e hexameter wide

( i t pauses as i t 'goes', 'Bis i n d i e ' p i c k s up t h e r e l e a s e , which a c c e l e r a t e s t h r o u g h t h e pentameter's dactyls, and i n ' A l l e n

gemein, doch j e g l i c h e m auch j '

i ,

eignes be-' t h e Maas' i n t e g r a l t o t h e pentameter, t h e s t r e s s e d pause a t caesura and l i n e - e n d i n g ('-nacht', 'Maas'),

f a l l s away, and t h e d o w n h i l l rhythm sweeps a s i d e a l l obs t r u c t i o n . Nowhere i s t h e by now i n s t i n c t i v e sense o f form

- 197 as i m p r i s o n i n g r e s t r a i n t , and so as s e l f - g e n e r a t i n g r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t , more a p p a r e n t , f o r t h e r h y t h m i c of 'Fesseln'

l.kk are t h e words 'Nacht' and 'Maas'. The p o e t i c p r o -

cess has been b o t h an u n p r i s i n g o f N i g h t ' s h o l d upon t h e s o u l , and t h e d i m i n i s h i n g autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h i c At t h e b a r r i e r o f t h e caesura ('auch form.

j ' ) the rush i s break-through triadic,

checked, and 1.46 pauses f o r b r e a t h . B u t t h e is

a c h i e v e d ; t h e pause a t 'kann', w h i c h i s n o t

l e a v e s t h e s t r o p h e as open as was i t s f i r s t

couplet. I t

has become t h e sphere o f freedom. Thus t h e e x c l a m a t i o n 'Drum!' echoes 'Komm!' i n sense and sound, b u t moves back to t h e emphatic opening p o s i t i o n : i t p r o c l a i m s t h e new

r e a l m . The l a s t r e s t r a i n t , t h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n ('und s p o t t e n ... the ergreift') that follows with i t s t r i a d i c barrier, i s mere echo o f t h e f i r s t t r i a d i c r e s t r a i n t ( ' daB ... so

w e i t es auch i s t ' ) ,

and g i v e s way as 'Drum!' and 'Komm!', 'Drum an den

their metrical positions retained, unite:

Isthmos komm!' W i t h these words t h e s h e l l c r a c k s , t h e barriers dissolve. But t h i s b r e a k - t h r o u g h t o a neue Welt' i s a l s o an a c t of naming. I t i s t h e word 'Isthmos' w i t h which t h e ex1

c l a m a t i o n s u n i t e , and t h e Greek p r o p e r noun expresses a sheer freedom which r e v e r b e r a t e s back t h r o u g h t h e s t r o p h e to 'verbergen das Herz'; t h r o u g h a l l t h r e e s t r o p h e s as t h e

d i v i n e r e a l i t y t h e y have sought: t h e r e v e a l e d Nature o f Greece. W i t h t h i s name t h e poet exposes h i s h e a r t , h i s truest purpose. i s t h e word o f r e l e a s e . The hexameter p r o -

'Isthmos'

c l a i m s an i n f i n i t e expanse: ' d o r t h i n , wo das o f f e n e Meer

- 198 r a u s c h t ' . Read t h u s by i t s e l f , i t i s t h e t r u e 'epic

15
hexameter': Schwindelnd t r a g t e r d i c h f o r t auf r a s t l o s strb'menden Wogen, H i n t e r d i r s i e h s t du, du s i e h s t v o r d i r nur Himmel und Meer.

Echoing 'das it

O f f e n e ' (1 .41, i n t h e same m e t r i c a l p o s i t i o n ) ,

s y m b o l i s e s t h e j o y o f a freedom a t l o n g l a s t a t t a i n e d :

t h e f i r s t l i n e o f t h e v i s i o n o f Greece i s f r e e from a l l q u a l i f i c a t i o n o r l i m i t a t i o n , and t h e v i s i o n i t s e l f is a

l i b e r a t i o n , an 'open'-ing o f t h e p o e t ' s h e a r t . As t h e names f l o o d f o r t h , t h e poet i s c a r r i e d away on an 'open s t r e s s e d and u n s t r e s s e d ing and s i n k i n g s u r f a c e . The image o f l i b e r a t i o n i s the r i v e r (compare t h e strophes o f 'Der R h e i n ' ) ; b e g i n n i n g as sea';

s y l l a b l e s have become i t s s w e l l -

second and f i f t h 'das

stromende Wort' o f t h e second s t r o p h e , i t r e a r s up

once, t w i c e , a g a i n s t t h e b a r r i e r s o f t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e b e f o r e c r a s h i n g down i n t h e open hexameter o f 1.^9- The r o a r o f t h e w a t e r s can be h e a r d i n 'Drum!', r e i n f o r c e d by 'Komm!'. B u t I t h i n k t h a t t h e ' s p i r i t ' o f the strophe i s

a l s o a g r e a t wave, and 'Drum!' t h e r o a r as i t crashes on t h e beach. F o r t h e sense o f r e l e a s e i s c a t h a r t i c , ing, t h e poet s p e a k i n g h i s ' h e a r t ' w i t h a s l i g h t purifysuggestion

(38-39, ^7) o f a p o s s i b l e enemy, whose c o n s t r i c t i n g envy r e a p p e a r s i n t h e v e r y l a s t l i n e o f the poem. H b ' l d e r l i n had i n 1801 never seen t h e sea, and f o r t h e land-locked

Swabian w i t h so s t r o n g a sense o f i m p r i s o n m e n t and ' l i v i n g - d e a t h ' i t must have s t i r r e d t h e i m a g i n a t i o n as a

- 199

supreme symbol o f freedom and p u r i t y . These images, so c l o s e i n emotive power, merge w i t h o u t difficulty. The f i n a l t r i a d i s r h y t h m i c a l l y a b r e a k i n g

wave, a surge c a r r y i n g t h e poet i n t o a v i s i o n a r y r e a l m w i t h names o f i n t o x i c a t i n g m y s t i q u e . I t i s a dionysiac loss

o f s e l f , a 'Rausch' ( t h e meaning i s u n d e r c u r r e n t i n t h e 'Rauschen' o f 11.49, 53) whose wave c a r r i e s h i t h e r and t h i t h e r , unchecked. But t h e v e r y l i b e r a t i o n i s a g r a d u a l s l o w i n g and l o s s o f i m p e t u s , l i k e t h e wave e x h a u s t i n g The i n f i n i t e it-

s e l f and s u r r e n d e r i n g i t s l i f e .

'open' ex-

panse o f t h e hexameter becomes t h e mountains w i t h t h e i r freedom o f v i s i o n ; t h e n t h e v e r s e passes 'Unter d i e F i c h t e n ' , t h e dynamic d o r t ' r e t r e a t i n g w i t h t h e eye l o s t under t h e dark e v e r - g r e e n , t h e n f a l l i n g away as t h e d a r k 1 1

p u r p l e s e n s u a l i t y o f 'Trauben

h a l t s t h e f l o w ; then t h e

15 d i r e c t i o n changes ('von wo'), and i n t h e p e n u l t i m a t e

l i n e a l l sense o f m o t i o n has gone, and t h e v i s i o n i s 'drunt e n ' , l o s t i n t h e magical 'Ismenos', 'Kadmos'. This s t a s i s i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e s y n t a c t i c a l independence o f t h e l i n e . 'Rauschen' i s n o t j u s t t h e p l e a s a n t 'Rauschen' o f t h e names: 'Thebe',

sound o f w a t e r . The names, a b s o r b i n g and overwhelming t h e w i l l t h a t r e l e a s e d them, have a c q u i r e d a s e d u c t i v e i t y , t h e d i o n y s i a c power o f t h e v i n e , l a t e n t vital-

('drunten'),
1

sensed i n dreams, n o t known by t h e waking mind. 'Rauschen i s t h e presence o f t h e ' S p i r i t ' , b r e a t h , o f N a t u r e , t h e same whose 'Wehn' rushed up i n ' d i e Schwarmerische'; t h e

sound, whether o f water o r o f wind

('Empedokles' I , 3 9 6 ) , a 'rush'-ing

i s the expression of a personal w i l l ,

- 200

( ' h a s t e n i n g ' ) y e t i n s c r u t a b l e , ( b y our t e r m s ) purposel e s s purpose. The words 'im Lande des Kadmos' d e s c r i b e t h e c i r c l e , r e a l m , o f a dream, a s u r r e n d e r t h a t c a l l s f o r t h l i v i n g N a t u r e . The s y n t a c t i c a l autonomy o f 1.55 i s t h e f i n a l l i b e r a t i o n o f Nature f r o m human w i l l : h e r e , t h e poet p e r c e i v e s , Nature i s and a c t s .

The

ending ' ... im Lande des Kadmos,/ D o r t h e r kommt

und zuruk d e u t e t der kommende G o t t ' i s t o be f o u n d o n l y i n t h e t e x t o f t h e Homburg f o l i o . Entitled 'Brod und Wein',

t h i s i s i n most e d i t i o n s t h e a u t h o r i s e d v e r s i o n , a l t h o u g h it i s u n c e r t a i n when t h e f a i r copy was made. The first

( e x t a n t ) complete v e r s i o n appears i n t h e same m a n u s c r i p t as and a f t e r a f a i r copy o f 'Heimkunft', and has 16 been a s s i g n e d t o t h e summer o f 1801. the of therefore

I t i s substantially

same as t h a t o f t h e l a t e r F o l i o h e f t , b u t shows evidence t h r e e stages o f work on c r u c i a l passages, i n c l u d i n g t h e s t r o p h e . I n t h e f i r s t complete v e r s i o n

ending t o the t h i r d

t h i s r a n : 'Thebe d r u n t e n und Ismenos r a u s c h t und d i e Q u e l l e der D i r c e , / D o r t i s t das Sehnen, o d o r t schauen zu G o t t e r n w i r a u f i s emended f i r s t (FHA 6.214, 6-9). Then * zu Gb'ttern'
1

t o ' zum L i c h t e ' , t h e n t o

zufrieden'.

Thus t h e r e f e r e n c e t o C h r i s t a t t h e p a r a l l e l end o f the s i x t h s t r o p h e p r e d a t e s t h i s t o Dionysus ('der kommende

G o t t ' ) , whereas i t i s Dionysus, n o t D i o n y s u s - C h r i s t , whose descent i n t o t h e u n d e r w o r l d ends t h e f i r s t version: 'Aber i n d e s s e n koramt, a l s Freudenbote, complete des Weines/
1

Gottlichgesandter Geist unter die Schatten herab 2 2 1 , 52, 3 4 ) . Not, t h e n , t i l l

(FHA

6.

t h e f a i r copy o f t h e F o l i o -

h e f t does t h e f a m i l i a r t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e emerge i n which

- 201 the the third s t r o p h e ends w i t h D i o n y s u s , the s i x t h with Christ, besides

n i n t h w i t h Christ-Dionysus. This s t r u c t u r e ,

p r o v i d i n g a c o h e r e n t framework o f i d e a s , i s o f d e c i s i v e i m p o r t a n c e f o r t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e o f t h e poem. Each of triad

s t r o p h e s i s now s e a l e d o f f by t h e D i v i n e . Here, 'Gott'

i s t h e f i n a l word o f t h e r e a l m o f N i g h t . A l l t h a t remains o f H o l d e r l i n ' s work on t h e poem b e f o r e this f i r s t complete v e r s i o n i s a rough o u t l i n e (FHA 6. 204poem and p r o b -

08) r e a c h i n g as f a r as 1.81 o f t h e complete

a b l y w r i t t e n i n t h e summer o f 1800, so t h a t a whole year's g e s t a t i o n may l i e between. T h i s o u t l i n e has no d e f i n i t e g o a l n o r c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e D i v i n e ; i t moves i n t h e same mood as t h e o t h e r l o n g poems o f t h a t p e r i o d , 'Der A r c h i pelagus' and 'Menons Klagen um D i o t i m a ' . 'Menons Klagen ...

i n which t h e s t r o p h i c form i s j u s t e v o l v i n g , i s a second v e r s i o n o f ' E i e g i e ' , t h e lament f o r S u s e t t e Gontard; t h e l o n g e s t and most s t r i k i n g d e v i a t i o n i s t h e v i s i o n o f t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n o f t h e dead, t h e Greeks, i n t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e . That i s a l s o t h e g o a l i n t h e f i r s t o u t l i n e o f 'Brod und

Wein': 'Darum r i e f i c h d i c h h e r , denn deine Todten, du e d l e L r ] A l t e r ! v/ie l a n g e schon r u h n s i e i n g o t t l i c h e r Nacht ... ' (FHA 6. 207, 9 -16). and summons t h e

The p o e t descends i n t o t h e Underworld

shades o f t h e dead. T h i s a c t n a t u r a l l y i m p l i e s t h e m y s t i c a l power o f p o e t i c language: 'Darum r i e f i c h d i c h h e r ,

denn ... deine Todten ... r u h n ... , b i s ... das Wort und [die] That d e r G e i s t ' ( i n 'Menons K l a g e n ... ' i t r e -

q u i r e s 'eines Wunders G e w a l t ' ) . I t r e c a l l s b o t h Orpheus and C h r i s t . Orpheus, whose l y r e . charmed N a t u r e , lost

- 202 -

E u r y d i c e , h i s b e l o v e d , and lamented f o r h e r i n song ( V i r g i l , G e o r g i c s , 4, ^53-66); he t o o descended i n t o t h e U n d e r w o r l d , where Cerberus, t h e Eumenides, and t h e

o t h e r g r i s l y i n h a b i t a n t s y i e l d e d , e n t r a n c e d by h i s music. C h r i s t d i e d and r o s e a g a i n , t a k i n g p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e 'keys

o f h e l l and d e a t h ' ( R e v e l a t i o n 1 . 1 8 ) . The h a l f - f o r m u l ated question o f t h e o u t l i n e ' i s t s noch immer d i e 36-38)

Z e i t und d i e Stunde d e r Z e i t n i c h t ? ' (FHA 6. 207,

/

echoes s e v e r a l b i b l i c a l passages ( e . g . Mark \3 3 2 f . ) ,

b u t a l s o belongs w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e o r p h i c ' Erneuerung d e r Sprache', t h r o u g h which language r e g a i n s i t s o r i g i n a l , l i v i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p t o N a t u r e , and so i t s p r o p e r m a g i c a l power. Hence t h e i n s i s t e n c e on 'Maas' i n t h e l a t e r versions ( 1 1 . 4 3 - ^ ) : is the imaginative return t o

a dead Greece t h e r i g h t way f o r t h e poet t o t u r n Germany into ' V a t e r l a n d ' ? might n o t t h e means s u p p l a n t t h e end? As i n 'Menons K l a g e n ... ', t h e v i s i o n o f t h e o u t l i n e b r i n g s l i g h t i n t o darkness: 'Thebe, d r u n t e n und Ismenos

r a u s c h t und d i e Q u e l l e d e r D i r c e / G l a n z t ' (FHA 6. 207, 636 5 ) ; 'rauscht d e r l e b e n d i g e Strom,/ Wenn es d r u n t e n e r tb'nt, und i h r e Schaze d i e Nacht z o l l t , / Und aus Bachen h e r a u f g l a n z t das begrabene Gold' ('Menons Klagen ... ',

11.80-82). And a l r e a d y here t h i s passage r e p r e s e n t s t h e b r e a k - t h r o u g h t o t h e Greek 'day', and i s h e r a l d e d by t h e ' r u s h i n g ' o f t h e sea. Here i s t h e c o n n e c t i o n w i t h 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' , a l s o an i m a g i n a t i v e descent i n t o t h e Under'Vaterland':

w o r l d , an a c t o f ' E r i n n e r u n g ' t o b r i n g about

'Hin nach H e l l a s schaue das V o l k , und weinend und dankend/ S a n f t i g e s i c h i n Erinnerungen d e r s t o l z e Triumphtag!' For

- 203 b e s i d e t h e a t r o p h i c f o r m 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' i s , l i k e ' E l e g i e , f o r m l e s s , i t s endless hexameters

1

express i t s

' s p i r i t ' , namely, t h e ' M e e r g o t t ' , t h e c a t h a r t i c and p u r i f y i n g answer t o t h e narrow and l i m i t e d n o t - y e t - ' V a t e r l a n d ' 'Deutschland': t h e i n f i n i t e expanse o f t h e sea. In so f a r as t h e theme o f t h e o u t l i n e i s Greek l i g h t

e n t e r i n g w e s t e r n d a r k n e s s , Dionysus does n o t y e t have a p r e - e m i n e n t r o l e ; a n d s i n c e i t s h e a d i n g 'Der W e i n g o t t ' may have been added a f t e r w a r d s ( c f . EHA 6 . 2 3 M , i t i s possible

t h a t t h e r o l e grew w i t h t h e poem. L i n e s 31-36 a r e n o t y e t c o n c e i v e d , Dionysus e n t e r s t h e poem w i t h t h e 'stream' o f allusions ( f r o m Sophocles' A n t i g o n e and E u r i p i d e s ' 17 Bacchae ) b e g i n n i n g i n 1.51 w i t h ' d i e Hohe C i t h a r o n s ' . '

The i n s p i r a t i o n o f t h e v i s i o n o f t h e Greece comes f i r s t , and t h e n f i n d s a n a t u r a l c o n c r e t e f o r m by f o l l o w i n g t h e 'Der W e i n g o t t '

haunts o f t h e god. I f s o , t h e n t h e t i t l e is

added as a d i s c o v e r e d f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e ; f o r t h e o u t l i n e i n t o t h e f a m i l i a r problem,

i t s e l f seems t o d i s i n t e g r a t e

r e l a t i o n s h i p o f v i s i o n t o r e a l i t y , o f means t o end ( t h e i n i t i a t i o n o f V a t e r l a n d ' ) . I t s l a s t words a r e 'dann aber i n W a h r h e i t ' (FHA 6.208, 6 0 f . ) . I t i s t h e same p o i n t o f i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y as t h a t reached i n 'Der Gang a u f s Land'; for ' i n r e a l i t y ' t h e y do n o t 'come', o n l y i n t h e poem. Western man 'wandelt i n Nacht, wohnt w i e im Orkus'. The p o e t descends i n t o t h e U n d e r w o r l d . Yet he t o o d w e l l s in 'das s c h a u r i g e Reich' ( ' E l e g i e ' , 1.20). The t h r e e
1

m o t i f s belong t o g e t h e r : ' E l e g i e ' imposes c o n t r o l over f o r m l e s s g r i e f t h r o u g h

- 204 -

t h e memory o f D i o t i m a ( c f . a l r e a d y , i n ' G o t t e r w a n d e l t e n einst ... ', 'es wandelt das B i l d / Meiner H e l d i n m i t m i r ' ) of ' l i v i n g -

t h i s i s t h e l i g h t t h a t e n t e r s t h e darkness

d e a t h ' : 'Tag d e r L i e b e ! s c h e i n e s t du auch den Todten, du g o l d n e r ! ' ( 1 . 2 3 ) . Memory i s t h e e q u i v a l e n t t o Orpheus' v e n t u r e t o rescue E u r y d i c e , and p o e t r y i s t h e ' n i g h t ' ( 1 1 . 1 5 , 2 4 ) o f t h e s o u l , b u t can a l s o achieve a redeeming vision: 'himmlischen Gliiks' ( 1 . 2 7 ) . t h e changes i n 'Menons Klagen ... '

Unmistakably

p o i n t away from D i o t i m a . That t h e poet 'dares t o name' ( 2 . 5 6 1 , 33) t h e b e l o v e d i s r e a l l y a s i g n o f t h i s , as i s the p r e s t a b i l i s e d r e s o l u t i o n ( c f . Insel-Ausgabe, i i i , 4 7 ) ; the replacement, d i m i n i s h i n g t h e concreteness 'Tag' o f memory, o

by ' L i c h t ' ('der L i e b e ' ) ; t h e i d e a l o f community;

t h e 'so lange' r e s t r i c t i n g t h e e m o t i o n a l ' B l e i b e t ' a t t h e end. F o r such reasons t h e poem i s l e s s moving t h a n 'Elegie

and i s i m p o r t a n t above a l l as a t r a n s i t i o n . F o r t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f form, i n i t s conscious a r t i s t r y another s i g n o f detachment, goes beyond c o n t r o l over g r i e f ; i t r e f l e c t s the i n i t i a t i o n of a p o s i t i v e f u n c t i o n f o r elegy. Admittedly there i s l i t t l e 'Menons Klagen s i g n o f such p o t e n t i a l i n

... ', o n l y t h e v i s i o n o f r e s u r r e c t i o n

p o i n t i n g f o r w a r d . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e s t r o p h i c form i s e v o l v i n g f o r t h e f u t u r e . The p o e t no l o n g e r seeks h i s E u r y d i c e (compare ' E l e g i e ' , 11.1-2, w i t h 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' , 11.200-05). The f u l l b u t a m b i v a l e n t significance

o f t h e analogous r o l e s o f Orpheus and C h r i s t emerges: each i s n o t j u s t a f i g u r e o f l o v e , b u t o f a l o v e t h a t conquered d e a t h .

- 205 The o r d e r i n g o f t h e f o r m l e s s e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i n t o t h e s t r o p h i c microcosm r e f l e c t s acceptance o f t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , o f n i g h t , as t h e c o n d i t i o n o f t h e p o e t i c exp e r i e n c e . Darkness i s l o s t l o v e , b u t i s a l s o t h e s t a t e o f w e s t e r n man, e x e m p l i f i e d by t h e c r i m e a g a i n s t t h e l o v e r s committed i n F r a n k f u r t , a t y p i c a l t r a n s g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t N a t u r e , by t h e ' s p i r i t o f envy'. I t i s 'the u n f o r g i v a b l e s i n ' (Das U n v e r z e i h l i c h e ' ) , and f o r g i v e n e s s i s a C h r i s t l i k e a c t , but possible only w i t h i n the self-enclosed sphere o f t h e poem. Thus t h e s t r o p h i c form i s founded upon t h e a b s o l u t e r e j e c t i o n o f contemporary s o c i e t y as darkness and as b e a r i n g i m p l i c i t g u i l t f o r t h e darkness o f t h e p o e t ' s own s o u l .

The

poem i n t h e form o f a s u c c e s s i o n o f s t r o p h e s

u n d e r t a k e s , ' s t r i v e s ' , t o b r e a k down t h e s e l f - e n c l o s u r e o f t h e p o e t ' s w o r l d . But i t i s a c i r c u l a r p r o c e s s , always p r e s u p p o s i n g and so c r e a t i n g i n advance t h e n e g a t i v i t y i t negates. Such c i r c u l a r i t y shows an absence o f r e a l w i l l t o break down t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d s p h e r e ; t h e i m p o s s i b ility of l i b e r a t i o n i s i m p l i c i t i n the i n i t i a l identific-

a t i o n o f p o e t r y w i t h c a p t i v i t y , and so precedes t h e s e a r c h . The a c t o f s e l f - e n c l o s u r e i s u l t i m a t e l y v o l u n t a r y ; it serves t h e p o e t ' s w i l l . The p o e t i c process always presupposes i t s e l f : t h e poem form

presupposes i t s e l f i n m i n i a t u r e , i n t h e microcosmic of the strophe from which i t seeks l i b e r a t i o n . This

'Streben' i s i n t h e o u t l i n e t h e v i s i o n a r y Journey t o Greece, b r i n g i n g l i g h t i n t o d a r k n e s s ; b u t i t a l s o undermines r e l a t i o n s h i p t o r e a l i t y , since the elegiac s i t u a t i o n i s

- 206 -

(not of

overcome, b u t ) accepted
1

and r e c r e a t e d f o r t h e sake

t h e descent t o t h e ' d e a d , t h e b e a u t y o f memory. I t o f r e a l i t y i t s e l f , and

i s a wish t o cast o f f t h e shackles

u n f e t t e r t h e i m a g i n a t i o n . But t h e s t r o p h i c form t h u s becoming t h e sense o f e n c l o s u r e and h o l d o f r e a l i t y upon t h e s o u l , p o e t i c form as a whole i s u n s t a b l e ; t h e c o n c r e t e bounds o f e x p e r i e n c e lessness sea', of gradually disintegrate i n t o the formt h e 'open

o f t h e v i s i o n , and l i b e r a t i o n i t s e l f ,

i s i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y , i t s c o n t e n t t h e shadowy p r o d u c t

a descent t o t h e shades. T h i s i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y and f o r m l e s s n e s s must p e r s i s t as

l o n g as t h e poem c o n t i n u e s t o s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t i t s own p r e m i s e , t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n ; as l o n g as i t s purpose i s c a s t f o r w a r d onto t h e v i s i o n o f day, onto 'das O f f e n e ' ,

t h e d e f e c t o f t h e v i s i o n w i l l r e m a i n t o mar- t h e harmony of t h e p o e t i c microcosm. An autonomy o f t h e poem t o match

t h a t o f t h e s t r o p h e i s o n l y p o s s i b l e i f t h e search f o r l i b e r a t i o n , t h e 'open' f o r m , i s i t s e l f enclosed, and t h u s

r e p r o d u c e s t h e autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h e . Then t h e poem w i l l no l o n g e r f a i l , i s no f a i l u r e . Bread and wine a r e c o n c r e t e , ' B l e i b e n d e s ' , ' H a l t ' . I n t h e o u t l i n e t h e r e i s no bread. D i o n y s u s , w i n e , i s a l r e a d y p r e s e n t , b u t s c a r c e l y as a g o v e r n i n g p r i n c i p l e ; i n t h e f l o o d o f names, o f i n s p i r a t i o n , p e r h a p s , and w i t h t h e emerging r h y t h m i c f i g u r e o f t h e r i v e r ( f o r t h e a s s o c i a t i o n of Dionysus w i t h s t r e a m i n g cf. f l o w , o f w i n e , water and m i l k , f o r t o f a i l i n what i s no l o n g e r attempted

E u r i p i d e s ' Bacchae, 7 0 3 - 1 1 ) , t h e god r e c e i v e s h i s

s p e c i a l p a r t . The c o n c r e t e r e a l i t y o f wine now s e a l s o f f

- 20? ~

what i s becoming t h e f i r s t of the t h i r d strophe s t i l l

s t r o p h i c t r i a d . But t h e flows unhindered

end

i n t o the divis-

f o u r t h , since the merely e x t e r n a l f a c t of s t r o p h i c ion

i s n o t y e t p o e t i c f o r m . Thus t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n s t i l l 'Thebe d r u n t e n und

runs i n f o r m l e s s enumeration

Ismenos ... und d i e Q u e l l e der D i r c e ' (FHA 6.214. 6)

and t h e n e x t l i n e , c o n c l u d i n g t h e s t r o p h e ('Dort i s t das Sehnen, o d o r t schauen zu G o t t e r n w i r a u f ) , the suggests

Olympic pantheon as a vague whole n o t n e c e s s a r i l y can h i m s e l f

d i s t i n g u i s h e d from 'der o b e r s t e G o t t ' (who q u i t e l i t e r a l l y be

'Vater A e t h e r ' ) . That l e a v e s t h e poem 'zu

w i t h t h e s t r a g g l i n g l i n e a r form o f a 'Streben' Gottern'; w i t h the weight s t i l l

upon t h e v i s i o n , t h e

d i v i n e r e a l i t y proves t o be mere c o n s o l a t i o n , 'menschl i c h e Freude' ( c f . 1 . 1 3 3 ) . A t a s t r o k e , t h e m i n i m a l changes o f t h e Homburg f o l i o impose t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e ( D i o n y s u s , C h r i s t , C h r i s t ) upon t h e poem. The was the goal Dionysus-

w e i g h t swings away from what

t h e 'coming' o f l i g h t i n t o darkness

and becomes d i s t r i b u t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e p r o c e s s , t h e means the t o t a l i t y o f t h e poem. As t h e bars o f p o e t i c form slid

back i n t o p l a c e , so t h e s e a r c h f o r l i b e r a t i o n i s f r e e d from purpose. Thus t h e d i m i n i s h i n g h o l d o f r e a l i t y , o f t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , upon t h e s o u l t u r n s i n t o a p o s i t i v e v a l u e : t h e r e g r e s s i v e c r e a t i o n o f t h e 'sphere' o f memory. P o e t i c

purpose ceases t o be t h e d e f i c i e n t i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f a v i s i o n , and.becomes t h e l o s t b u t r e a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ex-

p e r i e n c e d i n t h e autonomous s t r o p h e ; whereby l i b e r a t i o n

- 208 -

becomes t h e process o f l o s s . W i t h i n t h e t o t a l i t y o f t h e poem, t h e sphere o f N i g h t i s remembered, and t h u s g a i n s the i n t e n s i t y o f l o s s o f s e l f . The Weltanschauung and d a r k n e s s , H e l l a s and H e s p e r i e n ,

light ity

i d e a l and r e a l -

which i s t o o a b s t r a c t t o be s u s t a i n e d by p o e t r y , relationship 'Zuriik-

now f u n c t i o n s , a l b e i t n e g a t i v e l y , i n l i v i n g

w i t h N a t u r e ; and t h e poem has form: a g r a d u a l schreken' from t h e A b s o l u t e . N i g h t i s t h e A b s o l u t e . I n e t e r n a l darkness

conscious-

ness i s overwhelmed and l o s t . S e l f - r e s t o r a t i o n g i v e s form t o N i g h t , who becomes a l i v i n g b u t unknown s p i r i t , an i s no l o n g e r

o b j e c t o f l o n g i n g . T h i s r e g r e s s i v e process light

e n t e r i n g t h e poem, b u t darkness r e l i n q u i s h i n g h e r

c l i n g i n g embrace. I n s t e a d o f t h e sequence o f s t r o p h e s striving ' h e r o i c a l l y ' towards t h e i d e a l ( G r e e c e ) , and

t h e r e f o r e open i n t h e same way as t h e F i c h t e a n i d e a l i s u n r e a l i s a b l e ( c f . BIO^, 1 0 - 1 6 ) , t h e r e a r i s e s t h e c l o s e d autonomous poem i n which each s t r o p h e has sought and l o s t the
1

b e a u t y o f t h e l a s t ; each o f t h e f i r s t

s i x strophes of

B r o d und Wein' c l i n g s t o t h e l a s t i n l o s s and l o n g i n g , o f t h i s e x p e r i e n c e g i v e s t h e poem a t r a g i c

and t h e pathos grandeur The the

unmatched i n t h e o t h e r e l e g i e s . changes i n t h e e n d i n g o f t h e s t r o p h e r e i n f o r c e s t r u c t u r e . Janus-

f i n a l i t y of the overall t r i n i t a r i a n

like, to

'der kommende G o t t ' f a c e s b o t h ways, n o t j u s t f o r w a r d word

' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' ; 'Gott' as t h e f i n a l

concludes die the

a g r a d u a l d y i n g o f momentum. The change o f 'und

1

Quelle der Dirce' i n t o

i m Lande des Kadmos' s e a l s o f f

d i o n y s i a c r e a l m , no l o n g e r open. I n s t e a d o f t h r e e

- 209

s p r i n g s whose 'Rauschen' i s t h e pure c l e a r sound o f w a t e r , t h e r e a r e now t h r e e names 'Thebe', 'Ismenos', 'Kadmos'

a l l a s s o c i a t e d w i t h Dionysus; t h e s l o w i n g momentum
1

j o i n s w i t h t b e i r m y s t i q u e , and thus 'rauschen

gains the

u n d e r c u r r e n t 'Rausch', which a l s o r e t u r n s t o 1.49. ' D o r t her kommt und z u r i i k ' i s a m e t r i c a l l y p a r a l l e l echo o f

'Dahin gehet und kommt' ( t h e 'open' l i n e i n t h e m i d d l e o f the s t r o p h e ) , and completes t h e r e v e r s a l o f d i r e c t i o n from

' h i n ' t o 'her', r e - e s t a b l i s h i n g d i s t a n c e between t h e H e s p e r i a n and Greek w o r l d s . The l i n e the the 'points' not just t o

need t o r e t u r n ('zuruk') i n memory t o Greece, b u t t o u n i v e r s a l r h y t h m o f t h e W o r l d - S p i r i t ('der kommende

G o t t ' ) : t h e poet must r e t u r n thence t o Germania. N o t , however, t h i s c o h e r e n t meaning, b u t i t s f u n c t i o n i n c r e a t ing a t r a n s c e n d i n g form t o r e l a t i v i s e t h e ' S t r e b e n ' , i s

decisive. Thus t h e emphatic r e p e t i t i o n o f 'kommen' concludes

1

and b r i n g s t o r e s t t h e e n d l e s s s t r i v i n g , t h e 'Kommen ( 1 1 . 4 1 , 46, 4 9 ) , o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e . T h i s sense o f

a r r i v a l , f i n a l i t y , contrasts strongly with the p a r a l l e l l i n e o f t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n , w h i c h i m p e l l e d f u r t h e r on t h e v i s i o n a r y j o u r n e y : 'Dort i s t das Sehnen, o d o r t schauen zu Gb'ttern w i r a u f . ' The s e n s u a l power o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e depends upon t h i s f i n a l i t y o f f o r m . W i t h t h e s t r o p h i c t r i a d f r e e d f r o m i t s o r i g i n a l purpose ( l i b e r a t i o n ) , t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e becomes a c l i m a c t i c s u r r e n d e r t o t h e d i o n y s i a c s e n s u a l i t y o f t h e v i s i o n a r y l a n d s c a p e ; t h e search for 'das O f f e n e ' becomes a d y i n g momentum which i n t h e

p e n u l t i m a t e l i n e has become s t a s i s : p o e t i c w i l l as pure

- 210 -

p e r c e p t i o n . The dynamic and c a t h a r t i c l i b e r a t i o n o f t h e hexameter, t h e 'open sea', becomes i n t h e f o l l o w i n g fulfilling ity and

c o u p l e t s a d y i n g wave, s u r r e n d e r i n g i t s v i t a l -

t o t h e d a r k and m y s t e r i o u s power o f N a t u r e . As t h i s passage surpasses t h e v i s i o n o f 'Der A r c h i -

p e l a g u s ' ( 1 1 . 9 - 1 8 ) , so t h e e l e g i a c goes beyond t h e e p i c f o r m . There t h e u n r e l i e v e d s u c c e s s i o n o f hexameters i s an image o f t h e sea: s t r e s s e d and u n s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s , e n d i n g u n d u l a t i o n . Here t h e pentameter's embrace, t h e un-

r e s i g n a t i v e ( ' i d e a l ' ) r e c r e a t i o n of the p r o c r e a t i v e breath of the S p i r i t cosmic Eros absorbs t h e f o r m l e s s that

v i s i o n and g i v e s i t f o r m . The
1

arc of l o s s o f s e l f

reached t o ' d i e Nacht kommt , a daemonic coming, r e c r e a t e s i t s e l f , i s remembered, i n t h e b r e a k i n g - o p e n e l e g i a c form. of the

H u b r i s and Nemesis

The

i m p o s i t i o n of form seals o f f the f i r s t t h r e e

s t r o p h e s as t h e o l d w o r l d o f darkness, and t h e second t h r e e become t h e c o n t r a s t i n g hemisphere, of t h e neue Welt' 'das Ge1

l i g h t . They are t o be v i s i o n a r y ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' , strb'mende Wort', and a l s o ' h e i l i g

O f f e n e ' o f 'das

d a c h t n i s ' : as t h e c e n t r a l u n i t , t h e y r e p r e s e n t t h e l i g h t of memory w i t h i n t h e darkness o f t h e contemporary world.

This c r e a t i o n of c o n t r a s t i n g worlds out of the o r i g i n a l l y s e q u e n t i a l f o r m i s enhanced by t h e change o f 'Freue d i c h , G r i e c h e n l a n d ! '

1

( 2 . 5 9 9 , 9)

into

'Seeliges new

G r i e c h e n l a n d ! . Whereas 'Preue d i c h ' p e r s o n i f i e s , t h e

- 211 w o r l d now opens w i t h pure e x c l a m a t i o n , and t h i s , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e f i r m c l o s i n g o f t h e sphere o f d a r k n e s s , a sense o f l e f t - b e h i n d c a p t i v i t y , makes ' S e e l i g e s creating Griechen-

l a n d ! ' a p o w e r f u l l y v i v i d S p r a c h g e s t u s : a t once t h e opening of t h e p o e t ' s a r r i v e d eye and t h e coming o f dawn, t h e

sun's r a y s h a f t i n g over t h e h o r i z o n . Greece i s no l o n g e r addressed, b u t seen; t h e c o n c r e t e image o f t h e j o u r n e y

t h a t g i v e s t h e s t r o p h i c form i t s l i f e g a i n s immeasurably. The exclamation i s i t s e l f 'Begeisterung'; t o c r y out world. I t i s

i s t o emerge from t h e p r o s a i c contemporary the

f i t t i n g response t o a d a z z l i n g , g l o r i o u s r e a l i t y , a

w o r l d o f gods and demi-gods i n w h i c h man i s a w o r t h y answer t o N a t u r e . L i b e r a t i o n from darkness i s o v e r , and i n t h i s sense ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' the i s the climax of

whole poem. But as t h e v i s i o n u n f o l d s , so t o o i t s

i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y , and t h e poet i s drawn i n e x o r a b l y i n t o l o s s ; t h e v i v i d immediacy o f t h e opening e x c l a m a t i o n i n i t i a t e s a process o f l o s s t h a t extends over a l l t h r e e

s t r o p h e s o f t h e second t r i a d . T h i s e n t i r e process i s thus a n t i c i p a t e d i n the f i r s t

c o u p l e t . Here t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i s t h e r e v e r s e o f t h a t i n t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e . There i t had become a yielding ' h o l d ' upon t h e s o u l , upon t h e e x c l a m a t i o n s

'So komm!' and 'Drum!', and had f i n a l l y g i v e n way. Now i t c l o s e s about t h e p o e t , i m p r i s o n i n g t h e immediacy, pure freedom and j o y , o f t h e e x c l a m a t i o n . I t s pentameter i s f i n e l y p o i s e d between q u e s t i o n and s t a t e m e n t ; t h e poem i s d r i v e n on by dynamic 'Streben' t o f u l f i l an undertone the v i s i o n , but

o f e l e g i a c doubt now sounds a t t h e v e r y

- 212

o u t s e t , communicating i t s e l f t o and s l i g h t l y the exclamation: i s not

undermining 'blessed'

' S e e l i g k e i t ' a s t a t e so

as t o be beyond t h i s The

world? exon

second c o u p l e t m a i n t a i n s , or seeks t o , t h e

h i l a r a t i o n o f 'Seeliges G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' , and i n s i s t s 'Wahr'-heit; t h e t h i r d c o u p l e t b e g i n s lament. This crumbling of exclamation the inevitable

i n t o q u e s t i o n com'Festlicher

b i n e s w i t h t h e image e n c l o s i n g t h e c o u p l e t S a a l ! ... gebaut'

w h i c h i t s e l f l e a d s on t o t h e merging 'Gesang': t h e f o u n d a t i o n i s u n s t a b l e self-

images 'GefaBe' and

and h o l l o w , and a t t h e moment o f l i b e r a t e d , t i t a n i c

a s s e r t i o n r e t u r n s t o i t s 'Grund', t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , 'song' as t h e ' v e s s e l ' o f lament. Lament ' f i l l s ' let because of t h e s t r u c t u r e o f immediacy and t h e coupex-

joyous

c l a m a t i o n i t has

' b u i l t ' . Thus t h e images t h a t make up

t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e v i s i o n merge e f f o r t l e s s l y w i t h t h e e f f e c t o f p o e t i c f o r m ; p o e t r y appears as an inadequate

r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g s t h a t honoured t h e gods. L i n e s 59-64 form a s i n g l e ascending movement i n w h i c h t h e t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n p l a y s a secondary r o l e . I n t h e t h r e e s t r o p h e s i t was first

an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e p o e t i c exlament

p e r i e n c e ; h e r e , on t h e c o n t r a r y , i t i s submerged. The b e g i n s w i t h an expanding c o u p l e t : f i r s t r e v e a l e d as

t h e 'Thronen' are 99),

'Tempel', s p i r i t u a l t h r o n e s ( c f . 11. 97,

and t h e n t h e 'GefaBe', w h i c h a t f i r s t

seem on t h e same

l e v e l as t h e t e m p l e s , prove t o be something y e t more 18 spiritual, 'Gesang'. The rhythm t o o expands, the penta-

meter ' f i l l i n g ' t h e 'GefaB' o f t h e c o u p l e t as i t i t s e l f is filled by t h e s i n g l e i d e a 'Gesang' w i t h i t s a t t r i b u t e s .

- 213

With

'Wo, wo'

t h e lament l i t e r a l l y r e d o u b l e s ; h a l f of 1.63

t h e r e i s no be-

pause. I n t h e f i r s t

this intensification

comes t h r o u g h t h e d i m i n i s h i n g s t r u c t u r e a c c e l e r a t i o n ; ' W o i s t das to s c h n e l l e ? ' , by m a t c h i n g form ( e l l i p t i c a l brevity)

sense, f i r s t

suggests t h a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l images are 'wo

g a i n i n g t h e upper hand over t h e e l e g i a c mood. W i t h b r i c h t s ' , so v i v i d l y b r i e f , t h e image has won, rhythm has 'broken',

the e l e g i a c

and t h e r e s t of t h e c o u p l e t i s o n l y

i n f o r m a q u e s t i o n . Over t h e n e x t t h r e e c o u p l e t s t h e sense of ascent i s maintained through the echoing f i g u r a etymoof

l o g i c a ('Vater! h e i t e r ! ' ) . Not

j u s t the exclamation

1 1 . 6 5 - 6 6 , t h e f o r m of t h e whole c o u p l e t i s 'echoed' i n t h e p e n u l t i m a t e c o u p l e t . The c o n t a i n i n g v e s s e l has once a g a i n

become p o s i t i v e , t h e echoing shout. In the f i n a l

space o f a second, m i g h t i e r

c o u p l e t t h e sensus n u m i n i s i s r e c a p t u r e d . l o n g ascent ends ab-

These l i n e s are o f g r e a t power. The

r u p t l y , so t h a t t h e coming o f t h e D i v i n e seems s e t a p a r t f r o m , o t h e r t h a n , t h e j u b i l a n t human a n t i c i p a t i o n . Exclama t i o n s g i v e way t o statement, suggesting i r r e v o c a b l e

daemonic w i l l h i g h e r t h a n t h e v a c i l l a t i n g e m o t i o n a l s t a t e of man. The form i s t h u s o r a c u l a r , t h e i m p a s s i v e powerful utterance

t h a t h i d e s a w f u l s i g n i f i c a n c e . The 'tiefschutternd
1

neologism intensify softens

and m y s t e r i o u s

'Aus den S c h a t t e n '

t h e sense o f d i v i n e presence; t h e l a t t e r e x p r e s s i o n the systematic context of the v a r i a n t s

'denn so/ Kehr(2.599}

en d i e Himmlischen e i n , und wo d i e h e i l i g e Anmuth' 35-600,

1 ) ; 'so s t e i g e t i n Nachten/ V o r b e r e i t e t h e r a b ' ,

1

'so s t e i g e t den Nachten/ Abgerungen h e r a b

(2.600,

21-23)

- 214 -

i n t o t h e source o f d i v i n e

will.

The d e l a y e d p o s i t i o n o f 'Tag' ( s t r i c t l y t h e l a s t word s h o u l d be 'herab') v i v i d l y matches form t o sense; 'day' emerges 'out o f t h e shadows' n o t ,iust o f t h e l a s t penta-

meter b u t , t h r o u g h i t s t h e m a t i c power, o f t h e s t r o p h e as a whole: a divine 'coming' t o echo 'Nacht' (1.36) and

'Gott' ( 1 . 5 4 ) . The s t r o p h e g a i n s autonomy; 'Tag' answers and f u l f i l s ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' , t h e r a y o f morning

become f u l l day, t h e coming o f ' d i e Himmlischen' now 'wahr' (compare t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e o f 'Der Gang a u f s Land').

R h y t h m i c a l c o n t i n u i t y between t h e t h i r d and f o u r t h s t r o p h e s d e r i v e s f r o m t h e p a t t e r n o f e x c l a m a t i o n s ( a cohesion h e i g h t e n e d by t h e f l o w i n g e l e g i a c rhythm o f t h e s u r -

r o u n d i n g f o u r s t r o p h e s ) ; t h i s i s because t h e y c e n t r e around t h e p o i n t o f l i b e r a t i o n , t h e h i n g e o f t h e two hemispheres. But t h e s e e x c l a m a t i o n s v a r y i n f u n c t i o n :

As soon as t h e e x c l a m a t i o n ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' is spoken, t h e moment o f l i b e r a t e d immediacy i s over. The

e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e breaks down and r e t u r n s t o i t s 'Grund', the e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , and t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n b e g i n s t o

r e a s s e r t i t s e l f . The e x c l a m a t i o n s t h a t r i n g on i n 11.57-58 prove t o be a s t r u c t u r e w i t h o u t f o u n d a t i o n . T h e r e a f t e r t h e purpose o f t h e s t r o p h e i s t o r e c r e a t e immediacy o u t o f l o s s , t h e p r e s e n t o u t o f t h e i d e a l p a s t . The t r i a d i c t r a n s i t i o n s a r e no more t h a n s c a r c e l y - f e l t pauses r e i n f o r c ing the growing s t r e n g t h o f t h e couplet ( t h e f i r s t intensfrom

i f i e s t h e l a m e n t , t h e second s u p p o r t s t h e t r a n s i t i o n

p a s t t o p r e s e n t ) . The p r e s e n t tenses o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d r e -

- 215 -

main, d e s p i t e t h e e x c l a m a t i o n s , a o r i s t i c , and so b e l o n g t o t h e a s c e n t , so t h a t t h e p e n u l t i m a t e c o u p l e t , which bears no r e l a t i o n t o t h e t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n s , has become the e c h o i n g snace o f a m i g h t y s h o u t , and stands a t t h e o f t h e D i v i n e . Not t i l l

t h r e s h o l d o f renewed e x p e r i e n c e the

f i n a l c o u p l e t , t h e p r e s e n t power o f w h i c h r e s i d e s i n

i t s v e r y a p a r t n e s s , does p o e t i c f o r m once a g a i n h o l d t h e r e a l i t y o f 'Begeisterung'. That i s , t h e p r i m a c y o f l i b e r a t i o n over containment

i s r e v e r s e d . The e x c l a m a t i o n s a r e c o n t a i n e d by t h e p a s t , and a r e themselves l e s s immediate, a s i g n o f growing r e -

f l e c t i v e n e s s ; t h e y a r e t h e l a s t i n t h e hemisphere. T h i s reversal i n mood w i l l c u l m i n a t e i n t h e sheer absence o f

1 1 . 9 9 - 1 0 6 and t h e d a r k , m y s t e r i o u s f i g u r e o f t h e n i g h t bringing The 'Consoler'; i t d e r i v e s from t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g f o r m . o f l i b e r a t i o n from structure;

f i r s t t h r e e s t r o p h e s were a process

darkness. the

T h i s was a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e i r t r i a d i c

e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , r i s e and f a l l , had by and i n t h e s t r o p h e been t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o t h e s h e l l c o n t a i n i n g

third the

seed o f i m p u l s e , t h e b a r r i e r a g a i n s t w h i c h t h e r i v e r

r e a r s up. A t b o t h t r a n s i t i o n s t h e t h i r d c o u p l e t o f t h e t r i a d b r i e f l y h e l d back t h e i m p u l s i v e e x c l a m a t i o n s . This

was t h e p o s i t i v e r o l e o f a ' T r i e b k r a f t d e r N e g a t i v i t a t ' : 'Des Herzens Wooge schaumte n i c h t so schb'n empor, und wiirde G e i s t , wenn n i c h t d e r a l t e stumme F e l s , das S c h i k s a a l , i h r entgegenstande* ( H y p e r i o n , I , 71 /10-12). F i n a l l y a l l r e -

s t r a i n t d i s s o l v e d i n t h e 'open sea', and ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h enland!' i s f o r m a l l y pure 'das O f f e n e ' , t h e p o i n t of l i b e r a t i o n ,

exclamation, v i s i o n , u n l i m i t e d

'Begeisterung'.

- 216 -

Yet t h i s c l i m a x by i t s v e r y n a t u r e r e s u l t s i n a b r e a k down o f t h e t e n s i o n upon which t h e a e s t h e t i c process depends, and p r e c l u d e s a f i r m , s t a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p between art and l i f e . T h i s i s one and t h e same f a i l u r e . The poem's

m i c r o c o s m i c harmony i s a Weltanschauung based upon a r a d i cal (the d u a l i s m : t h e w o r l d as hemispheres o f d a r k n e s s and l i g h t contemporary w o r l d and Greece). The t r a n s i t i o n r e -

p r e s e n t e d by t h e s t r o p h i c hemispheres i s an a c t t h a t b r i d g e s d i v i d e d h a l v e s . I t t h u s presupposes t h e p o e t ' s absolute otherness; i t i s a r e c o n c i l i n g love i m p l y i n g a C h r i s t - l i k e condescension t o t h e w o r l d , a sense o f m i s s i o n reconciliation. the loss

so e x a l t e d as t o p r e c l u d e any r e a l

S i m i l a r l y , t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t once lamented of

D i o t i m a ; now i t i s t h e 'Grund' o f t h e 'open' form t h a t

l i b e r a t e s from t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n . Yet t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n was i t s e l f t h e p o e t ' s o t h e r n e s s : t h e c o n f l i c t between l i f e as l o v e and l i f e as c o n f l i c t , t h e l e g a c y o f

F r a n k f u r t . Now t h e poem i s t h e harmony t h a t absorbs t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n . The e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i s no l o n g e r 'open' ( f o r m l e s s , a s u c c e s s i o n ) as i n ' E l e g i e ' , w h i c h was devoted to t h e b e l o v e d o b j e c t and so away from i t s e l f ; i t recreates night

i t s e l f i n t h e s t r o p h i c form. Therewith t h e poet's merges w i t h contemporary darkness,

and t h e e l e g i a c s i t u -

a t i o n i s u n i v e r s a l i s e d . The process o f l i b e r a t i o n c u l m i n a t i n g i n utmost open-ness i s t h e cosmic hexameter; and i t i s t h e cosmic pentameter

when t h e poem ' c l o s e s ' (1.108)

t h a t f a l l s back t o r e s t i n l o s s and l o n g i n g . An eye has opened and c l o s e d . Thus ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' i s the

memory o f Menon's ' L i c h t d e r L i e b e ! ' : ' s e e l i g ' , f r e e now

- 217 -

from a l l i n c i d e n t a l , f i n i t e a s s o c i a t i o n , i t confirms the s e l f - e n c l o s u r e o f t h e e l e g i a c r e a l m (compare 'Seeliges

T h a i des Rheins!'

i n 'Der Wanderer'; t h u s a s i n g l e t h r e a d

r u n s from 'Tag d e r L i e b e ! ' ) . ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! , i n terms o f c o n t e n t (meaning) in to alone t h e c l i m a x o f t h e f i r s t s i x strophes, i s thus

1

a e s t h e t i c p r a c t i c e t h e r e d u c t i o n o f p o e t i c experience t h e moment o f i n t e n s e p e r c e p t i o n t h a t d i e s , w i t h e r s ,

even as i t i s spoken; i t t h u s becomes t h e i r h i n g e , t h e ' R e - f l e x i o n ' . What was a 'Streben' towards t h e u n a t t a i n a b l e i d e a l , Greece, w o r l d o f gods and h e r o e s , here becomes t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a r e t u r n t o t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n of darkness; the "the i m p o s i t i o n o f form upon t h e f i r s t s i x strophes f r e e s thus

c o n f l i c t between freedom and form from purpose,

r e f l e c t i n g u l t i m a t e acceptance t h a t i d e a l and r e a l i t y can never meet. The f o u r t h s t r o p h e no l o n g e r s t r i v e s , as d i d t h e o u t l i n e , towards t h e p r e s e n t r e a l i t y o f t h e D i v i n e , b u t t h r o u g h t h e memory o f b e a u t y , t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , seeks the the i n t e n s i t y i t has l o s t , and t h e r e f o r e , e q u a l l y , l o s e s i n t e n s i t y i t seeks. Thus t h e p o e t ' s w o r l d becomes t h e e x i s t e n t i a l sphere o f d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s i t y , b u t t h e r e f o r e a l s o o f pure p o e t i c purpose, i n which each s t r o p h e mourns and c l i n g s t o t h e 'immediacy'

l o s t immedicay o f t h e l a s t ( t h e v e r y c a t e g o r y

i m p l i e s a m e d i a t i n g c o n t e x t ) . The autonomy o f t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e i s bound up w i t h t h e process o f l o s s ; b e i n g a c h i e v e d o n l y t h r o u g h t h e memory o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , i t b o t h i n t e n s i f i e s t h e sense o f l o s t b e a u t y and, b e i n g it-

s e l f u n s t a b l e , d r i v e s t h e poem on t o i t s e l e g i a c 'SchluB'.

- 218 -

It

i s a d i m i n i s h e d e x i s t e n t i a l sphere, f o r t h e l o s s o f ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' , i s l e s s i n t e n s e . Here one must d i -

self,

s t i n g u i s h c a t e g o r i c a l l y between t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l v a l u e s o f t h e o l o g y and p h i l o s o p h y , and a e s t h e t i c v a l u e . I n terms of t h e f o r m e r t h i s s t r o p h e , b e i n g concerned with the

'Einkehr' o f ' d i e Himmlischen', has p r o g r e s s e d t o a h i g h e r l e v e l ; but a e s t h e t i c a l l y is 'die u n g e t h e i l t e Begeisterung'

i t s e l f a d i v i n e non p l u s u l t r a ( H y p e r i o n , I , 2 0 / 7 ) .

These a r e n o t s e p a r a t e b u t c o n f l i c t i n g v a l u e s ; by r e n d e r ing the t h e meaning o f t h e poem t h e s t a t e o f l o s t b e a u t y (love)

p o e t i c process undermines t r a n s c e n d e n t i n f a v o u r o f

immanent v a l u e . A p o t e n t i a l l y r a t i o n a l and coherent view o f l i f e i s p e r se l o s t oneness w i t h N a t u r e . The c o n c e p t u a l of God from t h e A l l , division

such as c h a r a c t e r i s e s r e l i g i o n , i s

a l s o t h e t y p e o f d i v i s i o n . The o b j e c t o f l o n g i n g i s l o s t b e a u t y ; b u t l o s t b e a u t y i s t h e D i v i n e . The poem's t a s k i s to re-experience t h i s t r u t h ; accordingly, i n p r o p o r t i o n

as ( s t r o p h e by s t r o p h e ) t h e poem seeks i t s own e x p e r i e n c e the o b j e c t i v e v a l u e , t h e coherence o f i t s t h o u g h t , becomes

negative.

The f i f t h

s t r o p h e i s concerned

w i t h t h e 'coming' 'reality'

( 1 1 . 7 3 , 74, 8 2 ) , 'naming' ( 7 6 , 84, 8 9 - 9 0 ) , ('truth') (81), 'revelation* the

( 8 3 ) , o f t h e 'gods'; i n i t 'Werden d e r

h i s t o r i c a l Greece g i v e s way t o a u n i v e r s a l 19

Kultur'.

S t r u c t u r a l l y i t i s founded upon t h r e e hexa-

meters i n which main c l a u s e s extend t o a f o u r t h - f o o t caesura ( 1 1 . 7 3 , 7 7 , 8 1 ) ; t o g e t h e r t h e y express t h e t h r e e -

- 219 -

fold

'coming' o f t h e D i v i n e . Each hexameter i s t h u s t h e o f gods and men: i t s f i r s t h a l f , t h e i r -

meeting-space

r u p t i o n i n t o man's domain by a l o v e t h a t t r a n s c e n d s a l l 'measure' ( c f . 'groB', 1 .77)-, i t s second b a l f , man's diminishing resistance: to 'es s t r e b e n entgegen' g i v e s way parallelism

'es f u l l e n das Herz ihm' ( t h e s y n t a c t i c a l

h e i g h t e n s t h e c o n t r a s t : as t h e gods become t h e s u b j e c t , so man's h e a r t i s o p e n i n g ; , and f i n a l l y t o 'dann aber i n W a h r h e i t / Kommen s i e s e l b s t ' , i n which t h e gods l i t e r a l l y 'fill' t h e meeting-space and, w i t h (man i s n o t mentioned i n the

hexameter)

'Kommen', s p i l l over i n t o t h e p e n t a t h e emphatic opening p o s i t i o n , 'Kommen'

meter. Delayed t i l l is

t h u s t h e m a t h e m a t i c a l c e n t r e o f t h e whole poem. The f i r s t t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n ( 1 1 . 7 8 / 7 9 ) s u p p o r t s t h i s

s t r u c t u r e , p r o v i d i n g a brake t o suggest man's p e r s i s t i n g l i m i t a t i o n . But t h i s pause i s v e r y s l i g h t , t h e weakest (a ual comma) so f a r i n t h e poem, and man's p r o f l i g a t e generosity l i f t s spirit-

t h e rhythm over t h e d i v i s i o n , so

t h a t i t becomes a f i n a l b a r r i e r d i s s o l v i n g b e f o r e t h e 20 a p p r o a c h i n g u n i o n o f gods and men. i t i o n i s no l o n g e r f e l t a t a l l , the And t h e second t r a n s -

f o r t h e ' t r u e ' coming o f

D i v i n e r e l e a s e s a l l t e n s i o n , and t h e s t r o p h e f l o w s

away q u i t e u n h i n d e r e d t o i t s end. This r e s o l u t i o n of tension i s t h e ' f u l l ' the r e a l i t y of

D i v i n e : f i l l i n g and d i s s o l v i n g t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , i t

washes away a l l o b s t a c l e s and d o u b t s . The s e a r c h f o r day, l i g h t , l i b e r a t i o n , i s over: 'gewohnt werden d i e Menschen des G l u k s / Und des Tags und zu schaun d i e O f f e n baren ... ' ( 8 2 - 8 3 ) . The v i s i o n a r y a n t h r o p o l o g y f o l l o w s

- 220

the of

same course

as Hegel's i n t h e c h a p t e r

'Die R e l i g i o n ' seines

t h e Phanomenologie des G e i s t e s : from

'die Nacht

[des Menschen] Wesens' t o 'das r e i n e , a l l e s und e r f i i l l e n d e L i c h t w e s e n ' , thence

enthaltende und Tat',

t o 'die Pflanze

das T i e r ' and v a r i o u s 'Ungeheuer an G e s t a l t , Rede und

and f i n a l l y t o ' d i e K u n s t r e l i g i o n ' o f t h e Greek pantheon. The are, strangeness o f t h e gods and i n i t i a l f e a r of
1

men before

i n I d e a l i s t i c terms, the l a s t

'Entgegensezung

a b s o l u t e ' V e r e i n i g u n g ' . The m o t i f d i d n o t , however, o r i g i n a l l y b e l o n g t o t h e o u t l i n e ( c f . FHA H o l d e r l i n at f i r s t 6.208, 45-50), which

sought t o end w i t h t h e u n c o m p l i c a t e d l y

' j o y f u l ' response o f t h e ' H a l b g o t t ' . W i t h i t s a n t i - r h y t h m i c a l i r r u p t i o n by t h e gods t h e f i f t h the s t r o p h e b r e a k s down

a l r e a d y weakening s t r o p h i c f o r m , so t h a t t h e reason f o r heighten

i n t r o d u c i n g t h e m o t i f i s c l e a r l y t o draw out and the denouement. 'Naming', f u l l

consciousness ( c f . 1 . 8 8 ) ,

t h u s becomes a more r e a l r e a l i t y , o r , a g a i n i n terms o f H o l d e r l i n ' s p h i l o s o p h y , a more i n f i n i t e i n f i n i t y ( c f . e.g. 4 . 1 5 3 i 1 6 f . ; 'liber R e l i g i o n ' , passim). division

At t h e moment, however, a t which t h e t r i a d i c

f i n a l l y f a l l s away, and i n l o n g f l o w i n g c l a u s e s t h e d i v i n e abundance ' f i l l s ' each l i n e ( 1 1 . 8 5 - 8 6 ) , t h e r e i s an un-

m i s t a k a b l e change i n mood; t h e l a s t two c o u p l e t s have an e l e g i a c undertone t h e more moving because o f t h e ease and nun miissen ...

c l a r i t y o f t h e s u r f a c e , and which i n 'Nun, Worte ... e n t s t e h n ' becomes pregnant

w i t h a sorrow

veiled

o n l y by t h e o v e r a l l s y s t e m a t i c c o n t e x t . At t h e same t i m e s t r o p h i c autonomy i s here f i n a l l y r e s o l v e d ; t h e r e i s no tension l e f t , and t h e 'Und

1

w i t h which t h e s i x t h

strophe

- 221

c a r r i e s t h e t h o u g h t e f f o r t l e s s l y over t h e d i v i s i o n .

This i s a e s t h e t i c f a i l u r e , since thereby t h e strophe i s reduced t o m a r k i n g stages ina thought-process.

For t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e c o n t i n u e s and completes t h e v i s i o n begun by t h e f i f t h , and so t o o t h e d i s s o l u t i o n o f f o r m . ( ' W i r k l i c h und w a h r h a f t ' )

Here i s t h e d e f i n i t i v e s t a t e m e n t of

t h e r e a l i t y , t h e presence, o f t h e D i v i n e . Taking t h e unit (imagining a f u l l stop a t

f i r s t t r i a d as a separate

' a u f ' ) , i t s three couplets are three mighty, c o n f i d e n t , o r a c u l a r pronouncements, each c o n f i r m i n g t h e l a s t , self-

c o n t a i n e d as t h e pentameter g i v e s i n v e r t e d response t o t h e e p i c 'Wiirde' o f t h e hexameter. A l l i s unbroken c e r t a i n t y , and i t i s t h i s mood and v i s i o n t h a t ' b u i l d s up' a
1

t o w e r i n g s t r u c t u r e which now r e a l l y does 'go u p w a r d s , 21 surpassing the t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n , reaching f o r i n f i n i t y . The succession o f c o u p l e t s i s t h e image o f an endless

'striving'

i n w h i c h a l l 'Maas' i s d i s c a r d e d , and s i m u l t dream-world. The eye i s

a n e o u s l y t h e acme o f t h e p o e t ' s

l o s t i n t h e v i s i o n o f 'schonen Tempel und S t a d t e ' . In 1.98 ( t h a t i s , q u i t e i r r e s p e c t i v e o f t h e s t r o p h i c 'Strefcien

1

form), t h i s temples,

ends. L i k e t h e Greek c i t i e s and

t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e o f power and b e a u t y , t h e

dream w i t h i t s a s s e r t i v e b l o c k s o f c o u p l e t s mounting up t o w a r d s t h e heavens ('Vor den A e t h e r ' ) , c o l l a p s e s , and t h e poet g i v e s way t o l a m e n t a t i o n . The second t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n m e r e l y serves t o i n t e n s i f y t h i s , and i f f o r a moment one f o r g e t s t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t t h e lament i s , gust l i k e the 'beautiful' buildings, is 'open' t o i n f i n i t y ; there

no r e a s o n why t h e q u e s t i o n s and t h e i r images s h o u l d

222

n o t f l o w on unchecked f o r e v e r . Thus t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e h u b r i s and nemesis. The c o n s i s t s o f two four couplets formless parts:

first

are t h e r h y t h m -

i c a l e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e T i t a n s ' p i l i n g o f P e l i o n upon Ossa, o r i n d e e d , s i n c e t h e s t r u c t u r e a r i s e s out o f t h e strophe fifth

w i t h i t s 'naming' o f t h e D i v i n e , of t h e Tower o f i t i s n o t men, b u t t h e p o e t , who has committed dis-

B a b e l . Yet

the act of h u b r i s ; the formless

lament i s r h y t h m i c a l

i n t e g r a t i o n , t h e r u i n s o f h i s a s s e r t i o n s . But

therewith

n o t j u s t t h e r e a c h i n g - u p towards the D i v i n e o f these f o u r c o u p l e t s ; the e n t i r e 'Streben' o f t h e whole poem, o f w h i c h

t h i s v i s i o n a r y peak i s m e r e l y t h e c u l m i n a t i o n , has been an h u b r i s t i c s e a r c h p u n i s h e d now by t h e Nemesis o f a e s t h e t i c experience.

f a i l u r e , the d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s i t y of the p o e t i c The

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f the e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , r e s i g n a t i v e fall, into the

symbol o f e t e r n a l b e a u t y i n i t s r i s e and

'Grund' o f a p o e t i c process whose c o n c l u s i o n p e r f e c t i o n and

i s the p r o u d been classical

r e g u l a r i t y o f t h e f o u r c o u p l e t s has f a i l u r e . Not so much, as i n a

an a c t t h a t c o u r t e d

system o f g e n r e s , t h a t t h e e l e g i a c form has

been burdened

w i t h a w e i g h t i t i s by n a t u r e unable t o c a r r y ; b u t t h a t t h e p o e t has immediacy and recreated the elegiac s i t u a t i o n , loss of so o f b e a u t y , as the ' t r u e ' and p r o p e r r e fail-

l a t i o n s h i p between h i m s e l f and

the D i v i n e . A e s t h e t i c technique.

u r e i s , i n t h i s wayward sense, p o e t i c In 'Wie wenn am F e i e r t a g e ...

the only experiment

w i t h a r i g i d P i n d a r i c k i n d of s t r o p h i c c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , w r i t t e n a t t h e end o f 1799 and so e a r l i e r t h a n the

s t r o p h i c e l e g i e s , a mood o f c o n f i d e n c e a l s o breaks down

223

and t h e ' f i r m ' form g i v e s way.

( 1 . 6 6 ) c o n s t r u c t i o n b u i l t by t h e a t r o p h i c

Unci, sag i c h g l e i c h , Ich Sie Den Das s e i genaht, d i e Himmlischen zu schauen, s e l b s t , s i e w e r f e n mich t i e f u n t e r d i e Lebenden f a l s c h e n P r i e s t e r , i n s D u n k e l , daB i c h warnende L i e d den G e l e h r i g e n s i n g e .
"(11.69-75)

The

creation

' H a l f t e des Lebens'

out o f t h i s

disex-

i n t e g r a t i o n has been a t t r a c t i v e l y i n t e r p r e t e d as t h e p e r i e n c e o f p e r s o n a l s u f f e r i n g t h a t d i s a b l e s from ( s u p r a - p e r s o n a l ) s e r v i c e o f 'the gods'. 'Wer das betritt,

pure Hymnische

ohne das E l e g i s c h e ganz a b g e s t r e i f t zu haben,

1

erscheint Holderlin als 'falscher P r i e s t e r ' ; Lebens' i s ' z u g l e i c h E r k e n n t i s und L a u t e r u n g ' ,

'Halfte

des

enabling
2?

the

poet t o p u t b e h i n d him t h e l o s s o f D i o t i m a . In 'Brod und Wein' t h e o b j e c t o f t h e p o e t ' s striving,

the

v i s i o n o f Greece, i s i n i t s o t h e r w o r l d l y i n s u b s t a n t ('das O f f e n e ) a metaphor f o r i n f i n i t y

1

iality

('Aether ,

' G e i s t ' (1.13*0), and t h u s such t h a t l o s s , f a i l u r e , i s p r e s t a b i l i s e d . I n extending the o r i g i n a l conception the with

'Werden der K u l t u r ' , t h a t p h i l o s o p h i c a l a n t h r o p o l o g y paraphrase, process un-

which so l e n d s i t s e l f t o s y s t e m a t i s i n g

H o l d e r l i n i s r e a l l y p r o t r a c t i n g and so c o m p l e t i n g a of l o s s , and e x p r e s s i n g , i n d i r e c t l y and, no d o u b t ,

c o n s c i o u s l y , t h e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t r a t i o n a l t h i n k i n g cannot 'approach' t h e D i v i n e . R h y t h m i c a l l y t h e f i f t h the ory, d i m i n i s h e d s p e l l and l e s s e n e d strophe i s

i n t e n s i t y , i n a word, memfifth,

o f t h e f o u r t h ; so t o o t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e o f t h e

- 224 -

so t h a t t h e e l e g i a c u n d e r t o n e o f t h e l a s t two of

couplets

t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e does n o t s i m p l y c o n t i n u e b u t i s ,

r a t h e r , echoed i n t h e s i x t h , where t h e f o r m l e s s h u b r i s and nemesis r e p r o d u c e and of expand (weaken) t h e r e s o l u t i o n

t e n s i o n ( t h r o u g h t h e 'coming' o f t h e gods) i n l i n e s and 8 1 . I n b r e a k i n g down t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , the

73% 77,

poet d e s t r o y s

t h e 'Maas' upon which ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' i s 14 -17) and by which i t i s 'approaches' ' t o b e h o l d ' generated. 'die Himm-

dependent ( 4 . 2 3 3 , Thus t h e poet

l i s c h e n ' , and i s 'cast down' ' i n t o d a r k n e s s ' ; w i t h t h e coming o f C h r i s t , n i g h t f a l l s . But t h e poem i s n o t ab-

andoned; i t i s formed, an a e s t h e t i c f a i l u r e . Through t h e n e g a t i v e f u n c t i o n t h a t reduces t h e c o h e r e n t and communic-

a t i n g p o e t i c language t o mere e x t e r n a l appearance, Hb'ld e r l i n expresses t h a t 'Streben' i s (Fichtean) t i t a n i s m ,

t h e Promethean a t t e m p t t o s n a t c h i m m o r t a l i t y . This ' s t r i v i n g ' i s n o t , however, r e j e c t e d , as t h o u g h r a t i o n a l answer would be

i n a r a t i o n a l argument. The

m a t e r i a l i s t i c : t h a t d i v i n i t y i s o u t s i d e human

experience.

But t h e poem reaches up f o r i n f i n i t y i n p r o p o r t i o n as i t l o s e s 'Maas'; i t r e c r e a t e s d i v i n i t y as t h a t which i s l o s t , i n d e e d , by s e l f - i n c u r r e d f a u l t d e s t r o y e d . Therewith i t i s

t h e f a i l u r e t o a t t a i n that? i n and t h r o u g h t h e process o f f a i l u r e ? n o t o n l y does j u s t i c e t o t h e t r u t h of u n a t t a i n a b i l i t y ( 4 . 2 1 3 ) , but r e c r e a t e s t h e t i m e l e s s I d e a l . The p o e t i c process seeks t h e b e a u t y i t has l o s t , loses

t h e b e a u t y i t seeks. T h i s p r o g r e s s i v e f a i l u r e i s s i m u l t aneous r e g r e s s i v e a e s t h e t i c success; f o r i t c r e a t e s , i n d i r e c t l y , t h e e x i s t e n t i a l sphere o f t h e autonomous

- 225

s t r o p h e as t h e i s l a n d o f what was.

The

Divine i s not the

o b j e c t o f F i c h t e a n 'Streben': o f Reason. T h i s i s H o l d e r l i n ' existential Gelehrigen

1

'warning' t o contemporary p h i l o s o p h y , t o ' d i e S c h e l l i n g and H e g e l , soon t o c o l l a b o r a t e i n new Volks-

Jena on a p h i l o s o p h i c a l answer t o F i c h t e . The r e l i g i o n , t h e 'Kingdom o f God'

(B84, 5) on e a r t h , i s

c e r t a i n l y knowledge ( ' E r k e n n t n i s ' , i n t h e sense o f Kant's e p i s t e m o l o g y ; c f . k.257-> 12 -16), b u t knowledge o f t h e I d e a l i s the beauty The the of l o n g i n g . is

form o f t h e D i v i n e on e a r t h ( c f . 4 . 2 1 3 , 8-10) cannot,

e t e r n a l l y i m p e r f e c t sphere o f memory. One

however, s i n k back i n t o t h e c o m f o r t a b l e b u t C h r i s t i a n d u a l i s m Heaven/earth. The

'irrational'

sphere i s i m p e r f e c t

o n l y because i t i s l o s t . D i v i n i t y remains a b s o l u t e l y subj e c t - c e n t r e d ; the w o r l d of consciousness i s s t r u c t u r e d the i s l a n d of childhood The poet 'preserves', innocence. 'wie i n einem GefaBe', l i f e by

and t h a t i s , l o v e

n o t j u s t , i n t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l sense,

from b e i n g f o r g o t t e n , b u t f r o m t h e i m p u r i t y o f t h e F a l l , of finite consciousness. The s t r o p h i c form y i e l d s the

bounds o f pure r e l a t i o n s h i p , o f l o s s o f s e l f , l o v e t h a t i s surrender*, ' S e e l i g k e i t ' , i n f i n i t y , d e a t h ; i t i s n o t p u r i f i c a t i o n from, but of, p h y s i c a l love. For p o e t i c t e c h n i q u e must here be u n d e r s t o o d in a

t h o r o u g h l y Romantic sense; i t i s t h e t a c i t g r a n t i n g o f p e r m i s s i o n by t h e conscious mind t o t h e subconscious and,

i n d e e d , t h e u n c o n s c i o u s ( d a r k n e s s , N i g h t ) t o h o l d sway i n the i n d i v i d u a l ' s w o r l d , and t o i n v e s t i t w i t h fascination

and i n t e n s i t y n o t o f f e r e d by r e a l i t y . The

conscious

- 226 -

a r t i s t r y t h a t d e a l s i n f o r m a l symmetry, r u l e s o f expression, themes, c o n t e n t above a l l , t h e assumption o f i n i s here appearance o n l y , and,

t e n t t o communicate

u n d i r e c t e d by w i l l , has become t h e means o f e x p e r i e n c i n g a t r u t h w h i c h r e n d e r s s o c i e t y i r r e l e v a n t , and knowledge 23

of w h i c h precedes

t h e poem's purpose,

i t s 'Streben'.

'Mythologie der Vernunft' The h e i g h t o f t h e v i s i o n i s t h e 'naming' o f t h e 'gods', their 'Gegenwart', l i v i n g presence. The Greek 'Apollo' pantheon has become a

'Zeus', 'Athene', 'Dionysus',

u n i v e r s a l paradigm. yet

Such naming i s n o t

i n theory, not

p o s s i b l e f o r t h e p o e t , and c o n s e q u e n t l y h i s gods

are unnamed: 'der kommende G o t t ' , 'er kam auch s e l b s t ' , 'indessen kommt a l s F a k e l s c h w i n g e r des Hochsten/ Sohn,

der S y r i e r ' . The f o r m o f t h e poem i s based upon t h i s trinity; p o e t r y i s t h e r e w i t h n o t names, b u t a l l u s i o n s . As noch C h r i s t u s a l l e i n

t o who i s a l l u d e d t o : 'Weder Dionysus

kommen i n u n s e r e r n a c h t l i c h e n Z w i s c h e n z e i t h e r a b : s i e kommen b e i d e herab, und m i t t e l b a r , im Wein' Ausgabe, i i i , (Inselcon-

58). This i s undoubtedly the c o r r e c t

c l u s i o n t o t h e c o n t r o v e r s y over t h e meaning o f t h e poem's mythology. 'Gotter wandelten e i n s t ' , i n d a z z l i n g s u n l i g h t ; p o e t r y is ' E r - i n n e r u n g ' t h a t i n v o k e s t h e f u t u r e ('der kommende

G o t t ' ) , when a u n i t e d community w i l l name i t s gods. T h i s i s p a r t o f t h e t h e o r y o f r e l i g i o u s p o e t r y . Yet i t seems i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h H o l d e r l i n ' s own b e l i e f s :

- 227 -

' Wir miissen e i n e neue M y t h o l o g i e haben, d i e s e

Mythologie

aber muB im D i e n s t e d e r I d e e n s t e h e n , s i e mus e i n e Mythol o l g i e d e r V e r n u n f t werden' ( 4 . 2 9 9 , 1-3) The 'rational

mythology' became a prime aim' o f H o l d e r l i n ' s mature poetry. A l l t h e e l e g i e s a r e t u r n e d towards 'du m i t

d e i n e n Gb'ttern, N a t u r ' ( H y p e r i o n , I I , p e c i a l l y t o 'Vater A e t h e r ' .

1 2 2 / 1 9 ) , and esoust

I n 'Stutgard' the stars

t h e i r r a t i o n a l C h r i s t i a n 'angels', and so do t h e 'gods o f house and year' i n 'Heimkunft'. A p o l l o ' s s e r v i c e f o r Admetus, Zeus' v i s i t a t i o n o f Semele ('Wie wenn am F e i e r tage ... ' ) , a r e r a t i o n a l i s e d , and t h e n t h e r e a r e t h e 'Germanien' says: 'nenne, was v o r Augen d i r 'above

river-gods. ist'

( 8 3 ) ; what i s ' b e f o r e t h e eyes' i s no l o n g e r

the s t a r s ' ,

'wo i h r n i c h t s mehr s e h t ' ( H y p e r i o n , I , 8 0 / 1 2 ) .

The ' r a t i o n a l ' b a s i s o f t h e 'mythology' i s Kant's e p i s t e m o l o g y : t h e a b s t r a c t c o n s t a n t s o f human experience

( t i m e , p l a c e , c a u s a l i t y , e t c . ) a r e c o n d i t i o n s o f knowl e d g e , w h i c h i s t h e r e f o r e i n s e p a r a b l e from sensual c e p t i o n . I n t h e f i r s t p l a c e t h i s gave t h e Tubingen students a negative ' c r i t i q u e ' of metaphysical concepts per-

such as 'God' and ' i m m o r t a l i t y ' . Turned i n t o a p o s i t i v e philosophy, t h e 'transcendental Subject

1

signified the

e s s e n t i a l i d e n t i t y o f human e x p e r i e n c e ; t h e ' G e i s t , d e r a l l e m gemein und jedern e i g e n i s t ' ( c f . Hyperion, II,

1 0 3 / 3 f . ) i s i n t h i s sense a c o n c e n t r a t e d

personification

o f t h e i d e a l s o f t h e French R e v o l u t i o n : freedom, e q u a l i t y , and b r o t h e r h o o d ( c f . 4.299, 10-17). after

Thus i n t h e search t o c r e a t e a V o l k s r e l i g i o n

t h e model o f Greece t h e c r i t i q u e o f dogmatism becomes

- 228 -

the f o u n d a t i o n o f a r e l i g i o n i n which, i n Kant's terms, s u b j e c t and o b j e c t a r e u n i t e d : 'So wenn d i e P h i l o s o p h i e

d i e I d e e n , d i e E r f a h r u n g d i e Data a n g i b t , konnen w i r endl i c h d i e Physik im GroBen bekommen ... ' (4.297} 15f.).

The r e t u r n t o Greek mythology i s a r e t u r n from a b s t r a c t i o n t o N a t u r e . Yet t h e v e r y f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e new r e l i g i o n t h e p o t e n t i a l u n i t y o f a l l consciousness i n t h e t r a n s cendental s t r u c t u r e 'subject-object' r e n d e r s Greek

m y t h o l o g y i r r a t i o n a l . Anthropomorphic gods a r e n o t v e r y much b e t t e r t h a n E g y p t i a n 'monstrosities'; t h e i r divinity

i s bound t o t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l i t y , and t h e y a r e d i v i n e because t h e y a r e d i f f e r e n t , and above a l l more p o w e r f u l , t h a n o r d i n a r y human b e i n g s . And t h e r e f o r e t h e y have names, names t o d i s t i n g u i s h them b o t h from o t h e r gods and from o r d i n a r y human b e i n g s . H o l d e r l i n , who i n t e n d s h i s p o e t r y b o t h as paradigm f o r and i n v o c a t i o n o f t h e new communal r e l i g i o n , cannot do o t h e r w i s e t h a n r a t i o n a l i s e these d e i t i e s . C h r i s t and D i o nysus l o s e t h e i r names ('Verlaugnung a l l e s and h e n c e f o r t h s t a n d Accidentellen ) inspiration,
1

'im D i e n s t e d e r I d e e n ' :

i n c a r n a t i o n , f u t u r e community. They a r e no l o n g e r s u b j e c t s , l i v i n g beings, b u t o b j e c t s , p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n s o f ideas o r i g i n a l l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h them; and b e i n g i d e a s , t h e y are r a t i o n a l , f a l l i n g w i t h i n t h e p o t e n t i a l e x p e r i e n c e and u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f anyone r a t h e r t h a n b e i n g t h e p r o p e r t y o f an h i s t o r i c a l p e o p l e . The u n i f i e d c o n t e x t o f t h e poem w i t h i n which t h e y have t h e i r meaning i s t h e p o e t ' s potentially universal object-world. The 'naming' o f t h e gods i s t h e c l i m a x o f t h e v i s i o n ,

229

t h e moment o f h i g h e s t awareness and t h e r e f o r e g r e a t e s t r e a l i t y , presence ('nun ... / Nun, nun ... / ... nun'

( 1 1 . 8 9 - 9 1 ) of t h e D i v i n e . Yet i t i s a l s o t h e p r e c i s e p o i n t at own which t h e v i s i o n becomes i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h t h e work w h i c h , confronted w i t h the g l i t t e r i n g poet's

w o r l d of The

gods and demi-gods, stands under a n e g a t i v e s i g n .

c l i m a x i s t h u s t h e completed f e e l i n g o f what the poem cannot a c h i e v e ; 'Natur', and t h e poem becomes 'Kunst' as opposed t o 'Worte', b u t not 'wie Blumen'. The

speaking

naming o f 'naming' i s t h e h e i g h t of 'Kunst', p o e t i c s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and so a dead, p o w e r l e s s a b s t r a c t i o n . o f t h e 'Systemprogramm' has

Thus t h e s i m p l e optimism

f o u n d s u b t l e r e x p r e s s i o n i n H o l d e r l i n ' s ' M y t h o l o g i e der Vernunft'. Unlike philosophy, poetry i s not a s a t i s f a c t o r y and s t a b l e s o l u t i o n t o t h e w o r l d ; on t h e c o n t r a r y , i t i s 'Natur'. I t has t h e e l e g i a c religion 'ab

'Kunst' mourning f o r l o s t

s t r u c t u r e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , l o s t i n n o c e n c e . The of

N a t u r e , t h e ' p o s i t i v e ' ( i n t h e n e g a t i v e sense o f 'unfelt') 'naming' o f t h e ' G o t t e r der Natur' with

stract',

'Vater A e t h e r ' ,

M u t t e r Erde', and t h e o t h e r s

w h i c h t h e poet can and does r e p l a c e

' h e i l g e Sage' and 1539) through

'der a l t e n G o t t e r Nahmen' ('Empedokles' I , 2 3 1 , such as 'Dionysus' and ' C h r i s t ' , becomes i t s e l f

t h e a n t i t h e t i c a l i d e a l a n e g a t i v e a c t . The Nature i s l o s t Nature.

p o e t r y of

Zwar damals r i e f f i c h Euch m i t Nahmen, auch Nanntet mich n i e , wie Als kennten s i e s i c h . ('Da i c h e i n

noch n i c h t ihr d i e Menschen s i c h nennen, Knabe war ... ', 1 1 . 2 0 - 2 3 )

- 230 -

Consciousness t u r n s Nature i n t o a s e t o f a b s t r a c t i o n s , s u b j e c t s h e r t o man's mastery,

1

'wounds' t h e u n i t y o f

' B e i n g ; t h i s was Empedokles' h u b r i s . The e l e g i e s so f a r c o n s i d e r e d have r e v e a l e d t h i s immedi-

s t r u c t u r e ; t h e y a r e t h e 'sphere' o f 'Kunst', l o s t

acy. The 'Wendung von d e r i r d i s c h e n z u r g e i s t i g e n Heimat' is c u l m i n a t i o n o f s e a r c h i n t h e 'naming' o f t h e D i v i n e ,

above a l l o f 'Vater A e t h e r ' ; b u t i f t h e c l i m a x i s an a c t of naming, t h e poem i s t h e p r o g r e s s i v e c r e a t i o n o f d i -

stance between t h e poet and N a t u r e . I t i s t h e r e w i t h a l s o the regressive creation of union, the p o i e t i c act of o f l o s t oneness as

' s e e l i g e S e l b s t v e r g e s s e n h e i t ' ; t h e sphere

e x i s t s w i t h i n t h e t e m p o r a l e x t e n s i o n o f consciousness the

i s l a n d o f memory. Hence t h e a e s t h e t i c f a i l u r e o f t h e

c l i m a x , which i s based upon N a t u r e as m y t h i c a l d u a l i t y ; but t h e d i s t i n c t i o n between 'Vater A e t h e r ' and ' M u t t e r

Erde', s p i r i t u a l and e a r t h l y , and w i t h i t t h e ' s t r i v i n g ' towards a h i g h e r p r i n c i p l e , i s i t s e l f ficial too the d i v i s i o n o f 'Mutter N a t u r ' 'Kunst', an a r t i f o r i s n o t t h e sky
2 5

p a r t o f t h e ' v K ^ I TTV ' (3-236, 1 7 ) ?

And t h e " E v ' , 'rationally'

u n i f y i n g p r i n c i p l e , i s i t not u l t i m a t e l y

t h e p o e t h i m s e l f , who stands b e f o r e t h e A l l as t r a n s -

c e n d e n t a l S u b j e c t , c o n s c i o u s n e s s - i m p a r t i n g s p i r i t ? There is the no p l a c e f o r a ' f a t h e r ' , a m a s c u l i n e 'Mythologie der Vernunft'. In 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' t h e Greeks were 'Kinder des principle, i n

Gluks' ( 1 = 2 0 0 ) . But here t h e Greek p a s t g i v e s way t o t h e p o t e n t i a l l y u n i v e r s a l t r a n s i t i o n from h a l f - p e r c e p t i o n o f the D i v i n e t o f u l l and d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g awareness o f t h e

- 231 -

gods. Such consciousness i s d a y l i g h t ; t h e poem has moved full c y c l e from t h e N i g h t i n w h i c h a l l forms a r e one. The

e l e g i a c u n d e r t o n e e n t e r s t h e poem i n 1.86, looked-for implication that are, 'happiness' and

w i t h i t s un'knowledge' myth,

perhaps, i r r e c o n c i l a b l e . I t i s the u n i v e r s a l

c l o t h e d i n t h e 'Werden der K u l t u r ' , o f l o s s o f c h i l d h o o d innocence. Thus t h e v i s i o n w h i c h b e g i n s i n t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e i s so c o n s t i t u t e d as p r o g r e s s i v e l y t o reduce r e a l i t y t o an a b s t r a c t i o n . As t h e pastness o f Greece becomes t h e u n i v ersal of 'Tag' ( 1 . 7 2 ) , t h e v i v i d p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e f i r s t ray

s u n l i g h t i s absorbed i n t o t h e f l a t t e r and vaguer broad

d a y l i g h t ; and s i n c e t h i s p r o c e s s i s t i e d t o t h e r h y t h m ical r e c r e a t i o n o f immediacy, what i n t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e i s a l r e a d y a t work i n t h e s t r o p h e drawn o u t i n t o t h e men

i s termed 'becoming accustomed' f o u r t h . As Day i s i n t h e f i f t h

two modes o f e x p e r i e n c e , 'naive' and c o n s c i o u s , so 'become accustomed 'die

t o day'; i t becomes t h e 'Wahrheit' o f 'Wahrheit' breaks t h r o u g h t o become

Himmlischen'. As

'Nennen', a l l c o n c r e t e r e f e r e n c e i s e l i m i n a t e d , f o r w i t h i n the c o n t e x t o f a r a t i o n a l m y t h o l o g y t h e pantheon i s oband 'naming'

s o l e t e ; t h e r e can be no o b j e c t o f 'naming',

can o n l y be an ' I d e e ' . I n t h e a s s e r t i o n ' W i r k l i c h und w a h r h a f t ' i s t h e f i n a l h u b r i s t h a t c o u r t s Nemesis. The r h y t h m has a l t o g e t h e r l o s t i t s r o o t i n N a t u r e , i t s sensual power, and has become f o r m , an a r t i f i c i a l d i v i s i o n of

content. Since t h e r e t h e r e f o r e i s , and can be, no o b j e c t t o the s e a r c h o f t h e second hemisphere t h e h i n g e , t h e opening

e x c l a m a t i o n , i s d e c i s i v e t h r o u g h i t s l a c k o f d e c i s i o n , and the to beginning i n p r a c t i c e begins the pentametric r e t u r n t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n . The e n t r y i n t o t h e neue Welt' s i n c e t h e r e i s no counter1

i s t h e search f o r t h e o l d , and

p r i n c i p l e , t h e sequence o f s t r o p h e s i s N i g h t , N a t u r e , darkness, r e l i n q u i s h i n g h e r embrace. Not the systematic

meaning o f t h e poem, b u t t h e n e g a t i v e f u n t i o n o f t h a t meaning, t h e g e n e r a t i o n o f l o s s and l o n g i n g by t h e p r o g r e s s t o a c o n c e p t u a l l y ' h i g h e r l e v e l ' , r a i s e s 'Brod und 26 Wein' t o t r a g i c g r e a t n e s s . R e f l e c t i n g on t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between H o l d e r l i n ' s t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e and t h e ' T r i p l i z i t a t s s t r u k t u r ' 27 Tubingen I d e a l i s m , of one of

f i n d s here t o o t h e a d a p t a t i o n 6 5 - 6 7 ) between

F i c h t e a n 'Wechselwirkung' ( c f . B94, 'Streben'

' I c h ' and" ' N i c h t - i c h ' from

i n t o l o v e ; the World-

S p i r i t no l o n g e r s e e k i n g t o c u t t h e t i e w i t h f i n i t u d e , b u t c o n s t r u c t i n g i t s own i n f i n i t y even as i t b i n d s t o g e t h e r of

a l l f i n i t e forms. But here t h e w o r l d i s no d i a l e c t i c

a b s t r a c t and c o n c r e t e ; i t i s t h e r e a l i t y o f t h e p a s t , o f r e l a t i o n s h i p , e x i s t i n g i n p u r i f i e d form i n t h e a b s t r a c t and a b s t r a c t e d s t a t e of the present. Nevertheless, the d i v i n e p o t e n t i a l o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l s e l f , t h e fundamental the claim of

transcendental philosophy, i s r e a l i s e d i n t h i s very 'Denn im Anfang war der

f o r m o f t h e 'Idee der S c h o n h e i t ' : Mensch und die 'Des

s e i n e Gotten E i n s , da, s i c h s e l b e r unbekannt, war' ( H y p e r i o n , I , 141/20-142/2).

ewige S c h o n h e i t

Menschen G e s t a l t '

The

f i n a l c o u p l e t , i n which an unnamed god, who

yet

- 233

b e a r s t h e u n m i s t a k a b l e t r a i t s o f C h r i s t , 'comes' and ' c l o s e s ' t h e 'heavenly f e a s t ' , i s o f g r e a t power and beauty. Throuffjh i t f o r m i s b o t h r e s t o r e d , and imposed upon f o r m -

l e s s g r i e f ; t h e D i v i n e i n ' des Menschen Gesta.lt' l e n d s ' G e s t a l t ' t o , and t h u s s e a l s o f f , a l l s i x s t r o p h e s w i t h t h e i r g r a d u a l d i s s o l u t i o n o f form. T h i s i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e u t t e r c o n t r a s t between i t and t h e p r e c e d i n g f o u r c o u p l e t s , w h i c h , i n d e e d , become f e l t as f o r m l e s s sequence ( i n which t h e t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n had no power t o 28 h o l d ) by v i r t u e o n l y o f t h i s It contrast.

i s t h a t between C h r i s t ' s l i f e and d e a t h and t h e

l i g h t , sound, c o l o u r , drama, o f Greece. The s t a t e m e n t ends t h e e n d l e s s unanswerableness o f t h e q u e s t i o n s ; i t i s hence i t s opening 'Oder' t h e a l t e r n a t i v e . The ex-

treme s i m p l i c i t y o f 'Oder er kam auch s e l b s t ' i s prose t h a t answers t h e p o e t r y o f Greece: t h e d a z z l i n g l y v a r i e g a t e d s u b s t a n t i v e s and e p i t h e t s y i e l d t o t h e s i n g l e anonymous pronoun, t h e m a n i f o l d a c t i v i t i e s t o t h e s t a r k 'kam ; and 'selbst
1 1

suggests a c o n c r e t e r e a l i t y b e s i d e which t h e

enumerated phenomena a r e , perhaps, i n s u b s t a n t i a l phantoms. The s i m p l i c i t y o f s t y l e i s f u r t h e r marked i n t h e b r e v i t y o f t h e 'und'-clauses, so t h a t an 'Oder .../ Und ... und coin-

... und' sequence r e p l a c e s t h e u n r e l i e v e d

c i d e n c e o f main c l a u s e and s i n g l e l i n e i n 11.102-06. I t i s H o l d e r l i n ' s r e c r e a t i o n o f t h e s i m p l i c i t y o f t h e Gospel n a r r a t i v e , and above a l l t h e d i g n i f i e d sorrow o f t h e P a s s i o n ( f o r example: 'Und Joseph nahm den L e i b und w i c k e l t e i h n i n e i n e r e i n e Leinwand/ Und l e g t e i n n i n s e i n

- 234 -

eigenes neues Grab ... die Tiir ... und

und w a l z t e e i n e n groBen S t e i n v o r
1

g i n g davon

(Matthew 27. 5 9 - 6 0 ) ) . Moreforms a

over, t h i s p a t t e r n of n a r r a t i v e conjunctions d i m i n i s h i n g sequence: t h e b r e v i t y o f t h e 'vollendet' 'und

1

trisyllable clause,

p r e p a r e s f o r the b r i e f e s t p o s s i b l e

s c h l o B ' , as though a door had been l e f t i n the f i n a l i t y of the

slightly

a j a r and now, 'closes . It

1

monosyllable,

expresses t h e manner of C h r i s t ' s l i f e ,

t h a t he

came n o t as h e r o i c Everyman, t h e Son and

'Mann' (1.105) b u t as human 'Mensch', o f Man, l i v i n g i n h u m i l i t y among h a r l o t s and

s i n n e r s ; but also of h i s h u m i l i a t i n g death,

beyond t h i s t h e v e r y f a c t o f h i s d e a t h ,

the C h r i s t i a n

c o n t r a d i c t i o n o f t h e superhuman i m m o r t a l i t y o f the Olympian who pantheon. Thus t h e l i f e merges w i t h t h e i d e a , t h e god

d i e d (and so, f o r H d l d e r l i n , f a i l e d ) . The

diminishing

sequence i s t h e r h y t h m i c a l image o f n a t i v i t y ('kam'), l i f e , passion, and d e a t h ( ' s c h l o B ' ) ; and finality. and i t i s death t h a t

confers the f o r m - g i v i n g The

s i m p l i c i t y t o w h i c h h e r o i c c o l o u r g i v e s way

t h e f i n a l i t y o f d e a t h are t h e r e t u r n o f d a r k n e s s . Darkness is ' c o n s o l a t i o n ' because i t c a s t s a c o o l shadow over t h e

1

p i t i l e s s l i g h t o f Greece ( h e r e a l r e a d y C h r i s t , e r ' among t h e names, i s , l i k e Patmos, an i s l a n d of s h a d e ) , b r i n g s r e s t t o c e a s e l e s s e l e g i a c l a m e n t : 'Kommet her m i r a i l e , d i e i h r m u h s e l i g und b e l a d e n s e i d , i c h w i l l e r q u i c k e n . / Nehrnet auf eiich mein Joch und l e r n e t von zu euch mir; wer-

denn i c h b i n s a n f t m i i t i g und von Herzen d e m i i t i g ; so

d e t i h r Ruhe f i n d e n f u r eure S e e l e n ; / Denn mein Joch i s t

235

s a n f t und raeine L a s t i s t i e i c h t ' (Matthew 1 1 . 28-30).

This

'Sanftmut' i s expressed i n t h e soothing; music of t h e coupl e t : t h e round, figure c l o s e d 0-sound o f 'Oder' w i t h which t h e

o f C h r i s t i s i n t r o d u c e d i s i t s e l f t h e image of

m a t e r n a l d a r k n e s s , whose s o f t depths t h e hexameter's m - a l l i t e r a t i o n bespeaks ('Nacht' i s f e m i n i n e , 'Tag' l i n e ) ; and t h e 'und's weave a s p e l l . The succession of q u e s t i o n i n g couplets i s thus the mascu-

r h y t h m i c a l image o f a d e s o l a t e a r i d i t y w h i c h i s none o t h e r t h a n t h e i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y , i l l u s o r i n e s s , o f t h e Greek G o t t e r t a g . There i s i n i t no h o l d f o r t h e p o e t . So the

poem b e t r a y s i t s s e c r e t d e s i r e ; t h e h u b r i s i s r e a l l y n o t j u s t t h e splendour o f t h e v i s i o n , b u t t h e w i s h t o possess

what i t s d i v i n e i n h a b i t a n t s possessed: i m m o r t a l i t y . That i s why t h e poem d i s i n t e g r a t e d i n t o f o r m l e s s sequence; b o t h

p a r t s o f t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e , h u b r i s and nemesis, are images of i n f i n i t y , t h e o b j e c t o f F i c h t e a n ' s t r i v i n g ' . Hence t h e d a z z l i n g b u t inhuman q u a l i t y o f t h i s Greece. C h r i s t b r i n g s r e s t t h r o u g h h i s r e a l i t y , p r e s e n c e , h u m a n i t y ; he t h e poet back t o E a r t h . 'Oder er kam auch s e l b s t 'dann aber i n W a h r h e i t / entire
1

gives answers

Kommen s i e s e l b s t ' , so t h a t t h e i n r e s i g n a t i v e acceptance o f

' s t r i v i n g ' subsides

f a i l u r e . T h e r e w i t h a c i r c l e o f d a r k n e s s , t h e n i g h t of t h e s o u l , encloses a l l s i x s t r o p h e s w i t h t h e i r a r c . But this

f o r m i n g f u n c t i o n i m p a r t s t o t h e 'coming' o f C h r i s t , i n and t h r o u g h a b s o l u t e c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e i n s u b s t a n t i a l and stract 'Wahrheit' ab-

o f ' d i e Himmlischen', a daemonic i n t e n s i t y

w h i c h i s none o t h e r t h a n t h a t o f ' d i e Nacht kommt'; a t t h e v e r y moment of f a i l u r e and l o s s , t h e s p i r i t of Night

- 236 -

r e t u r n s . The "binding 'und's a r e c o n t r o l t h a t s

of

deepest g r i e f . But i n t h i s way t h e D i v i n e i s r e s t o r e d ; f o r it i s , i t s e l f , l o n g i n g and l o s t In beauty.

t h e r e n u n c i a t i o n o f 'naming' t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n

i s r e s t o r e d . The h u b r i s t i c f a i l u r e o f t h e v i s i o n , and w i t h it t h e e n t i r e p r o c e s s o f l i b e r a t i o n , t h e 'Streben' away

from t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , ends by r e c r e a t i n g t h e ' c l o s e d ' form o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , whose p e n t a m e t r i c r e t u r n t o i t s e l f w h i c h began w i t h t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e i s now complete. Is i t , t h e n , C h r i s t , a l s o , l i k e D i o n y s u s , a god o f

'coming' ( e s p e c i a l l y t h e Second Coming; e.g. R e v e l a t i o n 22. 2 0 ) , who i s a l l u d e d t o i n ' v e r h i i l l t e r Hinweis' Ausgabe, i i i , to (Insel-

56)? The r e n u n c i a t i o n o f naming i s a r e t u r n

' r a t i o n a l m y t h o l o g y ' ; C h r i s t comes unnamed. W i t h i n t h e

u n i f i e d c o n t e x t o f t h e v i s i o n he i s t h e l a s t s t a g e . o f d i v i n e e p i p h a n y , so t h a t h i s anonymity has s p e c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e : he has become an e x - p r e s s i o n o f t h e w a n d e r i n g ('coming') ' S p i r i t ' . R e l i g i o u s v a l u e no l o n g e r a t t a c h e s t o t h e h i s t o r i c a l f i g u r e , b u t t o t h e t i m e l e s s and u n i v e r s a l B e i n g o f w h i c h he was t h e r e a l i s a t i o n . But t h a t i s , t h e D i v i n e i s p r e s e n t , immanent, w i t h i n and mediated by t h e p o e t i c exp e r i e n c e , which i s t h e r e w i t h s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t ; i t comes a t t h e v e r y moment o f f a i l u r e t o achieve i t s immediate p r e -

sence, as t h e o b j e c t o f l o n g i n g . L o n g i n g i s immediate exp e r i e n c e . What seemed a s t r i v i n g towards r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e gods was r e a l l y t h e search t h r o u g h f a i l u r e f o r l o n g i n g , a f a i l u r e achieved t h r o u g h t h e i n c o m p a t i b i l i t y o f t h e ob-

j e c t o f s e a r c h , t h e gods o f a pantheon, w i t h t h e poet's own b e l i e f s ; he does n o t , and c a n n o t , even want them. One

- 257 t h e r e f o r e cannot speak o f a ' v e i l e d a l l u s i o n ' t o C h r i s t ; t h e p o e t ' s purpose i s p r e c i s e l y t o d e s t r o y t h e e x t e r n a l ( r e v e a l e d ) p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e , and t h e c r i t i c who ' a l l u d e s t o C h r i s t undoes t h a t purpose. Nor does he come ' m i t t e l b a r ' ; i t i s t h e ' S p i r i t ' who comes ' u n r n i t t e l b a r ' , an obj e c t o f l o n g i n g . The f i c t i o n o f p o s s i b l e b u t d e n i e d i m mediacy serves o n l y t o c o n f i r m t h e s e c r e t knowledge t h a t

29 t h i s i s the only possible 'form' o f t h e D i v i n e . artistry,

One must d i s t i n g u i s h between c o n s c i o u s

w h i c h s e r v e s t h e i n t e l l e c t , and a e s t h e t i c v a l u e . The s y m m e t r i c a l - m a t h e m a t i c a l centre- o f t h e poem i s 'dann aber i n W a h r h e i t / Kommen s i e s e l b s t ' ; b u t t h e g r e a t n e s s o f 'Brod und Wein' l i e s i n i t s f a i l u r e t o a c h i e v e a coherent s o l u t i o n , a s y m m e t r i c a l cosmos. The poem a r i s e s needs i n s e p a r a b l e from t h e a r t i s t r y . One

out o f e m o t i o n a l

may t h i n k o f t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t as b e l o n g i n g stages o f c o m p o s i t i o n ,

t o the l a t e s t

as a r i s i n g o u t o f t h e f a i l u r e o f

t h e v i s i o n . The p r e s t a b i l i s e d harmony o f p o e t i c f o r m i s t h u s n o t a ' k a l k u l a b l e s Gesez', b u t t h e sphere o f a v e n t u r e i n t o t h e Unknown. Thus t h e moment o f f a i l u r e i s a e s t h e t i c success. The r e c r e a t i o n o f t h e D i v i n e i n l o n g i n g , i n t h e beauty o f l o s t b e a u t y , d r i v e s t h e poem f o r w a r d , and so c o n s t i t u t e s

i t s formal p r i n c i p l e . With the ' f i g u r e ' of C h r i s t , the god who d i e d and t h e r e f o r e f a i l e d , t h e poem t o o subsides and d i e s . T h i s f i n a l i t y o f darkness ' t h e r e was a d a r k i s paradoxically

ness over a l l t h e e a r t h ' (Luke 23. kk)

t h e c o n d i t i o n o f c o n t i n u a t i o n . Nowhere i s t h e c l e f t between r e l i g i o u s and p o e t i c v a l u e w i d e r . The poem

- 238 -

c o n t i n u e s "because i t has e x p e r i e n c e d b e a u t y , t o seek t h e beauty i t has e x p e r i e n c e d ; i n so d o i n g i t guarantees f a i l u r e t o a c h i e v e a r a t i o n a l s o l u t i o n such as t o t r a n s dend i n d i v i d u a l ( p o e t i c ) e x p e r i e n c e , and b i n d s v a l u e t o the of s i n g l e e x i s t e n t i a l phenomenon, t h e poem. As i n s t r u m e n t consciousness, language i s p e r se n e g a t i v e ; t h u s p o e t i c n o t an a b s t r a c t b u t an a e s t h e t i c

f o r m , w h i c h expresses value, i s f u l f i l l e d .

I t has been observed truth'

t h a t , j u s t as t h e 'coming i n

o f t h e gods i s t h e c e n t r e o f t h e poem, each o f t h e

l a s t t h r e e s t r o p h e s r e l a t e s back t h e m a t i c a l l y t o t h e f o r m a l l y corresponding strophe o f the f i r s t t h i r d of the

poem. Thus t h e c e n t r e e x i s t s w i t h i n an o v e r a l l harmony of q u e s t i o n and answer. W i t h i n t h i s c o n t e x t t h e seventh

s t r o p h e r e t u r n s t o and f i n a l l y r e s o l v e s t h e problem o f Greece i n t h e t h i r d (compare e s p e c i a l l y 11.109, 114, 117 -18, and t h e f i n a l The couplet).
5 0

s e v e n t h s t r o p h e opens w i t h ' A b e r . But l o g i c a l l y expect 'Also', a simple c o n f i r m a t i o n o f t h e i n -

one would

sight a r r i v e d at i n the s i x t h strophe, that the world of the v i s i o n i s no more. By comparing t h e p o s s i b l e e f f e c t s ,

one senses t h e dynamic f o r c e o f t h e 'Aber': i t means n o t t h a t t h e p o e t accepts absence ( t h a t would be ' A l s o ' ) , b u t t h a t he c o r r e c t s t h e i l l u s i o n o f d i v i n e presence; i t expresses

n o t s i m p l e c o n t i n u i t y , b u t t h e t e n s i o n between p o e t i c and f u t u r e f u l f i l m e n t . I t i s , t h e n , a s e l f - c o r r e c t i o n t h a t 'opens' t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e t o p o t e n t i a l community; w i t h t h e t u r n t o t h e 'Freund' ( t h e f i r s t d i r e c t address

- 239 =

s i n c e 1.^-9), f u l f i l m e n t l i e s "beyond t h e poem. But t h i s means t h a t t h e apparent f a i l u r e , t h e r e t u r n t o absence i n t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t o f t h e s i x t h strophe, was r e a l l y immediacy, d i v i n e p r e s e n c e , a e s t h e t i c success and fulfil-

ment. O t h e r w i s e t h e r e would be n o t h i n g t o c o n t r a d i c t . The opening hexameter t h u s expresses a renewed im-

p u l s e ( r h y t h m i c a l l y t h r o u g h t h e f o u r t h - f o o t c a e s u r a ) which i s , however, absorbed i n t o t h e e l e g i a c r i s e and f a l l as i t i s f e l t . even

The pentameter s h u t s o f f t h e w o r l d o f t h e

poem w i t h end-stopped f i n a l i t y and w i t h i t s g r e a t w e i g h t : t h e r e p e t i t i o n o f 'Aber' c o n t r a d i c t s and slows t h e f r e s h

s t a r t , t h e v i r t u a l l y synonymous metaphors o f absence ('iiber dem Haupt', 'droben', ' i n a n d e r e r W e l t ' ) are heaped on t o p o f one a n o t h e r , and t h e s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s a r e l o n g and h e a v i l y assonant ('Aber', ' i i b e r ' , ' Haupt' , ' d r o b e n ' ) .

The o t h e r w o r l d o f t h e gods seems t o weigh down upon o u r s , 'eine beugende L a s t ' ; a r h y t h m i c a l image o f a l i e n a t i o n . Thus t h e new but impetus c a r r i e d by t h e f o u r t h - f o o t c a e s u r a ,

a l r e a d y b e l i e d by t h e sense, becomes t h e c o n c e s s i o n

('Zwar') o f an a l l t o o r e g u l a r hexameter, a v i s i o n , i n t h e n i g h t whose image i s t h e p o t e n t i a l l y 'endless' s u c c e s s i o n of r e g u l a r l y a l t e r n a t i n g hexameter and pentameter i n t h e end-stopped c o u p l e t . For t h e c o u p l e t becomes t h e 'GefaB' t h a t holds the l i n e s t h a t f i l l it, and as such a 'schwachThe

es GefaB', i n c a p a b l e o f h o l d i n g ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' .

f u n c t i o n o f t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e can be sensed by r e a d i n g t h e s i x l i n e s 109-1^ as a s e p a r a t e u n i t . The f o r m o f t h e 'Grund' three-fold i s the sense

t h e end-stopped c o u p l e t

' v e s s e l ' t h a t absorbs t h e f r e e i m p u l s e ( t h e i n h e r i t e d

- 240 -

o f the D i v i n e i n t h e o p e n i n g hexameter) i n t o t h e sphere of a r i d c a p t i v i t y . a t e d , so t h a t effect within I f t h i s t r i a d were n o t c l e a r l y demarc-

t h e sequence s i m p l y c o n t i n u e d u n p a u s i n g , t h i s

would be l o s t . As t h e t r i a d , as f o r m , i t f u n c t i o n s t h e s t r o p h e , and t h e second t r i a d b r i n g s l i b e r a t outcome t h a t first gives t o

i o n . But i t i s t h i s p o s i t i v e the threefold

form o f 11.109-1'+ i t s sense o f a p o t e n t i a l l y i t beyond mere lament;

i n f i n i t e c a p t i v i t y and i n t e n s i f i e s

as l i g h t c o n t r a s t s w i t h d a r k n e s s , i n s p i r a t i o n

w i t h de-

s p a i r , so t h i s t r i a d w i t h t h e n e x t . Whereas an e p i c and (in t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l sense) open form would p e r m i t com-

p r o m i s e , t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e e l i m i n a t e s a l l b u t extreme possibilities. The ly extreme i r r e c o n c i l a b i l i t y o f t h e spheres u l t i m a t e t h e i r m u t u a l dependence. F o r t h e e l e g i a c t h i s cosmic d u a l i s m , i t must The p o e t i c w o r l d i s b u t never c o n c l u s i v e

reflects

situation

t o function within

i t s e l f be i n f i n i t e l y i n t e n s i f i e d . t h e r e b y reduced t o t h e a l t e r n a t i n g

p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f e n c l o s u r e and l i b e r a t i o n , and t h i s i s only achieved t h r o u g h t h e i m p l i c i t acceptance o f darkness T h i s acceptance

as a n e c e s s a r y p o l e o f p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e . is i t s e l f the act o f s e l f - e n c l o s u r e . The elegiac s i t u a t i o n is intensified

f o r t h e sake o f sphere more i s

the p o e t i c experience;

i n the e x i s t e n t i a l

p o s s i b l e t h a n what r e a l i t y can o f f e r Reading t h e f i r s t l i n e s

('Freuden des Tags').

a g a i n , b u t t h i s t i m e as f a r as t h e t h i r d couphexa-

t h e pause a t 'das Leben', one senses t h a t let

has become p a r t o f a d i m i n i s h i n g s t r u c t u r e

meter, p e n t a m e t e r , h e x a m e t e r - h a l f ,

and t h e n , by v i r t u e o f

- 241

the

a n t i - m e t r i c a l break,

'das Leben' i n i s o l a t i o n

full

which i s t h e r h y t h m i c image o f d y i n g hope; w i t h t h e stop, ' l i f e ' ends. But w i t h t h e 'Aber' t h i s d e a t h

gains

p o s i t i v e meaning, becomes t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o a dream, and 'Traum' now opens a new sphere.

T h i s process b e t r a y s t h e source o f t h e p o e t r y ' s p o t ency h e r e . Far from b e i n g what o r d i n a r y m o r a l i t y demands, a f i g h t against the negative f o r c e s w i t h i n o n e s e l f , the d i m i n i s h i n g s t r u c t u r e i s a w i l l e d s u r r e n d e r , an i n t o darkness,
1

entry

t h e sphere w i t h i n which t h e i n t e n s i t y o f

B e g e i s t e r u n g ' i s p o s s i b l e ; t h e o p i a t e t h a t l e n d s hypnopower t o t h e r h y t h m i s d e a t h . T h i s i r r a t i o n a l element

tic

d i s q u a l i f i e s t h e meaning a b s t r a c t a b l e from t h e poem. Hence t h e i n c a n t a t o r y power o f t h e r e s t o f t h i s couplet. 'Aber' does n o t c o n t r a d i c t , b u t s u b l i m i n a l l y u n i t e s w i t h ,

'Traum', d r a w i n g i t i n t o t h e 'dream'; t h e l i q u i d 1-sounds f l o w t h r o u g h t h e images ' I r r s a a l ' and t h a t t h e hexameter ' s t r a y s ' 'Schlummer', so

(enjambement) i n t o t h e p e n t a -

m e t e r , b r e a k i n g t h e h e x a m e t r i c sequence o f marked s y n t a c t i c a l pauses. The rhythm i m p e l s f o r w a r d , d i s l o c a t i n g t h e h i t h e r t o o r d e r e d r e l a t i o n s h i p o f metre and i d e a s ; t h e p o w e r f u l ' s t a r k ' , i n t r u d i n g i n t o the f i r s t h a l f , pause, and when t h e c l i m a x i s reached forbids 'die

i n the doublet

Noth und d i e Nacht' t h e r e has t a k e n p l a c e i n the b r i e f e s t space an e n t i r e r h y t h m i c a s c e n t o f i n t e n s e power. Notwithstanding the systematic d u a l i s t i c context, t h i s ity has been not won intens-

i n d e s p i t e o f , b u t drawn o u t o f ,

darkness.

Darkness, d e a t h and dream u n i t e w i t h a s u b l i m i n a l 'Denn' (1.11 3)

d i s s o l u t i o n o f form which r e a l l y began w i t h

- 242

and o f which t h e d i s l o c a t i o n o f metre and s y n t a x i s b u t t h e c l i m a x t h a t , enhanced by t h e l i q u i d f l o w , w e l l s up t o 'Nacht'. A l l t h e s e f o r c e s combine t o undo t h e g r i p o f E n l i g h t e n e d r e a s o n ; t h e v i s i o n i s a Lethe from which t h e poet d r i n k s 'die V e r g e s s e n h e i t des Daseyns' ( H y p e r i o n , I , 104 /17) The p r i c e paid f o r the i n t e n s i t y of experience ( f o r

the primacy of a e s t h e t i c v a l u e ) i s i t s i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y ; i t reaches o n l y as f a r as ( ' B i f i ' ) t h e end o f t h e p e n t a form r e a s s e r t s i t -

meter, and t h e r e a f t e r t h e end-stopped

s e l f w i t h t h e r e g u l a r i t y o f s y n t a c t i c a l p a r a l l e l i s m ; once more l i f e is lived ' i n der ehernen Wiege', and 'die Bethis

g e i s t e r u n g i s t h i n ' . H o l d e r l i n was

dissatisfied with

c o u p l e t ( c f . 2.604, 1 9 f . ) i b u t c o u l d f i n d n o t h i n g b e t t e r ; t h e second t r i a d i s a l s o m i s s i n g a c o u p l e t whose absence he a t f i r s t f a i l e d t o n o t i c e and t h e n had t o count t h e l i n e s t o f i n d (he t h e n counted t h e same l i n e t w i c e , so t h a t t h e o m i s s i o n went u n r e c t i f i e d ; c f . 2.604, 24 -30). These f a c t s suggest t h a t t h e dream had a l r e a d y exhausted i t s e l f ; f o r m i s f e l t , n o t added up. I n d e e d , t h e f i f t h coup-

l e t passes as e a s i l y i n t o t h e ( a c t u a l ) s i x t h as d i d t h e t h i r d i n t o the f o u r t h . Thus t h e opening o f t h e t h i r d t r i a d i s o f g r e a t p a t h o s . J u s t as t h e rhythm o f d e s o l a t i o n s l i d over t h e t r a n s i t i o n , which t h u s became t h e t h r e s h o l d o f a dream, so t h e ' h e r o i c ' a s s e r t i o n i s drawn i r r e s i s t i b l y i n t o t h e sphere o f e l e g i a c lament. Through i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h i s t r i a d i c trans-

i t i o n , t h e c a t e g o r i c a l b r e v i t y o f ' Donnernd komrnen s i e drauf b e l i e s t h e words f a r more e f f e c t i v e l y t h a n c o u l d a

2hJ>

q u a l i f i e d s t a t e m e n t ; t h e y thus form t h e up-beat t o a long- drawn-out and i n t e n s e lament. T h i s , c a r r i e d upwards 'So'-clause, infinitives,

over t h e c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n by t h e a n a p h o r i c

i n t e n s i f i e s throupjh t h e e v e r - b a r e r dependent

t h e c o n t r o l l i n g v e r b ( ' d i i n k e t ' ) , and w i t h i t t h e d i s t a n c e from g r i e f , d i m i n i s h i n g i n t o v i r t u a l d i r e c t speech; w i t h 'zu sagen' t h e v e r b has been s t r i p p e d b a r e , t h e r e i s n o t h i n g ' t o say'. The changed c o n s t r u c t i o n i m p e l s the pentameter, but the forward

t o t h e main v e r b and separates

line-division Thus 'WeiB

i t from i t s dependent i n f i n i t i v e s .

i c h n i c h t ' becomes an i s o l a t e d c l i m a x , a p o i n t of abandonment n e x t t o w o r d l e s s n e s s . Only i n t h e 'wozu'-clause does t h e mind r e g a i n c o n t r o l and once more f o r m u l a t e i t s g r i e f , as t h e lament f a l l s back w i t h t h e pentameter t o r e s t . I n t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t a w o n d e r f u l peace spreads over t h e s t r o p h e . Opening w i t h s o o t h i n g s - a l l i t e r a t i o n , c o n t i n u i n g w i t h a l i q u i d 1, t h e c o u p l e t expresses calm and order,

t h e p e n t a m e t e r ' s c l a u s e answering t h e hexameter i n complete contrast t o the preceding sharp a s c e n t . But t h i s o r d e r i s rhythm of a journeyneed, a n x i e t y ,

a l s o movement, t h e sure b u t m y s t e r i o u s

i n g i n w h i c h t r a v e l l i n g and a r r i v a l a r e one;

and s t r i v i n g are suspended i n t h e i n c a n t a t o r y r e p e t i t i o n s ('heilig', 'Land') and t h e s o o t h i n g s y n t h e s i s o f wine and

darkness. The

u n p r e t e n t i o u s l i t t l e word 'du' g a i n s a b e a u t i 'Erneuerung justice;

f u l s o f t n e s s , warmth and i n t i m a c y . Here i s an der Sprache' t o w h i c h o n l y the term

'magical' can do

what i s renewed i s t h e a n c i e n t d i s t i n c t i o n between f a m i l i a r address and t h a t t o s t r a n g e r s significance t h e pronoun's 'ideal'

and here a g a i n , I t h i n k , H b l d e r l i n i s

indebted, t o , but a l s o s t r i v e s c o n s c i o u s l y t o emulate s e c u l a r i s e , the i d y l l i c ' n a i v e t y ' o f the B i b l e . Even

and

C h r i s t ' s address t o h i s F a t h e r i n Gethsemane, f o r example, i s o f j u s t such s i m p l e and d i r e c t i n t i m a c y , a g a i n t h r o u g h a s e a l e d - o f f u n i t y o f p l a c e : 'doch n i c h t , was d e r n was du willst.' asich will, son

For t h i s i d e a l r e l a t i o n s h i p depends on two v i t a l

p e c t s o f f o r m . Once a g a i n t h e f i n a l word i s 'Nacht'; a c i r c l e i s drawn from t h e opening 'Freund!' t o t h e c l o s i n g

'du', and ending i n n i g h t c r e a t e s t h e warmth and i n t i m a c y , the c l o s e d space o f darkness i n which a 'du' can speak t o

an ' i c h ' . But t h e course o f t h i s c i r c l e i s t h e s e l f - i n c u r r e i s o l a t i o n o f t h e ' i c h ' . The whole s t r o p h e i s a d e p a r t u r e n o t w i t h b u t from t h e ' f r i e n d ' , i n so f a r as he i s a t first a mere and almost i n c i d e n t a l companion i n a renewed 'wir' of the f i r s t line persists

s e a r c h f o r t h e D i v i n e . The

o n l y as f a r as t h e second pentameter,

and w i t h t h e 'Denn'

t h a t b e g i n s t h e descent Lethe-wards i s f o r g o t t e n . When t h e p o e t emerges i n t o t h e c o l d l i g h t o f day ' w i r ' has become

' m i r ' . I n d e e d , t h e lament i s above a l l an i n c r e a s i n g l y d e v a s t a t i n g sense o f i s o l a t i o n , p a s s i n g t h r o u g h 'ohne Ge-

nossen' t o t h e i s o l a t e d c l i m a x , t h e u t t e r l y f o r l o r n 'WeiB ich n i c h t ' . Here t h e word ' i c h ' appears f o r t h e f i r s t time

i n t h e poem. And

i t i s t h i s degree o f s e p a r a t i o n t h a t makes

p o s s i b l e t h e i d e a l j u x t a p o s i t i o n ' i c h ' / ' d u ' : t h e pronouns meet, u n a l l o y e d by name, q u a l i f i c a t i o n (such as 'Freund'

would b e ) ; t h e 'du' i s no l o n g e r a n - o t h e r , b u t t h e o t h e r . He has g a i n e d t h e power o f c o n s o l a t i o n ; t h e ' i c h ' s u r r e n d ers i t s unappeasable y e a r n i n g t o t h e opaque b u t certain

245 -

d i o n y s i a c p r i n c i p l e t h a t guides

t h e ' p r i e s t s ' . I t becomes

l i k e a c h i l d , r e c e i v i n g ; f o r wonder and c e r t a i n t y are t h e inseparable q u a l i t i e s of s t o r i e s t o l d t o c h i l d r e n ; r e a s s u r e because t h e i r m y s t e r i o u s they

a u t h o r i t y i s beyond

q u e s t i o n i n g . So here t h e a g o n i s i n g l y p r o t r a c t e d q u e s t i o n is n o t so much answered as Thus t h e s e v e n t h surrendered. signi-

strophe, f o r a l l i t s systematic

f i c a n c e as s o l u t i o n ( f i n a l c o u p l e t ) t o t h e problem o f Greece, i s a r e t u r n t o N i g h t . A d m i t t e d l y t h e 'coming' i s l e s s daemonic. But i n essence i t i s t h e same power has 'come': i n t h e m y s t e r i o u s ing rhythm, t h e 'Ziehen', that journey-

w i t h o u t a g o a l , o f t h e p r i e s t s (who are f i l l e d w i t h t h e

i n s p i r a t i o n o f t h e ' W e i n g o t t ' ) , i n t h e s o f t darkness o f c o n s o l a t i o n , and i n t h e ' i d e a l ' s i m p l i c i t y , anonymity and

power o f t h e 'du'. L i k e t h e 'Oder' o f 1.107, 'Aber' s e t s apart the couplet the vessel of (wine, o f ) the Divine

from t h e r e s t of t h e strophe; t h e s t a r k s i m p l i c i t y of the c o n j u n c t i o n s i s unmediated o t h e r n e s s , a p u r i t y . The poet's j o u r n e y w i t h i n t h i s s t r o p h e c a r r i e s him

away f r o m r e a l i t y , from h i s f r i e n d , and i n t o t h e h u b r i s and nemesis o f a dream. The r e t u r n t o r e a l i t y i s 'Mythol o g i e d e r V e r n u n f t ' : d e i f i c a t i o n o f what i s ( N a t u r e ) ( r a t h e r t h a n what might b e ) , r a t i o n a l i s a t i o n o f what was ( h i s t o r i c a l r e l i g i o n : Dionysus and C h r i s t ) . The 'du' t o o p a r t i c i p a t e s , i n t h e w i d e s t sense, i n t h i s ' r a t i o n a l mytho-

l o g y ' ; l i k e C h r i s t , i t i s c o n c r e t e , t a n g i b l e r e a l i t y , and b r i n g s t h e d i v i n e m y s t e r y o f c o n s o l a t i o n . Thus t h e a e s t h e t i c u n i t y of the f i r s t s i x strophes i s created; t h a t i s , only strophe.

by v i r t u e o f t h e p r o c e s s begun by t h e seventh

246-

T h e i r e x p e r i e n c e was h u b r i s and nemesis, d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s ity and t h a t l e d t o l o s t immediacy ( d i v i n i t y , 'Seeligkeit )

1

so t o l o n g i n g . Here, e l e g i a c lament i s t h e c l i m a x

('WeiB i c h n i c h t ' ) o f t h e s t r o p h e ; t h e a r c ( j o u r n e y away) from t h e 'Freund' and i n s e a r c h o f t h e D i v i n e has l e d t o t h e summit o f i s o l a t i o n . But t h e r e w i t h t h e f i r s t s i x strophes r e a p p e a r , i n remembered f o r m , as an e x i s t e n t i a l

sphere. T h e i r b a s i s ('Grund'), t h e l o s s o f s e l f i n N i g h t of the f i r s t s t r o p h e , i s r e c r e a t e d as a l o s s o f s e l f t o

e l e g i a c g r i e f w i t h i n w h i c h t h e 'dream' o f e n t r y i n t o and emergence o u t o f N i g h t i s remembered. Thus t h e f i r s t strophe, the f i r s t become ( s u c c e s s i v e ) mic s i x strophes, and t h e s e v e n t h strophe

m i r r o r s o f one a n o t h e r and o f t h e cos-

harmony t h e y r e f l e c t i n microcosmic f o r m . M i r r o r e d i n

t h e s e v e n t h s t r o p h e , t h e p r o c e s s o f l o s s and f a i l u r e becomes s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t : t h e d e f i c i e n t b u t necessarj^ form o f the Divine. The c o n s o l a t i o n by t h e 'du' v i n d i c a t e s t h e u n i t y o f t h e V J o r l d - S p i r i t because i t r e t u r n s i n r h y t h m thought t o t h e god o f t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e ; not i n

'du' and ' e r '

(1.107) a r e u l t i m a t e l y o f one n a t u r e . T h i s u n i t y o f t h e D i v i n e i s obscured when c r i t i c s a p p l y t r a d i t i o n a l ious conceptions, relig-

as though 'gods' had h a r d and f a s t i d -

e n t i t i e s (names and c h a r a c t e r s ) ; n o r i s t h e r e any need t o f o r c e i t upon t h e poem, as t h o u g h 'er' must cease t o be a god, and o r t h e 'du' become one. Any d i v i s i o n between r e l i g i o n t h e t o t a l i t y o f e x p e r i e n c e i s f a l s e . The u n i t y o f t h e

S p i r i t i s n o t a f a c t t h a t can be assumed, b u t i s dependent upon t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e , t h e moment o f p e r c e p t i o n ,

' i n t e l l e k t u a l e Anschauung', w h i c h d i s s o l v e s t h e s t a t i c

- 247

( ' p o s i t i v e ' ; e x t e r n a l and t h e r e f o r e u n f e l t ) a p a r t n e s s p a r t i c u l a r phenomena i n t o unnamed Being,. ' der L e b e n s g e i s t ' ( c f . 'Empedokles' I I I , heilige

of

391); and where a god,

phenomenon happens, l i k e C h r i s t , t o be an h i s t o r i c a l

where, t h e n d i v i n i t y has been a t t a c h e d t o a n y t h i n g i n p a r t i c u l a r and so a l l o t t e d u n e q u a l l y , t h e r e i t must be s t r i p p e d

o f h i s t o r i c i t y and name. Indeed t h i s d i v i n e u n i t y i s not conceptual, but rhythm-

i c a l : t h e a c t of l o v e . Thereby t h e u n i t y o f s u b j e c t i v e exp e r i e n c e , which i s t h e homogeneous t o t a l i t y o f i t s d i v i n e o b j e c t , i s guaranteed. The s o l e and self-sufficient and p o e t i c technique

c r i t e r i o n of t h e D i v i n e i s b e a u t y ;

c o n s i s t s i n t h e e l i m i n a t i o n o f any o t h e r c r i t e r i o n . Thus rhythm and t h o u g h t are i n c o n f l i c t ; t h e l i n e a r thought-

p r o c e s s w i t h i t s problems and s o l u t i o n s i s c o n s t a n t l y undermined by a rhythm has no o t h e r w i l l : which always r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f and

t h e e l e g i a c f o r m , image o f e t e r n i t y . correspondence by theme i s

For t h i s t h e s y m m e t r i c a l

m e r e l y t h e empty s h e l l . What i s communicated, i s a b s t r a c t a b l e f r o m t h e poem, i s what f a i l s t o express t h e D i v i n e ( s i n c e t h e D i v i n e i s f e e l i n g ) . The u n d e r l y i n g l o g i c the f i r s t s i x s t r o p h e s , t h e a t t e m p t t o express God of in

language ( t o 'name'), i s wanted f a i l u r e , w i l l without w i l l , abstraction.

(intellect)

f o r such an a t t e m p t can o n l y y i e l d an empty

A e s t h e t i c a l l y t h e v i r t u e and d e f e c t o f t h i s are t h e same. The l a b i l i t y of the t r i a d i c

strophe

transitions Entry into

r e f l e c t s t h e i n s t a b i l i t y o f t h e p o e t i c process.

N i g h t ('Traum') and r e t u r n t o t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n

are,

- 2^8 -

because t h e y have a l r e a d y t a k e n p l a c e , e a s i e r , b u t f o r t h e same reason weaker; t h e dream cannot be s u s t a i n e d . Yet t h i s s a c r i f i c e i s necessary f o r t h e sake o f r h y t h m i c a l

( p s y c h i c ) c o n t i n u i t y . The renewed search w h i c h b e g i n s w i t h the resumptive 'Aber' (1.109) can o n l y be f o r what t h e o t h e r w i s e an opposed, non-

poem has a l r e a d y e x p e r i e n c e d ;

a e s t h e t i c v a l u e would e n t e r t h e poem; e q u a l l y , because b e a u t y i s t h e s o l e v a l u e t h e D i v i n e i s always l o s t the m i r r o r e d experience of self-consciousness. beauty,

Conversely,

o n l y t h e r e g r e s s i v e f u n c t i o n o f t h i s s t r o p h e can y i e l d t h e e x i s t e n t i a l sphere o f pure r e l a t i o n s h i p between p o e t i c s e l f ( t r a n s c e n d e n t a l S u b j e c t ) and N a t u r e . irrelevant cerned T h i s may seem

t o a s t r o p h e a p p a r e n t l y t o o a b s t r a c t t o be con-

w i t h N a t u r e ; b u t Nature must n o t be c o n c e i v e d o f she i s , i n t h e

n a r r o w l y ( a s , f o r example, l a n d s c a p e ) ;

w i d e s t ( ' p u r e s t ' ) sense, t h e ' o b j e c t ' o f l o s s o f s e l f , o f pure p o e t i c purpose. She ( t h e w o r l d , e v e r y t h i n g ) comes a l i v e i n t h e absence o f extraneous purpose; and o n l y achieve

t h r o u g h t h e form o f memory can t h e renewed search such freedom from purpose.

The

s t r u c t u r e o f t h e e i g h t h s t r o p h e i s more i t s climax i s i t s 'highest

1

immediately

apparent; The

point:

'hdchsten'.

first

t r i a d i s a l s o c l e a r l y marked, by i t s u n i f i e d

sequence o f ' A l s ' - c l a u s e s . These r e c a p i t u l a t e and so p r e suppose what has been e x p e r i e n c e d ; whereas t h e f i r s t s i x

s t r o p h e s and i n d i m i n i s h e d degree t h e seventh had sought d i v i n e presence and s u f f e r e d t h e d i s c o v e r y o f i t s l o s s , here absence i s an accepted f a c t , and, e q u a l l y , t h e s e three

- 249 c o u p l e t s serve t o e l i m i n a t e a l l hope t h e r e may have been of d i v i n e presence. The p a t h o s , t h e i l l u s i o n and p a i n , o f 'Donnernd kommen s i e d r a u f has become knowledge. The i m p r e s s i o n i s , s i n c e acceptance o f r e a l i t y i s c l e a r l y t h e r a t i o n a l p r e r e q u i s i t e t o a s o l u t i o n o f t h e problem ' Hesp e r i e n ' , one o f p r o g r e s s t o a ' h i g h e r l e v e l ' o f c o n s c i o u s ness .

Of t h i s s e l f - d e n i a l o f hope t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t i s t h e r h y t h m i c s i g n . The p a r a l l e l i s m c r e a t e d by t h e ' A l s ' - c l a u s e s reduces i t t o i t s b a s i c f o r m , t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d u n i t o f r i s e and f a l l , so t h a t t h e pentameter shuts o f f t h e p r o -

s p e c t , t h e p o t e n t i a l o f hope, o f f e r e d by t h e hexameter ( t h i s r h y t h m i c a l image s u p p o r t s , b u t o b v i o u s l y need n o t c o i n c i d e w i t h , t h e i d e a s ) . The t h r e e - f o l d p a t t e r n i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same as i n t h e f i r s t t r i a d of the preceding

s t r o p h e , c r e a t i n g t h e sphere o f N i g h t . The poet's w o r l d i s u t h a t o f H e s p e r i e n - r e g l a r i t y and o r d e r , l a w , ' N i i c h t e r n heit' ing and p e r f o r m s t h e same gloomy f u n c t i o n , t h e s t i f l -

of 'Begeisterung'. But t h i s e x c l u s i o n o f d i v i n e presence i s a b s o l u t e

( N i g h t ) o n l y by v i r t u e o f t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e , so t h a t i t s v e r y completeness i s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y i t s r e l a t i v i s a t i o n . Absence i s h e l d w i t h i n t h e s t r o p h i c whole as darkness w i t h i n t h e cosmos. Thus t h e p r o g r e s s i v e e l i m i n a t i o n o f hope i s a l s o t h e cosmic and so harmonious n e c e s s i t y o f N i g h t , and t h e f i r s t t r i a d p r o v i d e s t h e c o n d i t i o n f o r r e c r e a t i o n o f t h e f a m i l i a r o p p o s i t e s , c a p t i v i t y and liberation. The j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f 'schwand' and 'LieB' makes o f

t h e t r i a d i c t r a n s i t i o n a v i v i d Sprachgestus r e m i n i s c e n t

- 250

of

ll.?8/79 ('Schafft'):

'LieB' i s r e l e a s e . I n and

by

v i r t u e o f c o n c e d i n g her a b s o l u t e v a l i d i t y t h e poet i s r e l e a s e d f r o m N i g h t as from an o l d w o r l d ( s e a l e d o f f by 'schwand': l i f e and l i g h t have 'vanished') t o s t a t e t h e presence o f t h e D i v i n e , i n t h e t h e v e i l of d a r k n e s s i s l i f t e d ,

mediated, yet r e a l

mode of 'Zeichen'; and

t h e harmony o f l i f e r e a s s e r t e d . But r h y t h m i c a l l y t h i s harmony i s , even as i t i s spoken, mere a s s e r t i o n , words, an a b s t r a c t f o r m u l a w h i c h , succeeding r a t i o n a l l y , fails

a e s t h e t i c a l l y . Far from becoming t h e v e s s e l o f i n s p i r a t i o n , t h e f o u r t h c o u p l e t i s i n form ( s l i g h t enjambement, i n e f f e c t emphasising t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e s e l f - c o n t a i n e d u n i t w i t h i t s monotonous pause) d i r e c t l y p a r a l l e l t o t h e third,

and t h u s f a l l s i n t o l i n e w i t h t h e v e r y w o r l d f r o m which i t was t o l i b e r a t e ; i n p r a c t i c e t h e r e s u l t i n g sequence, f o u r of an

measured and o r d e r l y c o u p l e t s , opens t h e p r o s p e c t

a s s e r t i o n o f harmony ad i n f i n i t u m , s e l f - p e r p e t u a t i n g , v o i d of any r e a l i t y because u n f e l t . Once a g a i n t h e 'titanic' form, now

a s p i r a t i o n towards t h e D i v i n e , a l b e i t i n d i m i n i s h e d has r e a r e d up a g a i n s t t h e s e l f - i m p o s e d b a r r i e r s , and s i n k s back. The p r o g r e s s i n wisdom has proved an

illusion,

and t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l s t r u c t u r e ( p a r a p h r a s e d : of t h e gods man can e x p e r i e n c e

i n t h e absence

t h e i r mediated presence

through signs) d i s i n t e g r a t e s , having f a i l e d the sole c r i t e r i o n of t r u t h : the beauty of p o e t i c i n s p i r a t i o n . Thus t h e o r d e r l y s t r u c t u r e o f harmony, t h e measured pause a t t h e c o u p l e t - d i v i s i o n , g i v e s way, and t h e c o u p l e t

f a l l s open (11.134/35)- Thereby t h e f i f t h hexameter becomes t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n , so t h a t t h e rhythm

- 251 -

and tone a n t i c i p a t e t h e t h o u g h t

(this i s characteristic;

t h u s t o n e and form b e l i e d c o n t e n t i n t h e f o u r t h c o u p l e t and. i n ' Donnernd komtnen s i e d r a u f ) ; t h i s r h y t h m i c unity

i s hardened by t h e opening ' m e n s c h l i c h ' , which r e a p p e a r s i n 'Unter den Menschen', now, however, caught up and swept away i n t h e poet's g r i e f ( r h y t h m i c a l l y i n t h e u n p a u s i n g f l o w f r o m t h e end o f t h e p e n t a m e t e r t o t h e hexameter's 'und'): s i m p l e ' M e n s c h l i c h k e i t ' has become t h e i n s u f f i c i e n t 'noch,

h o l d t o w h i c h t h e poet c l u n g . I n t h e p a t h o s - l a d e n

noch' ( i n u t t e r c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e p r e c e d i n g o r d e r l y a r rangement o f words) t h e rhythm the ideas is ' s t a r k ' and 'hochst', c o n t i n u e s t o mount, so t h a t a l t h o u g h d e s c r i b i n g what

' m i s s i n g ' , a r e so p o s i t i o n e d as t o form t h e e m o t i o n a l

c l i m a x , f o r t h e measure o f what i s l o s t i s t h e measure o f the poet's g r i e f ; t h e s u p e r l a t i v e 'hochst' i s y e t h i g h e r

than 'stark' i s strong. Thus i t i s t h e f a i l u r e , t h e l a c k o f i n s p i r a t i o n , that,

p a r a d o x i c a l l y , i n s p i r e s , t r a n s f o r m i n g the elegiac form, w h i c h now, i n t h e s i x t h p e n t a m e t e r , f a l l s back t o r e s t . The t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e becomes e m p h a t i c a l l y marked; t h e f i r s t two t r i a d s a r e n o t t h e harmonious d u a l i s m o f n e g a t i v e and p o s i t i v e t h e y s h o u l d have been, b u t a s i n g l e a r c , a l o s s o f s e l f t o e l e g i a c g r i e f . The t e n s i o n i s a c c o r d i n g l y n o t t h a t between n e g a t i v e and p o s i t i v e , b u t between a s s e r t i o n and r e a l i t y , r e a s o n and f e e l i n g . 'Freuden' i s o f t h e utmost p a t h o s . Stripped through forlorn,

enjambement o f s y n t a c t i c a l c o n t e x t , i t i s i s o l a t e d ,

out o f t i m e and p l a c e . Here t o o t h e rhythm has a n t i c i p a t e d t h e t h o u g h t t o c r e a t e a moving c o n f l i c t between appearance,

- 252

word, and r e a l i t y , t o n e ; f o r whereas l o g i c a l l y

resignation

b e g i n s w i t h 'aber', r h y t h m i c a l l y i t i s t h e whole p e n t a meter t h a t s u b s i d e s ( h e r e t h e s u b j e c t i v i t y o f such .judgements i s more t h a n u s u a l l y d i c t a t o r i a l , b u t I f e e l i t would do v i o l e n c e t o t h e v e r s e t o have t h e v o i c e c a r r y on upwards t o t h e comma, which would t h e n have t o bear an extreme gap i n p i t c h between two u n s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s . 'Freuden' con-

veys t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n between i d e a l and r e a l i t y ; t h e word w h i c h ought t o be ' h i g h e s t ' i n i t i a t e s ation) . The second t r i a d i s t h u s t h e b a r r i e r , t h e l i m i t a t i o n 'Hesperian' r e s i g n -

upon human a p i r a t i o n , a t w h i c h t h e p o e t r e t u r n s t o t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n . The opening hexameter o f t h e t h i r d triad

i s o f e x q u i s i t e b e a u t y . But t h i s b e a u t y i s n o t due s o l e l y t o i t s e l f , and i f t h i s l i n e were s e t a f t e r 1.132 ( w i t h o u t , t h a t i s , t h e p r e c e d i n g l a m e n t ) one would sense how u t t e r l y dependent i t i s upon t h e process o f l o s s and f a i l u r e . This

f a c t i m p l i e s i t s n a t u r e . Here, and n o t i n t h e f o u r t h coupl e t , i s t h e t r u e r e l e a s e f/6^m t e n s i o n ; and t h e t r u e was n o t t h a t between 'harmoniously-opposed' tension

l i g h t and

d a r k n e s s , b u t between t h e apparent and r e a l o b j e c t o f p o e t i c purpose. The f o r m e r i s t h e o b j e c t o f 'Streben'

1

'der

h i m m l i s c h e Chor', ' V a t e r l a n d , s o c i a l and m o r a l i d e a l

and l i e s i n an avowedly u n a t t a i n a b l e f u t u r e . The l a t t e r i s t h e ' i d e a l ' o b j e c t o f r e s i g n a t i v e l o n g i n g , and l i e s i n a l o s t p a s t . A t t h e same t i m e , t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f t h i s tension

i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e 'Streben' has no more t h a n t h e appearance o f purpose and w i l l ; fail, i t i s , i n d e e d , so c o n s t i t u t e d as t o

and so t o g e n e r a t e l o n g i n g . I n comparison, t h e n , t h e

- 253 -

i n i t i a l release artificial.

('LieB') becomes p u r e l y e x t e r n a l and triad)

W i t h 'Dank' n o t o n l y t h e p o i n t (ended

of l i m i t a t i o n , b u t also t h a t o f t r u e purpose, i s reached, so t h a t t h e t h i r d t r i a d a t l e a s t b e g i n s l i t e r a l l y as ' t h a n k s - g i v i n g ' : t h e p o e t ' s mouth can a t l a s t open. sense o f immediacy, i n w h i c h c o n t e n t This

i s absolutely i n -

s e p a r a b l e f r o m f o r m , i s t h e v e r y essence o f t h e a e s t h e t i c criterion. For here a g a i n i s t h e ' d i v i n e moment', t h e 'coming' of the S p i r i t . perience The hexameter, i n which t h i s p o e t i c exi s i n i t s two

i s almost e n t i r e l y concentrated,

h a l v e s t h e image o f t h e u n i o n o f E a r t h and L i g h t . Opening w i t h the long closed s y l l a b l e 'Brod' (compare 'Oder' i n syllable, long,

1.107), moving t o t h e second s t r e s s e d

r e i n f o r c e d by assonance ( ' [ d e r ] E r d - ' ) , and h a v i n g i n a l l three stressed t o t h r e e u n s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s , t h e slow

w e i g h t o f t h i s f i r s t h a l f u n i t e s w i t h t h e sense o f ' e a r t h ' , s o f t , d a r k , c o o l , and s e n s u a l l y f u l l ; 'Mutter the f e e l i n g of

1

Erde', though unspoken, i s i m p l i c i t i n ' F r u c h t .

The caesura w i t h i t s up-beat ('doch') i m m e d i a t e l y l i g h t e n s t h e r h y t h m , and i s f o l l o w e d by t h e s h o r t i , t h e f i r s t stressed s y l l a b l e o f t h e second h a l f , t h e i n s u b s t a n t i a l l i k e w i s e r e l i e v i n g t h e heavy substantives.

verb ' i s t '

Thus an i n c i p i e n t t r o c h a i c rhythm l e a d s t o t h e second stressed s y l l a b l e , a g a i n t h e s h o r t i , so t h a t ' L i c h t ' t h e l i n e upwards. (The v i s u a l c o n t r a s t be-

seems t o l i f t

tween l i g h t and darkness t r a n s l a t e s e f f o r t l e s s l y i n t o t h e rhythmic v a r i a b l e s o f q u a l i t y and q u a n t i t y , a p r o c e s s no 'licht' and

doubt f a c i l i t a t e d by t h e p h o n e t i c a l l y c l o s e

- 25^ -

' l e i c h t ' . For a l t h o u g h

'Licht' i s primarily sun-light, i t

i s a l s o t h e s p i r i t u a l c o u n t e r p a r t t o E a r t h , and t h u s s c a r c e l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from 'Aether', t h e f i n e s t (most s p i r i t u a l ) r e g i o n o f t h e sky.) A f t e r t h i s , t h e d a c t y l t r i p s away on l i g h t e s t - p o s s i b l e f e e t ( s h o r t e ) . Yet t h e two h a l v e s a r e n o t s i m p l y c o n t r a s t e d . As t h e l i n e opens w i t h a d a c t y l , so t h e v o i c e l i n g e r s over 'seeg-':

r e f i n e m e n t s beyond an o r d i n a r y p o e t , b u t w h i c h a l s o r e f l e c t t h e s i n g l e mystery o f E a r t h and L i g h t . F o r E a r t h

i s n o t u n i t e d w i t h , b u t l i g h t l y touched b y , one who can never be h e r s ; she i s , i n H y p e r i o n ' s e l e g i a c t h o u g h t , ' d i e immer t r e u e r l i e b e n d e H a l f t e des Sonnengotts, u r s p r i i n g l i c h v i e l e i c h t i n n i g e r m i t ihm v e r e i n t , dann aber d u r c h e i n a l l w a l t e n d S c h i k s a a l geschieden von ihm, damit s i e i h n suche ... ' ( I , 96/10-13). T h i s i s n o t a s o l u t i o n that

can be possessed, b u t a t r u t h b o r n o f l o s s and s e p a r a t i o n , a sorrow that l i e s 'too deep f o r t e a r s ' . I t i s t h e sense

of what can never be possessed, b u t o n l y i n t i m a t e d ; t h e mystery fills o f E a r t h ' s n a t u r e and s u f f e r i n g b o t h consoles and

w i t h l o n g i n g . Such sensual immediacy i s i t s e l f r e -

l a t i o n s h i p w i t h N a t u r e , t h e h i g h e s t good. I f t h e l i n e came a f t e r 1.132, t h e ' i s t ' would be a s s e r t i o n , on t h e same un-

i n s p i r e d l e v e l as t h e f o u r t h c o u p l e t . As i t i s , i t meets, n o t a c h a i n o f r e a s o n i n g m i s s i n g a l i n k , b u t an e m o t i o n a l need, and draws from t h i s i t s beauty. Thus t h e v e r y moment o f f a i l u r e i s once a g a i n intuit-

i o n o f t h e D i v i n e . W i t h t h e word 'Brod' t h e poet r e t u r n s t o r e a l i t y , N a t u r e , and names t h e D i v i n e o n l y w i t h i n t h e e l e g i a c c o n t e x t o f a ' r a t i o n a l mythology' ( a s i n 11.107-08,

 - 255 -

t h i s i s a r a t i o n a l i s a t i o n , given the connotations, of C h r i s t i a n 'mythology' i n t o p o t e n t i a l l y u n i v e r s a l 'emp i r i c i s m ' ) . He r e t u r n s t o E a r t h as t o N i g h t , and she t o o consoles w i t h s o f t d a r k n e s s : 'Dich l i e b
1

i c h , Erde!

t r a u e r s t du doch m i t m i r ! ' ('Dem Sonnengott'; i n 'Der M u t t e r Erde' she i s ' a l l v e r s o h n e n d e , a l l e s d u l d e n d e ' (2.683* '13)). I hope i t i s n o t f a n c i f u l t o suggest t h a t ideas

she i s b o t h warm and c o o l (remembering t h a t t h e s e

form a s i n g l e t e m p e r a t e harmony, as i n ' H a l f t e des Lebens', i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e extremes, f i r e and i c e , as i n 'Der Wanderer'). The r e t u r n t o r e a l i t y , t o e a r t h , i s , j u s t as i n 1.107, t h e shade c a s t across t h e heat o f t h e poet's v i s i o n , h e r e , s i n c e t h e extreme i s r e a l l y t h a t o f g r i e f , over h i s i n t e n s e ' s t r i v i n g ' . But t h e whole l i n e , a c c o r d i n g t o my r e a d i n g , o f t h e n a t u r e o f E a r t h , being, consoles

w i t h m a t e r n a l d a r k n e s s . And t h e u n i t y o f t h e d i v i n e S p i r i t i n t h e moments o f . ' c o m i n g ' , o f i n s p i r a t i o n , i s c r e a t e d anew. The poetic process, or technique, that creates i t i s The r e l e a s e

t h e s i n g l e c o n s t a n t , t h e e v e r - r e c u r r i n g rhythm.

f r o m t e n s i o n , ' L i e B ' , has a l r e a d y t a k e n p l a c e i n t h e seventh s t r o p h e , i t s e l f w i t h i t s ease o f t r a n s i t i o n a

remembered f o r m . The a r c t h a t s t r e t c h e s open t h e e l e g i a c f o r m , t h e l o s s o f s e l f i n what i s e s s e n t i a l l y a lament for to l o s t i n s p i r a t i o n , a c c o r d i n g l y moves back i n r e l a t i o n t h e seventh s t r o p h e ( f r o m 'WeiB i c h n i c h t ' t o 'hochst-'),

and i s d i m i n i s h e d ; and t h e moment o f d i v i n e immediacy and presence i s c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t h e s i n g l e l i n e . Thus, as i n

t h e second s t r o p h e , t h e f i r s t two t r i a d s r e l a t e t o t h e

- 256 -

s t r o p h e as do t h e two hemispheres ( N i g h t and Day) t o t h e whole poem. R h y t h m i c a l l y hubris, breaking t h e s t r u c t u r e i s t h e same: t h e

t h e b a r r i e r between man and t h e D i v i n e

( u n d e r s t o o d , i n s t r i c t l y m e t a p h y s i c a l t e r m s , as i n f i n i t y ) ; and t h e nemesis, r e s t o r i n g t h e l i m i t a t i o n w h i c h 'preserves

God' ' r e i n und m i t U n t e r s c h e i d u n g ' (2.252, 12). That i s t h e d e f e c t , b u t a l s o t h e v i r t u e , f o r o n l y t h u s can t h e u n i t y o f t h e d i v i n e S p i r i t , H o l d e r l i n ' s p r o f o u n d e s t b e l i e f , be v i n d i c a t e d . The ' s p i r i t ' the and of the f i r s t , .

'coming' o f t h e s i x t h , t h e c o n s o l a t i o n o f t h e s e v e n t h , now t h e m y s t e r y o f t h e e i g h t h , A l l a r e c l e a r l y One - ('Versohnender d e r du nimmerand t h a t t h r o u g h

' E i n e r i s t immer f u r a l l e '

g e g l a u b t ... ', f i r s t v e r s i o n , 1.86)

t h e v e r y i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f these 'gods', who a r e t h e r e fore better called ' s p i r i t s ' (compare 'An d i e Hofnung',

1.19; ' B l o d i g k e i t ' , 11.22-25). T h e i r s o l e f o u n d a t i o n i s p o e t i c i n s p i r a t i o n , and because t h i s i s so t h e y a r e ' g h o s t ' - l y , l a y no c l a i m t o e x c l u s i v e n e s s , and a r e u n i f i e d . Such i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y may seem t o c o n t r a d i c t my i n sistence ic on s e n s u a l immediacy and presence. But t h e a e s t h e t from t h e e t e r n a l l y -

element, s e n s u a l i t y , i s i n s e p a r a b l e

r e c u r r i n g p o e t i c r h y t h m ; and t h i s depends upon t h e p r e s t a b i l i s e d v a c u i t y and a b s t r a c t i o n o f t h e poem's r a t i o n a l premises.

'Per

Weingott'

A f t e r t h i s t h e tone o f t h e t h i r d t r i a d changes w i t h a s t o n i s h i n g r a p i d i t y , moving f r o m e l e g i a c c o n s o l a t i o n t o

- 257 -

hymnic a f f i r m a t i o n w i t h i n t h e space o f f i v e l i n e s . Here t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e s t r o p h i c form i s p a r t i c u l a r l y trans-

p a r e n t . Whereas 'Dank' ends t h e second t r i a d , so t h a t t h e third i s liberated ' t h a n k s ' - g i v i n g , t h e whole s t r o p h e s t r o p h e becomes l i b e r -

ends w i t h 'Lob', so t h a t t h e f i n a l

a t e d ' p r a i s e ' . I n each case, inasmuch as t h e form symboli s e s a surmounting o f t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , t h e sphere the progressive

t h a t f o l l o w s gains i d e a l s i g n i f i c a n c e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m o l d t o 'new w o r l d '

b u t founded upon the a

p h y s i c a l immediacy, t h e S p r a c h g e s t u s , o f i t s opening: mouth t h a t has been n o t m e r e l y s i l e n t , b u t r e p r e s s e d , can now open:

Echo des Himmels! h e i l i g e s Herz! warum, Warum verstummst du u n t e r den Lebenden, S c h l a f s t , f r e i e s ! von den G o t t e r l o s e n Ewig h i n a b i n d i e Nacht verwiesen? ( E r m u n t e r u n g ' , 11.1-4)
1

T h i s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e e l e g i a c form w i t h t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n (compare t h e e s s e n t i a l e x p r e s s i o n , ' E l e g i e ' , 1 1 . 97-98) y i e l d s a q u a l i t a t i v e d i s t i n c t i o n between o r d i n a r y speech, no b e t t e r t h a n s i l e n c e or b l i n d n e s s ('Der b l i n d e S a n g e r ' ) , and t r u e , l i b e r a t e d speech; a d i s t i n c t i o n now which

s e p a r a t e s t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e n o t j u s t from t h e e i g h t h stands open i n

b u t from t h e e n t i r e poem so f a r , w h i c h now anticipation. I t i s i n s t r u c t i v e , however, t o see how

easily

these

l i n e s can be c o n v e r t e d back i n t o t h e e l e g i a c t o n e : by doing l i t t l e more t h a n f o r g e t t i n g t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e and

i m a g i n i n g t h a t t h e poem ends w i t h 'Lob'. At once t h e

- 258 -

r e s i g n a t i v e sorrow o f t h e i r f i r s t . h e x a m e t e r pervades t h e whole t r i a d and wins t h e l a s t word; f o r t h e tone depends e n t i r e l y on whether t h e Darum'-clauses l o o k f o r w a r d o r back. T h i s i n h e r e n t tendency i n t h e i d e a s t o comply w i t h the r h y t h m i s r e l a t e d t o t h e s h i f t i n g vagueness o f H o l d e r lin's 'gods'. Given t h e hymnic a s c e n t t o t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e , penta1

the change i n tone has a l r e a d y begun i n t h e f i r s t

meter, a d e c i s i v e emphasis f a l l i n g upon t h e nov; onomatopoeic 'donnernd-'; t h u s t h e e l e g i a c fondness f o r an unGreece-inspired

committed swaying between a l t e r n a t i v e s pantheon/'Mythologie der Vernunft' favour of the l a t t e r : thunder.

i s r e s o l v e d , and i n

t h e ' t h u n d e r i n g god' i s p e r s o n i f i e d

So t o o i n t h e n e x t hexameter t h e c o n s o l a t o r y mood

would make ' d i e Himmlischen' t h e l o s t , and so presumably a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c , gods o f Greece; t h e hymnic mode t r a n s forms them i n t o a s u b s t a n t i v i s e d e p i t h e t w i t h o u t reference and, and o f p u r e l y e m o t i o n a l concrete

v a l u e : hymnic immediacy

again,

' r a t i o n a l mythology' ( p e r s o n i f i e d i d e a ) . There

i s n o t h i n g e l s e i n t h e c o u p l e t i t s e l f t o form t h e b a s i s f o r hymnic a f f i r m a t i o n ; i n d e e d , read i n i s o l a t i o n i t beelegiac, 31 'denken' making a n a t u r a l e t y m o l o g i c a l r e t u r n t o 'Dank'. So t o o t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t , i f i t c o n c l u d e d t h e poem, would e x i s t i n t h e i n n a t e democracy, f o r b i d d i n g c l i m a c t i c p r i o r i t y , o f e l e g i a c sequence. Here t h i s i s a d m i t t e d l y h a r d e r t o i m a g i n e because ' n i c h t e i t e l e r d a c h t ' do g i v e s t r o n g s u p p o r t and ' t o n e t '

comes, w i t h i t s i d e a o f e t e r n a l c y c l e , t r u l y

t o 'Lob' and d r i v e t h e poem over

t h e t r a n s i t i o n . But no r e a l b a s i s i s p r o v i d e d by t h e 'god'

 259 -

h i m s e l f ; he c o u l d as w e l l waver between r a t i o n a l mythol o g y and l o s t anthropomorphic r e l i g i o n as become what he out of the l a s t cling-

i n f a c t i s , a d e c i s i v e break-through

i n g v e s t i g e s o f e l e g i a c tone and i n t o t h e p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y o f a ' r i c h t i g e Z e i t , no l o n g e r p a s t , i n which t h e 'Gb'tter' that 'once walked among men' a r e p r e s e n t as t h e y were t o
1

t h e Greeks. Now t h e 'Weingott' becomes t h e key word o f t h e strophe (but not, I t h i n k , a e s t h e t i c a l l y ) ; nevertheless, t h i s a p p a r e n t l y d e c i s i v e moment l e a v e s him s t i l l unnamed; u n l i k e i n t h e chorus o f Sophocles' A n t i g o n e from which

H b ' l d e r l i n drew so much f o r t h i s poem, t h e r e i s no 'Dionysus' or 'Bacchus', so t h a t on r e f l e c t i o n i t remains d i f f i c u l t t o say whether t h e c o n c e p t i o n i s a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c . would n o t m a t t e r (why b i n d p o e t r y t o t h e o l o g i c a l This exactit-

ude?) had n o t H o l d e r l i n made 'naming' t h e q u i n t e s s e n t i a l s i g n o f d i v i n e r e a l i t y ; as i t i s , t h e f i n a l s t r o p h e must succeed where t h e whole poem has f a i l e d . B u t t h a t i s why it i s t h e 'new w o r l d ' . The n i n t h strophe has, then, t o ' r e c o n c i l e ' 'Night

w i t h Day', t o s o l v e ( s o i t s s y s t e m a t i c s i g n i f i c a n c e ) t h e problem o f t h e f i r s t , N i g h t . I t opens w i t h t h e c h a r a c t e r strophes of 'Stut-

i s t i c e x c l a m a t i o n (compare t h e f i n a l

g a r d ' , ' H e i m k u n f t ' ) , t h e moment o f ' B e g e i s t e r u n g ' , q u a l i t a t i v e l y r e a l speech. 'Ja!' i s immediacy, a n t i t h e s i s t o reflection, 'Natur' t o Hesperian 'Kunst'. I t opens t h e

sphere o f a new ' s p i r i t ' , a f i g u r e who emerges o u t o f t h e old elegiac world (the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of release with t a n g i b l e r e a l i t y has an e f f e c t s i m i l a r t o 1.107: here a t l a s t i s what e l e g y can h o l d on t o ) . The c o n c e p t i o n under-

- 260 -

l y i n g t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m makes t h e e n t i r e course o f t h e poem h i t h e r t o i n t o e n c l o s u r e , and endows 'him' w i t h lib-

e r a t i n g and l i b e r a t e d energy. And t h e shape he t a k e s i s t h a t of the rhythm. He i s a god o f r e s t l e s s e l e m e n t a l energy, a son o f Nature w i t h t h e i n e x o r a b l e , g r e e n and sinewy, s t r e n g t h o f ivy, t w i n i n g about and i n f o r m i n g t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , t h e and pure e t e r n i t y , with

image o f t h e cosmos i n i t s s t i l l dionysiac v i t a l i t y ,

s u r g i n g t h r o u g h and over a l l

three

c o u p l e t s , b i n d i n g them t o a whole. Each i s s y n t a c t i c a l l y s e l f - c o n t a i n e d and t o t h i s e x t e n t does n o t d i f f e r from t y p i c a l e l e g i a c sequence; b u t w i t h i n t h i s f o r m o r v e s s e l (the t r i a d ) the metre-syntax r e l a t i o n i s c o n t i n u a l l y d i s -

l o c a t e d , y i e l d i n g a d i s o r d e r e d o r d e r w h i c h comes t o form a p a t t e r n . I t i s t h e e l e m e n t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e god and h i s mother, N a t u r e . As t h e r e l e a s e d energy conc e n t r a t e s about t h e r e a l i t y , p r e s e n c e , o f t h i s spirit,

'he' shakes o f f t h e c l i n g i n g a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e e l e g i a c r e a l m ( ' W e i n g o t t ' , ' A l t e r ' ) and becomes p r o n o m i n a l , p u r e . In t h e f i r s t pentameter even t h i s p r o n o m i n a l s u b j e c t 'Puhre' becomes pure v e r b a l energy, falls

away, so t h a t

activity,

and a l s o , r e s o l v i n g t h e question-and-answer

sequence

( p e n t a m e t r i c 'und'-clause) o f t h e sphere o f 'Dank', d r i v e s the r h y t h m on; and i t does n o t r e t u r n u n t i l t h e second

pentameter, but then emphatically, i n three clauses of s w i f t s u c c e s s i o n . Hence t h e dynamic l i n e a r f o r c e r u n n i n g t h r o u g h t h e o r d e r e d f o r m . I t i s t h e r h y t h m i c a l symbol o f the his son's r e t u r n t o t h e s o u r c e , where he may r e p l e n i s h vitality; submerging ( c f . 1-52) and r e - e m e r g i n g , he

- 261

can n e i t h e r be i d e n t i f i e d w i t h nor s e p a r a t e d from h i s s i g n s , and h i s n a t u r e i s as f l u i d as i v y . S i m i l a r l y , p a r a l l e l minor a t t r i b u t i v e c l a u s e s w i t h which t h e f o u r t h and f i f t h the

third, and

l i n e s open b o t h p r o v i d e c o n t i n u i t y

d i s l o c a t e the o r d e r l y metre-syntax

r e l a t i o n , each c r e a t i n g

a s l i g h t o b s t a c l e t h a t , b r i e f l y damming, i m p e l s f o r w a r d ; t h u s t h e c l i m a x i s reached i n ' b l e i b e t ' , w i t h sense and rhythm i n f u l l tension. c o n t r a s t s u t t e r l y w i t h t h a t o f t h e end-

So t h i s s p i r i t ing

s i x t h s t r o p h e . There had come a s u b l i m e l y c o m f o r t i n g

f i g u r e , o f a wisdom and peace b o r n o f s u f f e r i n g ; here i s a god who recks n o t h i n g of s u f f e r i n g , 'allzeit froh', his
1

permanence, i m m o r t a l i t y ( w h i c h i s g r e a t l y s t r e s s e d : e w i g ' , 'allzeit ,

1

'immer-', ' b l e i b e t ' ) , a b s o l u t e l y drawn from i s here an e t e r n a l l i f e - f o r c e , b i n d i n g first

N a t u r e . And Nature Day

w i t h N i g h t , Heaven w i t h E a r t h ( t h e image o f t h e

p e n t a m e t e r , though

t a k e n f r o m Sophocles' A n t i g o n e , where

Dionysus l e a d s t h e dance o f t h e s t a r s , has been v/edded t o t h a t o f Jacob's l a d d e r : Und

1

ihm t r a u m t e ; und s i e h e , e i n e den

L e i t e r s t a n d a u f der Erde, d i e r i i h r t e m i t der S p i t z e an Himmel, und s i e h e , d i e Engel G o t t e s s t i e g e n daran auf n i e d e r ; / Und the der Herr s t a n d oben d a r a u f ...

und

'; r a t i o n a l i s e d

s t a r s go up and down, 'Vater Aether'

'wohnt' 'noch

hoher h i n a u f mit

('Heimkunft', 1.21)). Here, t h e n , i s 'Freude

G e i s t ' , and i n the t r i u m p h t h e d e s p a i r o f 1.134 i s

forgotten. I n t h e t h i r d pentameter t h i s dynamic energy a t l a s t subsides. The sphere o f t h e ' r e c o n c i l i n g ' spirit i s clearly

demarcated by t h e t r i a d i c f o r m , and t h e p o e t moves on t o

- 262 -

make t h e d e f i n i t i v e s t a t e m e n t which t h e r e i s now n o t h i n g t o h o l d back: 'Siehe! v/ir s i n d es, w i r ' . I t i s 'we' who a r e ' c h i l d r e n o f God', and no l o n g e r t h r o u g h t h e grace o f an a l i e n i n s t a n c e ('Sehet, welch e i n e L i e b e h a t uns d e r V a t e r e r z e i g t , daB w i r G o t t e s K i n d e r s o l l e n heiBen!' : I John 3- 1 ) , b u t s i m p l y as human b e i n g s . But t h e a f f i r m a t i o n s t h a t f o l l o w one a f t e r a n o t h e r a r e suddenly c u t o f f , and a t t h e most c r i t i c a l J u n c t u r e : 'Glaube ... !' Exclam-

a t i o n s d i s i n t e g r a t e , r e f l e c t i o n b e g i n s ; and 'Vater A e t h e r ' , now a s s o c i a t e d w i t h community, r e t u r n s t o h i s p o s i t i o n 'liber dem Haupt'. The poet g i v e s h i m s e l f up t o d e s p a i r ; the 'aber' o f 1.152 i s a l u c i f e r i a n f a l l 'Schatten'. f r o m grace back

i n t o the underworld,

The f a m i l i a r r h y t h m i c a l p a t t e r n , h u b r i s and nemesis, re-emerges. The 'Aber' o f 1.155 i s d e f i n i t i v e l i m i t a t i o n : r e s t o r a t i o n o f f o r m as o f p r o p e r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e D i v i n e , immovable b a r r i e r between t h e p o e t and h i s h e a r t ' s d e s i r e . Yet t h i s moment o f f a i l u r e has c r u c i a l r e g r e s s i v e e f f e c t on t h e i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d i n g l i n e s , f o r a t t h i s p o i n t t h e o v e r a l l form o f t h e poem, i t s harmony, i s f e l t , and absorbs the n i n t h strophe too i n t o i t s e l f . The f i n a l

t r i a d i s b o t h i n f o r m and c o n t e n t d e c i s i v e l y it

set apart;

f u l f i l s t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e , f o r i n t h e moment o f

'coming' t h e two comings t h a t ended t h e hemispheres a r e remembered and u n i t e . But t h e sense o f immutable i s n o t accounted f o r by mere m a t h e m a t i c a l enclosure

correspondence

and symmetry; i t s u t t e r r e a l i t y and t r u t h depend on t h e 'open' f o r m , t h e f e e l i n g o f h a r d l y won and u l t i m a t e dom, t h e tremendous r e l e a s e and access o f energy, freetitanic

- 263 -

a s p i r a t i o n , w i t h v/hich t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e s t r o v e t o c l a i m qualitative difference. The bars o f p o e t i c form s l i d e back i n t o p l a c e . W i t h i n t h e s t r o p h e t h e sense o f l i m i t a t i o n c r e a t e s a d i v i s i o n so strong that a e s t h e t i c a l l y the other, f i r s t , t r i a d i c ion i s undermined; t h e f i r s t divis-

t w e l v e l i n e s become a s i n g l e inspir-

movement, an i n s p i r a t i o n t h a t d i e d becomes d y i n g a t i o n . One f e e l s t h i s by i m a g i n i n g t h e f i r s t c o n c l u s i o n ; t h e n ' s e l b s t ' becomes u n q u e s t i o n e d

t r i a d as t h e d i v i n e pre-

sence whose t r i u m p h a n t descent t h e r e i s no power t o r e s i s t . Now, i n s t e a d , a g r o w i n g u n r e a l i t y which becomes acute w i t h

'Glaube' works i t s way back i n t o and up t h r o u g h t h e whole of the f i r s t t r i a d . The outcome g i v e s r e g r e s s i v e power t o

t h e i d e a s o f absence i n i t s f i n a l c o u p l e t , and as these g a i n , so t h e power o f t h e s p i r i t i s d i m i n i s h e d . The sequence 'er ... d i e Spur d e r e n t f l o h e n e n G o t t e r / G o t t e r l o s e n ceases t o be a 'hymnic' s t a t e m e n t
1 1

of unwavering c o n v i c t i o n

governed by t h e god ( ' e r ) , and becomes a p r o g r e s s i v e e n t r y i n t o h i s r e a l m by i d e a s a g a i n s t w h i c h he w i l l n o t be a b l e t o ' l a s t ' . T h e r e w i t h ' s e l b s t ' ceases t o r e f e r ex-

c l u s i v e l y t o 'him', and v a c i l l a t e s i n e l e g i a c f a s h i o n be32 tween a l l t h r e e p o s s i b i l i t i e s . By u n d e r m i n i n g it t h e independence o f h i s sphere, drawing

i n t o t h e subsequent a s s e r t i o n and l a m e n t ,

the diminished

strength of the f i r s t

t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n c o s t s t h e god h i s self-

i n d i v i d u a l i t y ; f o r t h i s presupposed i r r e d u c i b l y

s u f f i c i e n t b e i n g , and t h e r e f o r e independence from t h e poet's s u b j e c t i v e impulses, i n s p i r a t i o n , wishes and needs.

S i n c e t h e god's a b i l i t y t o r e c o n c i l e l i g h t w i t h darkness

26k

depended upon a s u g g e s t i o n o f anthropomorphic to

personality

make him more t h a n t h e mere o b j e c t o f t h e p o e t i c subonly thus

j e c t ' s wish t o d e i f y h i s e x p e r i e n t i a l f i e l d

can he be t h e b a s i s f o r a r e a l V o l k s r e l i g i o n a f t e r t h e model o f Greece of the f i r s t t r i a d becomes t h e f a i l u r e

t h i s ' G e s t a l t ' t o h o l d ' l a s t i n g ' r e a l i t y , and t h u s t h e 'Ja!',

g r a d u a l e x h a u s t i o n o f t h e p o e t ' s i n s p i r a t i o n . The the

moment o f immediacy, becomes t h e r e c u r r e n c e i n r h y t h m -

i c a l p e r i o d i c i t y o f ' S e e l i g e s G r i e c h e n l a n d ! ' , and t h e p r o cess o f l o s s o f immediacy b e g i n s w i t h ' e r ' , as soon, t h a t is, as t h e 'Ja!' seeks t o f i n d c o n c r e t e f o r m . The a c c e l e r attempts by

a t i n g i n t e n s i t y t u r n s i n t o ever more d e s p e r a t e to

m a i n t a i n t h e i n i t i a l moment o f i n s p i r a t i o n , which

t h e i r n a t u r e a c h i e v e t h e o p p o s i t e and d r a i n i t o f s t r e n g t h ; ' w e i l e r b l e i b e t ' becomes t h e l a s t p o i n t o f presence, swallowed up i n t h e i n e v i t a b i l i t y o f r h y t h m . These are that now

a e s t h e t i c judgements; i t i s a e s t h e t i c e x p e r i e n c e undercuts the systematic value. The

t r a n s i t i o n from e i g h t h t o n i n t h s t r o p h e had t o differs

d i f f e r q u a l i t a t i v e l y from a l l t h e o t h e r s ; i t now o n l y i n degree,

as t h e supreme a c t o f h u b r i s o f t h e l a s t those The

t h r e e s t r o p h e s a b s o r b i n g , b u t a l s o a n t i c i p a t e d by, w i t h i n the f i r s t s i x , s e v e n t h , and e i g h t h s t r o p h e s .

surmounting not j u s t of the i n t e r n a l s t r o p h i c form, but of the very strophic d i v i s i o n i t s e l f , through i t s f a i l u r e i n

p r a c t i c e i d e n t i f i e s major and minor p o e t i c forms as bound by t h e same i n e s c a p a b l e lav/ o f rhythm; and a s i n g l e is c r e a t e d , an image o f e t e r n i t y w i t h i n whose t h r a l l rhythm an

i n d i v i d u a l movement must always be an ' e x z e n t r i s c h e Bahn'.

- 265 -

The

i l l u s i o n t h a t t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e r e a l l y c o u l d have

d i f f e r e d from t h e r e s t i s n o t o n l y d i s p e l l e d ; i t has proved t o be t h e h e i g h t o f an e r r o r , o f an e r r a n t whose s e c r e t t h a t i s , perhaps, unconscious 'Streben' purpose

i s t o confirm the true nature of p o e t i c f o r m :

As a c l e a r l y - m a r k e d u n i t w i t h i n t h e poem, t h e s t r o p h e i s p a r t o f an autonomous s t r u c t u r e , j u s t as w i t h Pindar

s t r o p h e , a n t i s t r o p h e and epode b e l o n g t o a s i n g l e i n t e n t i o n and work o f a r t . W i t h H o l d e r l i n , however, t h e s t r o p h i c form has become, as has been seen, t h e b a s i s f o r and means t o l i b e r a t i o n , so t h a t i n t h e o r y ( a t h e o r y a t t r a c t i v e t o modern s o c i a l i d e a l i s m ) he has e v o l v e d a form capable o f overcoming t h e d i v i s i o n between a r t and l i f e ,

a r t i s t and s o c i e t y ; t h a t such a f o r m s h o u l d be p o e t i c ( r a t h e r t h a n , f o r example, p l a s t i c o r m u s i c a l ) follows

n a t u r a l l y f r o m p o e t r y ' s p r o x i m i t y t h r o u g h i t s means o f e x p r e s s i o n , language, to daily l i f e , and e q u a l l y , t h e

means o f b r i d g i n g t h e gap t h e r e w i t h becomes ( w i t h , a g a i n , much appeal t o t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y ) communication. The

c i r c u l a r aspect o f t h i s t h e o r y , namely, t h a t i t always presupposes and so r e - e n a c t s a h e i g h t e n e d sense o f p o e t r y ' s a p a r t n e s s , I have a l r e a d y d i s c u s s e d . Thus t h e (assumed) n e g a t i v i t y o f a r t i s made t o f u n c t i o n p o s i t i v e l y ; t h e s t r o p h i c form i s a ' T r i e b k r a f t der N e g a t i v i t a t ' . Wow, t h a t t h e poem as a whole can o n l y reproduce t h e n e g a t i v i t y o f t h e s t r o p h e does n o t i n i t s e l f

d i s q u a l i f y t h i s t h e o r y o f r e l i g i o u s p o e t r y , b u t i t does show t h a t n o t h i n g has ( i n t h i s most a b s t r a c t r e s p e c t ) been

- 266 -

g a i n e d . Through t h e r e p r o d u c t i o n o f f o r m a l autonomy w i t h i n t h e poem communication and communality have a d m i t t e d l y become t h e m a t i c , b u t o n l y as a problem as y e t w i t h o u t s o l u t i o n . A l l now d e v o l v e s on p o e t i c p r a c t i c e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m now p r e s e n t s a danger: t h e poet cannot a l l o w h i m s e l f t o t h i n k t h a t h e i g h t e n e d awareness o f a r t i s t i c autonomy has done a n y t h i n g more t h a n c r e a t e a p r o b l e m , f o r t h e n t h e awareness w i l l r e p l a c e a s o l u t i o n , become s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , and so e v e n t u a l l y cease t o be awareness. P u r i t y of motive w i l l cover the o b l i g a t i o n t o itself

communicate, and t h e problem w i l l have r e c r e a t e d

i n i n t e n s i f i e d f o r m . For t h e p o e t w i l l no l o n g e r need t o speak t o o t h e r s ; he w i l l be covered by t h e a u t o m a t i c acknowledgement t h a t t h e poem s h o u l d have done so. The s t r o p h i c f o r m , p a r a d o x i c a l l y enough b u t i n emp i r i c a l l y d e m o n s t r a b l e manner, p r o v i d e s t h e means t o l i b e r a t i o n w i t h i n t h e poem, and t h i s 'Streben' i s t h e

p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e . S i m u l t a n e o u s l y , t h e contemporary w o r l d , w h i c h i s t h e p o t e n t i a l addressee, i s d a r k n e s s , an Underw o r l d whose i n h a b i t a n t s are ' S c h a t t e n , l i v i n g - d e a d i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e s p i r i t u a l l y l i v i n g b u t p h y s i c a l l y dead Greeks ( i m p l i c i t l y Heinse, l i k e B e l l a r m i n , i s t h e s e l e c t e x c e p t i o n t o whom t h e p o e t can speak ' i n d i i r f t i g e r Zeit').
1

I n t h i s way p e r s o n a l and u n i v e r s a l darkness become, as e f f e c t and cause, a s i n g l e p r o b l e m ; and l i b e r a t i o n t a k e s p l a c e p u r e l y on t h e assumption t h a t p o e t r y must f o r t h e p r e s e n t be s e l f - e n c l o s u r e : i m p r i s o n m e n t o f t h e a r t i s t . That i s , t h e p o e t seeks t o r e s o l v e t h e autonomy o f h i s poem i n t h e f o r e k n o w l e d g e t h a t i t cannot be done; does n o t

- 267 -

seek t o r e s o l v e i t , ity.

but t o experience

i t s a b s o l u t e necess-

I n so d o i n g he r e a f f i r m s t h e p u r i t y o f h i s p o e t i c

purpose i n i t s f r u s t r a t e d d e s i r e t o be communal. But t h e r e b y p o e t r y i s f r e e d from a l i m i t a t i o n ; i t i s no longer

m e r e l y what i t f a c t u a l l y i s , communication, b u t becomes s e l f - l i b e r a t i ' o n i n o r d e r t o communicate. Thus s t r i p p e d o f immediate s o c i a l r e f e r e n c e and purpose, language becomes reduced t o a pure a c t : 'Sprache', 'AuBerung' o f t h e poetic S p i r i t ' . q u e s t i o n i f one 'pure

' I n s h o r t , a r t i s t i c autonomy i s o n l y i n assumes t h a t t h e a r t i s t and h i s work a r e ,

i n terms o f r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e w o r l d , i d e n t i c a l . So autonomy i s a p r e s e n t v i r t u e and n e c e s s i t y . But i t s t h e m a t i c i s a t i o n i n t h e p r o c e s s o f l i b e r a t i o n makes o f t h e i r r e c o n c i l a b i l i t y o f t h e a r t i s t and h i s s o c i e t y no l o n g e r m e r e l y an assumed f a c t ; i t i s t u r n e d i n t o an p e r i e n c e and thus j u s t i f i e d e x i s t e n t i a l l y . I t i s n o t an a b s t r a c t theme, b u t t a k e s p l a c e i n t i m e , as an exjust

original

a s s u m p t i o n t o w h i c h t h e poet i n t h e end ( t h e p r e s e n t ) r e t u r n s . Through t h e c o n t r a s t between p r e s e n t and p a s t , t h e p o e t i c experience logical f u t i l i t y , I, becomes hardened s e l f - c o n f i r m a t i o n o f a a 'Hatt' i c h n i e g e h a n d e l t ! ' ( c f . H y p e r i o n ,

8/15). As t h e p a s t , t h e mere a s s u m p t i o n , becomes t r u t h , the succession of strophes becomes auto-

the p o e t i c process

p r o g r e s s i v e l o s s of p e r f e c t i o n . For t h e poem i s n o t

nomous; i t p e r f o r c e communicates, presupposes e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y , and t h e r e f o r e e x i s t s t h e w o r l d o f darkness. Not 'in diirftiger Zeit', within

so t h e s t r o p h e , which e x i s t s ' open'-ness of i s measured

' p u r e l y ' -within t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem. The

t h e autonomous poem i s i t s i m p e r f e c t i o n i f . i t

- 268

by t h e p e r f e c t e n c l o s u r e o f t h e p a s t . And

the past, the end of

l o s t autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h e , i s t h e I d e a l and t h e of t h e p o e t ' s p r e s e n t s t r i v i n g : an i s l a n d , sphere 'Welt i n der Welt'.

p e r f e c t beauty,

T h i s i s no a t t e m p t a t s t o i c s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y , b u t t h e search f o r p e r f e c t freedom from r e a l i t y ; t h e p r o d u c t o f a contemplative i d e a l p r e c l u d i n g not j u s t a c t i o n , but change i t s e l f . As soon, however, as t i m e i t s e l f becomes the measure whereby r e a l i t y i s found w a n t i n g , t h e s t r o p h i c (no doubt u n c o n s c i o u s l y ) e n t r y i n t o con-

f o r m symbolises

s c i o u s n e s s , which i s d e s t r u c t i o n o f c h i l d h o o d And

innocence.

i f p o e t i c autonomy has t h e h e i g h t e n e d meaning o f s e l f must be u n d e r s t o o d as relativis-

e n c l o s u r e , consciousness a t i o n by o t h e r s .

Through a 'Streben' o f p r e o r d a i n e d f u t i l i t y t h e p o e t expresses t h e s e c r e t c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e r e can be no r e -

c o n c i l i a t i o n , and r e c r e a t e s t h e i n j u r y done by t h e w o r l d . The supreme example had been t h e t h e f t o f D i o t i m a ; and

t h e r e w i t h t h e autonomous 'sphere' i s an ' i s l a n d o f l o v e ' ('Thranen', 1.14) and b e a u t y . I t i s i t s e l f a 'tear', and

i t s source i s a ' c l e a r eye'; t h e s t i l l

and p r o t e c t e d

c i r c l e o f water over which t h e p u r e - w h i t e swans move i n calm s e r e n i t y ( ' E l e g i e ' , 11.41-^5). Yet D i o t i m a h e r s e l f had r e p r e s e n t e d t h e i s l a n d o f t i m e l e s s n e s s :

So b e d u r f n i f i l o s , so g o t t l i c h g e n i i g s a m hab' i c h n i c h t s gekannt. Wie d i e Wooge des Oceans das Gestade s e e l i g e r I n s e l n , so u m f l u t h e t e mein r u h e l o s e s Herz den P r i e d e n des himml i s c h e n Madchens. ( H y p e r i o n , I , 103/9-12)

- 269
Thus p h y s i c a l l o v e and p h y s i c a l beauty a r e themselves accommodated t o t h e u l t i m a t e and a r c h e t y p a l i n j u r y , t h e ' S c h i k s a a l ' o f e n t r y i n t o consciousness. The model f o r

d i v i n e p e r f e c t i o n i s memory; remembered, l o v e need no l o n g e r be s u r r e n d e r t o p h y s i c a l i t y and so t o t i m e , b u t i s purified. P o e t i c form b e l i e s t h e moral purpose i m p l i e d by

1

d i i r f t i g e Z e i t ' and by t h e poem's t h o u g h t - p r o c e s s ; t h e

u n b r i d g e d c l e f t between t h e l i v i n g and t h e dead, 'Germani e n ' and G r i e c h e n l a n d ' , makes p o s s i b l e t h e same s h i f t i n meaning as i n Hyperion's r e p l y t o D i o t i m a ' s 'Kannst du
1 1

so d i c h i n d i e a l t e Z e i t v e r s e z e n ' : Mahne mich n i c h t an die Zeit! ... es war e i n g o t t l i c h Leben' ( I , 150/11-13).

5

'Per T i t a n

V/ith t h e words 'Vater A e t h e r e r k a n n t j e d e n und a l i e n g e h o r t ' , n o t i u s t t h e s t r o p h e b u t t h e whole poem i s 'open' i n completeness o f l o s s and d i v i n e absence; f o r t h i s penta-

meter, prominent as t h e end o f t h e poem's e n t i r e expresses t h e sum o f t h e I d e a l

search,

'der G e i s t , d e r a l l e m

gemein und nedern e i g e n i s t '

and t h u s , s e p a r a t e d f r o m

q u a l i f i c a t i o n by t h e l i n e - d i v i s i o n , g a i n s an o r a c u l a r power. Here i s a b s o l u t e and d e f i n i t i v e s t a t e m e n t o f what i s n o t , and as such i t c a l l s f o r t h t h e f i n a l moment o f l o n g i n g ; t h e f i n a l t r i a d i s t h e sphere o f d i v i n e b e a u t y , and a l s o t h e complete r e s t o r a t i o n o f form and f u l f i l m e n t o f harmony. I t s a e s t h e t i c q u a l i t y depends u t t e r l y on t h e sense o f

- 270 -

e n d i n g , on t h e f a c t t h a t

s c h l a f t ' r e a l l y does c l o s e t h e

poem i n d a r k n e s s . Only t h u s does t h e opening 'Aber' g a i n such power t h a t by i t s e l f and b e f o r e any development i t can s e t a s i d e a sphere w h i c h t r u l y d i f f e r s q u a l i t a t i v e l y f r o m t h e r e s t . For here t h e sense o f d i v i n e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , and so f i l l s 'coming' i s

the f i n a l t r i a d : the Divine

has become an o b j e c t o f l o n g i n g , n o t o f s t r i v i n g , and t h e r e w i t h t h e poem i s autonomous and complete. But, r e m a r k a b l y , i f one r e a d t h e f i r s t c o u p l e t by i t -

s e l f i t would become d u l l and f l a t , because t h e s y n t h e s i s of C h r i s t and Dionysus i n 'Fakelschwinger des Hdchsten/ Sohn, d e r S y r i e r ' would i m m e d i a t e l y demand i n t e l l e c t u a l attention. I n d e e d , i n t h i s c o u p l e t t h e d i v i n e coming i s

m e r e l y a w a i t e d , and has n o t y e t r e a l l y begun. "Within t h e t r i a d as a whole C h r i s t and Dionysus merge e f f o r t l e s s l y , as o n l y t h o s e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a r e f e l t which i n i t i a t e t h e movement towards s l e e p , peace, t h e end. F o r C h r i s t these are as a t t h e end o f t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e . The ' f i g u r e ' o f

c o n s o l a t i o n and r e s t s o f t e n s 'der kommende G o t t ' o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e , t h a t F a k e l s c h w i n g e r ' Dionysus; he i s no l o n g e r an o r g i a s t i c r e v e l l e r o r e l e m e n t a l son o f N a t u r e , but the pure ' s p i r i t ' o f w i n e , and as h i s t o r c h i s no
1

l o n g e r a f i e r y b r a n d , b u t a s o f t glow i n t h e d a r k n e s s , so t o o t h e q u a l i t y o f h i s wine i s n o t such as t o f l o w through t h e veins w i t h arousing f i r e , but t o achieve the end, t h e s l e e p i n g o f 'Cerberus'. I n t h i s way t h e s o f t s- and sh-sounds ( w i t h t h e Swabian s) ' ... i n d e s s e n

... F a k e l s c h w i n g e r de_s Hdchsten Sohn, d e r S y r i e r , u n t e r d i e S c h a t t e n ... ' become a s o o t h i n g p r e l u d e t o a

- 271 -

song of s l e e p , and

' S y r i e r ' i s n o t so much an a l l u s i o n t o

as a change i n C h r i s t ; as he comes t o meet Dionysus ( h i m s e l f a god o f t h e O r i e n t ) , t h e l o n g l i n g e r i n g 'Sy-' and s l i g h t s u g g e s t i o n o f a m y s t e r i o u s syllable

and e x o t i c 'der rhythm,

East s o f t e n h i s c l a i m ( l i k e t h a t of I s r a e l ) t o be E i n z i g e ' . The synthesis i s inseparable from the

c o n t e n t f r o m f o r m : t h e poet does not

' f o r g e t t h e o l d gods'

names' so t h a t t h e c r i t i c can remember and r e p l a c e them. So t h e s y n t h e s i s i s a mere pause upon t h e p a t h towards s l e e p ; as t h e f i r s t c o u p l e t c l o s e s , so t h e D i v i n e passes

' i n t o t h e shadows', which c l o s e about t h e w o r l d o f t h e poem. I n ' S e e l i g e Weise sehns' t h e s o o t h i n g s becomes concentrated, w h i l e the l o n g s y l l a b l e 'sehns', s l o w i n g t h e rhythm, le' 'See-' echoes i n 'See'sehns'

an e f f e c t complete w i t h

i n t h e n e x t l i n e . But i n t h e s i n g l e m o n o s y l l a b l e and o b j e c t o f seeing are one;

'seeing'

t h e d i v i n e syndefined 'purely'

t h e s i s , a l r e a d y a s i n g l e ' s p i r i t ' , i s now

by t h e s u b j e c t ' S e e l i g e Weise', and i s o f t h e i r n a t u r e , o b j e c t o f a wisdom t h a t sees, an ' i n t e l l e k t u a l e Anschauung'. T h e i r n a i v e and 'blessed' s t a t e i s a r e n u n c i a t i o n of

i n t e l l e c t u a l wisdom, and so a v o l u n t a r y s u r r e n d e r o f s e l f ; by i t s e l f t h e phrase would be almost p o l e m i c a l und A l c i b i a d e s ' : o n l y those are wise who the growing ('Sokrates

see), but w i t h i n

sense o f peace i t becomes t h e s o f t e s t paradox. senses, u n i t e p r e c i s e l y longer

Wisdom and p e r c e p t i o n , i n t e l l e c t and

because, n e i t h e r h a v i n g an o b j e c t , and t h e r e f o r e no used, t h e y are no l o n g e r i n l i f e ,

and so cease t o c o n f l i c t .

T h i s freedom from need and want, hope and f e a r , g i v e s t o 'Seelig' f a r profounder s i g n i f i c a n c e than merely 'blissful':

- 272 -

t h e r o o t 'Seele', w h i c h emerges f u l l y i n t h e n e x t l i n e , speaks freedom f r o m m a t t e r , t i m e , change.

be-

Thus t h e f u n c t i o n , t h e t r u e v a l u e , o f t h e d i v i n e synt h e s i s becomes c l e a r : t o f r e e t h e mind f r o m i n d e e d , from memory i t s e l f and and conflict,

i t s c a r e s , as a l l search

s t r i v i n g f a l l t o s l e e p ; t h e 'gods' a r e anonymous so 'es', o r , t r u l y , a mere s, a w h i s p e r i n g p a r t For rhythm i s the W o r l d - S p i r i t .

as t o become of
1

sehn' , of r h y t h m .

T h i s second c o u p l e t i s bound t o g e t h e r by s u b t l e b u t c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t e r p l a y of i d e a s and sounds; d e s p i t e i t d i v i d e s c l e a r l y i n t o t h r e e p a r t s marked by t h e c a e s u r a s . The this,

two

f i r s t , h e x a m e t r i c , caesura c o i n c i d e s w i t h s

t h e sense, so t h a t t h e f i r s t p a r t i s of c o n c e n t r a t e d alliteration:

t h e s o o t h i n g d e s c e n t Lethe-wards, f o l l o w i n g second p a r t i s 'Lethaeum ... 705), ,

n a t u r a l l y from t h e p r e c e d i n g c o u p l e t . The u n i f i e d by a l i q u i d 1 s u g g e s t i n g V i r g i l ' s

domos p l a c i d a s q u i p r a e n a t a t , amnem' ( A e n e i d , 6, and t o g e t h e r w i t h the s u b l i m i n a l (because r e p e t i t i o n of 'Seelig1

unstressed) penta-

( r e n d e r i n g hexameter and

meter m u s i c a l l y p a r a l l e l ) i s o f i n c a n t a t o r y e f f e c t . I t i s a l s o d e c i s i v e l y s e p a r a t e : w i t h i n i t , metre and conflict, first syntax the

t h r o u g h t h e engambement, t h e n t h r o u g h

a n t i - m e t r i c a l s y n t a c t i c a l pause; t h e rhythm

accelerates,

s e e k i n g r e s t ; a sequence o f d i m i n i s h i n g phases i s c r e a t e d , bound t o g e t h e r by p o w e r f u l a l l i t e r a t i o n : 'ein Lacheln aus

der gefangnen', 'Seele l e u c h t e t ' , 'dem L i c h t ' . The

mind

t o o i s 'gefangen', ' h e l d c a p t i v e ' by t h i s t e n s i o n o f which ' L i c h t ' forms t h e c l i m a x : by sound, t h e n , ' L i c h t ' out o f 'Lacheln' and 'Leuchtet' i n pure f o r m . The emerges second

- 273

h a l f of the pentameter, c l o s i n g the c o u p l e t , releases the t e n s i o n ; t h e eye opens, and t h i s image g a i n s s e n s u a l mediacy t h r o u g h t h e r o u n d , open, au-assonance which this third part. s i n c e each emerges l i b e r a t e d from
1

imunifies

I n t h i s way,

restrict-

i n g r h y t h m i c a l f o r c e s , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between and

Licht'

'Auge' amounts t o a j u x t a p o s i t i o n . They meet; n o t as from t h e o b s c u r i n g i n -

s u b j e c t and o b j e c t , b u t , f r e e now c i d e n t a l i t i e s o f human l i f e , Nature

as l i v i n g and equal p a r t s o f as

( a s i n 1.13) Such l i b e r a t i o n i s p u r i t y f r e s h

'dew', whose drops are a l s o t e a r s , y e t p u r e r t h a n

those

o f g r i e f ; t h e p u r e s t l i g h t comes i n t h e a r c h e t y p a l dawn, p e r c e i v e d o n l y by f l o w e r s and t h e s o u l . 'Auge', t h e n , i s d i s e m b o d i e d , t r a n s c e n d e n t a l , a 'Seelenorgan'.

J

B o t h 'Seele'

and

'Auge' are s i n g u l a r , a through two

f a c t and f o r m s i l h o u e t t e d by t h e l i n e - d i v i s i o n , which 'Seele'

i s pure and u n q u a l i f i e d , so t h a t t h e

s u b j e c t s n a t u r a l l y j o i n ; t h e r e w i t h t h e sense o f ownership ( t h e y b e l o n g t o t h e 'Weise') wavers, and t h e t h r e e subj e c t s become e q u a l . Yet t h i s l i b e r a t i o n from possession

( f r o m p o t e n t i a l use) f o l l o w s n a t u r a l l y from t h e n a t u r e o f t h e 'wise' p e r c e p t i o n w i t h which t h e c o u p l e t opened; t h e ' s o u l ' and the 'eye' are a k i n because t h e y are trapped

i n t h e p h y s i c a l body as i n t h e m a t e r i a l w o r l d , and i n t h i s sense t h e y are one, i s l a n d s o f spirituality. Holderlin written

Here i s t h e f i n e s t t e c h n i q u e . Had 'thauen d i e Augen j e z t a u f j u s t i f i e d i n speaking

t h e commentator would be erfiillter

of a 'Vision l i c h t e r ,

Zukunft' (Insel-Ausgabe, i i i ,

5 2 ) . But t h e t h r e e f o l d

sequence 'Lacheln ... l e u c h t e t ical the the

... L i c h t ' i s t h e r h y t h m breaking through

image n o t so much o f 'hymnic' l i g h t

darkness as o f a v i s i o n o n l y g r a n t e d , p o s s i b l e , a t moment o f death.* The i n s p i r a t i o n , c o n s c i o u s o r n o t ,

1

i s t h e Song o f Simeon (Luke 2. 29-32):

H e r r , nun l a s s e s t

du d e i n e n D i e n e r im I'rieden f a h r e n , w i e du gesagt h a s t ; / Denn meine Augen haben d e i n e n H e i l a n d gesehen ... E i n L i c h t , zu e r l e u c h t e n d i e Heiden ... .' 3-567, 3 f . ) t h e

The Lucan passage i s c e r t a i n l y ( c f .

1

i n s p i r a t i o n f o r four lines of Priedensfeier':

Und wenige s c h e i n e n zu s t e r b e n Es h a l t e i n Ahnen d i e S e e l e , Vom goldnen L i c h t e gesendet, H a l t e i n Versprechen d i e A l t e s t e n a u f . (11.126-29)

The m e e t i n g between 'the s o u l ' and 'the l i g h t ' , w i t h 1 - a l l i t e r a t i o n suggestive of l i m p i d p u r i t y ;

threaded that

t h e r e t h e soul i s 'held', here ' c a p t i v e ' ; t h a t t h e r e t o o the of poem a w a i t s s l e e p (11.33? 113; c f . t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e ' B l o d i g k e i t ' ) ; these t h i n g s u n d e r l i n e t h e common i n combines w i t h t h e r e l e a s e o f

s p i r a t i o n . Here, t h e 'noch'

a n t i c i p a t i o n as t h e pentameter f a l l s back t o r e s t , so t h a t the d i m i n i s h i n g rhythm ( e i n L a c h e l n ... L i c h t ) has

1

h i g h e r s i g n i f i c a n c e : i t i s a d y i n g sequence. For s l e e p i s , i n t h e words o f a n o t h e r p o e t , ' c e r t i s s i m a m o r t i s i m a g o ' . ^ A sense o f wonder, sorrow and i n f i n i t e l o n g i n g spreads

over t h e poem. W i t h t h e unspoken t h o u g h t t h a t r e l e a s e o f the of s o u l i s a l s o d e a t h , i t i s 'Seele' t h a t s e t s t h e tone t h e c o u p l e t , and ' S e e l i g ' g a i n s e l e g i a c ambivalence:

- 275

the The

'blessed' s t a t e may

be t h a t o f ' d i e E n t s c h l a f e n e n ' . so,

e n c l o s e d c o u p l e t becomes t h e r e a l m o f E l y s i u m , and

one sees, a descent deeper i n t o t h e Underv/orld. Here i s t h e P l a t o n i c c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e s o u l which found l a s t i n g ex-

p r e s s i o n f o r t h e w e s t e r n t r a d i t i o n i n t h e Orphic E l y s i u m of V i r g i l ' s Underworld

1

( A e n e i d , Book 6 ) ; here i t i s s a i d t h e 'mens' inded, the 'Geist'

t h a t the s p i r i t u s i n t u s ' , or

'Seele' (anima) 'der Welt'

permeates a l l t h i n g s , 'igneus

which are t h e r e f o r e o f d i v i n e o r i g i n ; b u t t h a t t h i s

... v i g o r e t c a e l e s t i s o r i g o ' (1.730) i s obscured, so as t o be p e r c e i v e d o n l y i n so f a r as ' h a r m f u l b o d i e s do n o t c l o g , nor e a r t h l y l i m b s and m o r t a l frames d u l l . Hence f e a r s and d e s i r e s , g r i e f s and j o y s ; nor d i s c e r n t h e y t h e

l i g h t , pent up i n t h e gloom o f t h e i r dark d u n g e o n ' . ^ So too Hyperion:

F r e i l i c h i s t das Leben arm und einsam ... Wir f r a g e n umsonst, wie w i r herabgekommen, um w i e d e r den V/eg h i n a u f zu f i n d e n . Wir s i n d , wie Feuer, das im d i i r r e n Aste oder im K i e s e l s c h l a f t ... ( I , 92/10-93/3; c f . I , 5 5 / 5 f . )

For V i r g i l these ' s o u l s ' , a l t h o u g h f o r a w h i l e i n h a b i t a n t s of t h e B l e s s e d F i e l d s and b r e a t h i n g ' l a r g i o r a e t h e r ' , must go on up a g a i n t o t h e w o r l d , thence t o r e t u r n and undergo renewed p u r i f i c a t i o n . T h i s p u r i f i c a t i o n i s t h e d r a u g h t o f oblivion, L e t h e . The o v e r r i d i n g c o n c e p t i o n i s one o f e t e r n a l 'in-

c y c l e i n which t h e s o u l w i l l always be h e l d c a p t i v e , c l u s a ' : 'gefangne Seele' . The the 'Kerker' i s f i n i t u d e itself,

b u t h e r e , mediated of

by

i n t e n s e c o n c e n t r a t i o n upon t h e i n d i v i d u a l

Romanticism,

- 276

t h e p u r i t y of t h e s o u l has become t h e m i r r o r of t h e its

self,

' R e f l e x i o n ' . Thus t h e s o u l i s 'enclosed' i n a d i f f e r -

ent sense: w i t h i n t h e autonomous w o r l d of t h e poem whose m i c r o c o s m i c image t h e c o u p l e t i s , and these conflicting an

senses g i v e t o t h e i d e a s o f c a p t i v i t y and l i b e r a t i o n

ambivalence whose o n l y s o l u t i o n i s absence o f s o l u t i o n : l o n g i n g , t h e o b j e c t o f which has of become t h e 'Seeligkeit'

d e a t h , a 'Sehnen' t h a t n o t i n sound alone r u n s beneath t h e l i n g e r i n g see-sound.

t h e 'Sehn' of t h e 'Weise' and The

' S a n f t e r ' w i t h w h i c h t h e t h i r d c o u p l e t opens i s the

m u s i c a l l y p e r f e c t beyond i t s immediate sense; t h r o u g h p a r a l l e l i s m o f t h e t h r e e c o u p l e t s each i s f e l t t h e r stage towards peace and o n l y r e a l l y b e g i n s t o be f e l t

as a f u r -

s l e e p , b u t as t h i s movement i n t h e second c o u p l e t , t h e

c o m p a r a t i v e becomes a l m o s t a s i g n marking a d i s t i n c t m u s i c a l phase, t h e p i a n i s s i m o t o the f o r e g o i n g piano, end.

' s o f t l y ' but p r e c i s e l y demarcating the w o r l d of the The s p e l l becomes h y p n o t i c . For w i t h t h i s t h i r d filled

couplet strophe, created

t h e t r i a d i s now of

by t h e r h y t h m of t h e f i r s t

N i g h t . That was

the t h r e e f o l d pentametric form,

by t h e r e g u l a r s t r o n g caesura i n t h e hexameter's t h i r d f o o t , and w i t h i n t h i s enclosed and e n c l o s i n g , embracing,

v e s s e l came t h e second h a l f o f t h e hexameter, s t r i v i n g , searching, 'open' t h r o u g h i t s u n s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e s at

b e g i n n i n g and end, b u t o n l y t o h e i g h t e n t h e i n e l u c t a b l e f i n a l i t y o f form. Here, however, each c o u p l e t i s end-

s t o p p e d , so t h a t t h e l e s s e r space ( t h e t r i a d ) i s t h e more concentrated. first T h i s i s o n l y p o s s i b l e a t the end. With the

' s c h l a f t ' the pentametric

p a t t e r n i s complete,

- 277

y i e l d i n g a sequence o f p a r a l l e l v e r b s of i n c r e a s i n g w e i g h t and l e n g t h : 'kommt' , 'sehns' , ' s c h l a f t ' ; t h e v o i c e , a l f o r c e d down deep by

ready drawn out over 'sehns', i s now

' s c h l a f t ' , l o n g , heavy w i t h consonants, r i c h i n e s t a b l i s h ed a l l i t e r a t i o n . And as the l i g h t d a c t y l i c s y l l a b l e o f 'traumet')

the preceding verbs ( ' l e u c h t e t ' , 'thauet',

f a l l s away, movement ends; f o r w h i l e the s o f t e s t of dreams is s t i l l a p a r t of l i f e , sleep p a r t a k e s o f d e a t h . Thus

' s c h l a f t ' , d e s p i t e appearances, i s r h y t h m i c a l l y of t h e same q u a l i t y as 'kommt' i n 1.15= t h e daemonic coming o f

a s p i r i t , a f a l l i n g - a w a y o f p r o t e c t i v e phenomena, u n v e i l ing t h e noumenon. A g a i n t h e key i s a sudden 'rush' as the

main i d e a i s b r o u g h t f o r w a r d , d i s r u p t i n g a calm and l y flow ( f o r l o g i c a l l y f i n a l l i n e ) ; thereby 'schlaft' should wait t i l l

order-

the

t h a t i d e a g a i n s p r e - e m i n e n t power as t h e sense of o r d e r becomes a t o f r a t i o n a l o r d e r , and so a s p e l l .

moving, l i v i n g f o r c e , and i t s s e r v i c e , a surrender Thus a p o w e r f u l c r e a t e d , and 'sleep'

a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e f i n a l word i s closes about t h e w o r l d o f t h i s last

c o u p l e t : the U n d e r w o r l d . There now,

i n the hexameter's

second h a l f , f o l l o w s a v e r y s l i g h t a c c e l e r a t i o n , an upb e a t f o l l o w e d by two d a c t y l s , b u t i n which f o u r o f the d a c t y l i c s y l l a b l e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e two s t r e s s e d , form a

l o n g and heavy assonance: 'Armen der Erde d e r ' . I t i s t h e d a r k and s o r r o w f u l nature o f E a r t h , who t a k e s a l l

her c h i l d r e n , even t h e doers o f e v i l , back i n t o h e r s e l f : the f i r s t ing stressed s y l l a b l e , l o n g and open, i s t h e openthe

( S p r a c h g e s t u s ) o f her arms; t h e two d a c t y l s are The

c r a d l e t h a t r o c k s her son t o s l e e p .

s l i g h t movement

- 278 -

i s thus a wonderful piece of a r t , i n f i n i t e l y

deepening

t h e sense o f r e s t ; i t i s a movement w i t h i n and so f u r t h e r i n t o s l e e p , t h e image o f an e t e r n a l noumenous p u l s e deep below t h e e a r t h , t h e e l e g i a c measure o f a l l t r a n s i e n t t h i n g s , b o t h good and e v i l . 'So h a s t du manches gebaut,/ 'Titan',

Und manches begraben' ( ' P r i e d e n s f e i e r ' , 11.149-50). delayed t i l l t h e end, i s in. s l e e p .

The pentameter

b r i n g s t h e t r i a d , and w i t h i t t h e whole

poem, t o r e s t ; t h e l a s t word, end, i s ' s l e e p ' . Thus t h e ' S e l b s t ' w i t h w h i c h i t opens has t h e f o r c e o f a m u s i c a l s u p e r l a t i v e t o t h e comparative ' S a n f t e r ' : t h e s i g n ppp.

Only a t t h e p o i n t where t h e rhythm o f e l e g i a c embrace, t h e sense o f e n c l o s u r e , has g a i n e d i t s utmost power and i s on t h e v e r y t h r e s h o l d o f f u l f i l m e n t does t h e f i g u r e o f d i s c o r d e n t e r t h e poem, and by degrees. The s o f t 'selbst' first

(Swabian s) draws o u t and d e l a y s t h e name, p a u s i n g

s y n t a c t i c a l l y , a t the separated e p i t h e t , then m e t r i c a l l y a t t h e caesura, so t h a t t h e sense o f e x t r e m i t y i n ' s e l b s t ' emphasis. As t h e h a r s h c-sound and t h e 'drowned i n

i t s e l f g a i n s utmost

g r o w l i n g s y l l a b l e s 'Cerber-' a r e absorbed,

sounds o f peace', t h e f a c t o f t h e name w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t w h i c h t h e r e w i t h s t r e t c h e s over t h e e n t i r e poem of a

s e a r c h f o r gods v / i t h names g a i n s h i g h e s t t h e m a t i c

signi-

f i c a n c e and r h y t h m i c a l power. A d m i t t e d l y Cerberus t o o , 'der m o r a l i s c h e Boreas, d e r G e i s t des Neides' ( c f . B229,

5 8 ) , has been r a t i o n a l i s e d ; n e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e presence o f t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l name a t t h e v e r y c l i m a x o f t h e poem r e members and u n i f i e s t h e whole as an h e r o i c s e a r c h f o r t h e D i v i n e whose presence, indeed r e a l i t y , i s e p i t o m i s e d i n

- 279 -

t h e l i v i n g names o f a V o l k s r e l i g i o n . But i t ends i n t h e naming o f t h e e v i l spirit. So t o o t h e emphatic 'selbst' 'coming'

cannot b u t c a l l t o mind those moments o f d i v i n e w h i c h i n s t r u c t u r a l terms should have b r o u g h t

fulfilment

('dann aber i n W a h r h e i t / Kommen s i e s e l b s t ' and 'Weil e r b l e i b e t und s e l b s t ' ) b u t where t h e gods remained, as a t t h e end o f t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e , anonymous. I n t h i s way 'Cerberus' itself. The t h r e e s e l f - e n c l o s e d c o u p l e t s are thus t h e t h r e e i s r a i s e d t o become t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c principle

f o l d f o r m o f a s i n g l e image: t h r e e v e s s e l s o f t h e d r a u g h t o f L e t h e , s u c c e s s i v e cups o f o b l i v i o n , ( a s i n 'Andenken') 'Des d u n k e l n L i c h t e s v o l l ' . As ' t r i n k e t und s c h l a f t ' echoes 'traumet und s c h l a f t ' , n o t j u s t t h e t h i r d b u t a l l t h r e e c o u p l e t s become s e l f - e n c l o s e d ; t h e y become v a r y i n g forms o f one a n o t h e r as o f a s i n g l e whole, ^'he microcosmic 'Grund', c r e a t e d by t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m as i n s t r u m e n t o f l i b e r a t i o n , has r e c r e a t e d i t s e l f i n i t s t r u e r f o r m o f harmonious b e a u t y . The poem, a c c e p t i n g i t s l i m i t a t i o n , i s n o t m e r e l y an autonomous work o f a r t , b u t a s e a l e d - o f f r e a l m o f darkness. The e n t i r e s t r i v i n g and s e a r c h o f t h e poem, i t s a p p a r e n t dynamic and m o t i v a t i n g f o r c e , i s now f e l t as a s i n g l e component o f r h y t h m , a s t r e t c h i n g - o p e n o f t h e e l e g i a c f o r m , which now r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f . This

means t h a t t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e s e a r c h , t h e s p e c i f i c i d e a s t o w h i c h i t was a t t a c h e d a t v a r i o u s p o i n t s i n t h e poem ( n o t a b l y Greece and D i o n y s u s ) , i s now subsumed and subo r d i n a t e d ; c o n v e r s e l y , t h e poem's a e s t h e t i c u n i t y depends upon t h e p e r v a d i n g i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f t h e I d e a l , t h e

- 280 -

o b j e c t o f s t r i v i n g . The t o t a l i t y o f t h e f i r s t

s i x strophes,

themselves t h r o u g h t h e u n a t t a i n a b i l i t y o f t h e i r o b j e c t an ' A u s f l u g und Rukkehr zu s i c h s e l b s t ' , has n o t p r o g r e s s e d to a s o l u t i o n , n o r has i t sought t o , b u t i s c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n

i t s e l f i n new f o r m , namely, w i t h i n t h e e i g h t s t r o p h e s w h i c h here s t a n d open i n a n t i c i p a t i o n o f f u l f i l m e n t , o f 'naming . The v a r i o u s a r c s , i n themselves l i n e a r , o f search now e x i s t w i t h i n t h e o v e r a l l harmony o f a s i n g l e search which u l t i m a t e l y cannot be a t t a c h e d t o s i n g l e i d e a s (even such o f U t o p i a n vagueness), because t h e d i v i n e o b j e c t i s d i v i n e absence: l o n g i n g . Thus t h e s i n g l e self-enclosed
1

c o u p l e t , t h e v e s s e l o f d i v i n e coming, which ended t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e now r e a p p e a r s i n t h r e e f o l d f o r m ; i t has i n t e n s i f i e d i n e l e g i a c b e a u t y i n p r o p o r t i o n as t h e o b j e c t i v i t y and i n t e l l e c t u a l w i l l undermined. So t h e poem embraces i t s i n t e l l e c t u a l and p h i l o s o p h i c a l element i n c o n s o l i n g and r e s i g n a t i v e d a r k n e s s , and t h a t element becomes Reason: an u n d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g c o n c e p t i o n of t h e i n t e l l e c t as h e r o i c ' S t r e b e n ' , n e c e s s a r y
1

o f t h e poem has been extended and so

('Schik-

s a a l ) because o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , b u t by v i r t u e o f t h i s same, most a b s t r a c t , p e r s p e c t i v e n e c e s s a r i l y n e g a t i v e . T h i s u n i t y o f rhythm i s g u a r a n t e e d by t h e s e l f - d e f e a t i n g vagueness o f t h e i d e a s , p e r m i t t i n g c o n t r a d i c t o r y t h o u g h t s t o s l i d e i n t o one a n o t h e r :

In

t h e e i g h t h s t r o p h e t h e m i s s i n g i d e a l i s 'Freude

m i t G e i s t ' . What i s 'Geist'? I n c o n t e x t t h e c o n t r a s t i s w i t h 'menschliche Freude', b r e a d and w i n e , t h e r a t i o n a l i s e d

- 281 -

communion now

t o be u n d e r s t o o d as f o o d and d r i n k :

'Geist',

t h e n , i s s p i r i t u a l communion w i t h N a t u r e t h r o u g h m a t e r i a l t h i n g s , as opposed t o m a t e r i a l p l e a s u r e . Thus t h e b e a u t y of the r e s i g n a t i v e moment (1.137) was a g a i n a r e t u r n t o

' r a t i o n a l mythology': f o r t h e p r e s e n t t h e p o e t ' s r o l e i s r a t i o n a l i s a t i o n of past r e l i g i o n r a t h e r than j o y f u l parti-

c i p a t i o n i n V o l k s r e l i g i o n . H i s work, t h e n , has been ' v e r g e i s t i g e n d e Kunst' ( 4 . 2 6 1 , 3 H . ) , b u t why should t h i s be

r e s i g n a t i v e , n e g a t i v e ? f o r t h a t i t l a c k s communal

fulfil-

ment i s h a r d l y t h e p o e t ' s f a u l t , nor a d e f e c t i n t h e i d e a l . It it i s n e g a t i v e because as soon as t h e i d e a l i s spoken

f a l l s w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f 'naming'. I m m e d i a t e l y t h e

meaning o f ' G e i s t ' s l i d e s away and becomes 'Natur', what t h e Greeks possessed b u t 'Hesperien' l a c k s : ' s p i r i t ' i n so t h a t ' G e i s t ' i s i n p r a c t i c e

t h e sense o f ' v i t a l i t y ' ,

r e d u c i b l e t o i t s a n t i t h e s i s , 'Leben'. T h i s sense, i n t i m a t ed i n t h e m e n t i o n o f ' d i e S t a r k e n ' ('naming' i s an a c t ) i s c o n f i r m e d by t h e ' s p i r i t ' 'heroic'

of the n i n t h strophe, (now

h i m s e l f i n t e n d e d as a r e c o n c i l i n g c l i m a x ; f o r ' G e i s t '

w i t h onomatopoeic f o r c e : s p a r k l i n g , foaming l i k e wine) i s i n d e e d ' der V/eingott' , an e l e m e n t a l s p i r i t o f N a t u r e . But as t h i s r e c o n c i l i a t i o n f a i l s t o ' l a s t ' t h e i d e a l becomes

'Vater A e t h e r ' , r e v e r t s , t h e n , t o an a n t i - m a t e r i a l i s t i c ' s p i r i t ' - u a l i t y ('Aether' H e s p e r i e n has The as opposed t o ' M u t t e r E r d e ' ) :

'Natur' ( b r e a d and w i n e ) , b u t n o t ' G e i s t ' . i s to transfer negativactivity;

e f f e c t o f t h i s ambivalence

i t y f r o m t h e contemporary

w o r l d t o t h e p o e t ' s own

i n t h i s i t r e l a t e s d i r e c t l y t o the b l u r r i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e p o e t ' s own s i t u a t i o n w i t h t h a t o f 'Hesperien' as

- 282 -

d a r k n e s s . For t h u s r e a l i t y and i d e a l e x i s t a l i k e

as

mutually-condemning n e g a t i v e p o l e s . This i s the i n t r a c t a b l e problem o f ' r a t i o n a l mythology' and i t s key c o n c e p t , 'naming'. When t h e poet r a t i o n a l i s e s p a s t r e l i g i o n he i s ' s p i r i t u a l i s i n g ' h i s contemporaries' a t t i t u d e t o Nature, and names 'was v o r Augen d i r i s t ' , f o r example b r e a d and

w i n e ; t h e n e g a t i v e aspect ought t h e n n o t t o be a d e f i c i e n cy i n t h e p o e t ' s i d e a l , b u t o n l y t h a t i t i s n o t y e t shared. Yet because t h e a n t i t h e s i s i s n o t a f u t u r e and rational

c u l t u r e , b u t t h e ' i r r a t i o n a l ' p a s t , Greece, t h e n e g a t i v e perspective automatically reasserts i t s e l f . i s t o g i v e 'naming' such comprehensive The end result

vagueness t h a t i t so,

becomes i d e n t i c a l w i t h p o e t i c a c t i v i t y as such, and s e c r e t l y , w i t h language itself.

A perpetual a l t e r n a t i o n i s achieved, u l t i m a t e l y r e ducible t o the p o l a r i t y 'Geist'/'Leben'; whichever i s

p r e s e n t , t h e o t h e r w i l l be absent. (The i m p l i c i t p o l e 'Leben' a l t e r n a t e s c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y , between t h e n e g a t i v e meaning o f (dead) m a t t e r (as opposed t o l i f e ( s c . con-

s c i o u s n e s s - g i v i n g s p i r i t ) , and t h e p o s i t i v e meaning o f vitality (what t h e a b s t r a c t ' G e i s t ' ( ' l e e r e U n e n d l i c h k e i t ' )

l a c k s ) . ) T h i s s u b o r d i n a t i o n o f i d e a s t o an a l l - e m b r a c i n g and v e i l i n g rhythm i s d e s i g n e d t o express i r r e m e d i a b l e and u n c o n d i t i o n a l absence; and t h i s s t r u c t u r e i s a s s u r e d by the m e r g i n g o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l w i t h t h e t y p o l o g i c a l c o n c e p t i o n o f Greece (as c h i l d h o o d o f mankind). For t h e p o e t who c r e a t e s a ' M y t h o l o g i e der V e r n u n f t ' , the ' P r i e s t e r der g o t t l i c h e n Natur' , a l l h i s t o r i c a l

r e l i g i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e Greek and C h r i s t i a n , are i n

- 283 -

p r i n c i p l e no more t h a n models f o r communal r e l i g i o u s f e e l i n g ( t h e ' S p i r i t ' ) , and h i s t a s k i s t o t r a n s f e r t h a t f e e l i n g t o N a t u r e , t o t h e c o n s t a n t s o f human e x p e r i e n c e which t r a n s c e n d any g i v e n h i s t o r i c a l s i t u a t i o n (one o n l y t o l o o k up t o see Earth). has

'Vater A e t h e r ' , o r down t o see 'die Bliithe, 'der poe'tische society

Here t h e p o e t ' s work i s 'Kunst',

d i e V o l l e n d u n g der Natur' (4.152, 1 3 ) , and

G e i s t ' i s t h e s p i r i t u a l a n t i t h e s i s t o contemporary

w i t h i t s enlightened, prosaic a t t i t u d e (mastery) to Nature, its rationalism. But i f t h e c o r r e c t i v e paradigm i s t h e Greek c u l t u r e , 'names', t h e

e p i t o m i s e d i n t h e gods and t h e i r l i v i n g

r e l i g i o n o f N a t u r e becomes bound t o t h e h i s t o r i c a l p a s t . To say t h a t Greece i s a p a r t i c u l a r example o f ' e i n h o h e r e r mehr a l s mechanischer Zusammenhang ... e i n hoheres zwischen den Menschen und i h r e r Welt' (4.275, 6-8) restates Geschik merely

the problem, f o r i n a r a t i o n a l r e l i g i o n the

h i s t o r i c a l element would be i n c i d e n t a l ; 'Vater A e t h e r ' i s d i v i n e p r e c i s e l y because he t r a n s c e n d s h i s t o r y . So t h e p o e t negates Greece by r a t i o n a l i s i n g t h e Greek gods, so t h a t t h e y become ' G o t t e r der N a t u r ; negates t h i s s a t i o n by c o n f r o n t i n g t h e Greek gods. T h i s e l e g i a c c o - e x i s t e n c e and, t h r o u g h t h e absence o f mediating f a c t o r s , a n t i t h e t i c a l p a r i t y of contradictory
1

rationali

i t w i t h the h i s t o r i c a l r e a l i t y of

i d e a l s ( t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r e l i g i o n of N a t u r e / h i s t o r i c a l G r e e c e ) ^ b l u r s t h e i r o u t l i n e s . The vagueness i s r e s p o n s i b l f o r t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n ; t h e r a t i o n a l i s a t i o n o f Greece merges r a t h e r t h a n c o n f l i c t s w i t h t h e assumption that

Greece a l o n e was u n i t y w i t h Nature and t h e r e f o r e

irrevoc-

a b l y l o s t c h i l d h o o d o f mankind. The ' r a t i o n a l mythology' becomes a p r o c e s s o f l o s s w h i c h reaches i t s h e i g h t i n t h e a b s t r a c t i o n , t h e naming, o f 'naming'. Therev/ith t h e p o e t '

39
own a c t i v i t y becomes 'Kunst im w e i t e s t e n Sinne', in-

d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from t h e E n l i g h t e n e d i n t e l l e c t w i t h i t s mastery over N a t u r e . And t h u s t h e poet r e p r o d u c e s t h e v e r y s t r u c t u r e o f consciousness i t s e l f ; f o r by r a t i o n a l i s i n g Greece he 'names' N a t u r e . Greece, t h e p a s t r e a l i t y , p l a y s t h e p a r t o f c h i l d h o o d , and t h e ' r a t i o n a l mythology' t h a t o f l o s t innocence. The s u b o r d i n a t i o n o f i d e a s t o rhythm has n o t been i n t e l l e c t u a l weakness. The e n l i g h t e n e d intellect

i s c l a r i t y , d i s t i n c t i o n , the p r i n c i p l e of Light; f o r H b ' l d e r l i n p e r se ' U r - t h e i l ' , ' Trennung' , U n t e r s c h e i d u n g '

1

f u t i l e save i n l o n g i n g t o r e t u r n t o t h e o r i g i n ; h a r d and f a s t concepts a r e a t y r a n n i c a l i m p o s i t i o n o f law upon Nature. Darkness i s t h e r e f o r e u l t i m a t e l y n o t something t h a t

even r e q u i r e s a s o l u t i o n ; i t i s i t s e l f t h e answer t o t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t : t h e sphere o f 'kuhneres Leben'. The suppos e d l y t h e o l o g i c a l s y n t h e s i s o f Greek r e l i g i o n and C h r i s t i a n i t y i s t h e moment when t h e i n t e l l e c t s o f t e n s i n l o n g i n g here t h e p o e t i s n o t s a t i s f y i n g b u t abandoning h i s s t r i v i n g , which i s t h e r e w i t h u n c o n c l u d e d , 'open' t o t h e I n finite. 'Vater A e t h e r ' ('der G e i s t ' ) i s n o t o n l y t h e end,

b u t a l s o ( c f . 4.241, 3-4) t h e b e g i n n i n g . The r e c r e a t i o n o f cosmic harmony p r o v i d e s t h e c o n t e x t o f an a b s o l u t e failure to find l i g h t , a solution; within this context,

- 285 -

however, t h e i n t e l l e c t has been o b j e c t - l e s s . The c l i m a x has been t h e s p i r i t u a l Olympus t h e p o e t has f a i l e d t o s c a l e , and i t i s d e r p o e t i s c h e G e i s t , t h e o r p h i c

1 1

spirit,

t h a t , d e s c e n d i n g i n t o t h e U n d e r w o r l d , condescends t o finitude, 'cast'

1

t i e f u n t e r d i e Lebenden', l i k e H y p e r i o n
1

'herabgekommen zur Erde', w i e d e r L i c h t s t r a l '

luciferian.

B o t h 'aber's (11.152 and 155) were f a l l s from g r a c e . What i s absent i s t h e r e f o r e n o t an o b j e c t o f w i l l (what m i g h t b e ) , b u t t h a t w h i c h i s l o s t ( c a n n o t b e ) . The i n t e l l e c t has no o b j e c t , i s p u r p o s e - l e s s , because i t i s , and i n o r d e r t h a t i t may be, a s e a r c h f o r t h e I n f i n i t e , 'das Offene' a g a i n s t which a l l purpose becomes a n o t h i n g . I n t h a t t h i s s e a r c h f a i l s , t h e D i v i n e i s n o t t o be grasped by such means; t h e i n t e l l e c t becomes p e r se a b s t r a c t and

n e g a t i v e , r e a s o n as opposed t o f e e l i n g , w h i c h i s l o n g i n g . Yet t h e poem's sub s p e c i e a e t e r n i t a t i s remains t h e u n q u e s t i o n e d a s s u m p t i o n , t h e 'Grund . The search i s n e f a s , h u b r i s , n o t because t h e s e l f cannot p a r t a k e o f d i v i n i t y , b u t because i t has done so; t h e r e f o r e i n f i n i t y remains t h e u l t i m a t e o b j e c t o f t h e poem's t h o u g h t . I f c h i l d h o o d ' S e e l i g k e i t ' i s oneness w i t h t h e o b j e c t , N a t u r e , t h e n adult l i f e i s c o n s c i o u s n e s s , a s e a r c h w i t h o u t an o b j e c t .
1

I n t h a t C e r b e r u s , t h e e v i l name, i s t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c p r i n c i p l e , t h e f i n a l pentameter i s t h e moment o f h i g h e s t , d i v i n e s y n t h e s i s , t h e ' N i c h t s i s t s , das Base' ('An d i e Madonna', 1.8*0 which 'des Hochsten/ Sohn' merely subs e r v e s . Cerberus i s 'der f r i e d l o s e W a c h t g e i s t ' Ausgabe, i i i , (Insel-

5 8 ) ; but t h r o u g h the merging of p e r s o n a l

- 286 -

and contemporary darkness he i s a l s o t h e s i n g l e , conc e n t r a t e d , memory o f t h e poem's e n t i r e s t r i v i n g up towards t h e heavens. So t h i s moment i s remembered d i v i n i t y , and,

s i n c e what i s l o s t i s b e a u t i f u l , d i v i n e b e a u t y , n e e d i n g no future. This s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y , t h e t o t a l i t y o f i n f i n i t y medi-

a t e d t h r o u g h t i m e ( t h e course o f t h e poem), o f a r e f l e c t e d e t e r n i t y b e f o r e which a l l problems, d i s t i n c t i o n s , merge i n t o One and f a d e , i s o n l y a c h i e v e d i n t h e l a s t stages o f c o m p o s i t i o n . The f i r s t v e r s i o n has: Aber i n d e s s e n kommt, a l s F r e u d e n b o t e , des Weines/ G o t t l i c h g e s a n d t e r G e i s t u n t e r d i e S c h a t t e n herab* 'Freudenbote
1 1

(FHA 6.221, 32, 3*0- T h i s 'allzeit

i s much c l o s e r t o t h e ' W e i n g o t t ' ,

f r o h ' , w i t h whom t h e n i n t h s t r o p h e opened; t h e tone t o o i s v e r y d i f f e r e n t , n o t l e a s t i n t h a t S e e l i g e Weise' r e f e r r e d back s t r o n g l y t o 1.22 and i n g e n e r a l t o t h e second s t r o p h e . I n s h o r t , a t t h a t s t a g e t h e poem s t i l l Heinse. With the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f C h r i s t i n t o the f i n a l triad, spoke t o
1

n o t o n l y does t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e d i v i n e coming change c o m p l e t e l y , b u t now, and o n l y now, does t h e c l i m a x , t h e 'Ja!', f a i l t o ' l a s t ' . The c o n c e n t r a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e poem on Greece wavers; and t h i s u n d e r m i n i n g o f t h e j o u r ney, o f w i l l and d i r e c t i o n , i s i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r t h e poem's f o r m a l u n i t y , w h i c h i t s e l f depends on t h e f i g u r e o f C h r i s t . He, t h e f i g u r e o f sorrow and d e a t h , b r i n g s o n l y w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f d i v i n e absence. consolation

The e x c l u s i v e -

ness o f t h e c l a i m p e r s o n a l l y t o have ' swallowed d e a t h tip in victory' ( I C o r i n t h i a n s 15. 5*0 has been r a t i o n a l i s e d ,
1

here as i n ' F r i e d e n s f e i e r :

- 287 -

Ach! aber d u n k l e r u m s c h a t t e t e ... d i c h . . . e i n t o d t l i c h VerhangniB. So i s t schnell V e r g a n g l i c h a l l e s Himmlische . . . (11.^9-51)

For assuming; t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i d e n t i t y o f a l l s u b j e c t s (all ' s p i r i t s ' ) , t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f C h r i s t becomes as an

o b j e c t o f p o t e n t i a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ( a s , t h e n , an 'Idee' r a t h e r t h a n an i n d i v i d u a l w i t h a b i o g r a p h y ) ; b r i n g i n g t h e poet 'down t o E a r t h ' , he c a r r i e s t h e s o r r o w f u l r e c o g n i t i o n

t h a t t h e s e l f i s s p i r i t and m a t t e r , ' G e i s t ' and 'Leben'. C h r i s t as a n t i t h e s i s t o t h e i m m o r t a l i t y o f t h e Greek pantheon c o n c e n t r a t e s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between Greek c u l t u r e and ' r a t i o n a l mythology' on t h e n a t u r e o f t h e gods, t h u s l e a d i n g away from t h e a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c c o n c e p t i o n , man as n a i v e ' M i t t e l p u n c t d e r N a t u r ' . Since t h a t concept-

i o n remains b a s i c t o t h e poem ( o n l y two l i n e s have been a l t e r e d ) , an even sharper c o n t r a d i c t i o n i s b e i n g b l u r r e d . W i t h i n the context of 'Hellas' H o l d e r l i n t a c i t l y observes

t h e ' r a t i o n a l ' premise t h a t t h e gods a r e ' I d e e n ' , and t h e r e fore ' G o t t e r d e r Natur' produced by man as t r a n s c e n d e n t a l such as t h e anonymous ' W e i n g o t t ' , o r 'Vater negative context Aether'.

spirit,

W i t h i n t h e comprehensively

'Hesperien'

t h e h i s t o r i c i t y , c u l t u r a l u n i q u e n e s s , o f Greece r e a s s e r t s i t s e l f , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h a t i t s pre-eminent role derives

s o l e l y from h a v i n g been t h e c h i l d h o o d o f mankind. B u t now, t h r o u g h t h e c o n t r a s t w i t h a r a t i o n a l i s e d C h r i s t , i t i s no l o n g e r Greek c u l t u r e i n g e n e r a l t h a t i s l o s t , b u t t h e i m m o r t a l gods. Therefore ' r a t i o n a l l y ' what i s l o s t i s now t h e i d e n t i t y

- 288

of

god and man.

But s i n c e t h e v e r y process o f r a t i o n a l i m p l i c i t l y l o s t naivety, this panenthe-

i s a t i o n remains istic

conception i s able to r e t a i n v i v i d

pantheistic

a s s o c i a t i o n s . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e e f f e c t i s t o undermine the s p e c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f d e r W e i n g o t t ' , and a l s o h i s

1

p a r t i c u l a r a s s o c i a t i o n s w i t h N a t u r e . Through t h e s y n t h e s i s w i t h C h r i s t , he comes t o r e p r e s e n t t h e Greek pantheon i n a m e t a p h y s i c a l d u a l i t y which i s , l i k e Ernpedokles, L i c h t und Nacht geboren' still
1

aus

( I I I , 37^0 L o n g i n g f o r Greece, has

t h e o r i g i n a l lament f o r oneness w i t h N a t u r e ,

t a k e n t h e form o f t h e i m m o r t a l gods. But t h u s i t i s bound to infinity, t o n o t h i n g ( t h e 'Idee' o f i m m o r t a l i t y ) . Im-

p l i c i t i n the 'dark shade' o f C h r i s t , h i s human r e a l i t y , i s the search f o r ' H a l t ' , ' B l e i b e n ' , i n the face of d i v i n e f i r e , t h e i n t a n g i b l e element o f t h e Hymns ( s o t h a t t h e especially

l a t e v a r i a n t s become a n a t u r a l consequence; c f .

FHA 6.233, 3 5 f - ) - A l t h o u g h t h e p o e t i c p s y c h o l o g y i s here b e g i n n i n g t o pass beyond u n d e r s t a n d i n g , one senses t h a t the fer essence o f t h e change i n t r o d u c e d by C h r i s t i s a t r a n s o f power f r o m i d e a s t o images; ' L i c h t ' and 'Nacht
1

are

no l o n g e r more o r l e s s metaphors f o r s p i r i t and m a t t e r (as i n t h e 'Empedokles' passage), b u t images which w h i l e r e t a i n i n g the o r i g i n a l metaphysical s t r u c t u r e e x i s t i n t h e i r own right. Always the poem r e t u r n s t o t h e m y s t e r i o u s sorrow o f l o n g i n g , t o d a r k n e s s , i n d e e d , t o t h e shadow o f d e a t h , as p r o p e r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e D i v i n e . Whether t h e D i v i n e i s the ' G o t t e r der N a t u r ' , t h e gods o f Greece, or t h e I n i t s e l f , t h a t t o o i s a m a t t e r f o r r h y t h m , n o t reason.

finite

- 289 -

The

i n h e r e n t p o s s i b i l i t y , even now, t h a t t h e poem m i g h t paradoxically, f a r

c o n t i n u e , ^ resume i t s s t r i v i n g , a t t a c h e s , greater

s i g n i f i c a n c e t o t h e end t h a n i s u s u a l i n p o e t r y , and i d e a s ,

f o r i t i s n o t d i c t a t e d by t h e o v e r a l l c o n t e x t

but i s , r a t h e r , a f r e e d e c i s i o n t h a t i t s e l f v i n d i c a t e s t h e u l t i m a t e supremacy o f rhythm. Thus t h e end, l i k e t h a t o f the f i r s t

1

F r i e d e n s f e i e r ' , has t h e power o f a Sprachgestus:

' Und mb'gen b l e i b e n w i r nun.' The Wine-god has no * B l e i b e n ' . I n essence m a s c u l i n e ,

a l i f e - f o r c e l i k e t h e s e r p e n t o r stem o f a t r e e , he i s a g l o r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e male ego. The ' l a s t i n g ' q u a l i t y of

C h r i s t t u r n s away f r o m t h e v i t a l i s t i c c o n c e p t i o n o f a Greece o f i n n o c e n t s e n s u a l i t y , and t h u s t h e o r i g i n a l ee has f a d e d f r o m ' S e e l i g e Weise'. B u t i t i s n o t t h a t H o l d e r l i n has d i s c o v e r e d an i n n a t e s u p e r i o r i t y , s p i r i t u a l i t y ,

1+2

address-

in Christianity.

R a t h e r , t h e ' h e r o i c ' mode, t h e m a s c u l i n e

s i d e o f contemporary t h o u g h t w i t h i t s w i l l t o change and r e v o l u t i o n , i s a l i e n t o him. 'Der Rhein' i s t h e poem t h o u g h t of by c r i t i c s as H o l d e r l i n ' s most ' p e r f e c t ' work; y e t t h i s judgement i s based on e x t e r n a l symmetry o f f o r m and t r a n s parent consistency of thought-structure.
1

There t h e 'Gott

der Mythe' w i t h h i s J a u c h z e n ' , h i s t e a r i n g o f bonds ( c f . E u r i p i d e s , Bacchae, 6A-2f.), h i s f a s c i n a t i o n f o r N a t u r e , i s t h i s same v i t a l i s t i c spirit. feminine

I t i s no c o i n c i d t o Heinse ( a n d t h e n an absence o f

ence t h a t 'Der Rhein' t o o was d e d i c a t e d

t o ' h e r o i c ' S i n c l a i r ) . There i s a f a c i l i t y ,

1

c o n f l i c t , which c o n t r a s t s w i t h B r o d und Wein', i n i t s f i n a l f o r m among t h e v e r y g r e a t e s t poems, and l e a d i n g n a t u r a l l y to the b e a u t i f u l early outlines of 'Friedensfeier'. I t i s

- 290

the

m y s t i c a l and c o n t e m p l a t i v e P i e t i s t i c s t r a n d t h a t 'Seele' r a t h e r t h a n ' G e i s t ' , f e m i n i n e d i v i d e d c h a r a c t e r ; and even had Heinse

'lasts',

f r o m , a t war w i t h , masculine

l i v e d t h e ways would have p a r t e d . Nowhere i s H o l d e r l i n ' s n a t u r e b e t t e r d e s c r i b e d t h a n by h i m s e l f , i n H y p e r i o n :

Komm! r i e f i c h ... , komm, wer h a l t es l a n g e r aus'im K e r k e r , der uns umnachtet? Wohin, mein Schwarmer ... ( I , 55/5-7)

- 291 -

VI.

'HEIMKUNFT': liYMNIC ELEGY

The

opening words, D r i n n i n den A l p e n , p r o c l a i m

t h e sphere b o t h o f t h e s t r o p h e and t h e poem as a whole. The i n t i m a t i o n o f an enclosed p o e t i c r e a l m t h e n f i n d s t w e l v e l i n e s , which

1

immediate r e a l i s a t i o n i n t h e f i r s t

f o r m a s i n g l e whole d e p i c t i n g t h e l i e b e n d e r

Streit'

between o r d e r and chaos. Here t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m p l a y s t h e p a r t o f t h e 'ewige Schranken'. The r e s t l e s s o f t h e A l p i n e dawn b u r s t s over t h e f i r s t ition, triadic energy trans-

and t h e second, c l e a r l y - m a r k e d d i v i s i o n g a i n s t h e o r d e r . The p o s i t i o n o f

h e i g h t e n e d meaning o f r e s t o r e d

'Tag' a t t h e end o f t h e second t r i a d t h u s s i g n i f i e s an end t o c o n f l i c t , emerging c e r t a i n t y , c l a r i t y , and t h i s f e e l i n g u n i t e s w i t h t h e image. We can see t h e e a g l e , o u t l i n e d , i n sheer p o i s e , h o c h i n d e r L u f f ; h i s v e r y c r y i s s i l h o u e t t e d a g a i n s t t h e p r e c e d i n g c o n f u s i o n and, s u b t l y p e r s o n i f i e d by m e r k e t d i e Z e i t ' , i t becomes, i n its t h e m a t i c b r e v i t y and s i m p l i c i t y ( r u f e t den Tag')
1 1 1

p i e r c i n g t h r o u g h t h e extended d e s c r i p t i v e passage, an i r r e s i s t i b l e command. All t w e l v e l i n e s work towards t h i s end. The f i r s t

couplet, self-enclosed, calmly d e s c r i p t i v e , provides the t y p e o f o r d e r . The second seems r e s t l e s s w i t h i n t h i s r e s t r a i n t ; w h i l e t h e rhymed pentameter endings reinforce

- 292 -

t h e sense o f e n c l o s u r e , und sturzt'

'Dahin, d o r t h i n ' f o r c e s

toset

t o g e t h e r , t h u s b r e a k i n g over i n t o t h e f o u r t h -

f o o t c a e s u r a , so t h a t t h e p e n t a m e t e r seems t o be h o l d i n g t h e hexameter back; these dynamic f o r c e s make ' S t r a l ' a

p i e r c i n g s i g n a l . Thus t h e t h i r d c o u p l e t i s i m p e l l e d over t h e t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n , and when t h e f o u r t h r e t u r n s t o stopped end-

f o r m t h e t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e has been b r o k e n open, an end-

and seems t o abandon i t s e l f t o a f o r m l e s s w i l l ,

l e s s s t r i v i n g g r a p h i c a l l y expressed i n t h e o p e n i n g of t h e f i f t h c o u p l e t , i n w h i c h 'Denn' resumes t h e 'Denn' i n the p r e c e d i n g p e n t a m e t e r , so t h a t one sheer s u c c e s s i o n and l i n e f o l l o w s another i n

' u n e n d l i c h e r ' reaches over t h e normal gemischt' ,

caesura. So t h e c l o s i n g words, ' kiihner g e o r d n e t ,

c o i n c i d e w i t h an u t t e r l y open f o r m . Hence t h e f o r m i n g power o f t h e a n t i t h e s i s : t h e s i x t h c o u p l e t w i t h i t s noch'. These two t r i a d s d i s p l a y H o l d e r l i n ' s complete mastery o f t h e e l e g i a c form he h i m s e l f has c r e a t e d . The triadic 'Den-

d i v i s i o n s are no l o n g e r stages towards and e n a b l i n g t h e p e r f e c t s t r o p h e ; t h e c o n f l i c t between freedom and formal taken

n e c e s s i t y w i t h i t s harmonious r e s o l u t i o n has a l r e a d y p l a c e w i t h i n t h e s t r o p h e , and t h e f i n a l t r i a d need do n o t h i n g more t h a n f i l l up these now a b s o l u t e bounds.

The

autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h e i s no l o n g e r even i n q u e s t i o n ; i t i s , t h r o u g h t h e a d v a n c i n g of t h e b a r r i e r of p o e t i c form i n t o t h e s t r o p h e , a c t u a l l y a n t i c i p a t e d . The striving for

l i b e r a t i o n has become an immanent a n t a g o n i s t i c p r i n c i p l e , w h i l e t h e complete r e l e a s e o f t e n s i o n l e a v e s t h e space as t h a t o f pure, p o e t i c purpose. remaining

= 295 -

Thus t h e t e m p o r a l course o f t h e s t r o p h e has become a s p a t i a l image: t h e e n c l o s e d sphere has t h e h e i g h t e n e d meaning o f s a f e t y , a magic c i r c l e . T h i s enhances t h e idyllic element, 'das D o r f l e i n ' , whose c l e a r d e m a r c a t i o n two t r i a d s as w e l l ;

gives s p a t i a l dimension t o the f i r s t

t h e y become t h e sphere o f a c o n f l i c t f o u g h t o u t n o t j u s t b e f o r e dawn, b u t above t h e t i n y v i l l a g e . Forces o f which i t i s a l l u n w i t t i n g ( i t s l e e p s ) have been a t work on i t s b e h a l f , and t h e f i n a l t r i a d i s t h e s a f e t y i n w h i c h i t can now 'awake' and ' l o o k up', f o r a l l i s now g r o w t h , good and

fruitful

energy. The r e l e a s e o f t e n s i o n i s commensurate

w i t h t h e i n t e n s i f i e d sense o f u l t i m a t e f o r m ; t h e rhythm rushes downwards w i t h t h e s p r i n g s t o r e s t , s u c c e s s i v e sets of d i m i n i s h i n g s y n t a c t i c a l u n i t s Wasserquellen' 'der Grund ... dampft' 'denn schon ...
1

'Echo ... umher ; 'Gaaben v e r divisions

'und d i e ... W e r k s t a t t ' 'Reget ... Nacht' sendend

1

'den Arm'

washing over t h e m e t r i c a l

i n foreknowledge of c e r t a i n d e s t i n a t i o n . I f i n 'Brod und Wein' t h e f i r s t of s t r o p h e was t h e sphere

l o n g i n g , and so s e p a r a t e d from i t s o b j e c t ,

insufficient,

here t h e p o e t i c e x p e r i e n c e has been i n p r i n c i p l e c o m p l e t e l y expressed by t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e .

The second

strophe too begins w i t h a s e l f - c o n t a i n e d

and c a l m l y d e s c r i p t i v e c o u p l e t , a f o r m a l norm i n which t h e s y n t a c t i c a l l y complete hexameter i s ansv/ered by t h e p a r a l l e l pentameter ( t h e same m o t i f a p p e a r i n g i n r e v e r s e o r d e r i n t h e second h a l f ) , and t h e tone i s s e t by t h e opening words 'Ruhig' and ' V o l l ' . And here t o o t h e second

- 29k

c o u p l e t abides by t h i s r e s t r a i n t , y e t h o l d s t h e seeds o f l i b e r a t i o n ; a s l i g h t s u g g e s t i o n o f movement ( ' h i n a u f ' ) u n i t i n g w i t h t h e ' h i g h e r ' o b j e c t ( t h e 'god'), i t seems t o ascend towards t h e D i v i n e , so t h a t t h e two c o u p l e t s i n

t h e i r e q u a l i t y o f form a r e t h e image o f mounting s t e p s . The t e n s i o n c r e a t e d by t h i s sense o f purpose spans t h e

whole hexameter; t h e resuming 'Und' j o i n s w i t h t h e comparative 'hoher' t o suggest i n c r e a s e r a t h e r t h a n mere echoed and surpassed by

s u c c e s s i o n , and 'hoher' i s i t s e l f the of

m e t r i c a l l y s t r e s s e d ' i i b e r ' , whereupon t h e l o n g s y l l a b l e s t h e f i r s t h a l f , c u l m i n a t i n g i n the unstressed 'wohnt',

d i s s o l v e i n t o s h o r t d a c t y l i c vowels as though p a s s i n g upwards i n t o a l i g h t e r , l e s s dense a i r ; 'iiber' i s t h u s a v i v i d S p r a c h g e s t u s , and t h r o u g h t h e c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e first c o u p l e t t h e enjambement, t h e 'open' hexameter, g a i n s

l i b e r a t i n g power. Thus t h e t h i r d hexameter conveys a sense of a r r i v a l , o f completed a s c e n t , and t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l

p u r i t y o f t h e new ' a e t h e r e a l ' sphere speaks t h r o u g h t h e limpid 1-alliteration. two c o u p l e t s have p r e p a r e d f o r

Once a g a i n t h e f i r s t the one

d i s s o l v i n g o f t h e i r t r i a d , and t h e ' h i g h e r sphere' i s i n which d i v i s i o n , boundary and l i m i t a t i o n e x i s t only

t o be t r a n s c e n d e d ; the

'geneigt' i s thus p e r f e c t l y p o s i t i o n e d ,

god p a u s i n g , d o u b t f u l , a t t h e m e e t i n g - p o i n t o f gods

and men, b e f o r e r e l e a s i n g h i s s e l f - r e v e l a t i o n . The d i v i s i o n i s absorbed i n t o f l o w i n g c o n t i n u i t y ( o n each s i d e , p a r allel c l a u s e s ) ; b u t Freude zu s c h a f f e n ' f a r exceeds

1

'Leben zu geben', and makes c l e a r n o t o n l y t h e h i g h e r q u a l i t y o f t h i s new sphere, b u t a l s o t h e n a t u r e o f t h e

- 295 -

t r a n s c e n d i n g movement. I t i s an a c t of l o v e . Such l o v e i s t h e r e n u n c i a t i o n o f a d i v i n e n a t u r e w h i c h man c o u l d n o t s u s t a i n . The 'measure' of d i v i n e

c a u t i o n and

s e l f - r e s t r a i n t i s expressed t h r o u g h t h e power-

f u l d e l a y i n g e f f e c t of t h e f o u r t h c o u p l e t , i n which t h e same s u b o r d i n a t e d i d e a occurs f o u r t i m e s ; y e t the effect

i s t o h e i g h t e n a n t i c i p a t i o n , and t h e god's d e l i b e r a t i o n and c a u t i o n serve t o e l e v a t e t h e n a t u r a l phenomena. As o v e r f l o w s i t s banks form to

t h e t e n s i o n i s r e l e a s e d , t h e rhythm i n a stream

o f 'und's, p o u r i n g down b l e s s i n g s i n t h e r e t a i n i n g an ebbing u n d e r c u r r e n t

1

of r a i n , but s t i l l

b a l a n c e t h e f l o w and t o convey w o h l g e d i e g e n ' , ' m i l d ' , ' s a n f t ' , ' t r a u t ' , f o r each f r e s h i d e a , g i f t , can refer

b o t h f o r w a r d and back s y n t a c t i c a l l y . T h i s , a g a i n , i s 'MaB', and i m p l i e s c o n t r a s t w i t h overwhelming presence; i n t h e p e r s o n i f y i n g address ('euch') a c l i m a x of g i v i n g i s r e a c h e d , and t h e t h i r d pentameter seems t o f a l l back

i n r e s t , i t s r e s t o r a t i o n of b a l a n c e a n t i c i p a t i n g t h e final pentameter.

I t p r o v e s , however, t o be t h e up-beat t o a second movement, f o r here too t h e b a r r i e r i s t h e r e o n l y t o be transcended. As 'the god' 'renews' 'the t i m e s ' , so t o o of ascent lifts t h e poem up quality

( S p r a c h g e s t u s ) t h e rhythm

t o an a e t h e r e a l 'noch hoher'. The h i g h e r and p u r e r of t h i s 'new' sphere i s t h e t h e m a t i c t r a n s i t i o n , f r o m r e b i r t h i n Nature t o a s p i r i t u a l

prepared spring

f o r i n 1.30,

t h a t permeates and opens men's h e a r t s . Thus the c u l m i n a t i o n of t h e c l i m b i s ' o f f n e t und a u f h e l l t ' , a b s o l u t e and

i n d e f i n a b l e open-ness, e x p r e s s i n g t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f t h e

- 296 -

god h i m s e l f ; r h y t h m i c a l l y t h i s p o i n t o f t h e m a t i c , summari s i n g c o n c e n t r a t i o n i s s i m i l a r t o r u f e t den Tag' i n t h e first s t r o p h e , t h e p o i n t o f r e t u r n i n t h e 'Wechsel des

1

E n t f a l t e n s und V e r s c h l i e B e n s ' . I t i s t h e summit, and 'Wie 2 ers l i e b e t ' The i s t h e 'Atem-holen' b e f o r e t h e descent.

t e n s i o n achieved

through the d e n i a l of the n a t u r a l

p o i n t s o f r e s t ( t h e opening o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m ) i s t h u s r e l e a s e d i n t h e moment when i d e a and rhythm The coincidence become one.

o f t h e ' b e g i n n i n g ' human response w i t h h a l f ('und j e z t

t h e p e n t a m e t e r ' s second, f u l f i l l i n g wieder

e i n Leben b e g i n n t ' ) b r i n g s o u t t h e p e n t a m e t e r ' s

i n h e r e n t f u n c t i o n as answer t o t h e hexameter's q u e s t i o n , so t h a t t h e f i n a l r e s t o r a t i o n o f form i s h e i g h t e n e d and t h e l a s t t h r e e l i n e s as a whole a r e f e l t t o be t h e r e sponse, t h e opening h e a r t w h i c h a l s o , b e i n g t h e e f f e c t , c l o s e s t h e drama. One sees t h a t t h e r e i s here no p r o g r e s s i v e l o s s , b u t no r e g r e s s i v e g a i n e i t h e r , i n i n t e n s i t y . The r h y t h m i c a r c is o f t h e same q u a l i t y as i n t h e f i r s t strophe. This

a e s t h e t i c judgement i s d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e n a t u r e o f the Divine i n 'Heimkunft': The whole s t r o p h e expresses an a e t h e r e a l l o v e w h i c h loosens and d i s s o l v e s a l l b o u n d a r i e s I have c o n s i d e r e d and

transcends,

divisions, a l l limitations.

t h i s prim-

a r i l y i n respect of the t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e , but i t i s r e f l e c t e d a l t o g e t h e r i n t h e s t y l e : i n the f l u i d i t y o f syntax ( f r o m 1.23 t o 1.36 i s a s i n g l e f l o w o f c o n n e c t i n g 'und's,

w i t h n e i t h e r f u l l stops n o r a d v e r s a t i v e c o n j u n c t i o n s ) ,

- 297 -

and

o f language, n o t a b l y

i n the d i s s o c i a t i o n of epithets

as s u b s t a n t i v e s and i n t h e s i m i l a r , l i g h t e r , d e v i c e b r i e f l y suspending an a d j e c t i v e a t t h e end o f a m e t r i c a l u n i t ( 1 1 . 2 1 , 27, 5 1 ) . A l l t h i s w o r k s , d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y ,

1

towards

d i s s o l v i n g t h e t h e o l o g i c a l s o l i d i t y o f t h e t e r m 'God . W i t h i n t h i s u n i f y i n g f a c t o r , t h e rhythm t h a t expands l i k e a blossoming f l o w e r , the d i s s o l v i n g o f t h e D i v i n e i n t o ities qual-

j o i n s w i t h t h e image o f s p r i n g . The e f f e c t i s a s e l f 'God' i s no

r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e 'god' as s e l f - l e s s b e i n g .

l o n g e r a name i d e n t i f y i n g a p e r s o n a l w i l l , b u t t h e d i v i n i t y o f experience i t s e l f . A c c o r d i n g l y , h i s worship i s n o t attached t o s p e c i f i c external forms, b u t c o n s i s t s 'purely'

i n t h e response o f man d e s c r i b e d i n t h e l a s t l i n e s , i t s e l f an i n d e f i n a b l y 'open' j o y .

Such a t h e o l o g y i s a ' r a t i o n a l i s a t i o n ' o f t h e C h r i s t i a n god, t o whom t h i s god i s t h e i m p l i c i t a n t i t h e s i s . The God o f o r t h o d o x y i s a t r a n s c e n d e n t p e r s o n a l w i l l identified

by man t h r o u g h h i s t o r i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n s and r e v e l a t i o n s (above a l l t h a t o f C h r i s t ) n o t n e c e s s a r i l y w i t h i n the nat-

u r a l and immediate e x p e r i e n c e o f anyone, and he t h e r e f o r e t r a n s c e n d s i d e a s founded upon human e x p e r i e n c e ( f o r a Christian, will 'God i s l o v e ' does n o t mean 'Love i s God'). H i s 'durch das schrokende Gebot,

commands b e l i e f , f a i t h ,

zu g l a u b e n ... Glaube kann n i e geboten werden, so wenig a l s L i e b e ' (B173, 7 2 f . ) . Here t h e p o e t i c p r o c e s s d e l i b e r ately s t r i p s i t of h i s t o r i c a l association and d i s s o l v e s

a n a l o g y t o t h e human p e r s o n a l i t y , and above a l l t o t h e Father, paternal a u t h o r i t y , masculine w i l l , t h e i n d i s p e n s -

a b l e aspect o f Judaean t r a d i t i o n . God i s s o f t e n e d i n t o

- 298

p a s s i v e compliance w i t h t h e p o e t ' s own to be

will,

and

ceases of In man

s u b s t a n t i v a l ; command, t h e i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e gap

r e v e l a t i o n , i s r e p l a c e d ( c f . B171, 58-61) by l o v e . t h i s sense t h e d i s s o l v i n g b a r r i e r s are and God. The

those between The

D i v i n e i s thus l i t e r a l l y s e l f - l e s s . 'irrational' 'mythological' but

e l i m i n a t i o n of the

element

l e a v e s t h e C h r i s t i a n God to be t h e One and God.

with nothing

t h e mere c l a i m 'dogmatic' ab-

That i s an

'egotistical'

postulate

a pure i d e a ('der

r e i n e G e i s t ' ) : the

s t r a c t i o n 'Absolute I ' . The attack on d e s p o t i s m i n B171, 50-63, i s a s t r i k i n g Holderlin

1

example of how in

'talks to himself

(B183, 82-8*0 erste

c e r t a i n l e t t e r s : Es i s t auch g u t , und

sogar d i e

Bedingung a l l e s Lebens und

a l l e r O r g a n i s a t i o n , daB k e i n e auf Erden. Die ab-

K r a f t monarchisch i s t im Himmel und

s o l u t e Monarchic h e b t s i c h i i b e r a l l s e l b s t a u f , denn s i e ist o b j e c t l o s ; es h a t auch im s t r e n g e n Sinne n i e m a l s e i n e s i g h t he i s speaking t o 'heavenly' revol-

gegeben' (B171, 50-5*0. At f i r s t the r e p u b l i c a n and

S i n c l a i r . Through t h e merging o f i s also s p e a k i n g as one

' e a r t h l y ' monarchy he

u t i o n a r y h e r e t i c t o a n o t h e r : the C h r i s t i a n god p o t . But and he i s a l s o t a l k i n g t o S i n c l a i r t h e

i s a des-

' I'ichteaner' ; idio' Idee

i n r e j e c t i n g F i c h t e ' s ' I c h ' he i s r e j e c t i n g an

s y n c r a t i c c o n c e p t i o n which t a k e s no account o f the des Strebens' ( c f . B94, 6 6 f . ) . Thus, t h r o u g h t h e e l i m i n a t i o n f r o m each of

(admittedly the

very d i f f e r e n t ) w i l l , H o l d e r l i n i s able to regard C h r i s t i a n God one and and

F i c h t e ' s 'Absolute I ' as s t r u c t u r a l l y i s the

the same; t h e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n

- 299 -

u n i t y (freedom and from l e a d i n g

e q u a l i t y ) o f a l l ' s p i r i t s ' . Yet,

far as-

t o a r a t i o n a l i s t i c r e j e c t i o n of romantic

p i r a t i o n , t h i s e l i m i n a t i o n f r o m t h e p h i l o s o p h y of

religion and

o f an i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e p e r s p e c t i v e e l e v a t e s t h e s t a t u s

s i g n i f i c a n c e of i n d i v i d u a l consciousness; u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d , it e x i s t s i n immediate r e l a t i o n s h i p t o an The all-embracingSubthe an

object.

u n i v e r s e i s reduced t o a d u a l i s m : f i n i t e

j e c t / i n f i n i t e O b j e c t . Since what i s r e j e c t e d i s never concept ' i n f i n i t y ' , 'Ich', a single a t i o n upon t h e but always t h e e x c l u s i v e r i g h t of the

' s p i r i t ' , t o possess i n f i n i t y , 'pure p o e t i c spirit'

limitrelativity,

i s never i t s

always i t s f a i l u r e t o be p o t e n t i a l . For

absolute, to r e a l i s e i t s divine of and

H o l d e r l i n , t h e n , t h e sole c o n t r a d i c t i o n i s not a s u b j e c t , b u t t h e O b j e c t ; men

individual infinity t h a t i s why

t h e d i s t i n c t i o n between gods and

must con-

s t a n t l y be r e a f f i r m e d

( c f . B231, 2 7 f . ; 2.645, 10; 'Der

R h e i n ' , 11.103-04, 119-20). In 'Brod und Wein' t h e 'titanic' attempt to seize i n -

f i n i t y and

i t s f a i l u r e y i e l d e d , as I i n t e r p r e t e d i t , t h e f o r t h e l o s t u n i t y of c h i l d h o o d , and the Now

s t r u c t u r e of l o n g i n g therewith

the autonomous s t r o p h e , the l o s t w o r l d w i t h 'Eigenmacht'.

' S e e l i g k e i t ' o f 'Hingabe' governed by

t h i s w o r l d p e r s i s t s i n ' H e i m k u n f t ' , but w i t h a change t h e key

decisive

t o which i s p r o v i d e d by a passage i n a 'home-coming'.

l e t t e r from H a u p t w i l , the l a s t b e f o r e t h e Holderiin writes to his brother: d a c h t e n , denke i c h noch, nur

1

wie w i r sonst zusammen

angewandter! A l l e s u n e n d l i c h e und

E i n i g k e i t , aber i n diesem A l l e m e i n v o r z u g l i c h E i n i g e s E I n i g e n d e s , das, an s i c h , k e i n I c h i s t , und dieses s e i

- 300 -

u n t e r uns G o t t ! ' (B2J1, 4 0 - ^ 3 ) . A g a i n one has t h e i m p r e s s i o n t h a t H o l d e r l i n i s ' t a l k ing to himself ( f o r t h e s t r e s s on ' k e i n I c h ' i s n o t de-

manded by t h e c o n t e x t ) ; and i n d e e d t h e homogeneity o f t h e 'Spirit' enables here t o o a s i m u l t a n e o u s r e j e c t i o n of the

C h r i s t i a n God and i n d i v i d u a l a s p i r a t i o n t o d i v i n i t y . What i s new i s t h e means whereby t h e ' d i f f e r e n c e ' between 'gods and men' i s a c h i e v e d . I t i s no l o n g e r Greek, b u t C h r i s t i a n ,

' mythology' t h a t i s ' r a t i o n a l i s e d ' ; such a c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e hen k a i pan i s 'angewandter' because, t h r o u g h adoption

of t h e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t and p e r s o n a l God, t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n i s now on t h e One r a t h e r t h a n t h e A l l , and y e t t h e One i s ' k e i n I c h ' because, ' r a t i o n a l i s e d ' , t h e C h r i s t i a n God i s t h e a b s t r a c t i d e a ' I c h ' and t h e ' I c h '

i s a f i n i t e S u b j e c t , as opposed t o t h e i n f i n i t e hen k a i pan. Thus t h e 'Idee' o f t h e C h r i s t i a n God ( p e r s o n a l d i v i n i t y ) i s n o t r e j e c t e d , b u t p e r s o n i f i e d . The I n f i n i t e ('das O f f e n e ' ) s e t s a s i d e s e l f - h o o d o f i t s own f r e e will:

t h r o u g h an a c t o f l o v e . B u t t h e poem now r e p r e s e n t s t h e f i n i t e w o r l d as such; f i n i t u d e and p o e t i c consciousness a r e i d e n t i f i e d . Nature i s b o t h 'an s i c h ' , an o b j e c t 'needing' (personified: 'demanding'; c f . 'Der Rhein', 11.109-1*0

human c o n s c i o u s n e s s t o ' f e e l ' , and y e t t h e s u b j e c t i v e w i l l of t h e I n f i n i t e , r e l a t i n g t o t h e world through ung'. This i s C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n 'EntauBer-

t h e Word made f l e s h a c t s ; and y e t i s resolution

i n metaphysical

i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . Nature

an o b j e c t ( o f p e r c e p t i o n ) . I n t h e l i g h t o f t h i s

o f t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n between panentheism and C h r i s t i a n

- 301 -

t h e o l o g y , t h e d i s s o l v i n g of t h e boundaries form a l s o symbolises the

of poetic part:

an a c t o f l o v e on t h e p o e t ' s

t r a n s c e n d i n g o f merely r a t i o n a l d i v i s i o n s and d i s t i n c t confused

i o n s . T h i s s u r r e n d e r o f t h e mind s h o u l d n o t be

w i t h i n t e l l e c t u a l weakness; i t r e f l e c t s , r a t h e r , t h e d e s i r e t o d r a i n t h e draught o f experience t o the very

d e p t h s o f i n t e n s i t y , a d e s i r e w h i c h , a g a i n , can o n l y be c a l l e d t i t a n i c , and which now ( c f . B236, 75-77) nears i t s fulfilment. But t h i s H o l d e r l i n w i l l have seen d i f f e r e n t l y . o n a l d i v i n i t y i s no l o n g e r t h e l o s t p o s s e s s i o n poetic s p i r i t
1

Pers-

o f a 'pure

that reconstitutes i t s e l f

through poetry;

i t has become a cosmic myth, and H o l d e r l i n i s a b l e d e f i n i t i v e l y t o d e t a c h h i m s e l f from t h e h u b r i s t i c w i s h t o be d i v i n e , and t o r e j e c t a p a t h now i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h e Greeks o r t h e ( F r e n c h ) r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s : die Trozigen 'Dann haben ...

. . . den Gb'ttern g l e i c h zu werden g e t r a c h t e t '

( ' D e r R h e i n * , 11.99-104). This self-detachment of he w i l l have r e g a r d e d as an a c t

s e l f - p u r i f i c a t i o n . For l o n g i n g , however 'pure' i t s obinvolves the personality with

j e c t , nevertheless s t i l l its

needs and d e s i r e s , hopes and f e a r s ; i n d e e d , t h e d i v i n e be seen as a s u b l i m a t e d p r o j e c t i o n o f

o b j e c t can s t i l l

s e l f i s h i n t e r e s t , born o f a h i g h l y ambivalent search f o r p u r i t y from l i f e f o r t h e sake o f t h e i m m o r t a l s o u l . The

f u r t h e r s t e p i s t h e n t h e e l i m i n a t i o n o f any and a l l such p s y c h o l o g i c a l m o t i v a t i o n ; t h e complete o b j e c t i v i s a t i o n o f the d i v i n e object of p o e t i c devotion. The d i s s o l u t i o n i n t o q u a l i t i e s o f s u b s t a n t i v a l i n i t y reproduces the metaphysical div-

s e l f l e s s n e s s of t h e

- 302 -

D i v i n e , t h e hen k a i pan. Y e t t h i s s e l f - l e s s n e s s i s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a r e a l phenomenon; 'das Offene' i s t h e i n f i n i t e p u r i t y o f t h e A l p i n e sky, and d e r r e i n e / S e e l i g e

1

Gott ,

a t i t l e which need o n l y be r e a d o u t o f c o n t e x t t o r e v e r t to 'der r e i n e G e i s t , merges w i t h 'der a t h e r i s c h e [ G o t t ] ' .

1

T h i s u n i t y o f c o n c r e t e p e r c e p t i o n and a b s t r a c t i d e a i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e r h y t h m i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f 'Hingabe' and 'Eigenmacht'; t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l s e l f - l e s s n e s s o f t h e

D i v i n e appears as c o n c r e t e s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n , a b l o s s o m i n g s e l f - r e v e l a t i o n , an a b d i c a t i o n o f i n f i n i t y , an e r o t i c through

e n t r y i n t o t h e f i n i t e w o r l d . The A b s o l u t e appears, the

mythopoeic a c t , as p o t e n t i a l f o r m l e s s n e s s w i t h i n p o e t i c

f o r m ; p e r s o n i f i e d , t h e n , as He who i n t h e s e l f l e s s n e s s o f agape ( c f . I John h. 9) a b d i c a t e s a c t u a l and a c c e p t s potential infinity.

Despite the s t r i c t p a r a l l e l i s m (anaphoric 'Vieles') of i t s opening triad, t h e rhythm o f t h e t h i r d strophe i s

e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same as i n t h e f i r s t

two; t h e i n t e r n a l

b a r r i e r o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m d i s s o l v e s , b u t i n so d o i n g presupposes and so h e i g h t e n s t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f f o r m . Again f o r m and c o n t e n t u n i t e t o g i v e t h e f i r s t a s t r o n g sense o f e n c l o s e d autonomy. The opening couplet

words,

' V i e l e s s p r a c h i c h zu ihm', have t h e same e f f e c t , p r o c l a i m i n g t h e p o e t i c sphere i n i t s s e c l u s i o n , as ' D r i n n i n den A l p e n ' . Thus t h e new opening a l r e a d y c o n t a i n s and anticipates i t s closing i n the f i n a l i t y o f form; i t p r o which

c l a i m s t h e c o n s e c r a t e d p r e c i n c t , t h e temenos, w i t h i n

a p r i e s t ( o r p o e t ) may commune w i t h t h e D i v i n e . T h i s image

- 303 -

i s c o n f i r m e d by t h e c o u p l e t ' s s e l f - c o n t a i n e d u n i t y ; t h e c o i n c i d e n c e o f t h e 'denn'-clause w i t h t h e second h a l f o f the end-stopped pentameter and i t s p a r a l l e l i s m , through

s e p a r a t i o n f r o m t h e g o v e r n i n g 'denn', i n form and sense to t h e main c l a u s e o v e r r i d e i t s s y n t a c t i c a l s u b o r d i n a t i o n ,

and i t becomes r e s t a t e m e n t o f s t a t e m e n t . And as b o t h c l a u s e s end w i t h 'ihm', t h e D i v i n e , t h e god i s f e l t as b e g i n n i n g and end. T h i s v a r i a t i o n upon t h e b a s i c c l o s e d form o f t h e c o u p l e t , q u e s t i o n and answer, i s drawn o u t and so h e i g h t e n e d by t h e r e l a t i v e c l a u s e , which t h u s y i e l d s an a n t i p h o n a l i n s e t , t h e ornamental Oder s i n g e n
1

itself 'sinnen/

doublet

( t h e words come, n a t u r a l l y i n t h e c o n t e x t ,

from P i n d a r ) . Thus t h e enjambement, t y p i c a l l y , t h r o u g h t h e i l l u s i o n o f openness a c t u a l l y s t r e n g t h e n s t h e c o u p l e t as a u n i t ; and t h e c o u p l e t p r e s e n t s t h e p e r f e c t t y p e o f H o l d e r l i n ' s e l e g i a c thought, conceived i n d i r e c t reaction

a g a i n s t p r o s a i c , l i n e a r , r a t i o n a l , t h i n k i n g . F o r t h e hexameter seems t o be p r e p a r i n g f o r an extended (seems t o be 'open'), b u t w i t h t h e pentameter r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f , and c r e a t e s ( c f . ' G o t t e r e i n s t ... ', 1.12) a g e h e i m e r e Welt'. Once a g a i n , t h e n , t h e f i r s t couplet i s rhythmically
1

reflection falls back,

wandelten

n o r m a t i v e , c r e a t i n g t h e f o r m a l b a r r i e r s w h i c h must now d i s s o l v e . Once a g a i n i t s s t y l e i s t h a t o f calm statement,

h e r e , however, n o t d e s c r i p t i v e , b u t e x p r e s s i n g a t r u t h beyond q u e s t i o n , namely, t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e poet t o the D i v i n e . The genus sublime i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h ' e p i c '

s i m p l i c i t y o f n a r r a t i v e ( ' V i e l e s sprach i c h ' ) , o r a c u l a r i m p e r s o n a l i t y ('es g i l t ' ) , a moderation t h a t i m p l i e s

30k

i n s i s t e n c e i s unnecessary ( ' m e i s t e n s ' ) . Thus t h e

intro-

d u c t i o n of t h e l y r i c I a t t h i s p o i n t i n t h e poem a s s i m i l a t e s and s u b o r d i n a t e s i t t o t h e a l r e a d y e s t a b l i s h e d rhythm and i t s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e a e t h e r e a l t h i s suggests, 'spirit'

of the Alps; the ' I ' ,

i s no more t h a n a no

vessel of the D i v i n e , i t s selfhood, i n d i v i d u a l i t y ,

l o n g e r i m p o r t a n t . T h i s f i c t i o n endows t h e l y r i c v o i c e o f t h e whole poem, w h i c h a f t e r a l l remains t h e poet's c r e a t i o n , w i t h o t h e r w o r l d l y apartness and p r i e s t l y p u r i t y , w i t h since

an i n s i g h t b o t h g e n t l e and p i e r c i n g : p r o p h e t i c . But

t h e poem i s addressed 'an d i e Verwandten' , and so a t l e a s t s u p e r f i c i a l l y concerned w i t h f a m i l i a r human r e l a t i o n s h i p s , t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e , which b r i n g s t h e ' I c h ' home ( t h e l a s t word i s 'verwandt', and t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e opens w i t h 'Heimath'), has a q u a l i t y o f i t s own. ' V i e l e s ' , the ex-

I n t h e second c o u p l e t t h e a n a p h o r i c

panding sentence-structure ( t h e subordinate clause ... ') i s pushed f o r w a r d (compare 'denn ... ' ) ) and

('damit the

remembered r h y t h m i c p a t t e r n c r e a t e a sense o f a n t i c i p a t i o n ; h e r e t o o t h e b a r r i e r of t h e end-stopped c o u p l e t i s about t o g i v e way. I t also re-introduces the ' S p i r i t ' as p o t e n t -

i a l l y d e s t r u c t i v e numen, so t h a t t h e s u r r e n d e r i n g s t r o p h i c form i s a g a i n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h d i v i n e agency. The third

p e n t a m e t e r i s t h u s n o t so much an answer t o t h e hexameter's q u e s t i o n as, t h r o u g h t h e l o n g e r r e l a t i v e c l a u s e , t h e r h y t h m i c a l c o n t i n u a t i o n o f ' d i e im Vaterlan.de besorgt the

s i n d ' , c r e a t i n g an expanding movement w h i c h l i f t s s t r o p h i c form over i t s e l f and i n t o a new realm. this

I n t h e f a i r copy o f t h e Homburg F o l i o h e f t

- 305 -

t r a n s i t i o n i s e f f e c t e d by t h e e x c l a m a t i o n ' L a n d e s l e u t e ! ' , b u t t h i s i s one o f t h e v e r y few changes H o l d e r l i n made t o h i s f i r s t complete v e r s i o n . O r i g i n a l l y he w r o t e T h e u r e Verwandte', f o l l o w e d by a comma (see FHA 6.297, 1 8 f . , 305, 1 9 ) . B o t h t h e u n i t y o f t h e s t r o p h e and t h e n a t u r e o f t h e t r a n s i t i o n emerge more c l e a r l y i f t h e e a r l i e r r e a d i n g i s r e t a i n e d : n o t o n l y i s 'Verwandte' f u l f i l l e d by t h e f i n a l 'verwandt', b u t t h e a f f e c t i v e warmth o f 'Theure
1 1

i s directly

p a r a l l e l t o 'Warm' , t h e o p e n i n g word o f t h e t h i r d t r i a d , so t h a t man and N a t u r e seem t o merge i n t h e a l l - e m b r a c i n g warmth o f f a m i l y w h i c h conveys i t s e l f b o t h t o ' M i e s ' ( 1 . 5 3 ; n o t ,just p e o p l e ) and ' s c h e i n t ' , e x p r e s s i n g t h e p e r m e a t i n g l o v e o f t h e Sun. Formal u n i t y t h u s expresses t h e unity of a l l l i f e i n spring; t h i s i s lost with 'Landesbarrier barrier

l e u t e ! ' . F o r i f t h e word w i t h w h i c h t h e t r i a d i c d i s s o l v e s i s t h e a f f e c t i v e 'Theure', t h e n t h a t

has, l i k e i c e , m e l t e d i n t h e warmth o f l o v e ; and whereas t h e e x c l a m a t i o n demands a h a l t , t h e s o f t e r comma u n i t e s p e r f e c t l y with the d e s c r i p t i o n of the lake t h a t follows,

becoming t h e merest pause, r i p p l e , on t h e w a t e r s , no sooner appearing than disappearing, l o s t , i n the dreamlike f l o w i n g movement o f t h e e l e g i a c r h y t h m c r e a t e d by t h e calm, s e l f - c o n t a i n e d 'Und'-clause o f t h e pentameter i n t h e fourth couplet.

The f u n c t i o n o f t h e end-stopped 'Und'-clause, always t h e t y p e o f p e r f e c t response t o t h e open hexameter, i s here b r o u g h t o u t y e t more s t r o n g l y by i t s c l o s i n g t h e e n t i r e expanding movement, a l l seven l i n e s , o f w h i c h , by v i r t u e o f t h e d i s s o l v e d t r i a d , t h e hexameter (1.43) was

- 306 -

m e r e l y t h e open c u l m i n a t i o n . T h i s movement t h u s becomes c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t h e hexameter, so t h a t i t i s b a l a n c e d , embraced, ' r o c k e d ' , by t h e p e n t a m e t e r , an e f f e c t enhanced by t h e s u b t l e b a l a n c i n g o f i n t e r n a l sound ' r u h i g ' , 'SaB' and ' F a h r t ' 'Ruderer' and

w i t h i n s y n t a c t i c a l l y balanced

c l a u s e s . One sees t h a t , d e s p i t e t h e c o n t e n t , r h y t h m i c a l l y the the strophe corresponds v e r y c l o s e l y t o t h e f i r s t . Here t o o

s t r o p h i c f o r m has f a l l e n open t o l e a v e a sense o f

p o t e n t i a l f o r m l e s s n e s s , which f o u n d e x p r e s s i o n t h e r e i n 'infinite' g r o w t h ( 1 . 9 ) , here i n t h e seemingly e n d l e s s l y -

r i p p l i n g expanse, 'Ebene', o f t h e l a k e : ' E i n f r e u d i g e s W a l l e n ' . Here as t h e r e t h e end-stopped fourth pentameter

r e s t o r e s f o r m a t t h e t e c h n i c a l l y wrong p l a c e , and so bequeathes a p o t e n t i a l l y e n d l e s s s u c c e s s i o n o f c o u p l e t s , an and j u s t as t h e r e t h e f i f t h c o u p l e t

image o f t h e I n f i n i t e ;

expressed t h i s f e e l i n g by t h e p a r a d o x i c a l c o m p a r a t i v e ' u n e n d l i c h e r ' , so here i t s opening word i s 'Weit'. And here too t h e open f o r m demands r e s t o r a t i o n o f l i m i t a t i o n by t h e achieved

second t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n . T h i s t h e n i s b e a u t i f u l l y

i n the p i c t u r e o f the ship r e t u r n i n g t o r e s t : the r e t u r n home ( f o r t h a t i s what t h e r h y t h m s u g g e s t s ) b e g i n s w i t h the 'hin' change i n d i r e c t i o n and p e r s p e c t i v e , f r o m an i m p l i e d t o 'wohl h e r ' ; and t h r o u g h t h e a d v a n c i n g o f ' r u h t '

f r o m t h e expected f i n a l p o s i t i o n , t h e second h a l f o f t h e pentameter i s f e l t as pure space, peace, t h e j o u r n e y over. i s n e i t h e r an echo n o r a

But t h i s correspondence

memory; i f b e f o r e t h e p o e t i c p r o c e s s was a s t r u g g l e f o r l i b e r a t i o n u l t i m a t e l y e x p l i c a b l e as a c o n f l i c t between the need t o e x i s t i n a pure p o e t i c w o r l d and t h e w i s h t o

- 307 -

r e l a t e and, i n t h e w i d e s t sense, communicate, now

this

s t r u g g l e has been superseded by t h e c o n f l i c t between form and f o r m l e s s n e s s w i t h i n the strophe i t s e l f . Therefore the

f u n c t i o n o f the t r a n s c e n d i n g form i s no l o n g e r r e g r e s s i v e the c r e a t i o n of the i s l a n d of beauty, 'seelige I n s e l ' ; t h

s t r o p h e i s n o t autonomous by v i r t u e o f t h e poem, b u t t h r o u g h i t s own i n t e r n a l s t r u c t u r e . Like the i s l a n d , the

l a k e knows n o t h i n g o f t h e w o r l d , o f change, t i m e , b u t i s ' s e e l i g ' , a pure m i r r o r . But i d y l l does n o t here abet

e s c a p i s t s e l f - i n d u l g e n c e ; i t i s a comment on t h e w o r l d w h i c h , s i n c e i t s demand c o u l d n e v e r be s a t i s f i e d , i s a l s o t r a g i c . W i t h i n a sphere f r o m w h i c h a c t i o n and purpose are banned man's mastery over N a t u r e , t h e w i l l t o power, has now be-

become a b l i n d w a l l b u i l t out o f f e a r and c r u m b l i n g through love. ' A l l ' i s 'verwandt',

'Alles i s t Eins',

cause p e r c e i v e d , t h r o u g h t h e eye o f a c h i l d , which does n o t seek t o use, and t h u s t h e town, t h e s h i p , become g e n t l y p e r s o n i f i e d ; the v e r y unobtrusiveness of t h i s per-

s o n i f i c a t i o n shows t h a t i t i s no mere ornament. P r i m i t i v e people gave, c h i l d r e n g i v e , l i f e t o i n a n i m a t e o b j e c t s ,

h u m a n i t y t o N a t u r e ; t o do t h i s c o n s c i o u s l y i s a magic a r t And here j u s t as i n t h e f i r s t s t r o p h e 'das D o r f l e i n ' , so

'Warm' s e t s t h e tone o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d , which i s ,

a g a i n , a p r o t e c t e d space w i t h i n t h e autonomous s t r o p h e , assured o f a ' r e s t ' which has a l r e a d y been a c h i e v e d . Here

however, t h e rhythm does n o t r u n down i n streams, b u t p r o ceeds i n p e r f e c t l y balanced end-stopped c o u p l e t s , ea'ch an i n which i t i s

image o f peace, a microcosm o f t h e i d y l l

h e l d . T h e i r p o e t i c e f f e c t i s e n t i r e l y dependent upon t h e

- 308

r h y t h m , f o r as images t h e y are h a r d l y s t a r t i i n g l y

orig-

i n a l or o b s e r v a n t ; upon t h e sense o f warmth and peace a c h i e v e d by c o n c e n t r a t i n g t h e r e l e a s e o f t e n s i o n and f l i c t upon 'Warm', which t h e n , as t h e opening word, out over t h e whole triad. each conspread

T h i s movement towards r e s t i n t h e f i n a l t r i a d ,

s e l f - e n c l o s e d c o u p l e t b e i n g i t s e l f a l r e a d y an image o f complete peace, s e t s t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t a p a r t as t h e e p i tome o f u n i t y and so b r i n g s out i t s e s s e n t i a l and embracing s t a t e m e n t : ' A l l e s ... s c h e i n t ... all-

verwandt.'

I n t h i s way t h e two h a l v e s o f t h e poem as o f t h e j o u r n e y are c l e a r l y marked and 'verwandt p o i n t . The

1

becomes t h e c e n t r a l

s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h i s , however, can b e s t be

sensed i f one imagines t h e poem e n d i n g h e r e ; i m m e d i a t e l y i t s prime concern becomes t h e a c t u a l home-coming, home and f a m i l y , a poem o f s i m p l e c o n t e n t m e n t , and t h e 'spirit' way

o f t h e f i r s t two s t r o p h e s becomes more an i m a g i n a t i v e

of p r a i s i n g the beauty of the Alps than of expressing the 'near'-ness o f t h e 'god'.

T h i s i s because t h e ' I c h ' would t h e n have t h e l a s t s t r o p h e and l a s t word a l m o s t t o i t s e l f . I n s t e a d , i t i s the proportions and

o t h e r way r o u n d ; t h e r h y t h m w i t h i t s cosmic t r a n s c e n d s and absorbs t h e l y r i c a l 'I'

into i t s e l f ,

t h e sphere o f i d y l l i c home-coming becomes a l o s s o f s e l f i w h i c h t h e poet i s ' p u r e l y ' t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e d i v i n e 'Hingabe' finite; and 'Eigenmacht', t h e c o n t r o l l e d a c t o f t h e I n befiele

'damit n i c h t / Ungebeten uns e i n s t p l o z l i c h

d e r G e i s t ' becomes t h e r h y t h m i c a l d e t e r m i n a n t . Hence t h e p e c u l i a r q u a l i t y o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e w i t h i n t h e poem's

- 309 -

aesthetic uniformity.

'Theure Verwandte' i s a s p e c i a l

moment o f p e r s o n a l i n t i m a c y : t h e r e m a i n i n g v e s t i g e o f t h e 'open' f o r m , i t opens t h e new t r i a d even as t h e p o e t , one o r d i n a r y p e r s o n , opens h i s mouth. I t i s this private

persona t h a t i s t r a n s c e n d e d by t h e cosmic r h y t h m , t h e 'AuBerung' o f t h e ' G e i s t . And t h i s conveys i t s e l f t o t h e infinite 'Wallen', t h e 'one'-ness, o f t h e l a k e , which t h u s
1

a l s o becomes n o t m e r e l y an e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e p o e t ' s p e r s o n a l f e e l i n g s , b u t an e x - p r e s s i o n o f t h e D i v i n e . I t absorbs t h e l y r i c a l ' I ' i n t o i t s e l f , as a s i n g l e ripple 'Theure

appears, and i s gone, so t h a t t h e pause a f t e r

Verwandte' becomes t h e merest g l i m p s e o f an o r d i n a r y , a n o n - p o e t i c openness, an acceptance o f everyday l i f e with

i t s commonplace h a p p i n e s s , now l e f t f a r below f o r t h e sake o f a h i g h e r a c t , o f l o v e ; t h e w a t e r s seem t o c l o s e over t h e p o e t l i k e a dream i n which human r e a l i t y i s a memory. There i s , t h e n , a pathos u n d e r l y i n g t h i s p a r t o f t h e 'home-coming', e a s i l y enough sensed by r e p l a c i n g t h e exc l a m a t i o n mark o f ' F r e i l i c h wohl!' w i t h a comma: t h e hymnic stance i s here an a c t o f w i l l , return, itself.
1 1

and t h e e l e g i a c rhythm o f

miid b i s i n d i e Seele' , would l i k e t o r e a s s e r t ( T h a t may w e l l be a r e a s o n why t h e e x c l a m a t i o n

L a n d e s l e u t e ! ' was p r e f e r r e d a t t h e r h y t h m i c j u n c t u r e ; i t

r e s t o r e s t h e poem t o pure s e r v i c e o f t h e D i v i n e . ) E q u a l l y , the r e l a t i v i s a t i o n of the i d y l l i c ending by t h e t o t a l i t y universal

o f t h e poem g i v e s t o ' A l l e s s c h e i n t verwandt'

s i g n i f i c a n c e . I f t h e p o e t ' s s e l f - e x c l u s i o n from o r d i n a r y life i s s e l f - d e v o t i o n t o the p u r i t y of the I n f i n i t e , h i s

i m p l i c i t demand t o t h e r e a d e r i s 'das O f f e n e ' , hymnic

- 310

freedom from a l l l i m i t i n g s c h e i n t verwandt'

r e l a t e d ' - n e s s . So ' A l l e s

i s as much command as s t a t e m e n t , as

much w i s h as d e s c r i p t i o n , and t h e address 'an d i e Verwandt en' i s a demand i f n o t t o them, t h e n t o h i m s e l f , t o t r a n s c e n d a l l such l i m i t a t i o n . They, and t h e j o u r n e y home appears,

are t h e m a t e r i a l t h r o u g h which t h e A b s o l u t e

' s h i n e s ' , 'der a t h e r i s c h e ' , t h r o u g h man, ' e i n B i l d der Gottheit' (2.209, 1 ) .

The

f o u r t h strophe f o l l o w s the e s t a b l i s h e d rhythmic couplet i s emphatically s e l f structure

p a t t e r n . Here t o o t h e f i r s t

contained, t h i s time through a framing c h i a s t i c (predicate + ' i s t s ' , 'es i s t '

+ p r e d i c a t e ) , and a g a i n t h e

second i n h e r i t s t h i s f o r m , b u t w i t h i m p a t i e n c e , f i r s t t h e enjambement and t h e n t h e absence o f a s u b j e c t i m p e l l i n g f o r w a r d . Thus, b u r s t i n g t h r o u g h t o a f o u r t h - f o o t at caesura,

l a s t r e v e a l i n g t h e s u b j e c t , and naming t h e 'du', t h e joy-

t h i r d hexameter comes as a t r i u m p h a n t b r e a k - t h r o u g h

f u l l y h e r a l d e d by 'Mit Gesang'; t h i s p o i n t o f r e l e a s e d tension i s f e l t as a b u r s t i n g i n t o song, an i m p r e s s i o n

v i v i d l y s u p p o r t e d by t h e c l e a r - r i n g i n g assonance o f t h e stressed s y l l a b l e s : ' M i t Gesang e i n wandernder Mann'.

'Gesang', 'Mann', ' L i n d a u ' , f u s e t o g e t h e r as one exclama t i o n . The r e s t r a i n t s upon t h e second c o u p l e t have become c a s t - o f f s h a c k l e s , t h e t r i a d d i s s o l v e s , t h e s t r o p h i c form opens; and w i t h i t a p r o s p e c t w h i c h , a g a i n , seems infinit

a ' v i e l v e r s p r e c h e n d e Feme'. L i k e t h e mouth, t h e eye has opened. T h i s m i g h t y r e l e a s e o f energy j o i n s w i t h and i s

- 311 -

possessed by t h e r i v e r , whose presence i s m a r v e l l o u s l y expressed by t h e rhythm. Because t h e main pauses of t h e s y n t a c t i c a l breaks coincidence longer

second t r i a d , i n which m e t r i c a l and

c o i n c i d e , come a f t e r t h e b r e a k i n g o f the v i t a l (the t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n ) , i t i s as though t h e y no

have power t o h o l d . A g a i n , what i n e a r l i e r e l e g i e s t o o k place throughout now and by means of t h e s t r o p h i c sequence con-

t a k e s p l a c e w i t h i n t h e s t r o p h e : t h e second t r i a d

t r a s t s w i t h t h e f i r s t as a new

w o r l d where t h e o r g a n i c , ex-

w i n d i n g laws of Nature have r e p l a c e d t h e o l d w o r l d of

1

t e r n a l f o r m and human c a l c u l a t i o n ('Sazung , 'Wohnung', i n t h e words of 'Der R h e i n ' ) . The pauses are now n a t u r a l

o b s t a c l e s ; green banks, r o c k s , m o u n t a i n s , themselves p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n , under t h e w i l l o f , t h e R i v e r ; and, through-

out and d e s p i t e t h e v a r i o u s m o t i f s , the t r a v e r s i n g c u r r e n t of t h e second t r i a d i s t h e R i v e r - g o d himself, breaking 'dort'

passage, f o r m i n g the l a n d . Lent pace by t h e a n a p h o r i c

i n t h e f o u r t h p e n t a m e t e r , i t seems t o r e a r up a t t h e coupl e t - d i v i s i o n and, l i k e t h e Rhine F a l l s t h e m s e l v e s , t o hang

b r i e f l y b e f o r e , as t h e b a r r i e r breaks (enjambement) c r a s h i n g down from on h i g h i n f l o o d i n g d a c t y l s ( H o c h i n die Ebnen h e r a b ) ; t h e h y p e r b a t o n ,

1 1

itself

t h e v e r y symbol

of N a t u r e ' s o r d e r , endows t h e name w i t h t h e power of r e v e l a t i o n and c o n c e n t r a t e s single ' s p i r i t ' , a l l t h e r e l e a s e d energy i n t h e resting (1.64,

t h e daemonic demi-god who,

an 'Atem-holen') o n l y t o f i n d new what was

s t r e n g t h surpassing 'Dort' the unifies

i n power and wonder ( t h e a n a p h o r i c o f t h e t r i a d , b u t breaks ' i n t o '

t h e rhythm

fourth-foot

caesura), a t l a s t , h i s s t r e n g t h f i n a l l y spent, f a l l s , i n a

- 312 -

s u c c e s s i o n o f d a c t y l s ('Oder h i n a b w i e d e r T a g ) , back 'downwards', t o r e s t , and t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e i s r e s t o r e d . A g a i n t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f f o r m comes w i t h t h e second t r i a d i c d i v i s i o n , b u t t h i s t i m e , because t h e f i n a l image

o f t h e second t r i a d , i s an 'open' one, i t i s c a t e g o r i c a l , an 'Aber'. Beyond t h e obvious s t r u c t u r a l p a r a l l e l i s m , t h e r e s p o n d i n g 1.67 c o n t r a s t s f i n e l y w i t h 1.61. 'Reizend hinauszugehn i n d i e ... ' i s an unpausing stream. Here, w i t h ' ge-

however, t h e hexameter a t f i r s t

seems complete

w e i h e t e P f o r t e ! ' , and, s i m i l a r l y , t h e r e i s a s t r o n g a n t i m e t r i c a l pause a f t e r 'Heimzugehn"; t h r o u g h t h i s contrast

t h e i n f i n i t i v e becomes i s o l a t e d , g a i n s a sense o f f i n a l i t y , end, 'home', w h i c h u n i t e s w i t h t h e i n t i m a t e a d d r e s s , 'bist

du', t o c r e a t e a g l o w i n g sense o f warmth and l o v e . Once a g a i n , t h e n , 'Heim-', l i k e ' D o r f l e i n ' and 'Warm',

s e t s t h e i d y l l i c tone o f t h e e n t i r e f i n a l t r i a d ; i t s u n i t y i s p r e s t a b i l i s e d and, r e l e a s e d f r o m c o n f l i c t , i t moves towards a r e s t o f which i t i s a l r e a d y assu3 ?ed. T h i s f o r e knowledge enables 'Ort' t o move f o r w a r d s f r o m t h e obvious

p o s i t i o n ( a word o r d e r t o p a r a l l e l t h e hexameter would be: 'Und i n Bergen mich nimmt f r e u n d l i c h gefangen e i n O r t ' ) , so t h a t t h e 'end' ('Ort' i s t h e ' p l a c e ' o f b e g i n n i n g and end; i s reached b e f o r e t h e end, and l e a v e s an empty, p r o -

t e c t e d space: ' f r e u n d l i c h gefangen mich nimmt'. By v i r t u e o f t h e s y m m e t r i c a l d i s s o l v i n g and r e s t o r i n g of l i m i t a t i o n , t h e c o n t r a s t between t h e h e r o i c p r o s p e c t and t h e i d y l l i c l a n d s c a p e , between abroad and home, becomes an harmonious m e e t i n g o f a n t a g o n i s t i c p r i n c i p l e s ; s e t w i t h i n t h e o v e r a l l rhythm t o which t h i s s t r u c t u r e conforms,

- 313 -

the

encounter

gains t i m e l e s s , m y t h i c a l , dimension.

The

s p e c i f i c content of the strophe, the given s i t u a t i o n of a person (the l y r i c '!'), i s s u b o r d i n a t e d t o an Thus t h e comparative eternallydegree i n a matter

r e c u r r i n g cosmic rhythm.

'Reizender', i n d i c a t i n g p e r s o n a l p r e f e r e n c e of chance

i s subsumed by t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f cosmic

n e c e s s i t y . For t h r o u g h t h e d i f f e r e n t v i s i o n s e x p e r i e n c e d , l i v e d o u t , by t h e p o e t , t h e f i n i t e b e i n g , appears t h e m u t u a l l y dependent m e t a p h y s i c a l d u a l i t y , i n f i n i t y finitude. The of for to two f l i g h t s o f i m a g i n a t i o n , i n t h e m s e l v e s p r o d u c t s and

t h e s u b j e c t i v e v a g a r i e s o f p e r s o n a l i t y , are a v e h i c l e cosmic n e c e s s i t y . The landscape o f home i s ' r e i z e n d e r ' naturally being,

t h e p o e t not j u s t because he as an i n d i v i d u a l c o u n t r y , b u t because as a f i n i t e

p r e f e r s h i s own

a l b e i t a t t h e s e r v i c e o f t h e D i v i n e , h i s home i s f i n i t e E a r t h , and h i s j o u r n e y has been a self-abandonment -exposure t o t h e I n f i n i t e , River-god. The and

whose n a t u r e i s c a r r i e d by t h e

second s t r o p h e o f 'Patmos' comes t o mind:

... da e n t f i i h r t e .. . ... w e i t , wohin i c h nimmer Zu kommen g e d a c h t , e i n Genius mich Vom eigenen HauB'.

P e r s o n i f i c a t i o n t h r o u g h ' r a t i o n a l mythology' i s no merely t h e e m b e l l i s h i n g v i n d i c a t i o n o f an

longer

'all-embracing'

' M u t t e r N a t u r ' , no l o n g e r an 'Im Arme der G d t t e r wuchs ich groB' ('Da i c h e i n Knabe war ... ', 1.32), n o r , as i n

'Brod und Wein', means o f l o s s o f s e l f t o f e m i n i n e darkness

- 31^ -

An a l i e n and e x t e r n a l ' s p i r i t '

has

s e i s e d t h e masculine

role,

i s t h e s u b j e c t , a c t s t h r o u g h t h e p o e t , so t h a t b o t h mascu l i n e and f e m i n i n e p r i n c i p l e s appear, w i t h i n t h e e n t i a l autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h e . And t h e poet i s 'pure' (disinterested) perception, a e r o t i c i s m o f the meeting bethis exist-

witness t o the metaphysical

tween Heaven and E a r t h . I n t h e 'Grund zum Empedokles' meeting v/as s t i l l a l l o t t e d t o 'man' the a r t i s t : hochsten ... ' DiB

G e f i i h l g e h o r t v i e l e i c h t zum

, wenn b e i d e

e n t g e g e n g e s e z t e , der v e r a l l g e m e i n e r t e ... Mensch und d i e W o h l g e s t a l t der N a t u r s i c h begegnen' (^.153, 10-13). Now

i t has become a m y t h i c a l 'encounter' f o r which t h e p o e t p r o v i d e s t h e o c c a s i o n , t h e space, as i n ' P r i e d e n s f e i e r ' the the ' S a a l ' ; h e r e , however, p e r f o r m i n g t h e same d u t y as g o l d e n c l o u d o f Zeus and Hera ( I l i a d , Book 1 ^ ) . ^ H i s intoxicating,

i s t h e eye: r i v e t e d t o t h e e x h i l a r a t i n g , d i o n y s i a c course of the r i v e r - s p i r i t ,

b u t r e s t i n g on t h e of E a r t h . 'Sichhere

p l e a s a n t forms and green contentment

g e s e l l e n ' i s t h u s more t h a n a p r e t t y p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n ; too ' a l l ' i s , by sheer v i r t u e o f o u t l i n e , f i g u r e , The v e r y pause a f t e r and

shape, 'verwandt'.

'Heimzugehn', ',

c o n t r a s t i n g w i t h 'das Offene' o f 'hinauszugehn ... expresses f i n i t u d e , a c o n t r a s t t o t h e i n f i n i t e of 'das g o t t l i c h e Wild'.

'striving'

Thus t h e i d y l l i c r e a l m o f t h e f i n a l t r i a d i s not

really

p r e f e r r e d , s u p e r i o r , t o the f o r e g o i n g h e r o i c , nor i s the s t r o p h e p r i m a r i l y even t h e c o n t r a s t between one ('Nekar') and a n o t h e r the ('Rhein'). The course region

of the strophe, vessel

personal f e e l i n g s of the poet, i s the temporal

- 515 -

of

a t i m e l e s s myth o f C r e a t i o n . Water, t h e f l o o d , i s t h e t a k i n g form as 'das Belebende': 'der G e i s t

'pure s p i r i t ' ,

e i n e s Stromes, s o f e r n d e r Bahn und Granze macht, m i t Gew a l t , a u f d e r u r s p r u n g l i c h p f a d l o s e n a u f w a r t s wachsenden Erde' (5-289, 8-10). The ' f a i r ' landscape o f t h e Neckar

i s n o t a s t a t i c o b j e c t o f p o e t i c d e s c r i p t i o n t h a t comes a f t e r a d i f f e r e n t , u n r e l a t e d , d e s c r i p t i o n , b u t s p r i n g s up, 6 b o r n o f t h e u n i o n , E a r t h become green and f r u i t f u l . ready Al-

'der a t h e r i s c h e G o t t ' has been a s s o c i a t e d w i t h such (second s t r o p h e , second t r i a d ) ; he and 'das 'spirit'.

fertility

g o t t l i c h e Wild' are m a n i f e s t a t i o n s of a s i n g l e It to i s , both i n s p i r i t

and m o t i f s , t h e same r e l a t i o n s h i p

t h e D i v i n e as i n t h e ode 'Unter den A l p e n gesungen'. and s i x t h s t r o p h e s , phenomena, i n

There, i n t h e f i f t h

c o n t r a s t t o t h e companionship o f t h i n g s , 'pass by', t h e t r e e borne away by t h e f l o o d , t h e eye f i n d i n g no h o l d ; b u t in the f i n a l s t r o p h e a D a h e i m - b l e i b e n ' i s reached,

1 1

emerges,

i n the clear o u t l i n e of a mythical f i g u r e :

h e i l i g e Unthis

s c h u l d ' . Each s t r o p h e o f 'Heimkunft' has r e - e n a c t e d

'home-coming' and so a n t i c i p a t e d t h e poem as a whole. Now it i s the q u a l i t y of the object of perception that i s t r e e s and f l o w e r s , like

d e c i s i v e . There a r e those w h i c h , l i k e

or shade, have c l e a r o u t l i n e , and those which a r e , God, 'hard t o g r a s p ' , i n t a n g i b l e , l i k e

' L i c h t und Strom

und Wind'. These have become s i g n s o f t h e I n f i n i t e ; and the f o r m e r a r e g e n t l e f i n i t e f o r m s , a r e t u r n 'home' t o

Earth. At f i r s t s i g h t t h e f i f t h and p e n u l t i m a t e s t r o p h e seems

- 316 -

to is of

d i f f e r i n form from i t s p r e d e c e s s o r s .

The f i r s t

triad

composed o f t h r e e end-stopped c o u p l e t s w i t h caesuras f i r m r e g u l a r i t y , and indeed t h e t h i r d c o u p l e t w i t h i t s self-

i n s e t a n t i p h o n a l d o u b l e t s i s t h e v e r y type o f calm containment; first

t h e r e i s no t r a c e o f r e s t l e s s n e s s and t h e this

t r i a d i c b a r r i e r i s undisturbed. Nevertheless,

apparent

r e s t r a i n t presupposes and serves t h e same r h y t h m i c

p u r p o s e , t h e d i s s o l v i n g and t r a n s c e n d i n g o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m , as b e f o r e . The f o u r t h c o u p l e t , o r d e r e d and s e l f - e n c l o s e d , cont i n u e s t h e calm p r o g r e s s o f t h e f i r s t t r i a d . But i n t h e t o dissolve; the t h i r d -

f i f t h hexameter t h e form b e g i n s

f o o t caesura g i v e s way, ' j o y ' b u r s t i n g t h r o u g h t h e measured statement, so t h a t ' T h o r i g r e d i c h , t h e y e t b r i e f e r opening

1

s e n t e n c e , becomes t h e f i r s t member o f an expanding movement w h i c h w i l l c a r r y on upwards and over t h e s t r o p h i c d i v i s i o n itself. So ' T h o r i g r e d i c h ' i s n o t r e a l l y a detached admonition, b u t a simple statement foolishly' self-

o f f a c t ; f o r ' t o speak

i s t o speak l i k e t h e D e l p h i c p r i e s t s , p r o p h e t i c

mouth-piece o f A p o l l o , o f whom P i n d a r , composer o f t h e ' P y t h i a n Odes', was f o r H b l d e r l i n one; i t i s t h e a n t i t h e s i s to p r o s a i c common-sense, and t h u s opens t h e rhythm of i n -

s p i r a t i o n (compare 'Der R h e i n ' , 11.143-46: ' ... t h o r i g gottlich ... ' ) . A g a i n t h e mouth i s f r e e d t o open; and

a g a i n , w i t h ' k u n f t i g ' , an i n f i n i t e p r o s p e c t , t h e f u t u r e , opens and t h e hexameter, t h e open member o f t h e e l e g i a c couplet, concentrates i n i t s e l f t h e e n t i r e process of

l i b e r a t i o n which t h e f i r s t t e n l i n e s have become. I t s

- 317 -

pentameter

l i k e w i s e no l o n g e r answers and c o n t a i n s , b u t

p r o v i d e s a stage i n t h e a s c e n t ; and t h e n , i n t h e s i x t h hexameter, t h e sense o f l i b e r a t i o n u n i t e s w i t h t h e l e i t motif spring i n a flood of a l l i t e r a t i v e dactyls, the

r h y t h m i c a l image o f a shower o f blossom s p r e a d i n g o u t over those beneath.

The b l o s s o m i n g p o e t i c form t h u s u n i t e s t h e f a c t u a l d e p i c t i o n , t h e end o f w i n t e r i n N a t u r e , w i t h t h e symbolic meaning, t h e end o f w i n t e r i n man. Frozen forms thaw. T h i s i s said i n d i r e c t l y , through the rhythm, or r a t h e r , i t i s sung; w h i c h i s , i n t h e absence o f any c o n c r e t e i n d i c a t i o n as t o t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e 'renewal o f t h e t i m e s ' , t h e s o l e i n d e x t o t h e f u t u r e . And as t h e r h y t h m i s i t s e l f founded

i n N a t u r e , s p r i n g i s c e r t a i n l y n o t a mere metaphor f o r an as y e t u n s p e c i f i e d human r e n e w a l ' ; t h e c o i n c i d e n c e o f human p a l i n g e n e s i s w i t h h e r e t e r n a l rhythm betokens openness t o N a t u r e , h i s freedom from t h e d i s t r a c t i n g man's cares
1

and i n t e r e s t s , b o r n o f need and want, t h a t d r i v e and seduce into exploitation. A l t h o u g h t h e b a r r i e r between second and t h i r d i s r e t a i n e d , t h e s i x t h pentameter the anaphoric triad

f a l l i n g back i n r e s t ,

' V i e l e s ' , much as i n t h e second s t r o p h e

'Wenn', l i f t s t h e v e r s e over t h e gap, and i n d e e d , because the d i v i s i o n i s so c l e a r l y marked, t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g ascent

becomes t h e supreme a c t o f t h e poem. And i n t h e f i n a l t r i a d no r e s t i n g - p l a c e a t a l l i s p e r m i t t e d ; t h e c o u p l e t divisions f a l l open, and w h i l e t h e f i r s t t h r e e l i n e s r e relat-

t a i n d i s t i n c t pauses a t t h e c a e s u r a , w i t h t h e f i n a l ive

c l a u s e t h e sequence o f s h o r t 'und"-clauses c o m p l e t e l y

- 318 -

disrupts

the metre-syntax
1

r e l a t i o n . Four t i m e s t h e

verbs hanging
1

( ' gewahret , ' r u f f , at the m e t r i c a l

' s c h i k t ' , 'saumt') are l e f t

d i v i s i o n s , w h i l e t h e i r o b j e c t s ('Gaaben , r e s t , so t h a t
1

'Gesang' , ' G e i s t e r ' ) f i n d no m e t r i c a l verse i s i m p e l l e d f o r w a r d , and w i t h

the a

'o saumt n i c h t

t e n s i o n and a n t i c i p a t i o n have been c r e a t e d t h a t demand f u l f i l m e n t . Through ' E r h a l t e n d e n ' , t h e s u b s t a n t i v i s e d e p i t h e t t h i s f u l f i l m e n t becomes i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h e naming of t h e apostrophised ' G e i s t e r ' , and t h u s t h e rhythm
1

thrusts

up-

wards t o 'Engel des J a h r e s ! , y e t s t i l l , persisting anti-metrical

because of t h e Now

s y n t a x , can f i n d no r e s t .

t h e p e n u l t i m a t e s t r o p h e , b u t w i t h i t t h e whole poem, stands wide open, and t h e v o i c e ( t h i s s t r o p h e must be r e a d a l o u d ) has been c a r r i e d up from t h e p l a t e a u of 'das Alte
1

t o the highest possible p i t c h . dissolution, rhythmically t h e supreme a c t of t h e dissolving triad,

The

poem, a s s i m i l a t e s t h e s t r o p h e t o i t s own

so t h a t t h e same phenomenon has r e a p p e a r e d i n g r a n d e r , t h r e e f o l d , form. This r e v e a l s the i n t e r n a l s t r u c t u r e of

t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e : i t s t r i a d s are t h e t h r e e f o l d form o f t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t as i t has t h e t r i a d . Thus t h e f i r s t functioned hitherto within first

t r i a d , l i k e the normative

c o u p l e t , p r o v i d e s t h e t y p e of r e s t r a i n t ; t h e second r e t a i n s t h i s f o r m , b u t r e s t l e s s l y ; and pelled so t h e t h i r d i s imnew

over t h e b a r r i e r of l i m i t a t i o n and i n t o t h e strophe. of o v e r a l l form

world, the f i n a l

H o l d e r l i n uses t h i s t r a n s p a r e n c y climactic

and

e x p a n s i o n o f the e s t a b l i s h e d rhythm opening

to unveil triad

t h e h i g h e s t purpose o f t h e poem. The

- 319 -

c o n t a i n s t h e moment o f m e e t i n g ,

t h e a c t u a l purpose o f structure a liberated

t h e j o u r n e y . But t h r o u g h t h e s y m m e t r i c a l

d i r e c t c o n t r a s t a r i s e s between c o n t a i n i n g and form: 'das A l t e noch i s t s ! '

becomes opposed t o 'das B e s t e ,

der Fund', t h e new,

so t h a t t h e 'Aber' w i t h i t s c l e a r detriad,

m a r c a t i o n marks t h e opening c o u p l e t o f t h e second d e s p i t e i t s r e s t r a i n t ( e x p r e s s i n g t h e poet's as t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e g r e a t ascent.

self-denial),

W i t h t h e t h i r d t r i a d t h e expanding becomes an ascending and movement; u n i t i n g w i t h t h e ' g r e a t Father' ' i n Hb'hen'

'iiber Gebirgen' , i t becomes a c l i m b i n t o t h e a e t h e r e a l

r e g i o n s t h e m s e l v e s , f a r up above t h e w o r l d . T h i s c o n t r a s t between o l d and new was originally d i 'Dort

r e c t l y r e l a t e d to the ' r e l a t i v e s ' ; H o l d e r l i n wrote: empfangen s i e mich

o siiBe Stimme der Meinen!/ 0 du 6.298, Mutter!'

t r i f f e s t , du r e g s t Langevergangenes auf!' (FHA

2 5 f . ) . The a l t e r a t i o n t o 'o Stimme der S t a d t , d e r ('der M u t t e r ' i s i n a p p o s i t i o n ) and

' L a n g e g e l e r n t e s ' , how-

e v e r , m e r e l y c o n f i r m s what has a l r e a d y t a k e n p l a c e , t h e t r a n s c e n d i n g o f p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . As he i s c a r r i e d away i n p a r a d i g m a t i c first i n s p i r a t i o n , t h e poet l e a v e s behind

'das A l t e ' , and t h e n ' i h r Lieben'

and t h e humbler third

m o t i f o f s p r i n g - t i m e ; t h e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m second t o

t r i a d i s t h e second and d e c i s i v e s t e p towards t h e I n f i n i t e , a b r i d g e from 'mit euch' t o 'von ihm', from human t o d i v i n e

communication, a gap t o t r a v e r s e which t h e poet i s g i v e n w i n g s , and soars up l i k e t h e eagle. anti-

Such a f u n c t i o n o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m i s c l e a r l y c i p a t e d i n t h e essay 'Das

Werden im Vergehen'. H o l d e r l i n ,

- 320 -

seeking t o e s t a b l i s h the p o s s i b i l i t y of a

'fearless' terror,

'Auflbsung' (4.283, 3 4 ) , a r e v o l u t i o n f r e e from

makes i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l t h e a b s t r a c t b a s i s . The datum i s t h e dead m a t e r i a l , contemporary German s o c i e t y : 'das u n t e r -

gehende V a t e r l a n d , Natur und Menschen i n s o f e r n s i e i n e i n e r besondern Wechselwirkung s t e h e n , e i n e besondere ... Ver-

b i n d u n g der Dinge ausmachen, und s i c h i n s o f e r n a u f l o s e n ' (4.282, 2 - 5 ) . 'Dieser Untergang oder Ubergang des landes
1

Vater-

(4.282, 23) i s complete

'nachdem [ d i e ] E r i n n e r u n g

des A u f g e l o s t e n , I n d i v i d u e l l e n m i t dem u n e n d l i c h e n Lebensg e f i i h l d u r c h d i e E r i n n e r u n g der Auflb'sung v e r e i n i g e t d i e Luke zwischen denselben ausgefullt i s t , so gehet und aus des ...

d i e s e r V e r e i n i g u n g ... des Vergangenen E i n z e l n e n , und Unendlichen g e g e n w a r t i g e n , der e i g e n t l i c h neue Zustand

h e r v o r ' (4.284, 13-19). Here 'memory' i s used w i t h

Idealis-

t i c o v e r t o n e : ' E r - i n n e r u n g ' , t h e power t o c o n c e p t u a l i s e t h r o u g h e m o t i o n a l detachment. The second t r i a d i s a p e r f e c t example o f how t h e 'gap'

between o l d and new 'der neue Zustand' The

i s ' f i l l e d ' . But what r e l a t i o n does bear t o 'das u n e n d l i c h e Lebensgef i i h l ' ?

a n t i t h e s i s between c l o s e d and open form makes i t c l e a r

1

t h a t t h e poem s r e a l aim i s n o t a new

but u l t i m a t e l y also pur-

h i s t o r i c a l s t a t e o f s o c i e t y . For s i n c e t h e apparent

pose, t h e a r r i v a l home and r e u n i o n w i t h ' d i e Verwandten', i s no more t h a n a supreme mode o f t h e e s t a b l i s h e d r h y t h m , it ceases t o d i f f e r f r o m t h e stages o f t h e j o u r n e y i n anyNot o n l y i s t h e q u a l i t a t i v e difference,

t h i n g b u t degree.

t h a t here t h e poet i s m e e t i n g p e o p l e , h i s f a m i l y , i n a c t u a l p h y s i c a l encounter, q u a n t i f i e d ( g i v e n 'Bestimmtheit',

- 321 -

' r a t i o n a l i s e d ' ) ; i t t h e r e b y becomes a supreme of the

example

t h e a n t i t h e s i s between e n c l o s u r e and 'das O f f e n e ' : g r e a t e r the personal involvement, t h e h i g h e r the poet

transcending a c t . Personal r e l a t i o n s h i p i s confinement, namely, w i t h i n t h e f i r s t t r i a d , whose e n c l o s e d tone i s set by 'Dort empfangen s i e m i c h ' , i t s e l f e c h o i n g t h e antithesis,
1

'Gefangen-nehmen' o f t h e p r e v i o u s l i n e . The the

new, i s t h e l i b e r a t i n g a s c e n t t o 'das O f f e n e . Were 'das M o g l i c h e ' ('die Moglichkeit a l l e r Bezieh-

ungen') ( c f . 4.283, 5-7, 282, 1 9 f . ) j u s t t h e a b s t r a c t b a s i s f o r a p e r s o n i f i e d i d e a , i t c o u l d y e t be an ( a d m i t t e d l y u t o p i a n ) metaphor f o r change: a h u m a n i s t i c p l e a f o r a v a g u e l y c o n c e i v e d b r o a d e r o u t l o o k on l i f e . But i t i s

a l s o r e a l , an e m p i r i c a l o b j e c t o f p e r c e p t i o n : t h e A l p i n e heavens. The a n t i t h e t i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f p o e t i c f o r m medi a t e s o n l y , ' p u r e l y ' , between extremes ( l i m i t a t i o n and i n f i n i t y ) , and i s t h e r e f o r e n o t 'open' t o t h e f u t u r e , b u t complete and s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t ; i t s c o n c e p t i o n as an a c t o f l o v e i s founded upon t h e a n t i t h e s i s between s o c i e t y and Nature.

Comparison w i t h ' S t u t g a r d ' h e l p s i n a s s e s s i n g t h e f i n a l s t r o p h e o f 'Heimkunft'. A t f i r s t are v e r y s i m i l a r , s i g h t t h e endings

' S t u t g a r d ' t o o i n v o l v i n g a l o n g ascent 'Engel des V a t e r l a n d s itself.

which w i t h i t s c l i m a c t i c a p o s t r o p h e

f i n a l l y surmounts t h e s t r o p h i c d i v i s i o n

But t h e r e t h e t o n e o f t h e f i n a l s t r o p h e i s v e r y d i f f e ent. the A f t e r t h e i n t e n s i t y o f t h e e x c l a m a t i o n has f a d e d i n first t r i a d , t h e second w i t h i t s opening 'Aber d i e

- 322

Nacht kommt!' marks a new

d e p a r t u r e and a sense o f ' h a s t e ' , division

u r g e n c y , e n t e r s t h e s t r o p h e ; t h e second t r i a d i c

has no p a r t t o p l a y , and t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t i s t h e r e s i g n a t i v e c o n s o l a t i o n o f m e n s c h l i c h e Freude' ( s h a k i n g hands) for a f a i l u r e by no means t r a n s c e n d e d by t h e p o e t . The

1

c l i m a x has been l o s t i n t h e e n s u i n g t u r m o i l o f t h o u g h t s . In 'Heimkunft' t h e c l i m a x does n o t f a i l , and t h e f i n a l

s t r o p h e i s o f t h e same f o r m a l p e r f e c t i o n as t h e r e s t o f the poem. As i n ' S t u t g a r d ' , t h e f i r s t t r i a d f a l l s away

from t h e moment o f c l i m a x , b u t t h e r e are s i g n s t h a t H o l d e r l i n t o o k e s p e c i a l care i n e n s u r i n g t h i s t o o k p l a c e n a t u r a l l y and g r a c e f u l l y , f o r i t descends ( r a t h e r f a l l s ) i n c l e a r l y graded b u t , t h r o u g h the f l u i d than

metre-

syntax r e l a t i o n , unobtrusive steps: through the t h r o n g i n g e x c l a m a t i o n s , t h e n t h e o p t a t i v e s u b j u n c t i v e s , thence the less d i r e c t purpose-clauses, themselves s p r e a d i n g to out

i n t h r e e f o l d expansion

from the s t i l l b r e a t h l e s s ' n i c h t s almost l e i s u r e l y t h i r d hexa-

Menschlichgutes' t o the f u l l ,

meter. I t i s as though t i m e has r e - e n t e r e d t h e poem; and t h u s t h e f i n a l pentameter i s v i r t u a l l y statement o f what i s ' f i t t i n g ' . a pure (tautological)

Nor does a n y t h i n g t h a t second t r i a d i s c l e a r l y

f o l l o w s d i s t u r b t h i s harmony. The

marked as t h e sphere o f q u e s t i o n ; here t h e theme o f 'naming' e n t e r s t h e poem, b u t i n calm t h r e e f o l d r e n u n c i a t i o n : 'wen d a r f i c h nennen ... ?', ' Nenn i c h den Hohen ... ?', which

' Schweigen miissen w i r o f t ' . Thus t h e harmony o f music fills t h e f i n a l t r i a d expresses t h e s t r o p h e ' s p e r f e c t

symmetry: t h e c e n t r a l t r i a d i s t h e 'Sorge, d i e u n t e r F r e u d i g e kam', a shadow o f doubt s e r v i n g p u r e l y as

das

- 323 -

harmonious f o i l

t o t h e l i g h t , and t r a n s c e n d e d

by t h e p o e t

even as i t i s spoken. In in ' S t i v t g a r d ' t h e q u e s t i o n i n g u r g e n c y reached a c l i m a x o kommt! o macht es wahr!

the penultimate couplet: '

denn a l l e i n j a / B i n i c h und niemand nimmt m i r von d e r S t i r n e den Traum?' The poem as a 'dream', d e f i c i e n t t o wards r e a l i t y , r a i s e d t h e problem o f p o e t i c autonomy, and t h i s t h e r e b y became embodied i n t h e s t r o p h e , i t s e l f t h e paradigm o f autonomous f o r m . So t o o 'Brod und Wein' exi s t e d i n darkness; the basic t h o u g h t - s t r u c t u r e consisted of two p o l e s , t h e p o e t i c s e l f as darkness ( s e l f - e n c l o s u r e ,

l i v i n g - d e a t h , i s o l a t i o n ) and t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d , contempo r a r y s o c i e t y , as darkness. I n t r e a t i n g these as t h o u g h t h e y were harmonious o p p o s i t e s capable o f r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , t h r o u g h t h e s t r i v i n g f o r l i b e r a t i o n , t h e poem became a return to i t s i n i t i a l of ful assumptions expressed as a j o u r n e y

d i s c o v e r y . I n each poem t h i s p r o c e s s y i e l d e d a powerf o r m a l u n i t y , a mounting s t r u c t u r e : i n ' S t u t g a r d '

f i n d i n g immediate p l a s t i c f o r m i n t h e j o u r n e y ( ' z i e h n f r e u d i g das Land w i r h i n a u f ' , 1.58, b e g i n s t h e ascent t o t h e s t a r s ) ; i n 'Brod und Wein' t h e j o u r n e y t o Greece culminated i n t h e mighty s t r u c t u r e o f consecrated build-

i n g s t o w e r i n g up t o t h e s k y , and was t h e n extended by t h e l a s t three The strophes. o f p o e t i c autonomy by

j o u r n e y was t h e u n d e r m i n i n g

t h e r e l a t i v i s i n g c o n s t a n t , s o c i e t y , and t h a t i s : o t h e r s . The e x p l i c i t c o n f e s s i o n o f a p r i e s t h o o d o f Nature i s word

as opposed t o a c t ( t o ' b e i n g ' ) : t h e moment o f f a i l u r e t o achieve a c l i m a x . F o r i f r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Nature i s

- 32k -

' S e e l i g k e i t , t h e memory o f c h i l d h o o d , freedom f r o m

time,

t h e n t h e s t r o p h e w i t h i t s p e r f e c t autonomy l e a v e s t h e poem as a w h o l e , w i t h i t s s o c i a l a c t , t o r e l a t e , b u t a l s o t o speak, t o remember, c o n c e p t u a l i s e , l o s e . Here H o l d e r l i n says: e s f e h l e n h e i l i g e Nahmen'. I t i s as though he no l o n g e r seeks t o name t h e D i v i n e . The c o n f l i c t i n ' S t u t g a r d ' , between 'Engel des V a t e r l a n d s ! ' and 'Das zu nennen, mein Schmidt! r e i c h e n w i r b e i d e i s superseded, f o r f i r s t l y nicht
1

aus',

'Engel des HauBes, kommt!'

i s n o t t h e pure naming a c t o f a s i m p l e e x c l a m a t i o n , b u t a p r a y e r , and, s e c o n d l y , dressed t h i s p r a y e r has a l r e a d y been ad-

t o t h e 'Engel des J a h r e s ' , t h a n whom t h e 'Engel

des HauBes' a r e humbler, so t h a t t h e p o i n t s o f u t m o s t t e n s i o n , a n t i c i p a t i o n , and o f r e l e a s e , f u l f i l m e n t , a r e only distinguished r h y t h m i c a l l y , not s y n t a c t i c a l l y . has One

o n l y t o s u b s t i t u t e 'Engel des V a t e r l a n d s ! ' f o r 'Engel

des HauBes, kommt!' t o sense t h e d i f f e r e n c e : 'Heimkunft' does n o t a l l o w any w e i g h t t o f a l l upon t h e c l i m a x . I t i s a pure r e l e a s e from t e n s i o n . But n o t t o name t h e D i v i n e i s i t s e l f n o t h i n g o t h e r t h a n r e l i g i o n o f Nature, ' r a t i o n a l mythology'. The gods who a r e anthropomorphic

f r e e d from names a r e f r e e d from i r r a t i o n a l

r e l i g i o n and t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e S u b j e c t ' s r e a l m o f o b j e c t s ; these have been named: 'der a t h e r i s c h e G o t t ' , 'das g o t t l i c h e W i l d ' , and now t h e 'Engel des Jahres' and 'Engel des

HauBes' . The avoidance o f a c l i m a x i s n o t an a b d i c a t i o n o f t h e r e l i g i o n o f N a t u r e , b u t i t s f u l f i l m e n t . The f a i l u r e t o name, t h e f o r c e s t h a t h i t h e r t o undermined t h e ' M y t h o l o g i e d e r V e r n u n f t ' , has been r e p l a c e d by a r e n u n c i a t i o n o f

- 325 -

naming w h i c h i s i t s e l f an e s s e n t i a l aspect o f t h e ' r a t i o n a l m y t h o l o g y ' , and so by a c o n f l i c t which i s always harmon-

7
i o u s , t r a n s c e n d e d by t h e p o e t : a 'Peace'. Such freedom

from c o n f l i c t and d i s c o r d i s d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e e l e g i a c form i n t h i s poem: It i s now no l o n g e r t h i n k a b l e t h a t H o l d e r l i n c o u l d

make m i s t a k e s w i t h t h e number o f l i n e s . As t h e p e n u l t i m a t e strophe reproduced the d i s s o l v i n g f i r s t t r i a d of the f i r s t

f o u r s t r o p h e s i n t h r e e f o l d f o r m , so t h e f i n a l s t r o p h e w i t h its calm t r i a d i c d i s p o s i t i o n i s t h e s y m m e t r i c a l strophic

e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e t h i r d t r i a d , which appeared i n p e r f e c t f o r m a t t h e end o f t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e poem (11.49-54).

Here t h e asymmetry c r e a t e d by t h e l a s t two s t r o p h e s , w h i c h r h y t h m i c a l l y form a s i n g l e sphere, i s a e s t h e t i c a l l y decisive: t h e f i n a l t r i a d o f t h e f i r s t h a l f (11.49-54) w i t h

i t s p e r f e c t c o u p l e t s , images o f i d y l l i c peace, has f o u n d extended its r h y t h m i c a l r e c r e a t i o n i n the f i n a l strophe w i t h

s e l f - c o n t a i n e d t r i a d s , o f w h i c h t h e l a s t two c o n s i s t

o f p u r e end-stopped c o u p l e t s ; and i t s f i n a l c o u p l e t ( 1 1 . 53-54), s e t a p a r t as t h e ' a l l ' - e m b r a c i n g s t a t e m e n t o f harmony, i s r e c r e a t e d as t h e f i n a l t r i a d . T h i s t h e n i s f e l t as a more p e r f e c t form o f an a l r e a d y e x p e r i e n c e d ion, perfect-

so t h a t t h e e n d i n g , d e s p i t e t h e common m o t i f , t h e that

coming o f s o o t h i n g harmony, d i f f e r s c r u c i a l l y f r o m of

'Brod und Wein'. The music, ' S a i t e n s p i e l ' , i s no l o n g e r

c o n s o l a t i o n , b u t an a l r e a d y a n t i c i p a t e d 'peace'; i t does n o t appease 'Cerberus', t h a t complex symbol o f d i s c o r d and p a i n , b u t ' r e j o i c e s ' 'Himmlische'.

- 326 -

W i t h i n t h i s harmonious c l i m a x , t h e p o l i t i c a l (the and Peace o f L u n e v i l l e ) i s t h e 'sphere

1

event

o f 'the y e a r ' , wieder

'menschliche Freude', 'wie j e z t , wenn Liebende

s i c h f i n d e n ' , i s t h e sphere o f 'the house'. The

climax des

can be l o c a t e d n e i t h e r s o l e l y by c o n t e n t , i n 'Engel

J a h r e s ' , n o r s o l e l y by f o r m , i n 'Engel des HauBes', f o r r h y t h m i c a l l y t h e two ( s t r o p h i c ) spheres f o r m an u b l e p a r t w i t h i n t h e poem. Nor can one indissol-

say t h a t t h e c l i m a x since

i s complete harmony o f p o l i t i c a l and p r i v a t e l i f e ,

t h a t i s t o r e d i v i d e t h e spheres i n t o t h e c a t e g o r i e s o f r a t i o n a l t h i n k i n g , and so t o undo t h e p o e t ' s unifying

work. On t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e poem w i t h i t s f i v e , spheres y i e l d s , through the pervading i d e n t i t y of rhythmic a s e r i e s o f enclosed w o r l d s o f p o t e n t i a l l y i n f i n i t e r e p r o d u c t i o n , each o f w h i c h i s s t r e t c h e d open, by t h e f o r m l e s s tendency, structure, self-

ex-tended, ful-

and r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f , t o differs

f i l l e d f o r m : r e t u r n s home. T h i s process

radically

from t h e e a r l i e r e l e g i e s , i n which t h e s t r e t c h i n g - o p e n o f f o r m was now a s i n g l e process e x t e n d i n g over t h e whole poem; strophe

t h e s t r o p h i c b a r r i e r has moved back i n t o t h e

i t s e l f , l e a v i n g , t h r o u g h t h e premature r e l e a s e o f t e n s i o n , a pure p o e t i c space from which movement and change p o e t i c time have been e l i m i n a t e d . The strophe

itself

i s no l o n g e r h e l d w i t h i n movement. The the

r h y t h m i c dynamic,

' a r c ' , has moved f r o m t h e s t r o p h e as a p o t e n t i a l l y constitution, 'des

open u n i t w i t h i n t h e poem t o i t s i n t e r n a l of which t h e poem i s t h e 'pure'

(extended) m i r r o r :

F r i e d e n s Bogen'. F i v e microcosmic spheres,

each s e l f -

s u f f i c i e n t , each a ' H e i m k u n f t ' , so t h a t t h e purpose o f

- 327 -

t h e poem i s a l r e a d y c o n t a i n e d , r e a l i s e d , i n each: t h e t h r e e - f o l d form ( s t r o p h e , f i r s t h a l f , poem) o f i d y l l i c 'Ein-falt'. Thus t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t i s s e t a p a r t as an u l t i m a t e e x p r e s s i o n o f peace, a 'peace' c o n s i s t i n g i n t h e d e f i n i t i v e s e p a r a t i o n o f p o e t r y from t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d ; ' d i e anderen' ( w h i c h can r e f e r b o t h t o 'Sorgen' and 'Sanger': t h e ' s i n g e r ' as opposed t o ' o t h e r s ' ) j o i n s w i t h t h e abs o l u t e f i n a l i t y o f ' n i c h t ' , t h e l a s t word. The t e c h n i q u e i s t h e same as w i t h ' A l l e s s c h e i n t verwandt' , t h e s p e c i f i c 'Sorge' (1.105) b e i n g g e n e r a l i s e d i n t o u n i v e r s a l s t a t e m e n t . But t h e r e b y t h e s t a t e m e n t o f t o t a l harmony has been rhythm-

i c a l l y s u b o r d i n a t e d t o t h a t o f t h e a n t i t h e s i s between t h e p o e t i c and t h e r e a l w o r l d : A l l i s One w i t h i n t h e f o r m e r . Thus t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t i s enabled t o e p i t o m i s e t h e whole

poem and i t s i d e a o f a r t ; t h e e l e g i a c c o u p l e t , t y p e o f e n c l o s u r e , has become t h e c l e a r v e s s e l , t h e c o n t e m p l a t i v e m i r r o r o f t h e D i v i n e : a symbol o f t h e s o u l . The p e r f e c t i o n o f a n t i p h o n a l response l e n d s t o 'Heim-

k u n f t ' , which d i v i d e s i n t o two and n o t t h r e e , a pure harmony unmatched by t h e o t h e r e l e g i e s ; t h i s i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e t r i a d i c f o r m now serves t o c o n s t i t u t e a d u a l i s t i c cosm: micro-

'Das Schb'ne' and 'das Erhabene'

The

d u a l i s m c a t e g o r i s e d by Kant i n t h e K r i t i k d e r

U r t e i l s k r a f t i s touched upon by H o l d e r l i n i n t h e l e t t e r t o h i s s i s t e r f r o m H a u p t w i l : 'Die groBe N a t u r i n d i e s e n

- 328

Gegenden e r h e b t und b e f r i e d i g e t meine Seele wunderbar' (B228, 17f-) The whole poem i s a d e s c e n t , u n f o l d i n g i n stages ( s p h e r e s ) which a r e , however, o f i d e n t i c a l structure,

from t h e A l p i n e heavens, ' d i e groBe Natur' , t o Swabian e a r t h . ^ But t h e descent by t h e 'pure p o e t i c s p i r i t ' is

a l s o , i n d i r e c t a n a l o g y , t h a t by 'der r e i n e s e e l i g e G o t t ' : the A b s o l u t e S p i r i t who, i n t h a t h i s tendency t o f o r m l e s s ( ' R e i n h e i t ' , S e e l i g k e i t ' ) takes form w i t h i n
1

infinity

and

t h r o u g h t h e poem, t a k e s t h e f o r m , shape, o f ' s p i r i t s ' ; (literally) 'above' a l l as t h e A l p i n e sky ('der Hohe', i n

t h i s s e n s e ) , b u t a l s o as t h e i n f i n i t e l y - s t r e a m i n g R i v e r spirit.T h i s i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e a d d i t i o n o f t h e JudaeoC h r i s t i a n p e r s o n a l God final t o t h e ' r a t i o n a l mythology'. I n the God, little (and

strophe the t r a d i t i o n a l C h r i s t i a n h i e r a r c h y

a n g e l s , mankind (Psalms 8. 5: 'Thou h a s t made him a lower than the angels') emerges i n c l e a r o u t l i n e

C h r i s t i a n o f f i c e s are added f o r good measure, 11.97-98). Not t o name 'der Hohe' i s t o d e f i n e 'him' as t h e A l l : 'an

s i c h , k e i n I c h ' ; y e t , having the a t t r i b u t e s of a personal god, the 'he' world. Far f r o m b e i n g a r e g r e s s i o n t o C h r i s t i a n i t y , this i s simultaneously a subject, acting, entering

step r e p r e s e n t s the u l t i m a t e i n the polemics of l o v e : the metaphysical a p p r o p r i a t i o n of C h r i s t i a n f e e l i n g t o the r e l i g i o n o f Nature. For t h e a c t i v e p r i n c i p l e , t h e s u b j e c t , i s i d e n t i f i e d w i t h the sublime i n Nature; i n the of intensity

p e r c e p t i o n ( t h e 'Staunen' o f 'Unter den A l p e n gesungen' O f f e n e ' ) and t h e I n f i n i t e ('das'

and B228, 22) t h e sky ('das

- 329 -

O f f e n e ' ) become one; t h e a f f e c t e d senses a r e t o u c h e d by God. And as t h e poet t a k e s t h e p a s s i v e r o l e o f p e r c e p t i o n , 'Hingabe' and 'Eigenmacht', t h e c o n s t i t u e n t s o f t h e p o e t ' s pure w o r l d , pass t o t h e d i v i n e S u b j e c t , zuglich Einiges ... ' ) . t h e Hen ( ' e i n v o r -

N a t u r e , t h e o b j e c t o f l o v e , has s p l i t i n t o two w i t h i n the pure p o e t i c w o r l d . The a n t i t h e s i s t o 'das Offene' i s enclosure, the responding feminine principle, 'das Harmon-

i s c h e n t g e g e n g e s e z t e ' ; as t h e i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l o f t h e S p i r i t e n t e r s t h e f i n i t e w o r l d and becomes f r u i t f u l , so Nature bears f r u i t , h e r s e l f takes form, 'Wohlgestalt'.

H o l d e r l i n w i l l have seen t h i s as s e r v i c e t o a d i v i n i t y he had p r e v i o u s l y i g n o r e d : 'Wir haben g e d i e n e t d e r M u t t e r ('Patmos', silent'

E r d ' / Und haben j i i n g s t dem S o n n e n l i c h t e g e d i e n t ' 11.220-21). I n t h i s sense t h e p o e t has ' l o n g k e p t

about h i m ; she, N a t u r e , has been t h e d i v i n e o b j e c t o f l o v e . Now each 'sphere' c o n t a i n s All): t h e t o t a l i t y o f Nature ( t h e of) the I n f i n i t e i n h i s

'das Erhabene', ( e x - p r e s s i o n

c o n t r o l l e d l o s s o f s e l f t o t h e f i n i t e w o r l d ; and 'das Schone', t h e f r u i t , a t once formed and f o r m - g i v i n g . The s t r o p h i c 'sphere' had been t h a t o f t h e p u r i f i e d a c t , 'Hingabe' governed by 'Eigenmacht', 'Bestimmung' i t s e l f f r e e f r o m 'Bestimmung'. The w i l l i s i r r a t i o n a l , i m p l i c a t i n g i n t h e chaos o f p h y s i c a l i t y ; i n t h a t t h i s a c t does n o t p r i m a r i l y r e l a t e t o an o b j e c t ( p e r s o n , b u t t o t h e s e l f , t h e s u b j e c t , i t has r a t i o n a l , b a s i s , and i s a l s o e l e v a t e d beyond p h y s i c a l and onto a m y t h i c a l p l a n e . thing), 'calculable',

mediocrity

The sphere r e f l e c t s a ' r a t i o n a l

m y t h o l o g y ' , an i d e a l i s a t i o n , o f a c t i o n : ' T a t i g k e i t ' become

- 330

'die Tat'. The s i n g l e a r c of d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s i t y c a r r i e d t h e

d e f e c t i n t h e p o e t i c p r o c e s s : the r e l a t i o n s h i p o f language ( ' r e f l e c t i o n ' , c o n s c i o u s n e s s ) t o the o b j e c t of t h e poem's s e a r c h ('Seyn', i n f i n i t y ) . That was the subject-object Nature.

r e l a t i o n s h i p , t h e a r c h e t y p a l s p l i t between s e l f and

I n t h a t a b s o l u t e u n i o n i s t h e h i g h e s t good ( t h e I d e a l ) , l o v e i s t h e h i g h e s t r e l a t i o n s h i p ( t h a t i s , d e f e c t i v e mode o f ' b e i n g ' ; r e l a t i o n s h i p presupposes d u a l i t y ) and the

c o n s c i o u s mind's e q u i v a l e n t t o ' S e e l i g k e i t ' , t h e i d e a l o f c h i l d h o o d , i s death. Despite i t s s u p e r f i c i a l resemblance

t o c l a s s i c a l p o e t r y , p o e t i c form t h e r e f o r e had t h e a p r i o r i negative f u n c t i o n o f l i m i t a t i o n ; r e p r e s e n t i n g and the enacting ' Zuriikthe

t h e a r c h e t y p a l burden o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , i t was

schreken' o f a l i m i t a t i o n on d e a t h , h o l d i n g the s e l f on b r i n k o f t h e Empedoklean abyss. Death e x i s t e d as l o v e , and l o v e as d e a t h , w i t h i n the the the

pure p o e t i c sphere of l o s t d i v i n i t y (memory); and succeeded by and through t h i s aesthetic c r i t e r i o n : The

poetry

i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f l o v e and death. a t i n g , ' i n t e n s i t y ' was i s n o t any

'measure' o f ,

gener-

t h e r e f o r e t h e p a i n o f l o s s ; and i t v a l u e , b u t t h i s acceptance

s o c i a l l y acceptable

o f t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , t h e p o e t ' s t a k i n g upon h i m s e l f of otherness, apartness, i s o l a t i o n , t h a t was the n e c e s s a r y The but suffer-

concomitant, s i g n , of p o e t i c i n t e g r i t y , s i n c e r i t y . poetry's success was, not i n c i d e n t a l l y , p a r t i a l l y ,

d i r e c t l y and u n e q u i v o c a l l y dependent upon p e r s o n a l

i n g , which t h e n i s j u s t i f i e d i n the t r a n s p o s e d 'myth' o f C h r i s t , ' H a l b g o t t ' , a u s L i c h t und Nacht geboren'.

1

- 331 -

Thus t h e poem had

the f o r m o f remembered l o v e and,

as

a l o g i c a l consequence, of a s i m u l t a n e o u s s t r i v i n g f o r l i b e r a t i o n from e n c l o s u r e , f o r communication; o n l y i n gain i t s v i n d i c a t i n g

r e t r o s p e c t d i d the p e r f e c t strophe t r u t h and harmony. But a regressive Now que' a c t of

t h e r e w i t h t h e p o e t i c p r o c e s s became

self-enclosure. regressive 'techni'hymnic'

the process o f l i b e r a t i o n and

o f d i m i n i s h i n g i n t e n s i t y have f a l l e n away. The

s t y l e o f 'Heimkunft' ( c f . 2.625, 28-32) has been shown t o express e s s e n t i a l aspects o f H b l d e r l i n ' s hymnic p o e t r y : t h e a e s t h e t i c s t a b i l i t y o f t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m ; t h e presence ( ' near'-ness: 'Patmos' , 1.1) of the Divine. passed

I n t h a t t h e ( i d e a l i s e d ) a c t o f communication has

i n t o t h e s t r o p h i c sphere i t s e l f , t h e p o e t i c process i s no l o n g e r a s e a r c h f o r r e l a t i o n s h i p , and t h e r e w i t h the enworld so i n

c l o s e d p o e t i c w o r l d no l o n g e r presupposes an o u t s i d e i n i m i c a l t o i t s e l f , but recreates harmonious a n t i t h e s i s t o , i t s e l f . i s t h e open exposed poetic itself w i t h i n , and

T h i s a n t i t h e t i c a l mode world. Nature,

Thus i t i s no l o n g e r t h e p o e t i c s e l f t h a t e n t e r s

b u t Nature t h a t e n t e r s t h e s e l f , breaks down and t e a r s open i t s b a r r i e r s and defences. 'Hingabe' and 'Eigenmacht',

a c t i o n as l o v e , are now a p p e a r s , as f o r m l e s s

d i v i n e a c t s whereby t h e A b s o l u t e expression

w i l l . T h i s Nature i s an

o f m a s c u l i n e ( e n t e r i n g , p e n e t r a t i n g ) w i l l ; and what i s left, t h e pure p o e t i c space, i s i d y l l i c because i t i s r e as the

l e a s e , freedom, f r o m t h e purpose o f a n o t h e r , And

S p i r i t w i t h d r a w s , so t h e poem, l i k e Semele ' g o t t l i c h g e troffen', 'Unendlichem bekannt' ('known', i n t h i s d o u b l e

- 332 -

s e n s e ) , 'bears f r u i t '

( W i e wenn am F e i e r t a g e ...

',

s i x t h s t r o p h e ) . For t h e p o e t , as p a r a d i g m a t i c consciousness,

finite as

t a k e s t h e p a s s i v e r o l e o f E a r t h , and

E a r t h i s shaped by and so g i v e s form t o Heaven, so t h e p o e t i s shaped by, and g i v e s t h e form o f consciousness the ('in i t s e l f ) to,

w o r d - l e s s Absolute,, which g a i n s m y t h i c a l as t h e A l p i n e

f o r m : 'der r e i n e s e e l i g e G o t t ' i s mediated

heavens. The poem i s no l o n g e r a search because i t i s actual relationship. two:

Thus t h e p o e t i c w o r l d d i v i d e s w i t h Nature i n t o surrender to the w i l l

o f a n o t h e r , ' E n t f i i h r e n ' , movement;

and r e l e a s e d p e r c e p t i o n , t h e b e a u t y o f r e s t : t h e spheres of ing t h e r i v e t e d and t h e r e s t i n g eye. The p o e t i c s o u l , and t h e r e b y g i v i n g f o r m , becomes, i n an open-ness i n these very l a t e l i n e s , 'das accept-

w o n d e r f u l l y expressed Schone' :

... o mein Herz w i r d U n t r i i g b a r e r K r y s t a l l an dem Das L i c h t s i c h p r i i f et . . . " ( 2 . 2 5 1 , 35-37)

The

e l e g i a c s t r o p h e , the form of l o s s of s e l f , r e -

c r e a t e d t h e pure s u b j e c t - o b j e c t r e l a t i o n s h i p ; t h e p o e t , s t a n d i n g as 'der G e l i e b t e v o r der G e l i e b t e n ' , was a t e l y a c t i v e , Nature p a s s i v e . Now ultim-

the r e v e r s a l of r o l e s structure

and t h e accompanying d i s s o l u t i o n o f t h e t r i a d i c

r e p r e s e n t a p a r a d i g m a t i c breaking-down o f t h e b a r r i e r s between gods and men: of ' f e a r ' ('Der a surrender of the d i v i d i n g f o u r t h s t r o p h e ) , now fences

Abschied',

yielded

333

up f o r t h e sake o f a h i g h e r t r u t h . The d i s s o l v i n g

trans-

i t i o n s are b o t h t h e r h y t h m i c s i g n o f t h e a c t i n g god i n his a e t h e r e a l l i g h t n e s s , t r a n s c e n d e n t a l p u r i t y , and t h e

e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e p o e t ' s l i g h t n e s s , r e c e p t i v i t y , f o r as the eye l o s e s i t s e l f i n t h e open i n f i n i t y o f t h e sky, s e l f

A A
1 0

i s surrendered. But t h e s u b j e c t - o b j e c t r e l a t i o n i s t h e D i v i n e ; 'das

G o t t l i c h e i s t i n d e r M i t t e von b e i d e n ' . As i t s pure memory, keit' it t h e e l e g i a c s t r o p h i c sphere remembers t h e ' S e e l i g o f c h i l d h o o d , mediated by t h e 'Hingabe' o f l o v e ;

arose o u t o f t h e lament f o r D i o t i m a as a search and

lament f o r i n f i n i t y . H S l d e r l i n w i l l have seen t h i s t r a n s i t i o n t o t h e hymnic mode as an a c t o f s e l f - p u r i f i c a t i o n from h u b r i s t i c 'titanic' a s p i r a t i o n . The hymnic form o f 'Heimkunft' ex-

p r e s s e s t h e 'peace' o f a r r i v a l a t a s t a b i l i s e d c o n c e p t i o n of the poet's r o l e . I n rhythmic terms, t h i s stability poet has

expresses i t s e l f i n t h e r e c u r r i n g a c t o f l o v e . The has detached h i m s e l f from h u b r i s t i c w i s h ; i n f i n i t y become t h e I n f i n i t e . of t h e metaphysics W i t h t h i s mythopoeic

objectivisation

of the i n d i v i d u a l , l o s s of d i v i n e

s t a t u s i s l e f t b e h i n d , t h e 'open' form becomes r e d u n d a n t . But we, i f we are o u r s e l v e s t o be s i n c e r e and do self-

j u s t i c e t o H o l d e r l i n ' s p o e t r y , cannot accept t h i s

assessment, f o r i f we do we l o s e t h e d i m e n s i o n o f s u f f e r ing and w i t h i t t h e p o e t ' s p e r s o n a l achievement. By l i m p

paraphrases

such as ' s e r v i c e t o t h e D i v i n e ' we l o s e t h e

f e a r and p i t y o f a t r a g i c a c t . The l i m i t a t i o n o f t h e e l e g i a c 'open' f o r m , t h e

33<* -

d e f i c i e n c y i n r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the o u t s i d e w o r l d , a l s o t h e l i m i t a t i o n upon l o s s o f s e l f t o N a t u r e . The f u n c t i o n and purpose o f t h e i n t e l l e c t and w i l l was fore negative: t o s e t a l i m i t upon an a c t t h r o u g h

was sole therewhich t h e

p o e t i c s e l f , s o l i p s i s t i c , would indeed ' c o n t a i n a l l r e a l i t y ' , f o r the r e l a t i o n s h i p between s e l f and N a t u r e i s exclusive. P e r s o n i f i c a t i o n through the peopling o f t h e cosmos by ' r a t i o n a l mythology',

'gods', i s no mere ornament,

1

as f o r ' d i e s c h e i n h e i l i g e n D i c h t e r ; i n such a N a t u r e would once more c e n t r e about t h e But child.

universe,

l o s s o f s e l f works towards e l i m i n a t i o n o f the i n t e l l e c t . What t h e poem d e n i e d t h e strophe

controlling granted:

t h e memory of l o v e , p u r i f i e d not o n l y t o i d e a l i s e The not the

t h e b e l o v e d o b j e c t , b u t f o r t h e sake o f t h e s e l f .
1

h u b r i s o f F r a n k f u r t , d i v i n e S e e l i g k e i t ' , i s renounced merely f o r fear of i t s i n t e n s i t y ; thereby t h e a c t , and

a c t i n g s e l f , i s d i s s o c i a t e d f r o m needs and

d e s i r e s , those

h o s t a g e s t o p h y s i c a l d e a t h , f o r the sake o f i t s d i v i n e intensity and immortal youth. 'Ja! j a ! i c h b i n voraus-

b e z a h l t , i c h habe g e l e b t . Mehr Freude k o n n t ' e i n G o t t e r t r a g e n , aber i c h n i c h t ' ( H y p e r i o n , I , 113/^5f.)- A r t

i s t h e m i r r o r o f t h e a c t i n i t s beauty. I n t h a t the 'open' form i s d i s c a r d e d , i t is this princthe w i l l of

i p l e t h a t , w o r k i n g on, i s f i n a l l y c o n f i r m e d ; t h e p o e t i c s e l f , t h e s u b j e c t , i s . ( i n i t s own f i e d from the v e s t i g e o f p h y s i c a l need and psychological now t e r m s , f r o m m o t i v a t i o n . For

eyes) p u r i -

desire, i n the act of love purely

being t h a t of another, the poet i s h i m s e l f

'open', h i s a r t f r e e d from t h e remnant o f

'Bestimmung',

335

p h y s i c a l dependence; i t i s no l o n g e r a s u b l i m a t i o n t h a t b e t r a y s u n d e r l y i n g ' i n t e r e s t ' , b u t pure r e c e p t i v i t y . There-

w i t h t h e e l e g i a c c o n t r o l l i n g l i m i t , the p e r s p e c t i v e o f p a s t d i v i n i t y as measure of t h e p r e s e n t , i s gone. T h i s s t e p i s n o t a b d i c a t i o n o f a s p i r a t i o n ( u n l e s s one accepts

t h e f o r our c e n t u r y u n r e a l c r i t e r i o n of i n d i v i d u a l d i v i n e p o t e n t i a l ) , but t h e i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of m e t a p h y s i c a l There i s , t h e n , o b j e c t i v e l y s p e a k i n g , change. S i m i l a r l y , the r e v e r s a l of r o l e s i s o b j e c t i v e l y i l l u s i o n , as i s indeed i n d i c a t e d by i t s t h e o r e t i c a l c i p a t i o n i n t h e 'Grund zum Empedokles'. The the e l e g i a c form an antino d e c i s i o n of status.

n e g a t i v i t y of the

t h e search f o r r e l a t i o n s h i p and

c o m p l a i n t a t t h e p r o s a i c u n - d i v i n i t y o f 'day' ness) , each i m p l y i n g t h e o t h e r was

(conscious-

no more t h a n t h e

h o l d o f r e a l i t y ( p e r s p e c t i v e o f t i m e ) upon l o s s o f s e l f . For l o s s o f s e l f i s a l r e a d y s u r r e n d e r : t o be hinweggerissen', 'federleicht

'untergegangen i n ... Umarmungen' (Hyper-

i o n , I , 49/11, 61/6-16). As t h e a l r e a d y n e g a t i v e l y conceived search f o r r e a l i t y purpose.

f a l l s away, t h e poem i s l i b e r a t e d from extraneous

I n t e l l e c t and w i l l , which a r e i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e , are reduced t o t h e pure bounds of p e r c e p t i o n ; and p e r c e p t i o n , b e i n g a b s o l u t e l y f r e e d from discriminating

p u r p o s e , becomes u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d : t h e pure m i r r o r o f t h e A l l , f i r e d w i t h t h e i n t e n s i t y o f l o v e . Once a g a i n t h e u n i v e r s e , Nature, c e n t r e s about t h e c h i l d , and t h e shackles poem as

o f man's m a s t e r i n g h o l d are f i n a l l y d i s s o l v e d . The t h e sphere of pure r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h N a t u r e ,

of p e r c e p t i o n ,

336

is

t h e i d y l l i c w o r l d o f c h i l d h o o d s e c u r i t y i n t h e arms o f 11 Each sphere has r e c r e a t e d t h i s

1

the A l l .

'Ein-falt'.

The

world i s love; ist

I c h f i i h l es e n d l i c h , n u r i n ganzer K r a f t
1

ganze L i e b e

(B229, ^0). S u b l i m a t e d

i n t o pure c r e a t i v e

power, f r e e d from f i n i t e b l e m i s h , t h e l i b i d o , which was a t once t h e i s o l a t i n g r o o t o f a l l e v i l , o f f a l l from grace,

i n n o c e n c e , i n t o c o n s c i o u s n e s s , masculine w i l l , and t h e dynamic c r e a t i v e p o t e n t i a l o f a u n i v e r s e , has become a cosmic p r i n c i p l e . By t h e m e d i a t i o n o f Eros w i t h i n t h e c h i l d ' s p r o t e c t e d v/orld, t h e c o n f l i c t i s f i n a l l y harmoni s e d . But t h e s c h i z o p h r e n i c s e l f - d i v i s i o n , masculine and f e m i n i n e i n a s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t w o r l d , r e n d e r s t h i s newf o u n d s t a b i l i t y an i l l u s i o n . And i t seems, w i t h r e g a r d t o H o l d e r l i n ' s madness, t h a t a c h o i c e i s made; even as t h e poet looks a t t h e face of w i n t e r , t h e 'Lebensalter' o f t h e second ' H a l f t e des Lebens', t h e v/orld i n t e n s i f i e s ; t h e cup of Lethe i s t a k e n a g a i n and d r a i n e d t o t h e d r e g s , and, f o r w h i l e , w i r schwelgen, w i r t o d t e n im Rausche d i e
1

a little Zeit :
1

' j e z t ewigen J i i n g l i n g e n a h n l i c h ' ( ' E r i e d e n s f e i e r ' ,

1.39).
The I r r a t i o n a l f i n d s r a t i o n a l , cosmic f o r m , b u t o n l y

as numen o f p o t e n t i a l p a t h l e s s d e s t r u c t i o n and unmediated b u r n i n g presence. U n l i k e t h e autonomous e l e g i a c s t r o p h e , t h e hymnic b a r r i e r o f f o r m , d e m a r c a t i n g t h e sphere o f

E a r t h , appears w i t h such c l a r i t y because i t i s endangered; what i s e x p l i c i t i n t h e second and t h i r d s t r o p h e s (11.25-

?7, 39-^+0) i s i m p l i c i t t h r o u g h o u t i n t h e rhythm. I t l i m i t s

f o r m - d e s t r o y i n g f o r c e s . Thus here t o o t h e a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n o f t h e E l e g i e s i s s a t i s f i e d : t h e n e g a t i v e and t h e r e -

337 =

f o r e i n d i r e c t f u n c t i o n o f p o e t i c f o r m , a paradigm b u t n o t a communication, s e t t i n g t h e ' m o r t a l ' l i m i t upon t h e 'Seeligkeit' of surrender, upon t h e s e l f - e x p o s u r e o f a

v e n t u r e i n t o t h e Unknown. I t i s t h e c r i t e r i o n f a i l e d by 'Der Rhein'. I n so f a r as a e s t h e t i c v a l u e i s dependent upon t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s and t e n s i o n s form i s created, however, o u t o f which a r t i s t i c

i t i s 'Brod und Wein' t h a t r e -

p r e s e n t s t h e summit o f t h e e l e g i a c achievement. That o f the Hymns i s n o t reached t i l l 'Patmos' and 'Der E i n z i g e ' , absolute,

where, t h e autonomy o f t h e s t r o p h i c sphere now

t h e t r a n s i t i o n has become a c l e f t i n t h e work, r e q u i r i n g a communicating ' b r i d g e ' ; w h i c h t h e n t o o , i n t h e l a t e r v e r s i o n , crumbles. Here, l o v e , f r e e d f r o m m o r t a l o b j e c t , t h e i n t e n s i t y o f l o n g i n g , t h e p u r i t y o f i s o l a t i o n , o f w h i c h he asks 'ists

Seegen oder F l u c h ' (B230, 1 1 ) , t h e s e meet, and a r e conf r o n t e d by t h e snow-covered f a r above t h e w o r l d . peaks s h i n i n g i n t h e b l u e sky

338 -

NOTES

HJb I.

= Holderlin-Jahrbuch INTRODUCTION

1. 'Wir w o l l e n ... b e h a u p t e n , daB s e i n W i l l e z u r V o l l endung i n d e r G e s e t z m a B i g k e i t ... i h n z i e m l i c h e i n d e u t i g zum K l a s s i k e r s t e m p e l f ( L a w r e n c e J . Ryan, H f f l d e r l i n s L e h r e vom W e c h s e l d e r T3ne ( S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 6 0 ) , p . 3 6 3 ) . 2. An example o f t h e s e c o n d and more s t r i c t l y p o l i t i c a l M a r x i s t a p p r o a c h i s Hans-Wolf J a g e r ' s c o n t r i b u t i o n 'Zur P r a g e d e s " M y t h i s c h e n " b e i H S l d e r l i n * t o H o l d e r l i n ohne Mythos. e d . I n g r i d R i e d e l ( G B t t i n g e n , 1 9 7 3 ; , p p . 8 1 - 9 0 . 'Das m e h r - a l s - b l o B P o l i t i s c h e " i s t f u r u n s n i c h t Grund z u groBerer Verehrung, sondern Anhalt fiir K r i t i k des i d e a l i s t i s c h e n ... R e v o l u t i o n s - o d e r Reformgedankens b e i H o l d e r l i n ... ' ( 8 9 ) . 3. The ' S t r e i t um d i e " F r i e d e n s f e i e r " ' h a s p r o v i d e d a n epitome of t h e f i r s t , t r a d i t i o n a l k i n d of H b l d e r l i n s c h o l a r s h i p . The a t t e m p t t o i d e n t i f y t h e ' P i i r s t d e s P e s t e s ' w i t h an a l l e g o r i c a l meaning t r e a t s t h e poem a s a n a l g e b r a i c f o r m u l a . I t i s r e b u k e d by P e t e r S z o n d i i n h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ' E r s e l b s t , d e r P i i r s t d e s P e s t s : D i e Hymne " F r i e d e n s f e i e r " ' ( P e t e r S z o n d i , H o l d e r l i n - S t u d i e n : M i t einem T r a k t a t i i b e r p h i l o l o K i s c h e E r k e n n t n i s , e d i t i o n suhrkanrp C F r a n k f u r t / Main, 1 9 7 0 ) , pp. 6 2 - 9 2 ) . ' D i e P r a g e "Wer i s t d e r P i i r s t d e s P e s t e s ? " war v o n A n f a n g a n f a l s c h g e s t e l l t ' ( 8 7 ) . k. S z o n d i 2 7 . H i s 'tfber p h i l o l o g i s c h e E r k e n n t n i s ' , w i t h i t s d i s t i n c t i o n between ' E r k e n n t n i s ' ( h e r e , ' l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m ' ) and ' W i s s e n s c h a f t ' ( s c i e n t i f i c k n o w l e d g e ) , i s d i r e c t e d i n the f i r s t place a g a i n s t t h e i n d i s c r i m i n a t e use of t e x t u a l p a r a l l e l s o u t o f c o n t e x t a s e v i d e n c e o f meaning, b u t h a s f a r w i d e r i m p l i c a t i o n s . Above a l l t h e p l e a , i n t e r m s o f D i l t h e y ' s 'hermeneutic c i r c l e ' , t h a t t h e r o l e of s u b j e c t i v i t y i n s t u d y o f t h e a r t s be acknowledged 'Nicht s e l t e n e r wecken h i s t o r i s c h e A r b e i t e n d e n A n s c h e i n , a l s w o l l e i h r V e r f a s s e r d e r i n t e n s i v e n Versenkung i n das e i n z e l n e Kunstwerk a u s dem Wege gehen, a l s s c h e u e e r d i e s e I n t i m i t a t ' ( 2 3 ) s u g g e s t s a p e c u l i a r d e f i c i e n c y i n most work on H S l d e r l i n . See a l s o D a v i d O o n s t a n t i n e , 'The Meaning o f a H o l d e r l i n Poem', O x f o r d German S t u d i e s , 9 ( 1 9 7 8 ) , p p . * f 5 - 6 7 : ' T h i s c o n c e n t r a t i n g ... on t h e d i f f i c u l t y r e n d e r s t h e poem l e s s demanding. P o r a l t h o u g h a poem may be v e r y demanding i n i t s d i f f i c u l t y t h o s e demands a r e l e s s t h e y t o u c h u s l e s s c l o s e l y t h a n t h e poem would i t s e l f . I t i s a way o f a v o i d i n g t h e poem ... ' ( * * 5 ) . 5. K a r l Marx, 'Zur K r i t i k d e r H e g e l s c h e n R e c h t s p h i l o s o p h i e ' ( K a r l Marx and P r i e d r i c h E n g e l s , Uber R e l i g i o n ( B e r l i n , 1 9 5 8 ) ) , pp.35-38.

339 -

6. F o r an a c c o u n t o f t h e i m p a c t made on t h e S t i f t i e r by Kant, see P a n a j o t i s K o n d y l i s , Die Entstehung d e r D i a l e k t i k : E i n e Analyse d e r g e i s t i g e n Entwicklung von H o l d e r l i n . S c h e l l i n g und H e g e l b i s "1802 ( . S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 7 9 ) , pp.163-83. R u d o l f Magenau's r e m i n i s c e n c e : 'Kannts P h i l o s o f i e machte d i e m e i s t e n K o p f e s c h w i n d e l n , und d i e C a n z e l w i e d e r t o n t e von Z e i t u . Raum, und d e r g l e i c h e n ' ( 7 i , 3 8 6 ) . 7. Werner B e c k e r , S e l b s t b e w u f i t s e i n und S p e k u l a t i o n : Z u r K r i t i k der Transzendentalphilosophie (Freiburg, 1972), p . 6 7 : 'der K a n t i s c h e F r e i h e i t s b e g r i f f ... s t e l l t s i c h i n G e s t a l t d e s uns innewohnenden i n t e l l i g i b l e n C h a r a k t e r s a l s das p o s i t i v e Analogon z u r Unbestimmbarkeit des t r a n s z e n d entalen SelbstbewuBtseins dar. F.A. L e a , A D e f e n c e o f P h i l o s o p h y (London, 1 9 6 2 ) s p e a k s o f t h e I d e a l i s t s i n h e r i t i n g 'the N e s s u s - s h i r t o f Newton* ( 6 6 ) ,
1

8. K o n d y l i s 1 9 2 : 'Die S p a l t u n g z w i s c h e n W i r k l i c h k e i t und I d e a l i s t a b e r g e r a d e z u d a s e i g e n t l i c h e L e b e n s t h e m a und -drama d e r d e u t s c h e n I n t e l l i g e n z im l e t z t e n D r i t t e l d e s 18. J a h r h . (man k o n n t e v i e l l e i c h t i h r g a n z e s g e i s t i g e s S c h a f f e n v o n d i e s e m S t a n d p u n k t a u s r e k o n s t r u i e r e n ) , und i n i h r e r H a l t u n g d e n r e v o l u t i o n a r e n E r e i g n i s s e n gegemiber s p i e l t s i c h n u r e i n A k t d e s s e l b e n ab. K o n d y l i s n e v e r t h e l e s s tends t o underestimate the s i g n i f i c a n c e both of the French R e v o l u t i o n and o f F i c h t e i n t h e development o f t h e I d e a l i s t i c t h o u g h t - s t r u c t u r e : a s i n g l e e r r o r . Compare t h e summary o f the poet's r e v o l u t i o n a r y r o l e German p a r a l l e l t o R o u s s e a u i n 'Der R h e i n ' by Guido S c h m i d l i n , '"Die P s y c h e u n t e r F r e u n d e n " : H o l d e r l i n s Gespr&ch m i t S c h e l l i n g ' , HJb, 19 -20 ( 1 9 7 5 - 7 7 ) , p p . 3 0 3 - 2 7 ( p p * 3 2 ^ f . ) . K o n d y l i s h i m s e l f ^ observes t h a t r e v o l u t i o n a r y w i l l i s transformed i n t o a s e a r c h t o p r e s e r v e an u n t a r n i s h e d i d e a l i n t h e f a c e o f t h e T e r r o r ( 1 9 2 f . ) , a p r o c e s s p r e s u p p o s i n g t h e a d a p t a t i o n and i n t r o v e r s i o n o f p r a c t i c a l i d e o l o g y from a b r o a d , w i t h t h e wish t o t r a n s c e n d the moral r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the ensuing c o n t r a d i c t i o n between freedom and e q u a l i t y . On t h e E u r o p e a n b a c k g r o u n d and t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f b o u r g e o i s r e v o l u t i o n a r y i d e o l o g y , s e e R e i n h a r d K i i h n l , Formen b u r g e r l i c h e r H e r r s c h a f t : L i b e r a l i s m u s F a s c h i s m u s ( R e i n b e k b e i Hamburg, 1 9 7 1 ) , pp. 9-69. 9. I n F i c h t e ' s ' d e c i s i v e ' ' p r a c t i c a l ' s o l u t i o n (quoted b e l o w , p . 5 3 ) , t h e 'etwa' u n d e r p l a y i n g t h e p h i l o s o p h e r ' s r o l e c o n t r a d i c t s h i s pre-eminent demonstrative f u n c t i o n . 10. F o r a c o n c i s e o u t l i n e of t h i s p r o c e s s , s e e t h e l a s t i n g s t u d y by Hans H. G e r t h , B u r g e r l i c h e I n t e l l i g e n z urn 1800: Zur S o z i o l o g i e d e s d e u t s c h e n F r u h l i b e r a l i s m u s , ed. U l r i c h Herrmann, K r i t i s c h e S t u d i e n z u r G e s c h i c h t s w i s s e n s c h a f t , 19 (Gbttingen, 1976). 1 1 . 'Fur d i e S t i f t i e r s t e h t n a t u r l i c h d i e F r e i h e i t a l s l e b e n d i g e Dynamik i i b e r a l l e m ' ( K o n d y l i s 181 ) | w h e r e a s f o r K a n t freedom means ' B e h e r r s c h u n g d e r K r a f t e d u r c h d i e V e r n u n f t ' , f o r h i s d i s c i p l e s i n Tubingen i t i s 'Entwicklung a l l e r K r a f t e ' , understood as the c o n d i t i o n f o r the d i v i n i t y

- 340 -

o f human n a t u r e ( 1 8 4 f . ) . T h i s ' p o s t u l a t e ' l e a v e s ' H e t e r o nomie', a l i e n a u t h o r i t y , a s i t s a n t i t h e s i s : p h y s i c a l dependency. 12. F o r t h e l a t e s t c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e d i s p u t e o v e r t h e f r a g m e n t ' s a u t h o r s h i p , s e e M i c h a e l F r a n z , ' H o l d e r l i n und d a s " i i l t e s t e Systemprogramm d e s d e u t s c h e n I d e a l i s m u s " ' , HJb, 19 -20 ( 1 9 7 5 - 7 7 ) , p p . 3 2 8 - 5 7 ; F r i e d r i c h S t r a c k , 'Nacht r a g zum "Systemprogramm" und z u H b l d e r l i n s P h i l o s o p h i c ' , HJb, 21 ( 1 9 7 8 / 7 9 ) , p p . 6 7 - 8 7 . B u t B e i B n e r ' s c o n c l u s i o n , t h e t r a d i t i o n a l v i e w , s t i l l seems t h e b e s t : 'Den i n H e g e l s H a n d s c h r i f t i i b e r l i e f e r t e n T e x t ... h a t S c h e l l i n g f o r m u l i e r t , i n hohem MaBe, zumal i n d e r K o n z e p t i o n d e r S c h o n h e i t s i d e e , von H d l d e r l i n a n g e r e g t . ' H e g e l ' s copy was made 'between J u n e and A u g u s t 1 7 9 6 ' , and t h e o r i g i n a l w i l l have a r i s e n out o f ( d u r i n g o r a f t e r ) S c h e l l i n g s t h r e e c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h H o l d e r l i n , i n summer and December 1 7 9 5 and A p r i l 1796 (4.425, 4-20).
r

1 3 . The i m p o r t a n t s t e p t a k e n by F i c h t e i n t u r n i n g t h e unknowability of self-consciousness as highest ( u n i v e r s a l ) p r i n c i p l e o f knowledge, a s d e m o n s t r a t e d by K a n t , i n t o a p o s i t i v e v a l u e i s c r i t i c i s e d a s i r r a t i o n a l by B e c k e r i n two c h a p t e r s ( 6 6 - 1 0 9 ) ' F i c h t e s " k o p e r n i k a n i s c h e Wendung" zu e i n e r I c h - M e t a p h y s i k ... g e l i n g t a l l e r d i n g s n u r um d e n P r e i s der metaphysischen V e r a b s o l u t i e r u n g des I c h , welche s i c h l e t z t l i c h nur a l s e i n e s p a t e Apotheose von D e s c a r t e s ' r e l i g i S s e m I n t e r e s s e an d e r Konzeption d e s r e i n e n S e l b s t b e w u B t s e i n s : [dem I n t e r e s s e ] a n d e r U n s t e r b l i c h k e i t d e r Seele, charakterisieren laBt' (85). 14. F o r a f u l l d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s f r a g m e n t i n i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o F i c h t e , s e e D i e t e r H e n r i c h , ' H S l d e r l i n iiber U r t e i l und S e i n : E i n e S t u d i e z u r E n t w i c k l u n g s g e s c h i c h t e d e s I d e a l i s m u s ' , HJb, 14 ( 1 9 6 5 / 6 6 ) , pp. 73 -96. H o l d e r l i n i s u s i n g K a n t i a n c a t e g o r i e s t o l i m i t t h e power o f p h i l o s o p h y i t s e l f ; t h e r e b y ' I c h b i n I c h ' becomes p a r a d i g m a t i c 'Trennung' ( 7 9 ) . The i n h e r e n t t e n d e n c y , w h i c h must be p r e s e r v e d , t o h y p o s t a s i s i n t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c a t e g o r i e s makes a r e n d e r i n g h e r e o f 'Seyn', i n t o E n g l i s h i m p o s s i b l e e x c e p t a t t h e b e ginning of sentences. 1 5 . On t h e s y m b o l i c meaning o f H y p e r - i o n ' s name, s e e t h e e s s a y ' H o l d e r l i n s Namenssymbolik', i n Wolfgang B i n d e r , H S l d e r l i n - A u f s a t z e ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1 9 7 0 ) , pp. 13 ^-260 ( p p . 1 8 0 - 9 2 ) . A s 'Nahmensbruder' o f A p o l l o - H e l i o s , he ' p a s s e s o v e r ' , and t h u s b o t h ' l o o k s upon a whole' and p e r f o r m s a n ' e x z e n t r i s c h e Bahn'. 16. '0 k o n n t ' i c h d i c h s e h n i n d e i n e r k u n f t i g e n S c h S n e ! ' , D i o t i m a , about t o d i e , w r i t e s t o H y p e r i o n ( I I , 1 0 4 / 1 4 ) . T h i s n a r c i s s i s t i c element i s examined i n t h e F r e u d i a n s t u d y by J e a n L a p l a n c h e , H H l d e r l i n und d i e Suche n a c h dem V a t e r , t r a n s . K a r l Heinz Schmitz ( S t u t t g a r t - B a d Cannstatt, 1 ^ 7 5 ) ; s e e e s p e c i a l l y t h e c h a p t e r 'Die d u a l e n D i a l e k t i k e n d e s "Hyperion"' ( p p . 7 7 - 9 9 ) . I t tends t o pass unnoticed because,

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l i k e s e l f - p i t y , i t i s f o r t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y by no means c u l t u r a l t a b o o . However, L a p l a n c h e o f t e n i n f e r s t r a u m a t i c e v e n t s i n t h e u n c o n s c i o u s from what a r e r e a l l y e x a g g e r a t e d b u t commonplace t o p o i , s u c h a s t h e p u r i t y o f t h e b e l o v e d , the l o v e r ' s sense of u n w o r t h i n e s s ; t h e s e r e f l e c t r a t h e r t h e p e r p e t u a l d e s i r e t o e l e v a t e and i n t e n s i f y exp e r i e n c e beyond t h e measure o f d a i l y l i f e and i n a p e r f e c t world. To t h i s d e s i r e t h e p o s i t i o n o f H o f m e i s t e r l e n t i t s e l f i d e a l l y . 'Das Engagement ... w i r k t e dari"n~"ahnlich d e r L i e b e des Troubadour i n der Richtung einer E r l e b n i s t i e f e , von d e r h e r d i e G e l i e b t e a u B e r a l l t a g l i c h und tiberhoht empfunden wurde. ... w i r konnen i n diesem V e r n a l t n i s z u r s o z i a l h d h e r s t e h e n d e n , den a l l t f i g l i c h e n F u n k t i o n e n e n t hobenen Dame e i n e n d e r F a k t o r e n s e h e n , d i e z u r H e r a u s l o s u n g d e s E r o t i s c h e n aus dem a l l t a g l i c h e n Lebenszusammenhang a l s e i n e r ihm enthobenen S p h a r e f u h r t e n ' ( G e r t h 5 6 f . ) . 1 7 . F o r a f u l l and p e r c e p t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n o f H y p e r i o n , s e e F r i e d b e r t A s p e t s b e r g e r , W e l t e i n h e i t und e p i s c h e G e s t a l t u n g : H 3 1 d e r l i n s ' H y p e r i o n ' (Munich, 1 9 7 1 ) * H y p e r i o n ' s s p e e c h a t Athens i s the ' a x l e ' of the n o v e l ( 4 4 ) , a c e n t r a l statement of t h e I d e a l o f b e a u t y w h i c h i s , however, a s pure i d e a m e r e l y t h e o r e t i c a l ; by t h e end H y p e r i o n h a s won 'was e r n i c h t e n t w a r f , n a m l i c h d i e V e r m i t t l u n g von I d e a l und W i r k l i c h k e i t i n d e r G e s c h i c h t e ' . 'Auflosung des E n t w u r f s i n d i e Z e i t ... im E r z i e h e r b e r u f ' ( 6 8 - 7 0 ) . The r e l a t i o n s h i p o f n a r r a t i n g to n a r r a t e d ' I ' i s i t s e l f r e l a t e d to the c e n t r a l c o n c e p t i o n of a r t a s m i r r o r o f t h e ' s c h d n e r Mensch ( 8 5 ) . I n t h e s e a e s t h e t i c s I f i n d , i f not i n f l u e n c e , t h e n a p o w e r f u l s p i r i t u a l a f f i n i t y t o Winckelmann: i n t h e v i e w t h a t a r t d e p i c t s man i n h i s h i g h e s t p o t e n t i a l , a d i v i n e l y e t e r n a l peace and c a l m o f w h i c h a l l e v e n t s a r e t h e s u b o r d i n a t e d s i g n , i n t h e u n d e r l y i n g s e n s e t h a t a c t i o n and emotion a r e v o l u n t a r y movement r a t h e r t h a n r e s p o n s e f o r c e d by c i r c u m s t a n c e s , and so ( l i k e e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y d a n c e s ) g r a c e f u l , b e a u t i f u l , e x p r e s s i n g a condescension to p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e w o r l d . L i k e Winckelmann's A p o l l o , H y p e r i o n h a s h i s d e e d s b e h i n d him (compare t h e fragment 'An K a l l i a s ' , 4 . 2 1 8 f . , w i t h i t s e c s t a t i c e x c l a m a t i o n 'Und nun d i e S i e g e s f r e u d e n a c h dem u n g e h e u r e n W a g e s t u k ! ) ; and Winckelmann's 'So w i e d i e T i e f e d e s Meeres a l l e z e i t r u h i g b l e i b e t , d i e O b e r f l a c h e mag noch so wtiten, ebenso z e i g e t d e r A u s d r u c k i n den F i g u r e n d e r G r i e c h e n b e i a l i e n L e i d e n s c h a f t e n e i n e groBe und g e s e t z t e S e e l e ' (Winckelmann, S a m t l i c h e Werke, ed. J o s e p h E i s e l e i n , 12 v o l s ( D o n a u e s c h i n g e n , 1 8 2 5 - 2 9 ) , I , 3 0 f . ) would be f a r more a p p r o p r i a t e f o r H y p e r i o n t h a n L a o koon; a f t e r r e p r o d u c i n g t h e l e t t e r b r i n g i n g news o f D i o t i m a ' s d e a t h , he w r i t e s t o B e l l a r m i n : ' B e s t e r ! i c h b i n r u h i g , denn i c h w i l l n i c h t s b e s s e r s haben, a l s d i e G o t t e r . MuB n i c h t a l l e s l e i d e n ? Und j e t r e f l i c h e r e s i s t , ,je t i e f e r ! ' ( I I , 1 0 6 / 1 3 f ) The u n d e r g r a d u a t e d i s s e r t a t i o n on Greek c u l t u r e , h e a v i l y i n f l u e n c e d by Winckelmann, a l r e a d y c o n t a i n s t h e e s s e n t i a l 'Wechsel d e r Tone' ( 4 . 1 9 9 * 1 3 - 1 6 ) . See t h e a r t i c l e by B e r n h a r d B o s c h e n s t e i n , 'Winckelmann, Goethe und H o l d e r l i n a l s D e u t e r a n t i k e r P l a s t i k ' , HJb, 15 ( 1 9 6 7 / 6 8 ) , p p . 1 5 8 - 7 9 , who, however, seems not t o f e e l t h i s a f f i n i t y . The 'dream
1 1

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o f e t e r n a l r e c u r r e n c e * and 'Ausdruck' c o n n e c t i n g t h e pure s o u l t o l i f e ( B o s c h e n s t e i n 161, 163) a r e key and c l o s e l y r e l a t e d m o t i f s i n my t h e s i s . Of. A s p e t s b e r g e r 1 7 1 : ' I n dem S i c h - G e g e n u b e r s t e l l e n im E r z a h l e n e r s c h e i n t am L e b e n des E r z a h l e n d e n s e l b s t d a s ( s c h o n e ) S e i n a l s d a u e r n d e r Wert und a l s E i n h e i t i i b e r a l l e z e i t l i c h e B e d r a n g n i s und a l l e s S c h i c k s a l hinweg ... '. The c h a o s of t i m e r e a p p e a r s , o r d e r e d , a s ' l o c k s ' t o t h e h e a d , an ornament of t h e ' s p i r i t ' . 18. F o r t h e s y m b o l i c r e f e r e n c e s t o a r t i s t i c c r e a t i o n a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f V o l . 1 , Book i i , s e e A s p e t s b e r g e r 212-14. S i n c e H y p e r i o n i s becoming an a r t i s t i n t h e c o u r s e o f h i s l e t t e r s to B e l l a r m i n , i t i s h i s s p i r i t u a l progress which i s i n v o l v e d ; a t t h e b e g i n n i n g he had ' n i c h t s , wovon i c h s a g e n mochte, es s e y mein e i g e n ' . T h e s e and o t h e r s t r u c t u r a l moments (comp a r e t h e e n d i n g of V o l . 1 , Book i w i t h t h a t of t h e whole n o v e l ) show t h a t H b l d e r l i n d i d a t l e a s t i n t e n d t h e n a r r a t i n g H y p e r i o n too t o t r a v e r s e an ' e x z e n t r i s c h e Bahn*, w h i c h A s p e t s b e r g e r 3 2 2 - 2 7 , a g a i n s t L a w r e n c e Ryan, H o l d e r l i n s ' H y p e r i o n ' : E x z e n t r i s c h e Bahn und D i c h t e r b e r u f ( S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 6 5 ) , p p . 2 2 3 - 2 7 , d e n i e s . The d i s p u t e seems, however, t o d e r i v e from an o v e r - r i g i d a p p l i c a t i o n o f n o v e l i s t i c c r i t e r i a . ^ H y p e r i o n t i m e i s a l w a y s p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y c o n c e i v e d , so t h a t t h e gap between p a s t and p r e s e n t , t h e f i c t i o n a l b a s i s , i s o v e r b o r n e by t h e s t y l i s t i c u n i t y o f t h e * e l e g i s c h e r Karakter' ( I , 4/2).
n

1 9 . The s y m b o l i c i n t e r c h a n g e a b i l i t y o f ' l e b e n ' and ' l i e b e n ' ( a theme o f t h e G o e t h e z e i t ) i s d i s c u s s e d by R o l f Z u b e r b i i h l e r , H o l d e r l i n s Erneuerung der Sprache aus i h r e n etymologischen U r s p r i i n g e n ( B e r l i n , 1 9 6 8 ) , p p . 4 3 - 4 5 . See e s p . 'Per g u t e Glaube'C1.252). 20. Beyond t h e Sturm und Drang c e l e b r a t i o n of y o u t h f u l v i g o u r , H o i d e r 1 i n ' s u s e o f t h e word ' K r a f t e ' o f t e n j u s t i f i e s a F r e u d i a n s i g n i f i c a n c e : s e x u a l e n e r g y , and f e a r o f i t s p o s s i b l e e x h a u s t i o n . See L a p l a n c h e 44-46. 21. 'Die E r f a s s u n g d e r E i n h e i t kann a u c h a u f d e r S t u f e e i n e r r e l a t i v e n E i n h e i t , wie d e r d e r L i e b e , e r f o l g e n ; d i e w i r k l i c h e , hbchste E i n h e i t d a r f aber n i c h t s auBer s i c h l a s s e n , s i e kann p e r d e f i n i t i o n e m n u r a l l u m f a s s e n d s e i n ' ( K o n d y l i s 3 5 6 ) . ' H y p e r i o n h a t d i e E n t s a g u n g im L e b e n d i c h t e n d g e l e i s t e t , und s e i n e k i i n f t i g e D i c h t u n g w i r d n u r noch d a s e i n i g e , ewige, gliihende L e b e n " des A l l s b e s i n g e n ' ( B i n d e r (Aufsatze) 190). The L i c h t s t r a l ' , p r o c r e a t i v e 'Organ', a p p e a r s a t t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e b i r t h , o f b o t h 'Der R h e i n ' ( s e e B e r n h a r d B b ' s c h e n s t e i n , H b l d e r l i n s Rheinhymne, second e d i t i o n ( Z u r i c h , 1 9 6 8 ) , p.26) and 'Heimkunft'. The s t r u c t u r e of u n i v e r s a l s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s q u i c k e n e d w i t h e r o t i c m y s t i q u e and power; i n t h i s H y p e r i o n a n t i c i p a t e s H e g e l ' s Phanomenologie des G e i s t e s .
1

22. A s p e t s b e r g e r f i n d s t h a t b o t h t h e i n i t i a l and f i n a l v i s i o n s are r e p r e s e n t e d as d e f i c i e n t (103-46); the novel

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a s a whole e x p r e s s e s a c c e p t a n c e t h a t the t i m e l e s s , und i f f e r e n t i a t e d I d e a l ('Seyn', ' S c h o n h e i t ' ) h a s no meaning f o r human l i f e u n l e s s bound t o t h e a c t u a l e x p e r i e n c e s of an i n d i v i d u a l . I n t h i s way H y p e r i o n a c h i e v e s t h e t r a n s i t i o n from a p e r f e c t b u t d e s t r o y e d p a s t ( A t h e n s ) t o a c o n c r e t e f u t u r e t ' F a t h e r l a n d ' ) , and t h e A l l c e a s e s t o be t h e one s i d e of a s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n an i n d i v i d u a l and N a t u r e , and becomes t r u l y u n i v e r s a l , e m b r a c i n g s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l change ( 2 8 5 - 9 2 ) . But t h e c o n v e r s e a p p l i e s : s i n c e t h i s t r a n s i t i o n i s from t h e p u r e e t e r n i t y of t h e i d e a t o e v e n t s i n t i m e , t h e s e a r e a l w a y s measured by a s t a n d a r d t h e y i n e v i t a b l y f a l l s h o r t o f n o t by t h e i r s p e c i f i c ' h i s t o r i c a l ' c o n t e n t ; t h u s H y p e r i o n ' s 'development* a p p e a r s a s an ( a l b e i t n e c e s s a r y ) e r r o r , and, e q u a l l y , t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y w o r l d i s a t t a c k e d and r e j e c t e d not f o r r e m e d i a b l e f a i l i n g s , but f o r d e a l i n g i n t h e r e l a t i v e mode o f s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l i n t e r c o u r s e . H y p e r i o n ' s u l t i m a t e s t a t e m e n t i s a l a m e n t : why must t h e d i v i n e n a t u r e o f t h e s e l f be c o n t r a d i c t e d by t h e n a t u r e of human s o c i e t y ? Hence t h e c o n s i s t e n t l y n e g a t i v e c o n c e p t i o n , t h o r o u g h l y d e m o n s t r a t e d by A s p e t s b e r g e r h i m s e l f ( 1 4 8 - 6 4 , 1 7 3 - 9 7 ) , o f n a r r a t i o n and l a n g u a g e , w h i c h a r e i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h e need t o t h i n k , t o be c o n s c i o u s ; but l o g i c a l l y t h i s n e g a t i v i t y must a l s o a p p l y t o H y p e r i o n ' s ' m e d i a t i o n ' of t h e I d e a l . A more r e a l i s t i c a s s e s s m e n t i s a r r i v e d a t by G e r h a r t Mayer, ' H S l d e r l i n ' s " H y p e r i o n " ein friihromantischer Bildungsroman' (HJb, 19-20 ( 1 9 7 5 - 7 7 ) , pp.244-57: the a r t i s t ' s d e v e l o p m e n t i m p l i e s ' d i e zunehmende G e w i f i h e i t des Wesenszusammenhangs z w i s c h e n dem " t r a n s z e n d e n t a l e n " P o e t e n und dem a b s o l u t e n S e i n , d i e rait einem wachsenden A b s o l u t h e i t s a n s p r u c h des s u b j e k t i v e n W e l t e n t w u r f s v e r b u n d e n i s t . D a r a u s wiederum r e s u l t i e r t d i e zunehmende V e r i n n e r l i c h u n g und D i s t a n z i e r u n g gegemiber d e r g e s e l l s c h a f t l i c h e n Umwelt' ( 2 5 4 ) .
?

2 3 . The f u n d a m e n t a l i m p o r t a n c e of c h i l d h o o d i n H S l d e r l i n ' s W e l t a n s c h a u u n g i s r a r e l y more t h a n acknowledged by c r i t i c s . K o n d y l i s observes t h a t c h i l d h o o d i s ( f o r H o l d e r l i n ) the u l t i m a t e p o s s i b i l i t y of t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r e f l e c t i o n , ' E i n h e i t von I c h und W e l t ' ( 3 4 4 ) . J i i r g e n S o r i n g , D i e D i a l e k t i k d e r R e c h t f e r t i g u n g : Uberlegungen zu H o l d e r l i n s EmpedoklesFro.jekt ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1 9 7 3 ) , c o r r e c t l y notes t h a t the e x z e n t r i s c h e Bahn' p r e s u p p o s e s t h e f a v o u r e d p r i m a c y of t h e n a t u r a l s t a t e : 'Wir miiBten ... das B i l d u n g s i d e a l g l e i c h s a m a l s " d e r i v i e r t e s " I d e a l b e t r a c h t e n , das anges t r e b t werden muB, wenn d a s D a s e i n m i t dem n o t w e n d i g a u f t r e t e n d e n W i d e r s p r u c h f e r t i g werden w i l l ... Wir s i n d zu d e r Annahme v e r s u c h t , daB H o l d e r l i n im v o r l i e g e n d e n Zusammenhang s e i n e Neigung zu dem r e g r e s s i v e n N a t u r - I d e a l bekundet' ( 4 4 f . ) . G e r h a r d K u r z , M i t t e l b a r k e i t und Vere i n i g u n g : Zum V e r n a l t n i s von P o e s i e . R e f l e x i o n und R e v o l u t i o n b e i H o l d e r l i n ( S t u t t g a r t , 1975) a l s o s t r e s s e s the i m p o r t a n c e of c h i l d h o o d , but s e e s i t a s a metaphor c a r r y i n g a u t o p i a n v i s i o n of human p o t e n t i a l : 'Wie kaum e i n e r s e i n e r Z e i t g e n o s s e n h a t s i c h H S l d e r l i n d i e s e r u t o p i s c h e n Bedeutung des K i n d e s b e d i e n t ' ( 4 6 ) . The v e r y b r e v i t y o f t h e t r e a t m e n t i n H y p e r i o n c o n f i r m s
1

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t h e i d e a l n a t u r e o f c h i l d h o o d : 'von K i n d h e i t , U n s c h u l d haben w i r k e i n e B e g r i f f e ' ( I , 1 3 / 2 ) . 24. A s p e t s b e r g e r s t r e s s e s t h e c o n t r a r y , H y p e r i o n ' s i d e a l l y o r g a n i c d e v e l o p m e n t and t h e i d e a l o f B i l d u n g r e p r e s e n t e d by Adaraas. But Adamas i s r e m e d i a l r a t h e r t h a n f o r m a t i v e ' I c h war a u f g e w a c h s e n , wie e i n e Rebe ohne S t a b ... ' ( I , 18/14f.) and h i m s e l f an ' e l e g i a c c h a r a c t e r ' . 2 5 . T h i s e l e g i a c 'Grundton' l e a d s t o t h e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t any r a t i o n a l s o l u t i o n t o l i f e i s i n a d e q u a t e , a v i e w w h i c h l e d t o b a s i c d i s a g r e e m e n t between H S l d e r l i n and Hegel w h i l e t o g e t h e r i n F r a n k f u r t . See D i e t e r H e n r i c h , Hegel im K o n t e x t ( F r a n k f u r t , 1 9 7 5 ) , e s p . 2 4 - 2 9 , 3 5 - 3 9 : ' D i e s i s t ... H e g e l s e i g e n t i i m l i c h e r Gedanke: da d i e R e l a t a i n d e r E n t g e g e n s e t z u n g zwar a u s einem Ganzen v e r s t a n d e n werden miissen, daB d i e s e s Ganze i h n e n a b e r n i c h t v o r a u s g e h t a l s S e i n Oder a l s i n t e l l e k t u a l e Anschauung, s o n d e r n daB e s n u r d e r entwickelte B e g r i f f der R e l a t i o n s e l b e r i s t ' ( 3 6 ) . For Hegel p h i l o s o p h y i s adequate, indeed s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , t h r o u g h i n s i g h t i n t o i t s own i n s u f f i c i e n c y ; f o r H o l d e r l i n i t i s t h e s p h e r e o f t h e F i c h t e a n ' I c h ' ( H e g e l found H o l d e r l i n ' s thought s t i l l too ' f i c h t e a n i s c h ' : H e n r i c h 3 8 ) . 26. F o r t h i s compromise K o n d y l i s c o i n s t h e a p t p a r a d o x 'minimale E n d l i c h k e i t ' . 2 7 . ' I n [dem] Systemprogramm w i r d d i e I d e e d e r S c h b n h e i t zum A und 0 d e r P h i l o s o p h i e erhoben. F a B t man d i e s e I d e e i n i h r e r l o g i s c h - m e t h o d i s c h e n Bedeutung ... , dann bez e i c h n e t s i e d i e G r u n d k a t e g o r i e ... : d a s " H a r m o n i s c h entgegengesetzte"' (Michael Konrad, H o l d e r l i n s P h i l o s o p h i e im G r u n d r i B : A n a l y t i s c h - k r i t i s c h e r Kommentar zu H o l d e r l i n s A u f s a t z f r a g m e n t 'Uber d i e V e r f a h r u n g s w e i s e d e s p o e t i s c h e n G e i s t e s ' (Bonn. 1 9 6 7 ) . p.222. n . 7 ) . B u t t h e t v n e o f c o n f l i c t r e m a i n s what i t was f o r F i c h t e : t h a t b e t w e e n d i v i n e and m o r t a l s e l f . F u r t h e r m o r e , 'das H a r m o n i s c h e n t g e g e n g e s t z t e ' i s t h e ' i d e a ' n o t j u s t of b e a u t y , b u t of l o v e . 28. F o r t h e ' r e n e w a l * of t h e word ' R e ~ f l e x i o n ' by F i c h t e , s e e Z u b e r b u h l e r 30, 3 3 . The i n f i n i t e a c t i v i t y of t h e A b s o l u t e I i s ' t u r n e d back' by t h e 'AnstoB' o f m a t e r i a l i t y , r e l a t i v i t y , b u t , e q u a l l y , t h e u n i v e r s e t h e r e w i t h becomes t h e m i r r o r i n g s t a g e o f i t s c o s m i c p r o t a g o n i s t . See F i c h t e , Gesamtausgabe, ed. R e i n h a r d L a u t h and Hans J a c o b , Werke, 4 v o l s ( S t u t t g a r t - B a d C a n n s t a t t , 1 9 6 4 - 7 0 ) , I , i i , p.369, 14-18. 29. The w a l l s of D e n k e n d o r f and Maulbronn must have been a v e r y symbol of g r o w i n g up 'Da war i c h nun w i e d e r im K l o s t e r . E s war m i r noch n i e so eng ... ' ( B 2 3 , 256) and T u b i n g e n a gloomy c o n f i r m a t i o n : ' I n d e r S t u d i e r s t u b e n enge T u b i n g e n s g l i i h t d e r S t i f t l e r n a c h N a t u r und F r e i h e i t ' ( L o t h a r Kempter, H S l d e r l i n i n H a u p t w i l , s e c o n d e d i t i o n (Tubingen, 1 9 7 5 ) , p.53). 30. B o t h K u r z and A s p e t s b e r g e r s e e t h e e n d i n g a s a most

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p o s i t i v e a f f i r m a t i o n of future a c t i o n w i t h s o c i a l p o t e n t i a l : 'Der Roman v e r l a n g t nach s e i n e r F o r t s e t z u n g im f r e i e n s c h o p f e r i s c h e n H a n d e l n , d a s , von ihm a l l e r e r s t f r e i g e s e t z t , i h n z u g l e i c h i i b e r h o l t ' ( K u r z 16 *1); 'Mit d e r B r i e f f o r m und dem B r i e f p a r t n e r B e l l a r m i n s c h e i n t d e r i i b e r a l l e s b l o B I n d i v i d u e l l e am S c h i c k s a l H y p e r i o n s h i n a u s g e h e n d e A n s p r u c h s e i n e s A n l i e g e n s a n O f f e n t l i c h k e i t ganz k l a r d a r g e s t e l l t ' ( A s p e t s b e r g e r 2^kf.). The 'open' form i s r i g h t l y e m p h a s i s e d a g a i n s t Ryan's r e s i g n a t i v e view ('Hyperion'3. But A s p e t s b e r g e r ' s u n w i l l i n g n e s s t o go beyond an immanent r e c r e a t i o n o f H b l d e r l i n ' s i n t e n t i o n l e a v e s him w i t h u n t r e a t e d contrad i c t i o n s ; f o r e l s e w h e r e he c a n w r i t e : ' [ D i e ] E i n e n g u n g a l l e r L e b e n s b e r e i c h e a u f d i e K u n s t und d e r Ruckzug a u s d e r Welt i s t e r s t i n d e r e n d g u l t i g e n F a s s u n g i n d i e s e r Unbed i n g t h e i t d u r c h g e f i i h r t ' ( 2 9 6 ) ; 'Dariiber h i n a u s s c h e i n t s i e h t man von s e i n e r E i n s a m k e i t ab k e i n e hohere Harmonie von F r e u d e und L e i d m o g l i c h ' ( 3 3 9 ) ( o f H y p e r i o n ' s s i t u a t i o n a s he p r e p a r e s t o n a r r a t e o f D i o t i m a ) . 3 1 . S c h m i d l i n ( ' " P s y c h e " ' ) and ' H o l d e r l i n und S c h e l l i n g s P h i l o s o p h i e d e r M y t h o l o g i e und O f f e n b a r u n g ' , HJb, 1 7 ( 1 9 7 1 / 7 2 ) , pp. ^ 3 - 5 5 , f i n d s a nexus o f 'HalbgbTEer' P r o m e t h e u s , H e r a k l e s , C h r i s t bound t o g e t h e r by t h e k e y f i g u r e o f C h i r o n , t h e t u t o r - c e n t a u r who, ' z w i e g e s t a l t ' , s y m b o l i s e s t h e n a t u r e and r o l e o f t h e p o e t . The p o e t , by a c k n o w l e d g i n g ( i n t e r m s o f C h r i s t : t a k i n g upon h i m s e l f ) and t e a c h i n g man's d u a l n a t u r e , becomes h i g h e s t ' L e h r e r d e r M e n s c h h e i t ' ; s c i e n c e , ( v i o l e n t ) r e v o l u t i o n and r e a s o n a r e t h e s i n g l e e r r o r o f P r o m e t h e u s - H e r a k l e s , man's s t r i v i n g after infinity. 32. K l a u s - R i i d i g e r Wbhrmann, H o l d e r l i n s W i l l e z u r T r a g o d i e ( M u n i c h , 1 9 6 7 ) , p.64: H b l d e r l i n r e j e c t e d ' d i e s t u r - m a n n l i c h e V e r n u n f t d e s S i t t e n g e s e t z e s ' . Through t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f ' p r a c t i c a l r e a s o n ' ' w i l l ' and 'becoming a man' a r e i d e n t i f i e d : 'Unter r a s t l o s e r T h a t i g k e i t r e i f t man zum Manne, u n t e r dem B e s t r e b e n , a u s P f l i c h t z u h a n d e l n ... ' ( B 8 6 , 7 f ; c f . B88, 6 8 - 7 1 ) . 33 From 'Ober n a i v e und s e n t i m e n t a l i s c h e D i c h t u n g ' ; t h e image, and t h e w a r n i n g i t c a r r i e s , a p p e a r s , s t r i k i n g l y , t w i c e : S c h i l l e r , Werke, N a t i o n a l a u s g a b e , XX, i , ed. Benno von Wiese (Weimar, 1 ^ 2 ) , pp.428, 1^-34, 5 0 3 , 12-20. L a p l a n c h e 60 s e e s i n S c h i l l e r ' s c o m m i s s i o n i n g from H b l d e r l i n i n Jena a t r a n s l a t i o n of Ovid's Phaethon s t o r y a s i m i l a r warning, i n the context of H b l d e r l i n ' s 'search f o r t h e f a t h e r ' . E v e n i f one r e j e c t s t h e F r e u d i a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e myth o f t h e y o u t h who s t o l e h i s f a t h e r ' s s u n - c h a r i o t f o r a d a y and d r o v e t o d e s t r u c t i o n i s s t a r t l i n g l y a p t f o r t h e young a u t h o r o f H y p e r i o n . On t h e d e c l i n e of t h e f a t h e r - f i g u r e a s a g e n e r a l s o c i a l phenomenon i n t h i s p e r i o d , a s f a t h e r o f t h e f a m i l y , L a n d e s v a t e r , God t h e F a t h e r , s e e G e r t h 47. 34. S c h i l l e r , 493, 5 - 7 . 'ffber n a i v e und s e n t i m e n t a l i s c h e Dichtung',

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35* H y p e r i o n was i n t e n d e d to f i n d f a v o u r w i t h women: B60, 32-35. G e r t h d e s c r i b e s t h e d e v e l o p i n g s p l i t between a r t , w i t h i t s o f t e n m o r a l and d i d a c t i c p u r p o s e , and t h e man's r o l e i n s o c i e t y : ' [ D i e F r a u ] g e s t a l t e t d a s Heim, von dem aus d e r Mann ' h i n a u s i n s f e i n d l i c h e Leben' muB ... L o s g e l o s t von den A r b e i t s f u n k t i o n e n auch des H a u s h a l t s w i r d s i e z u r Dame, d i e i n g r d B e r e r MuBe und D i s t a n z vom a l l t a g l i c h e n Lebenskampf s e e l i s c h e r V e r f e i n e r u n g ... s i c h widmen mag' (66f.). Now i n t h i s l i g h t the I d e a l i s t i c c e l e b r a t i o n of r e l a t i o n s h i p ( ' s u b j e c t - o b j e c t ' ) , of 'the o t h e r ' , c o n c r e t e n e s s , becomes t h e a b s t r a c t i o n of c o m p e n s a t i o n , and the 'manly' i d e a l i s m e p i t o m i s e d by K a n t and P i c h t e c a n t r u l y be s e e n a s t h e s e e d s o f R o m a n t i c i s m : t h e p r e f e r e n c e o f dream t o a c t i o n and r e a l i t y . I f t h e a r t i s t - p h i l o s o p h e r i s g u i d e d by t h e i d e a l o f ' i n t e r e s s e l o s e s G e f a l i e n ' , t h e man's t a s k of f i g h t i n g h i s way t h r o u g h t h e w o r l d compromises t h e a b s o l u t e freedom a p p a r e n t l y p r o c l a i m e d by t h e R e v o l u t i o n . The p o s i t i o n o f Hofmeister a l t h o u g h p r e s e r v i n g some i n n e r freedom, was a l a m e n t a b l e compromise. See G e r t h ' s c h a p t e r 'Der H o f m e i s t e r ' ( 5 1 - 6 0 ) , a l s o K o n d y l i s 2 1 4 - 1 7 . G e r t h 62 s p e a k s of ' d i e s o z i a l e O b d a c h l o s i g k e i t d e r weder i n s t i t u t i o n e l l noch p e r s o n a l Gebundenen' t h a t made l i t e r a t u r e a necessity. 36. S o r i n g u s e s t h e model of c o n f l i c t between the t r a g i c h e r o and h i s e n v i r o n m e n t t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e d r a m a t i c f a i l u r e of t h e t h r e e v e r s i o n s . 'Das I n t e r e s s e l i e g t n u r d a r i n , wie man s i c h selbstbezogen j e d e r Verwicklung, d e r d f f e n t l i c h e n wie p r i v a t e n , e n t z i e h t , urn ganz s i c h s e l b s t l e b e n zu kdnnen' ( 8 6 ) ; ' S o l c h e r G e i s t s c h e i t e r t daher n i e m a l s , e r g e h t , indem e r s i c h e n t z i e h t , nur immer w i e d e r r e i n zu s i c h h e r v o r , w e i l e r s i c h s e l b s t v e r b i e t e t , i n d e r Welt a l s s e i n e m W i d e r s p r u c h zu b l e i b e n ' ( 1 8 2 ) . F o r B i n d e r t h e f i g u r e o f Empedokles r e p r e s e n t s t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e of s e l f - p r o j e c t i o n : ' H d l d e r l i n l e i s t e t i n d e r V e r fremdung s e i n e r e i g e n e n S e e l e n g e s c h i c h t e i n d i e d r a m a t i s c h e F a b e l von E m p e d o k l e s d e n s e l b e n S u b j e k t v e r z i c h t , den Emp e d o k l e s i n d e r Hingabe an den s e i e n d e n G o t t l e i s t e t ... ' (Wolfgang B i n d e r , ' H d l d e r l i n s D i c h t u n g Homburg 1 7 9 9 ' , HJb, 19 -20 ( 1 9 7 5 - 7 7 ) , PP. 76-93 ( P - 9 0 ) ) . 37 The image r e c u r s a t t h e end of t h e l e t t e r . When t h e ' s t r a n g e r s ' o f t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e of 'Patmos' come t o t h e i s l a n d 'vom S c h i f f b r u c h ... k l a g e n d ' , one may t h i n k b a c k to this letter. 3 8 . See 7 . i i , comments. Lebensdokumente 1 9 6 b , 201, with Beck's

39 D e a t h seems a q u e s t i o n r a r e l y d i s c u s s e d i n H d l d e r l i n s c h o l a r s h i p . Y e t i t i s p e r h a p s the c e n t r a l q u e s t i o n o f H y p e r i o n : i n t h e n i h i l i s t i c a t t a c k on human l i f e and i t s m e a n i n g l e s s n e s s w h i c h c l o s e s t h e f i r s t Book ('Aber E i n e r n u r h a t s e i n e F e s t e u n t e r e u c h ; das i s t d e r Tod' ( I , 8 0 / 9 ) ) ; i n D i o t i m a ' s u l t i m a t e c o n f e s s i o n of f a i t h , p e r s u a d i n g a

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s t i l l d o u b t i n g H y p e r i o n t h a t N a t u r e c a n redeem e v e n from d e a t h a n d i s t h e r e f o r e t r u l y d i v i n e ( I , 1 0 2 / 1 0 - 1 5 ) ; above a l l , i n the f i n a l apostrophe to Nature, which r e v e a l s t h e whole n o v e l t o have b e e n a s t r u g g l e w i t h m o r t a l i t y : ' "0 S e e l e ! S e e l e ! S c h S n h e i t d e r W e l t ! du u n z e r s t b r b a r e ! du e n t z i i k e n d e ! rait d e i n e r ewigen Jugend! du b i s t ; was i s t denn d e r Tod und a l l e s Wehe d e r Menschen?"'. D e a t h i s n o t s o much t h e p h y s i c a l e v e n t , v u l g a r f e a r o f w h i c h H y p e r i o n h a s nothing but scorn f o r ( I I , 117/16), as the meaningless m e d i o c r i t y and accompanying a w a r e n e s s o f p h y s i c a l c a u s a l i t y w h i c h make t h a t e v e n t a c a l a m i t y ( c f . 'An H i l l e r ' , 1 1 . 1 - 1 3 ; 'An d i e P a r z e n ' , 11.11-12; H y p e r i o n , I I , 1 0 7 / 1 3 ) . Thus Hyperion's s o l u t i o n l i e s i n 'Begeisterung', i n being l i f t e d up above t h e w o r l d . 40. F o r t h e s e n s e o f 'Meta-pher' ( w i t h t r a n s i t i v e f o r c e : 'a c a r r y i n g - a c r o s s ' , ' U b e r t r a g e n ' ) and f u r t h e r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , s e e WShrmann 6 5 - 7 3 ( ' D i e D e f i n i t i o n d e s t r a g i s c h e n G e d i c h t s ' ) ; S z o n d i ' s e s s a y ' G a t t u n g s p o e t i k und G e s c h i c h t s p h i l o s o p h i e ' ( 1 1 9 - 6 3 ) ; and c f . K o n r a d 5 1 . On t h e t h e o r e t i c a l background, t h e e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y s e a r c h f o r an harmonious t r a g e d y t y p i f i e d ( b u t n o t a c h i e v e d ) by L e s s i n g and c u l m i n a t i n g i n H b l d e r l i n ' s and S c h e l l i n g ' s c o n c e p t i o n o f t r a g i c c o n f l i c t a s supreme v i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e v i s i o n o f a b s o l u t e u n i t y ( ' i n t e l l e k t u e l l e A n s c h a u u n g ' ) , s e e Wbhrmann 7 - 6 5 . The c o n v i c t i o n o f t h e d i v i n i t y o f l o v e i s a l s o e x p r e s s e d i n t h e poems 'Das U n v e r z e i h l i c h e ' and ' M e n s c h e n b e i f a l l ' . 'An d a s G S t t l i c h e g l a u b e n / D i e a l l e y n , d i e e s s e l b e r s i n d . ' 41. I n H e g e l ' s r e f l e c t i o n s i n F r a n k f u r t on t h e n a t u r e and d e s t i n y o f C h r i s t E m i l S t a i g e r r e c o g n i s e d t h e p r o f o u n d imp r e s s i o n made by H S l d e r l i n ' s l o s s o f S u s e t t e G o n t a r d on h i s f r i e n d . They e x p r e s s b o t h deep sympathy and p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e s e r v e . '"Indem s i c h a b e r so d e r Mensch d a s v o l l s t a n d i g s t e S c h i c k s a l s e l b s t g e g e n i i b e r s e t z t , so h a t e r s i c h z u g l e i c h liber a l l e s S c h i c k s a l e r h o b e n ; d a s Leben i s t ihm u n t r e u g e worden, a b e r e r n i c h t dem L e b e n ; e r h a t e s g e f l o h e n , a b e r n i c h t v e r l e t z t , und e r mag s i c h n a c h ihm, a l s einem a b wesenden F r e u n d e , s e h n e n , a b e r e s kann i h n n i c h t a l s e i n F e i n d v e r f o l g e n ; und e r i s t a u f k e i n e r S e i t e v e r w u n d b a r , w i e d i e schamhafte P f l a n z e z i e h t e r s i c h b e i j e d e r Beriihrung i n s i c h , und ehe e r d a s L e b e n s i c h zum F e i n d e machte, ehe e r e i n S c h i c k s a l gegen s i c h a u f r e i z t e , e n t f l i e h t e r dem L e b e n . " D i e s e u n v e r g l e i c h l i c h e n Worte s i n d a n g e s i c h t s H o l d e r l i n s und D i o t i m a s niedergeschrieben.' P e r h a p s t h e s e t h o u g h t s go some way t o w a r d s e x p l a i n i n g H o l d e r l i n ' s f e e l i n g t h a t l o s s o f S u s e t t e and s u b s e q u e n t i s o l a t i o n were a ' s e l b g e s c h l a g e n e Wunde', a n e x p r e s s i o n une x p l a i n e d by S z o n d i ( s e e p.223 below, and t h e n o t e ) , f o r i f s e l f - d e v o t i o n t o t h e 'gods' were r e l a t a b l e t o a n u l t i m a t e f e a r of involvement with people t h e question of p s y c h o l o g i c a l p u r i t y would i n d e e d become c r i t i c a l . S t a i g e r q u o t e s f u r t h e r : '"Anschauung d e r L i e b e s c h e i n t d i e F o r d e r u n g d e r V o l l s t a n d i g k e i t zu e r f i i l l e n , aber e s i s t e i n Widerspruch, das A n s c h a u e n d e , V o r s t e l l e n d e i s t e i n B e s c h r a n k e n d e s und n u r B e s c h r a n k t e s Aufnehmendes, d a s O b j e k t a b e r ware e i n Unendl i c h e s ; d a s U n e n d l i c h e kann n i c h t i n d i e s e m GefaBe g e t r a g e n

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werden R e i n e s L e b e n zu denken i s t d i e Aufgabe, a l l e T a t e n , a l l e s zu e n t f e r n e n , was d e r Mensch war Oder s e i n wird' ' ( f r o m E m i l S t a i g e r , Der G e i s t d e r L i e b e und d a s S c h i c k s a l : S c h e l l i n g , Hegel und H o l d e r l i n ( F r a u e n f e l d / L e i p z i g , 1 9 3 3 ) , pp.68f., 105)' T h i s i n f i n i t e p e r s p e c t i v e i s f i n a l l y a t t a i n e d , a f t e r abandonment of t h e 'Empedokles* p r o j e c t , i n 'Das Werden im V e r g e h e n
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42. The theme o f ' B e l a i d i g u n g ' b e g i n s w i t h H b l d e r l i n ' s very f i r s t (extant) l e t t e r : 'die k l e i n s t e Beleidigung s c h i e n [ m e i n H e r z ] zu i i b e r z e u g e n , wie d i e Menschen so s e h r b o s e , so t e u f l i s c h s e y e n ' ( 2 2 - 2 4 ; c f . B4, 1 7 - 1 9 , B 5 , 1 3 - 1 5 ) ; and c o n t i n u e s u n t i l , w i t h t h e abandonment of t h e 'Empedokles i t h a s b e e n p u r g e d away. I t p r o v i d e s an e x t r e m e example of how o p i n i o n s c a n d i f f e r ; w h i l e t h e F r a n k f u r t e r Ausgabe s p e a k s of ' d i e s p a t e n , v i e l s a g e n d m i t " N a c h t g e s a n g e " u b e r s c h r i e b e n e n G e d i c h t e ' ( E i n l e i t u n g , p.16; c f . t h e l a s t s e n t e n c e on t h e c o v e r ) , L a p l a n c h e w r i t e s : ' E r w a l z t e i n e n T e i l d e r V e r a n t w o r t u n g a u f d a s U n g l u c k d e r Z e i t ab, a u f d i e " B a r b a r e n " um i h n h e r ; e i n e Deutung, d i e ... p r o j e k t i v , wenn n i c h t g a r v e r r i i c k t e r s c h e i n t , d i e s i c h a b e r b a l d zu einera Mythos e n t f a l t e n w i r d , d e s s e n W a h r h e i t e s zu e n t h i i l l e n gilt' (113). 43. So much i n H b l d e r l i n ' s f e e l i n g f o r S u s e t t e , i n H y p e r i o n ' f o r D i o t i m a , r e c a l l s c h i l d h o o d : she i s t h e ' g b t t l i c h e Selbstgeniigsame * ( I , 130/2); the l o v e r s l e a d a p r o t e c t e d l i f e i n t h e i s l a n d of a magic c i r c l e (' ... i c h weiB von n i c h t s , a l s m e i n e r s e e l i g e n I n s e l ' , I , 1 5 6 / 1 1 f . ) , a 'geh e i m e r e Welt' ( ' G b t t e r w a n d e l t e n e i n s t ... ', 1.12) f r e e from c a r e . ' I c h gehe ... so h i n i n f r b h l i c h e m s c h b n e n F r i e d e n , wie e i n K i n d ... ' ( B 1 3 6 , 4 9 f . ; c f . B123, 23-25). Compare L a p l a n c h e 8 7 . B i n d e r f i n e l y d i s t i n g u i s h e s between H b l d e r l i n s and S c h i l l e r ' s c o n c e p t i o n of c h i l d h o o d g r a c e : f o r S c h i l l e r i t means f r e e u n t r a m m e l l e d a c t i o n , s p o n t a n e i t y , f o r H b l d e r l i n , freedom from t h e w o r l d , s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y : ' S c h i l l e r s i e h t d i e A b s o l u t h e i t des K i n d e s i n s e i n e m u n g e b r o c h e n e n A u s - s i c h - s e l b s t - s e i n , H b l d e r l i n i n einem unb e d u r f t i g e n I n - s i c h - s e i n , d a s noch von k e i n e r W e l t weiB und darum e i n I c h im v o l l e n S i n n e n i c h t i s t ... D o r t d i e F r e i h e i t e i n e s i n s i c h s e l b s t gegriindeten S e i n s , h i e r e i n F r e i - s e i n vom Umweltdruck, e i n L e b e n und Atmen i n s e l i g e m F r i e d e n mit s i c h s e l b s t S c h i l l e r i s c h e Autonomie und H b l d e r l i n i s c h e I n t e g r i t a t ' (Aufsatze, 121).
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44. 'Auch d i e K o m p o s i t i o n d e s Ganzen z e i g t den S t i l w a n d e l vom F r a n k f u r t e r P l a n an und d u r c h d i e d r e i F a s s u n g e n h i n i n e i n e r f o r t s c h r e i t e n d e n "Verlaugnung des A c c i d e n t e l l e n " ' ( 4 . 3 2 9 , 8 - 1 0 ) ; most o b v i o u s l y i n t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e of family circumstances. 45. The p a s s a g e from B170 i s a r e m i n i s c e n c e of G e n e s i s 1 9 . 17 ( ' E s c a p e f o r t h y l i f e ; l o o k not b e h i n d t h e e , n e i t h e r s t a y t h o u i n a l l t h e p l a i n ; e s c a p e t o t h e m o u n t a i n ... ' ) , b u t p e r h a p s a l s o of Moses' a s c e n t t o r e c e i v e t h e Ten Commandments from t h e L o r d ('wo man zum G e f u h l e d e r G o t t h e i t s i c h

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erhoben h a t ' ) . 46. Binder (Aufsatze, 257) o n l y discusses the Greek der i v a t i o n of the name, 'prophet', 'seer', although Holderl i n * s technique, i l l u s t r a t e d by him, of s i g n a l l i n g Namenssymbolik by the i n i t i a l response of a second character i s obvious here ('die Todten'). Another L a t i n - d e r i v e d s i g n i f i c a n c e i s 'Agri-gent' ( c f . 'Empedokles I I , 112 -19).
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47. A c r u c i a l t o p i c , but r a r e l y more than touched upon i n H b l d e r l i n s c h o l a r s h i p . 'Als verwiistende H e r r s c h a f t aufiert s i c h menschliche T a t i g k e i t , v e r s e l b s t a n d i g t s i e s i c h von ihrem Grund, der Natur' (Kurz 15; hut 'Natur' i s probably meant i n Marx-Engels' ( a n a c h r o n i s t i c ) sense. S t a i g e r too sees the 'Grund zum Empedokles' as a ' K r i t i k der Aufklarung' (100). 48. 'Loss of s e l f i n the 'abyss' o f Nature i s a t r u l y Romantic l e i t m o t i f ; one senses i t s presence i n the work of Caspar David P r i e d r i c h and the l a t e Turner. 'Selbstbewufitseyn s e t z t d i e Gefahr voraus, das I c h zu v e r l i e r e n . Es i s t kern f r e i e r Akt des Unwandelbaren, sondern e i n abgedrungenes Streben des wandelbaren Ichs ... , seine I d e n t i t a t zu r e t t e n und im f o r t r e i B e n d e n Strom des Wechsels s i c h s e l b s t wieder zu e r g r e i f e n ... '; 'Wir erwachen aus der i n t e l l e k t u a l e n Anschauung wie aus dem Zustande des Todes. Wir erwachen durch R e f l e x i o n , d.h. durch abgenbthigte Riickkehr zu uns s e l b s t ' ( S c h e l l i n g , Samtliche Werke, ed. K.F.A. S c h e l l i n g , L A b t e i l u n g , t e n v o l s ( S t u t t g a r t and Augsburg, 1856-61), I , 180, 325). This i s c r i t i c i s m of F i c h t e . But S c h e l l i n g ' s p h i l o sophy too w i l l have seemed t o H b l d e r l i n t o perpetuate man's mastery, f o r even though i t centres on a Spinozistic surrender t o the A l l , i t remains, being philosophy, mere theory and t h e r e f o r e Reason; compare BeiBner's comment on 'Die Weisen aber ... ' (4.409, 27) and Schmidlin ('"Psyche" ) 305s 'Als d i e Philosophie urn 1800 den S c h r i t t zur d i a l e k t ischen Methode ... v o l l z o g und damit den Gegensatz von Philosophie und R e l i g i o n e n d g i i l t i g xiberwand, sorgte Holderl i n d a f i i r , daB der iiberwundene Gegensatz n i c h t verschwand, sondern a l s Gegensatz von Poesie und Philosophie s i c h t b a r b l i e b . ' H S l d e r l i n ' s p a r a d o x i c a l task i s thus a t once t o c o r r e c t and put i n t o p r a c t i c e , go beyond. N a t u r a l l y , since the measure i s Pichte and S c h i l l e r , S c h e l l i n g (and Hegel) w i l l have seen themselves as going t h a t 'step' f u r t h e r . (The f i e r y heat of the sun i s f o r H S l d e r l i n the v e r y essence of the O r i e n t : a l i f e too close t o Nature, opposite of t h a t i n Germany (so already i n the undergraduate d i s s e r t a t i o n , 4.189, 24-29).)
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49. Epic and drama as f i c t i o n a l forms, the l y r i c genre as 'Aussage eines echten Aussagesubjekts', ' W i r k l i c h k e i t s aussage, d i e keine Punktion i n einem Wirklichkeitszusammenhang haben w i l l ' , i s the fundamental d i s t i n c t i o n e s t a b l i s h e d by Kate Hamburger, Die Logik der Dichtung, second e d i t i o n ( S t u t t g a r t , 1968) ( c f . pp.216f.;. The d e f i n i t i o n s i n d i c a t e c a t e g o r i c a l l y which genre lends i t s e l f t o the i d e a l i s a t i o n

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of the i n d i v i d u a l and h i s e l e v a t i o n above s o c i e t y . The l y r i c poem i s f o r H51derlin 'Metapher Eines Gefiihls' (Jf. 266, 3;, u n i v e r s a l i s a t i o n , then of union ('Eines zu seyn'); t h e r e w i t h the a r c h e t y p a l model i s childhood oneness w i t h Nature, and the 'Mefcapher' represents completion of a ' L e b e n s l a u f : ' jene S t u f f e der B i l d u n g , wo der Mensch aus u r s p r i i n g l i c h e r K i n d h e i t hervorgegangen ... zur hb'chsten Form, zum r e i n e n Wiederklang des e r s t e n Lebens emporgerungen hat' (*f.263, 6-8). This 'highest form' ( i . e . maximum a b s t r a c t i o n ) i s ( c f . Konrad 9 9 f . ) the 'transzende n t a l e Empfindung : the v i s i o n a r y sense of the u n i t y of a l l t h i n g s . I n such terms the f i c t i o n a l Hyperion and Empedokles can only be e v e n t u a l l y o b s t r u c t i v e and redundant stages towards completely f r e e s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n . The d i m i n i s h i n g breadth and g a t h e r i n g depth of these f i g u r e s from the novel through t o the t h i r d v e r s i o n of the drama graphica l l y mark t h i s progress.
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50. Szondi's i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the l e t t e r as a s e l f d i s c i p l i n i n g t u r n t o r e a l i t y i n which H o l d e r l i n overcomes h i s 'allzugroBe Scheu' and f i n d s 'das Lebendige' ' i n der "NUchternheit" ... , d i e der Empirie zugewandt i s t , i s too simply p o s i t i v e ( 1 1 5 - 1 7 125-31)- I t ignores the ambivalence of the 'Scheu': i f ' Niichternheit' i s the opposite of 'Begeisterung' i t cannot be equated w i t h 'zerstorende W i r k l i c h k e i t ' , f o r the m e d i o c r i t y ( ' b o r n i r t e H a u s l i c h k e i t ' , the German c h a r a c t e r i s t i c : B172, 52) of l i f e , however dep r e s s i n g , i s not an o b j e c t of f e a r . Because Szondi adopts HoTderlin's ambivalent terminology and speaks o f 'das Zers t b r e r i s c h e e i n e r prosaischen Welt', h i s summary of the l e t t e r 'Das Lebendige ... i s t das Konkrete: d i e m i t der W i r k l i c h k e i t verwachsene Idee' - achieves no more than a paraphrase and overlooks the e s s e n t i a l , unsolved and i n s o l u b l e , c o n f l i c t : s e n s i t i v i t y combined w i t h Empedoklean a s p i r a t i o n precludes e n t r y i n t o the w o r l d . He h i m s e l f observes the suspect terminology ' L i c h t ' / ' S c h a t t e n ' , but sees i t as a remnant of 'Scheu', l a t e r overcome ( 1 2 9 f . ) ; and thus h i s c h i e f p o i n t of comparison, the Tubingen Hymns, i s misl e a d i n g a l s o , f o r the l e t t e r i s concerned w i t h an immedi a t e d e f i c i e n c y ( ' j e z t ' , 'noch': 31, 33). Now ' L i c h t ' and 'Schatten' c o n s t i t u t e the world of Hyperion: 'Du muSt, wie der L i c h t s t r a l , herab ... .' Binder's assessment simply allows metaphysical and e t h i c a l aspects t o merge: ' H S l d e r l i n z i e h t j e t z t d i e poetologische Konsequenz: i c h muB das unreine Endliche, vor dem i c h mich so sehr scheue, unbedenklich und h a r t d a r s t e l l e n ... '('Homburg' 8 5 ) . Laplanche i s more r e a l i s t i c : 'Das BewuBtsein s e i n e r Schwache t r e i b t i h n dazu, s i c h i n seinem Kontakt zum Object "mit den Dingen, d i e " auf i h n "zerstorend wirken", so e i n z u r i c h t e n , daB er s i e n i c h t "an s i c h " , son= dern nur a l s Ssthetisches M a t e r i a l nimmt' ( 1 1 1 ) . L i k e Szondi, Binder too f i n d s i n t h i s p e r i o d a t u r n from what i s l o o s e l y c a l l e d 'Idealism' t o r e a l i t y : 'Nur der Mensch im geschehenden J e t z t und der Gott, der kommt und schon "nan i s t " , b e s c h a f t i g t H o l d e r l i n noch' (Aufsatze, 25) . Yet the I d e a l i s t i c p r i n c i p l e , the a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c nature of the
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u n i v e r s e , remains v a l i d . For S o r i n g the t u r n i n g - p o i n t i s marked by 'Das Werden im Vergehen*: the i d e a l i s a t i o n of i n d i v i d u a l p o t e n t i a l ( t h e Empedoklean d e s t i n y ) i s renounced i n favour of the o b j e c t i v e h i s t o r i c a l process. 'Die katego r i a l e Bestimmung des Z e i t s c h i c k s a l s ... a l s e i n e s Ubergange v e r w e i s t das Geschick des E i n z e l n e n i n den B e r e i c h der Kontingenz, deren K o n s t i t u t i v i t a t f u r den tfbergang n i c h t j u s t i f i z i e r b a r i s t . Das P o s t u l a t des "Grundes" i s t somit n i c h t s anderes a l s eine grandiose I n s i n u a t i o n ... Das empirische Subjekt s e i es noch so g e s t e i g e r t i s t unter diesem globalen Aspekt eine n e g l i g e a b l e Grbfie' ( 2 4 1 f . ) T h i s view r e f l e c t s a crude adoption of v a l u e s drama = f a i l u r e , ( l a t e ) poetry = success which t h e r e w i t h become f a c t s a w a i t i n g r a t i o n a l j u s t i f i c a t i o n . Soring's own summary of the mimetic-anamnetic f u n c t i o n Hb*lderlin now a s c r i b e s to poetry ('Der D i c h t e r hat ... Epoche zu iiben', 236) s c a r c e l y suggests t h a t the i n d i v i d u a l ' s ' g l o b a l ' r o l e has been abandoned. S c h m i d l i n sees more c l e a r l y : H d l d e r l i n ' s 'Empedokles' has 'prophetic' meaning, 'indem e r im Leben d i e Empedokles-Rolle tibernimmt' ("Psyche"', 309). He i s t h i n k i n g , however, of the mythopoeic binding of the Abs o l u t e ( i n anthropocentric analogy: of the longing f o r i n f i n i t y ) to f i n i t e matter, the c h i r o n i c r o l e of, f o r example, Stimme des Volks' ( c f . 'Empedokles' I I , 125 -31 H I , 37*0, than of the ' P o s t u l a t des "Grundes"': l o s s of s e l f , death. 51. On t h i s 'kiihnster und l e z t e r Versuch' Konrad comments: 'Wenn man ... das Pathos der Betonung der W i c h t i g k e i t und S c h w i e r i g k e i t des ... S c h r i t t e s s t r e i c h t , dann kbnnte e r i n h a l t s g l e i c h auch so f o r m u l i e r t werden: E s i s t d i e l e t z t e Hyperbel i n der Verfahrungsweise des poetischen G e i s t e s , das p o e t i s c h e I c h aufzufassen' ( 5 1 ) . T h i s r e d u c t i o n of the e x p e r i e n t i a l to the t r a n s c e n d e n t a l - l o g i c a l i s undoubtedly methodologically n e c e s s a r y , but d i s t o r t s the meaning. I n another context Konrad can take up H S l d e r l i n ' s s t r e s s on the 'importance' of a point (115) and elsewhere he a c cepts t h a t 'die Hypostasierung s t e l l t s i c h n i c h t a l s etwas hinzukommendes Neues dar, sondern umgekehrt: Das, was a l s H y p o s t a s i e r t e s e r s c h e i n t , i s t gerade das Vorausgesetzte ... ( 3 9 f ; c f . 2 0 5 ) . His r e o r d e r i n g of the essay so t h a t the ' l a s t a c t ' comes f i r s t , although u s e f u l , s i m i l a r l y obscures the e x p e r i e n t i a l element. 52. See Konrad's o v e r a l l d i v i s i o n i n t o three p a r t s ( 2 4 - 2 5 ) . At the end of each t r a n s c e n d e n t a l deduction he r e f e r s to the r e s u l t of the other (72, 176). Thus, f o l l o w i n g h i s d i v i s i o n s , the f i r s t p a r t r e f l e c t s upon the o b j e c t i v e exp r e s s i o n , 'A\iBerung' , of the S p i r i t , namely, the poem, and thus l e a d s to the ' I c h ' ( ' s u b j e c t i v e ' r e f l e c t i o n ) ; and the second p a r t r e f l e c t s upon the i n n e r b a s i s , the ' I c h ' , and thus l e a d s to the poem ( ' o b j e c t i v e ' r e f l e c t i o n ) . The interdependence of the two p a r t s i s complete 'mit der Beriindung der Notwendigkeit des Z i r k e l s der Gedankenftihrung' 93f.).

53. F i c h t e , Werke, I , i i , 301. For Ho'lderlin's r e j e c t i o n of t h i s 'Gewaltlbsung, see Konrad 66f.; f o r h i s i n i t i a l

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response t o F i c h t e as a ' T i t a n , Hegel's l e t t e r t o S c h e l l i n g (Jan. 1 7 9 5 ) , 7 ^ i i i 19. ( S c h i l l e r too has a ' k o l o s s a l i s c h e r Geist': B89, 78f..) 54. 'tfber naive und sentimentalische Dichtung', 496, 21-24, 26-28. 55. 'Das Problem der I n d i v i d u a t i o n von Geist und Leben i n v i e l e Einzelpersonen i s f o r Konrad ' h e i k e l s t e r Punkt der ganzen Gedankenfiihrung' (105 s c f . 115-17: f o r Hb'lderlin t o have accepted human i n d i v i d u a t i o n as a problem would have had * einschneidende Konsequenzen fUr s a m t l i c h ... e r a r b e i t e t e Voraussetzungen' ( 1 1 6 ) ) . He f i n d s (11>f.) s o l u t i o n i n 'fiber R e l i g i o n ' ; but i t i s perhaps s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t h i s q u o t a t i o n omits H S l d e r l i n ' s p r o v i s o : men w i l l j o i n t h e i r d i f f e r e n t ways of conceiving of the Divine 'so lange s i e n i c h t gekrankt und g e a r g e r t , n i c h t gedrukt und n i c h t empSrt i n gerechtem oder ungerechtem Kampfe b e g r i f f e n sind' ( 4 . 279, 1 2 - 1 7 ) . The p r o v i s o i s absence o f 'Belaidigung'; c f . 4.235, 11 -17, 236, 6-21. The s o l i p s i s t i c p o t e n t i a l of HSlderlin;'s ' r e l i g i o n ' seems c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e d i n Konrad's summary of HQlderlin's epistemology: 'daB der Geist auch i n seinen anderen b e i s i c h i s t , so daB a l l e Erkenntnis S e l b s t e r k e n n t n i s i s t ' (176). This depends on: homogeneity of the term 'Geist'; f a i l u r e t o d i s t i n g u i s h between r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the o b j e c t - w o r l d and t o people ( ' i n seinen anderen'); reference of a l l experience back t o the s e l f (as r e f l e c t i n g the i n d i v i d u a l s p i r i t ) . Now these are t y p i c a l elements of Romantic philosophy, from Kant t o S c h l e i e r macher. I t seems t o me t h a t H S l d e r l i n ' s apparent attempts to c o r r e c t i t s f a i l i n g s are e x p l i c a b l e l e s s as c r i t i c i s m than as a r i s i n g from a g r e a t e r exposure t o the dangers i n = volved.
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56. Kurz u n c r i t i c a l l y c e l e b r a t e s 'Dichtung a l s anamnetisches BewuBtsein der "Thaten der Welt*" (170-84). His statement 'Scharfer noch a l s Hegel hat H S l d e r l i n darauf i n s i s t i e r t , daB E n d l i c h k e i t , daB Trennung und " D u r f t i g k e i t " ... Bedingung bewuBten Lebens i s t ' ( 7 1 f . ) i s meaningless unless one assumes a f a c t u a l a l t e r n a t i v e ( t o ' E n d l i c h k e i t ' ) . I f one looks f o r such an a l t e r n a t i v e i n contemporary thought, i t i s t o be found not i n S c h i l l e r or F i c h t e , but i n the work t h a t accompanied the 'Verfahrungsweise*: (Empedoklean) s u i c i d e . Cf. Kondylis 407: union o f Subject and Object i n p o e t r y i s the a l t e r n a t i v e t o Empedokles' choice, the abs o l u t e union of ceasing t o be human. 57 Kondylis 400f.: the f u n c t i o n of the i n t e l l e c t i s s o l e l y t o expose i t s own inadequacy. 'Die Erkenntnis von der Beschaffenheit der Erkenntnis des s u b j e k t i v e n I c h l a u f t also auf d i e Erkenntnis von den Schranken der R e f l e x i o n iiberhaupt hinaus' (401). He too sees H o l d e r l i n ' s T r i p l i z i t a t s s t r u k t u r ' as an answer t o F i c h t e : 'Die ... E i n s i c h t , F i c h t e gehe n i c h t uber das BewuBtsein hinaus, l i e B d i e ganze Wissenschaftslehre a l s nur auf d i e zweite Stufe des t r i a d ischen Schemas, namlich d i e Spaltung, bezogen erscheinen' ( 4 5 0 f . ) . ' H o l d e r l i n s t e l l t ... den B e g r i f f eines poetischen

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I c h auf, welches dem sub^ektiven I c h iiberlegen s e i n und den Trager der g o t t l i c h e n Empfindung d a r s t e l l e n s o i l ( 4 0 6 ) . This should be appended t o Konrad's note on H o l d e r l i n ' s step beyond S c h i l l e r ( 2 2 6 f . ) .
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58. Konrad sees the 'Verfahrungsweise' as based on 'two experiences': p o e t r y ; and 'das n a t t t r l i c h e Verhalten des u r s p r i i n g l i c h e n Menschen im mechanisch schbnen Leben' ( 2 0 4 ) , He d e f i n e s the ' M i t t e l z u s t a n d ' as being 'zwischen dem Zustand der Weltgebundenheit des Kindes und der Weltverfugb a r k e i t dear Mamies' ( 6 4 ) , but w i t h o u t t a k i n g the hypostasis s e r i o u s l y . WShrmann observes: 'Die Befolgung der Regel C'Seze d i c h m i t f r e i e r Wahl ... * ] s o l i aus $enem " M i t t e l zustand zwischen K i n d h e i t und r e i f e r Humanitat" erlSsen, i n dem er s i c h s e l b s t , dem d r e i S i g s t e n Jahre nahe, immer noch f t i h l t ' ( 6 3 ) ; he f i n d s s i m i l a r b i o g r a p h i c a l reference i n 'Accomodation eines gewbhnlichen Menschen' ( 6 4 ) . Cf. Aspetsberger 343*. 'Hyperion ... hat i n seiner Entwicklung d i e Lebensbahn vom Kinde zum Manne durchlaufen ... . H o l d e r l i n w r i t e s t o h i s b r o t h e r : 'Weist Du d i e Wurzel a l l e s meines tfbels? I c h mochte der Kunst leben ... , und muB mich herumarbeiten u n t e r den Menschen ... ' (B152, 6668). The s o c i o l o g i c a l background, the emergence of an a r t i s t i n t e l l e c t u a l a l i e n a t e d from the nascent c a p i t a l i s t s o c i e t y and so from h i s own c l a s s , i s documented by S c h i l l e r ' s d i s c u s s i o n of the purpose of a r t i n 'tJber naive und s e n t i mentalische Dichtung': 'wir miissen uns ... nach e i n e r Klasse von Menschen umsehen, welche, ohne zu a r b e i t e n , t h S t i g i s t ... Nur eine solche Klasse kann das scho*ne Ganze menschl i c h e r Natur, welches durch jede A r b e i t a u g e n b l i c k l i c h , und durch e i n arbeitendes Leben anhaltend z e r s t o r t w i r d , aufbewahren' (490, 25f , 30 -33). That t h i s a l i e n a t i o n i s metap h y s i c a l as w e l l as e t h i c a l i s c l e a r from the d i s c u s s i o n t h a t f o l l o w s ( ' R e a l i s t und I d e a l i s t ' ) : 'der R e a l i s t lSBt s i c h bestimmen durch d i e Notwendigkeit der Natur' (493, 1 -2). Hegel says: * Sprache und A r b e i t s i n d A*uBerungen, worin das Individuum n i c h t mehr an ihm s e l b s t s i c h b e h a l t und b e s i t z t , sondern das Innere ganz auBer s i c h kommen lSBt und dasselbe Anderem p r e i s g i b t ' (G.W.F. Hegel, Werke i n 20 BiJnden (Frankf u r t / M a i n , 1970-79), I I I , 235;. On these terms the a r t i c l e by J e f f r e y Barnouw, "'Der T r i e b bestimmt zu werden": Hold e r l i n , S c h i l l e r und S c h e l l i n g a l s Antwort auf F i c h t e ' , Deutsche V i e r t e l . i a h r s s c h r i f t . 46 ( 1 9 7 2 ) , pp.248 -93, w i t h i t s conclusion ' i n H S l d e r l i n s Jenaer Bruchstiicken vere i n i g t Eros w i d e r s t r e i t e n d e T r i e b e , damit der Mensch n i c h t " t h i e r i s c h " (bloB "bestimmt") aber mehr noch "menschlich" s e i ' (293) = amounts t o no more than a paraphrase. For the problem l i e s not i n l a c k of coherence, but i n the e l e v a t i o n above r e a l i t y of the terminology. Konrad d e f i n e s the ' s t a r t i n g - p o i n t ' of the 'Verfahrungsweise' as 'die S i t u a t i o n des empirischen I c h , das s i c h i n dem Zwiespalt s i e h t , i n seinen Verhaltensweisen entweder seine s i n n l i c h e oder seine g e i s t i g e Natur v e r l e t z e n zu mussen' ( 3 5 ) . A l together the problem of 'Vernunft' i n t h i s p e r i o d expresses the same c r i s i s ; t h e r e i s no t h i n k e r ( n o t even Kant) who does not r e j e c t 'reason', y e t each sees the others as def e c t i v e on t h a t very count.
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59. On Hb'lderlin's i n i t i a l misunderstanding of P i c h t e as S p i n o z i s t i c 'dogma', see Kondylis 305-10: 'Der ( f u r F i c h t e maBgebende) p r a k t i s c h e Ton im " I c h = I c h " w i r d e i n f a c h uberhbrt' ( 3 0 9 ) . Konrad doubts whether H b l d e r l i n ever understood the meaning of 'primacy of p r a c t i c a l reason* (67). Kurz observes a s i m i l a r s h i f t i n S c h i l l e r ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of Kant as d i v i s i v e l y r a t i o n a l : ' S c h i l l e r s S c h r i t t iiber Kant hinaus v e r s t r i c k t s i c h jedoch i n t i e f e Widerspriiche, Die Versbhnung von Vernunft und S i n n l i c h k e i t im Schbnen, die S c h i l l e r gegen d i e "strenge und g r e l l e Entgegensetzung beyder" b e i Kant setzen w o l l t e , endete i n e i n e r Verscharfung dieses Gegensatzes ... Diese V e r s t r i c k u n g i s t e r k l a r bar aus e i n e r o f f e n s i c h t l i c h traumatischen Erfahrung der " b l i n d e n Gewalt" der T r i e b - und Bedurfnisnatur des Menschen, die jede Harmonie m i t i h r verdachtigen muB' ( 7 1 ) . To have conceded t h a t H b l d e r l i n ' s own 'step' f u r t h e r ' uber d i e Kantische G r a n z l i n i e ' (B88, 9 6 f . ) i n v o l v e d f u r t h e r 'Vers t r i c k u n g ' would, however, have i n v a l i d a t e d h i s o p t i m i s t i c approach. Spinner i n h i s essay on 'Unter den Alpen gesungen' (Kaspar H. Spinner, Zur S t r u k t u r des l y r i s c h e n I c h (Frankf u r t / M a i n , 1 9 7 5 ) , pp. 59-74) also senses the powerful autob i o g r a p h i c a l element i n the 'Verfahrungsweise': 'Die Klagen iiber das eigene "Einsamsein", i n der Hauptwiler Z e i t etwa im [ z w e i t e n ] B r i e f an Landauer, s i n d das biographische Equivalent zur t h e o r e t i s c h e n XuBerung i n der Yerfahrensweise' ( 6 9 ) . Laplanche sees i n the ' c i r c u l a r ' form of the essays a search f o r escape ( 1 2 5 ) . Only on the b a s i s o f i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of a p o t e n t i a l a d m i t t e d l y i n h e r e n t i n F i c h t e 'eine Abspaltung des BewuBtseinsmoments von der Beziehung auf einen gewuBten Gegenstand f i i h r t ... auf einen i s o l i e r t e n und notwendig selbstbeztlglichen I c h - B e g r i f f ' (Becker 20) can one speak of H b l d e r l i n ' s r e j e c t i n g the 'Ich' concept. But Spinner says: 'Die Bedeutsamkeit von H b l d e r l i n s Auseinandersetzung m i t der Ich-Problematik liegtfc vor allem i n der Ablehnung des Anspruchs auf Autonomie des I c h , wie er sonst im Idealismus erhoben wurde' (70) Yet h i s s u p p o r t i v e q u o t a t i o n , from ' U r t h e i l und Seyn', i n f a c t shows t h a t f o r H b l d e r l i n the prime d i v i s i o n i s w i t h i n the s e l f , not i n i t s r e l a t i o n s t o the outside world: i n the ' U r - t h e i l u n g ' t h a t precedes a l l s o c i a l r e l a t i v i t y . Spinner skates over t h i s problematic mediation of 'self-consciousness' w i t h 'object-consciousness' (on t h i s I d e a l i s t i c crux, see Becker 19-26) towarda an harmonious s o l u t i o n : 'Bei H b l d e r l i n i s t der deutsche humanistische I n d i v i d u u m s b e g r i f f i n f r a g e g e s t e l l t . Das Individuum s o l i f i i r i h n n i c h t das " U n t e i l b a r e " s e i n , vielmehr s o i l das I c h gerade im Bezug zum Anderen und zu anderen s e l b s t I d e n t i t a t gewinnen' ( 7 1 ) . On the c o n t r a r y , ' U r t h e i l und Seyn' suggests t h a t the i n d i v i d u a l should be i n d i v i s i b l e , but i s n o t . When Empedokles laments h i s selfhood w i t h 'Klagen iiber das eigene "Einsamsein'" ( I I , 342=46), i t i s Nature, not people, he has l o s t ; i t i s s t r i k i n g how he regains harmony not through h i s own e f f o r t s , b u t through h i s e x i l e by the people. Spinner's i n t e r p r e t a t i o n f o l l o w s the i n s p i r i n g a r t i c l e by M a r t i n Walser, ' H b l d e r l i n zu entsprechen', HJb, 16 (1969/ 7 0 ) , pp.1-18; he quotes (71) the dictum: 'Das Individuum

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i s t eine glanzende europaische Sackgasse.' Walser h i m s e l f w r i t e s w i t h i n the t r a d i t i o n o f t h e F r a n k f u r t e r Schule, which i n i t s t u r n owes much t o German I d e a l i s m : *Er muBte s i c h i n anderen erfahren' (Walser 7) So t o o Szondi: 'Die Dinge s i n d sein anderes, ohne das er auch n i c h t er selber i s t ' ( 1 1 6 ) o But when the F r a n k f u r t e r Ausgabe celebrates through H o l d e r l i n the ' A p r i o n t a t des I n d i v i d u e l l e n uber das Ganze' 'das I n d i v i d u e l l e s p i e g e l t n i c h t nur das Ganze, es behauptet seine Autonomie gegen den Herrschaftsanspruch des Allgemeinen' ( E i n l e i t u n g , 19) one sees t h a t such terms are not v i a b l e s o c i a l concepts. Although i n t u i t i v e r a t h e r than systematic, t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n by Rudolf B e r l i n g e r , ' H o l d e r l i n s philosophische Denka r t ' , Euphorion, 62 (1968;, pp.1-12, seems best t o place the 'Verfahrungsweise' i n the h i s t o r y o f philosophy: i t s context i s 'die s e i t der Renaissance s i c h a r t i k u l i e r e n d e Autonomie-Problematik von Welt, i n der das mit dem Idealismus aufkommende Problem der S e l b s t k o n s t r u k t i o n seinen systematischen O r t hat' ( 3 ) . I t i s the 'experimentum suae medie t a t i s ' (Augustine) w i t h i t s a s c e t i c f e a r of p h y s i c a l dependence, the search t o become 'causa s u i ' t c f . B e r l i n g e r 1 ) . 60. '"Mit e i n e r stozen S i l b e " ... Die S i l b e " i c h " muB gemeint s e i n , das absolute I c h ' (Binder (AufsStze) 2 1 ) . 61. Kondylis stresses t h a t philosophy i s f o r H o l d e r l i n a t once ' d i v i s i o n ' and p o e t i c theory: 'Mit H i l f e der schSnen R e f l e x i o n ... e r r e i c h t der poetische Geist d i e Erkenntnis des poetischen I c h , d i e aber nur i n s o f e r n eine S e l b s t e r k e n n t n i s s e i n kann, a l s das poetische I c h noch n i c h t e i n v o l l e n d e t e s i s t , d.h. a l s es d i e Poesie nur auf der Ebene der P o e t i k , namlich nur programmatisch, r e a l i s i e r t hat' (399). 62. 'Das D i s t i c h o n ' . S c h i l l e r , Werke, Nationalausgabe I , ed. J u l i u s Petersen and F r i e d r i c h BeiBner (Weimar, 1943), p.285. 63. See t h e f i n e l y s e n s i t i v e and p e r c e p t i v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n of H S l d e r l i n ' s elegiac couplet by Ludwig StrauB, 'Zur S t r u k t u r des deutschen D i s t i c h o n s ' , T r i v i u m , 6 (1948), pp.52-83 (pp.69-83). 64 For the a l t e r n a t i o n o f r i s e and f a l l i n the a l c a i c strophe Binder f i n d s t h e analogy o f b r e a t h i n g or t h e s w e l l ('Dtinung') o f the sea ('HSlderlins Odenstrophe' (Aufsatze, pp.47-75), p.54). At the end o f 'Der Archipelagus' comes the prayer: 'LaB der S t i l l e mich dann i n deiner T i e f e gedenken'; t h e sea i s peace. The d i s t i n c t i o n between the epic hexameter w i t h i t s 'grenzenloses WeiterstrSmen ... i n ununterbrochener Reihe v i e l e r Verse' (StrauB 65) and t h e elegiac couplet i n i t s p o t e n t i a l l y endless r i s e and f a l l i s n o t , as w i t h c l a s s i c a l forms, r i g i d , and the c r e a t i o n of the s t r o p h i c form out o f t h e elegiac couplet can p r e suppose the same i n f i n i t e p o t e n t i a l as i s symbolised by t h e hexameter. 65. Cf. Binder (Aufsatze) 20, ('Homburg') 86. '"Das Sein"

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. .. v e r s t e h t er ... m i t einem ehemals mystischen B e g r i f f a l s "Grund"' ( 2 0 ) . 66. Cf. the use of 'Geister', 4 .159, 30. 67. StrauB speaks of *der Widerstand gegen das Unendlichk e i t s - S t r e b e n des Hexameters im l y r i s c h - e l e g i s c h e n D i stichon' (65) 68. Cf. A . W . Schlegel's l i n e s on the b i r t h of the e l e g i a c couplet. Als der Hexameter e i n s t i n unendlichen Raumen des Epos Ernst hinwandelnd, umsonst i n n i g e n L i e b e s v e r e i n Suchte, da schuf aus eignem Geblilt ihm e i n w e i b l i c h e s Abbild, Pentametrea, und ward s e l b e r , A p o l l , Paranymph I h r e s u n s t e r b l i c h e n Bundes. I h r s a n f t anschmiegend Umarmen Brachte dem Heldengemahl ... manch anmutiges Kind, elegeische L i e d e r . ('Die E l e g i e ' . A.W. Schlegel, K r i t i s c h e S c h r i f t e n und B r i e f e , ed. Edgar Lohner, 6 v o l s ( S t u t t g a r t , 1962 -67), I I I , 234f..) This conception seems even t o go back t o the Baroque; Hanmann's appendix t o Opitz's 'Buch von der Deutschen Poeterey' says: 'Elegien seynd Alexandrinische Verse, da e i n Weiblicher und Mannlicher umb einander ges e t z e t werden' (quoted by P r i e d r i c h BeiBner, Geschichte der deutschen Elegie ( B e r l i n , 1941), p.63). Cf. StrauB on the symbolism of Goethe's elegiac couplet ( r e f e r e n c e below, p. 369, n . 3 3 ) 69. Such open-ness t o the A l l , the very essence of Hb'lderl i n ' s p o e t i c process, appeared i n r e l a t i o n t o 'Verstand' and i n the 'Grund ( 4 . 1 5 9 , 9 -11); i t appears i n the 'Verfahrungsweise* as the t h i r d ( p o e t i c ) stage, f o l l o w i n g 'Natur' and 'Kunst' (= r e f l e c t i o n ) (4.261, 10-263, 2 ) . Konrad 100: V/enn das I d e a l dasjenige i s t , das " a l l e s aufnimmt", so i s t es auBerhalb d i e s e r Funktion N i c h t s , Leere eben das, was Allem noch gegentiberliegen kann ... Das A b s t r a k t e s t e i s t r e i n e Form, n i c h t a l s prSgend gedacht, sondern a l s aufnehmend; es i s t das Nichts eines Innenraumes, t o t a l e E m p f a n g l i c h k e i t , R e z e p t i v i t a t des Geistes.' For l y r i c p o e t r y as s e l f - u n i v e r s a l i s a t i o n ('unendlicher G e i s t ' ) , c f . the d e f i n i t i o n a t 4.246, 3: 'der Geist v e r a l l g e m e i n e r t a l l e s besondere.' 70. On the f o r m a t i v e i n f l u e n c e of Shaftesbury and Winckelmann, see Walther Rehm, Griechentum und Goethezeit (Bern and Munich, 1968), pp.24 -55. But the ancestor of the conception of the s e l f as d i v i n e , y e t also p o t e n t i a l l y l i f e l e s s , u n i t i s the L e i b n i z i a n monad; the p o e t i c 'sphere' i s governed by the question Konrad e x t r a c t s from H o l d e r l i n ' s philosophy: 'Wie kann e i n Ganzes i n s e i n e r E i n h e i t a l s I n d i v i d u e l l e s erkannt werden, ohne i n d i e s e r Betrachtung zum Atom zu werden' (42f).

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71. Kondylis speaks o f t e l e o l o g i c a l r e f l e c t i o n ' i n Hyperion; s u f f e r i n g i s necessary, good, being the form o f f i n i t u d e i n i t s union w i t h e t e r n i t y ( 3 4 2 f . ) .
1

72. The p o e t i c sphere w i t h i t s 'Hingabe' and 'Eigenmacht' has i t s source i n the very essence o f H o l d e r l i n ' s being: the l o n g i n g t o surrender which cannot be surrendered t o , except i n the world o f poetry. I t s nature r e q u i r e s i n t u i t i o n from c r i t i c s , knowledge, then, which i s not f r a g mented i n t o o b j e c t i v i t y by v a r i o u s l e v e l s ( t h e o l o g i c a l , p h i l o s o p h i c a l , s o c i o l o g i c a l , p s y c h o l o g i c a l , e t c . ) . Closest to t h i s i s Kempter's perceptiveness. He formulates the law of H o l d e r l i n ' s l i f e 'das Gebundene suchte d i e Trennung, das E n t f e r n t e d i e Vereinigung' ( c f . 4.246, 2 f . ) a law whose one side i s ' f l i g h t ' from c a p t i v i t y , whose other side i s ' l o n g i n g ' : ' H o l d e r l m s Leben i s t e i n standiges E r g r i f f e n s e i n und z u g l e i c h e i n Weggehen' ( 2 4 , 5 3 ) . With Diotima i n F r a n k f u r t , Homburg i s the sphere o f 'Treue' and 'Sehnsucht' (Kempter 5 3 ) : 'Vor den gegenwartigen Gottern zurucktretend Oder den kommenden Gb'ttern vorausgehend, beide Male s p a r t s i c h H o l d e r l i n den Raum des Dichtenkonnens aus, um den Gb'ttern zu dienen' (Binder ('Homburg') 9 3 ) . Yet the o r i g i n of t h e law l i e s before F r a n k f u r t , i n the o r i g i n i t s e l f , around which are drawn 'concentric c i r c l e s ' : Niirtingen, Schwaben, l a t e r , Vaterland-Hesperien. 'Aber auch d i e innere Heimat, der N i i r t i n g e r Raum zwischen Albrand und Neckar, h a t noch einmal einen i n n e r s t e n Punkt, d i e F a m i l i e , oder e i g e n t l i c h d i e G e s t a l t der Mutter'; hence 'Verzicht auf ... jede A r t von W i r k l i c h k e i t i n dem bedingten, z e i t l i c h e n Dasein, das andere warm und bergend umgibt' (Binder (Aufsatze) 79, 83). The 'Angelpunkt des O'dipuskomplexes der Vater a l s Urheber des Gesetzes ... - i s t niemals i n das Bedeutungssystem des Subjekts aufgenommen worden'; H b l d e r l i n 'versucht ... e i n solches Gesetz auf der Sprache zu grunden' (Laplanche 57, 145). Rehm speaks o f the dream o f Greece, 'das Heimweh der i n s schwere Leben hinausgestoBenen Menschen nach dem Heimat- und Kinderland' ( 1 0 ) . Hence the *exzentrische Bahn', t h e attempt t o r e t u r n which cannot be, and hence the s e m i - s o l u t i o n , love which can never be union; Hyperion's bower, formed out o f the t r a d i t i o n a l i d y l l i c m o t i f , u n i t i n g e x c l u s i o n and enclosure (Aspetsberger 9 5 ) , becomes the p o e t i c sphere.

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II.

'DER WANDERER': IDYLL

n

1. Cf. B205, 63; Zuberbiihler 97 -100 (esp. on 'Patmos', 2.186, 1.176): 'Aus der Verwandtschaft m i t dem Namen " G o t t schopft das Wort "gut" b e i H S l d e r l i n seine L e u c h t k r a f t und seine G l u t ' ( 9 9 ) .

2. B e r t o l t Brecht, Die Antigone des Sophokles: M a t e r i a l i e n zur 'Antigone', e d i t i o n suhrkamp ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1965), i n a b r i e f reference t o 'HSlderlins Antigone-Sprache', gives examples o f 'der schwabische Volksgestus'. I n t h e p o e t r y t h i s 'gesture' i s founded upon t h e c o n f l i c t between form and freedom, and i s n o t so much a r h e t o r i c a l accompaniment t o speech as l y r i c a l enhancement o f images of l i b e r a t i o n . 3. 'Living-death' i s t h e s t a t e o f l o s t l o v e , t h e e l e g i a c s i t u a t i o n , t h e Underworld conveyed a t the beginning o f 'Elegie'. I n the d r a f t o f a l e t t e r t o Susette Gontard H b l d e r l i n w r i t e s ' l e i s e r u f i c h mir das Schrekenswort zu: l e b e n d i g Todter!' (B182, 8 f . ) . I t i s l o s t i n s p i r a t i o n ( c f . B198, 7-16), ' d e j e c t i o n ' , f a m i l i a r from other Romantic poets: from ' L i f e - i n - D e a t h ' and t h e Ancient Mariner's becalmed ship ('Alone, alone, a l l , a l l alone'; compare Empedokles' 'Weh! einsam! einsam! einsam!' ( I I , 3 4 2 ) ) , from Keats' 'Knight-at-arms/ Alone and p a l e l y l o i t e r i n g ' where, as a t the beginning o f 'Der Wanderer' and 'Der Gang aufs Land', 'no b i r d s sing' ( i n 'Stutgard' they have a l ready r e t u r n e d ) . 4. Compare the c r i t i c i s m by Andreas M u l l e r , 'Die beiden Fassungen von H b l d e r l i n s Elegie "Der Wanderer"', HJb, 3 (1948/49), pp.103-31 (p. 125): 'Man mag den Vers ... uberl a s t e t , auch d i e Zusammenfassung zweier so u n t e r s c h i e d l i c h e r Vorgange ... bedenklich finden.* 5. I n notes f o r a l e c t u r e on P i n d a r i c l y r i c A . W . Schlegel w r i t e s : 'Wie s t e h t ' s dabei urn d i e l y r i s c h e Begeisterung? ... Epischer Gang r u h i g e Bewegung i n gerader L i n i e . HBchste L y r i k e b e n f a l l s r u h i g nur i n konzentrischen Schwingungen. G l e i c h n i s s e : m i t t l e r e Region, obere h e i t r e . F a l k e n f l u g Schweben, p l o t z l i c h e s T r e f f e n ' ( I I I , 218). Compare t h e opening o f Goethe's poem 'Harzreise im Winter'. 6. M u l l e r sees the e l i m i n a t i o n of concrete d e t a i l as being always designed t o l e a d up t o 'Vater Aether' ( 1 . 9 8 ) , and holds t h i s tendency towards 'das Allgemeinere, v i e l l e i c h t auch S i n n i g e r e , gewiB: E n t s i n n l i c h t e r e ' (126) p a r t l y r e sponsible f o r the poem's f a i l u r e : here ( i n comparison w i t h the e a r l i e r poem) ' i s t ... nur von e i n e r Symmetrie der Prop o r t i o n e n , e i n e r bloB auBeren Ubereinstimmung zu sprechen, n i c h t ... von e i n e r Harmonie, d i e d o r t a l s der Widerschein e i n e r wahrhaft g l u c k l i c h e n inneren Ausgewogenheit des Ge= d i c h t s zu erkennen i s t ' (130; c f . 131) This would be f a i r c r i t i c i s m i f the thus deconcretised i d y l l were indeed subordinated t o the end; b u t i t i s the 'higher' purpose t h a t f r e e s t h e poem as a whole from e x t e r n a l r e f e r e n c e . The Wanderer's r e t u r n made a powerful impact on M u l l e r :

359 =

' I n e i n e r gewaltigen und gewaltsamen Erschiitterung i s t er s i c h s e i n e r v o l l i g e n Einsamkeit, e i n e r grenzenlosen Verl a s s e n h e i t bewuBt geworden, i n der er j e t z t d i e t i e f s t e Tragik raenschlichen Seins, d i e Ohnmacht v o r den Folgen der eigenen Tat, d i e er dem Leben preisgegeben, das A u s g e l i e f e r t s e i n an d i e grausige A l l g e w a l t der Z e i t , das e r damit s e l b s t v e r s c h u l d e t h a t , b e g r e i f t ' (129). This reads l i k e a piece o f post-war German psychology. 7. I l l , 266. The p r o x i m i t y o f epic t o r e a l i t y ( t h e epi<f poet's ' o b j e c t i v e ' detachment) amounts t o a d e f i n i t i o n i n t h i s p e r i o d . Schlegel says t h a t t h e epic poet has t h e 'general' ( i . e . ' u n i v e r s a l ' ) p e r s o n a l i t y 'eines besonnenen, r u h i g beschauenden, gleichsam uber den Gegenstanden schwebenden Geistes, den w i r nur durch das Medium der d a r g e s t e l l t e n auBeren Welt e r b l i c k e n ' ( I I I , 1 9 9 ) . H S l d e r l i n , who p r e f e r s q u o t a t i o n t o l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m , observes simply: 'Der a u s f i i h r l i c h e , s t e t i g e , w i r k l i c h wahre Ton f a l l t i n d i e Augen. Und so h S l t s i c h dann auch das epische Gedicht im GrcJBeren an das W i r k l i c h e ' ( 4 . 2 3 0 , 1 - 3 ) . Schlegel's i m p o r t a n t l e c t u r e s on l i t e r a t u r e began even as H o l d e r l i n was composing h i s g r e a t e s t p o e t r y , and are thus o f t e n v a l u a b l e i n r e v e a l i n g t h e premises on which H o l d e r l i n ' s more complex and a b s t r a c t conceptions are b u i l t . H S l d e r l i n ' s own I d e a l i s t i c s y s t e m a t i s a t i o n o f t h e genres, which i s n o t immediately r e l e v a n t here (see Szondi 138-46;, remains founded on the c o n v e n t i o n a l view. S i m i l a r l y , t h e p r i n c i p l e s of p o e t r y discussed here w i t h the problem o f c r e a t i v i t y are common c u l t u r a l p r o p e r t y ( t h e c l a s s i c a l statements are i n the work o f Hamann and Herder) already i n t e g r a t e d , i n h e r i t e d r a t h e r than s t a t e d , i n H o l d e r l i n ( c f . e.g. 4.182, 16-18). 8. For these p r i n c i p l e s , see Renate Boschenstein-Schafer, I d y l l e , second e d i t i o n ( S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 7 8 ) , and Thomas G. Rosenmeyer, The Green Cabinet: Theocritus and t h e European P a s t o r a l L y r i c (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1969) , esp. pp. 45-64 ( ' S i m p l i c i t y ' ) . Although h i s work i s concerned w i t h p a s t o r a l proper, Rosenmeyer's observations o f t e n cross i n t o i d y l l , and t h e b l u r r i n g o f generic boundaries e n t a i l e d i n my d i s c u s s i o n i s a p p r o p r i a t e t o the I d e a l i s t i c c o n t e x t : t o the view t h a t f i x e d forms ( ' P o s i t i v i t a t ' ) a r e , w i t h o u t the r e j u v e n a t i n g b r e a t h o f t h e u n i v e r s a l S p i r i t , dead a r t . Epic, p a s t o r a l and i d y l l can f a l l under t h e category 'naive' because t h e i m p l i c i t and absolute i d e a l i s r e t u r n t o Nature. 'Hier i s t Arkadien; v o r D i r , um Dich, es s e i nur i n M r ... GroB und neu w i r d h i e m i t das Gebiet des I d y l l s ' (Herder, Samtlighe Werke, ed. Bernhard Suphan, 33 v o l s ( B e r l i n , 1877-1913), X X I I I , p. 305).
9* Miiller 111.

10. I l l , 229. Such an unformed succession o f couplets i s , again, 'epic' s i m p l i c i t y , i n which, Schlegel says, 'each moment' i s 'there f o r i t s own sake'; i n t h e garden o f Alcinous the f r u i t s f a l l one a f t e r another from the t r e e 'dem GenieBenden i n d i e Hand' ( I I , 3 1 2 f . ) ; again t h e a s s o c i a t i o n

360

of i d y l l w i t h epic. N a t u r a l l y the use of such terms here presupposes comparison w i t h the second, formed, v e r s i o n of 'Der Wanderer'. My understanding of H o l d e r l i n ' s e l e g i a c form f o l l o w s Schlegel's dictum: 'Wir miissen auf den ... Grundsatz zuruckgehen, daB das SilbenmaB immer den Geist des Ganzen bezeichnen s o i l ' ( I I I , 198). This i s a Romantic conception: metre i s designed t o generate a mood i n the poet r a t h e r than conform t o o b j e c t i v e l y d e f i n a b l e types of s u b j e c t matter. Despite Binder's e x c e l l e n t essay, ' H o l d e r l i n s Odenstrophe' (Aufsatze, 4 7 - 7 5 ) , f a r too l i t t l e thought has been given t o t h i s . 11. I n some way t h i s step beyond i d y l l i c 'Ruhe' seems connected w i t h the systematic p h i l o s p h i c a l step beyond S c h i l l e r ' Wechselwirkung' t o the t r i a d i c ' d i a l e c t i c ' , even though S c h i l l e r ' s personal form i s ' s a t i r i c ' tragedy and not i d y l l . Cf. Konrad 226f.: 'Die Konsequenz der S c h i l l e r s c h e n Bestimmung des I d e a l s a l s Gleichgewicht ware f i l r das Kunstschaffen d i e " I d y l l e " a l s hdchste Kunstform Schiller hat das Untragische d i e s e r Bestimmuhg anscheinend s e l b s t gesehen, d i e Konsequenz j e d e n f a l l s f u r s e i n eigenes Schaffen n i c h t gezogen.' But i f S c h i l l e r ' s t r a g e d i e s are r e a l l y a 'Meta-pher' f o r the c o n f l i c t between ' I d e a l i s t ' and 'Reali s t ' , i d e a l and r e a l i t y , then the r e s u l t i n g balance could be c a l l e d ' i d y l l i c ' even i f i t s form i s dramatic. And H o l d e r l i n ' s 'step f u r t h e r ' could i n the end r e f l e c t r e j e c t i o n by the 'Phantast' of any such r e c o n c i l i a t i o n or compromise, indeed, r e f u s a l t o acknowledge the o b s t a c l e ; the ' I d e a l i s t ' no longer s t r u g g l e s i n and w i t h the w o r l d ( t h a t being the superseded 'heroic' way) but r e c r e a t e s i t . 12. Hb'lderlin, Werke und B r i e f e , ed. P r i e d r i c h BeiBner and Jochen Schmidt, 3 v o l s ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1969), I I I , p.48. (Henceforth r e f e r r e d t o as Insel-Ausgabe.) 13. The t r a n s i t i o n from musical harmony (beauty) t o l i f e ( r e a l i t y ) i s one of the two major 'hyperboles' i n the 'Verfahrungsweise' ( t h e other i s the t r a n s i t i o n t o r e a l i t y by the r e f l e c t i n g ' I c h ' ) : Konrad 218, 157-62.

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III.

'DER GANG AUFS LAND': WISH AND FULFILMENT

1. One may compare the use o f 'verstandig' i n Goethe's 'Hermann und Dorothea', where, w i t h the c l a s s i c a l treatment i n general, the h o n o r i f i c e p i t h e t has a touch o f i r o n y . 2. On 'Geist' and i t s sound, see Zuberbtihler 50-54. 'Auch H o l d e r l i n spurt i n "Geist" d i e verraeintliche Grundbedeutung "Gest"/"Gischt" ... Man muB s i c h dabei vergegenwartigen, daB sowohl S c h i l l e r wie Hegel und H o l d e r l i n "Geist" wohl a l s "Geischt" ausgesprochen haben' ( 5 1 f . ) .

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IV.

'STUTGARD': THE QUESTION OF COMMUNITY

1. Compare, f o r example, the f i n a l i t y of the mountain i n the f i r s t h a l f o f 'Der Wanderer' ('lachelnd und e r n s t ' ) ; ' o f f e n ' c l o s i n g the f i r s t strophe o f 'Der Gang aufs Land'; ' s e e l i g und arm', concluding 'An eine V e r l o b t e ' . 2. The H e r a c l i t e a n image o f the bow provides a n a t u r a l exp r e s s i o n f o r the 'exzentrische Bahn', the journey away from the o r i g i n and enriched r e t u r n . Although i t s bending 'outwards ' i s thus an i d e a l i s e d act ('That-handlung'), i t i s Hyperion's image r a t h e r than Alabanda's; i t i s not aggressive, and indeed i n the f i r s t strophe o f 'Lebenslauf* i t i s by no means c l e a r t h a t an archer's bow i s meant. Rather, the s i g n o f the arc as such i s i n v o l v e d : the s t r a i g h t l i n e , i n f i n i t y , d e f l e c t e d by l i f e . The bow i s thus the symbol o f 'harmoniously-opposed' s p i r i t and matter, o f beauty, and so o f u l t i m a t e u n i t y . Empedokles' triumphant monologue ( I , 1910-1942) concludes w i t h ' I r i s Bogen', and from the v a r i a n t s i t i s c l e a r t h a t H b l d e r l i n moved the m o t i f t o t h i s f i n a l p o s i t i o n , thus f i n d i n g a p e r f e c t formal u n i t y ; the rainbow t h a t thus spreads out over the passage i s the symbol o f peace. So the 'arc' c a r r i e s a fundamental metaphysical dualism, a c o n f l i c t between i n f i n i t e l o n g i n g and r e a l l i f e , a neverending search f o r peace. The e l e g i a c couplet i s the 'vessel', but not s o l u t i o n , o f t h i s c o n f l i c t ; Konrad's summary (138) of the 'Verfahrungsweise' 'Das Aus-sich-herausgehen des Geistes kann a l s e i n B e i - s i c h - b l e i b e n des Geistes b e g r i f f e n werden' expresses the same i n s i s t e n c e on u l t i m a t e cont r o l , the l o n g i n g y e t i n a b i l i t y t o surrender. 3. On the c a t e g o r i e s Langsamkeit and ' S c h n e l l i g k e i t * d e f i n i n g the conception o f rhythm i n the 'Verfahrungsweise', see Konrad 1 3 8 f . . I n h i s n .59 (p,241f.) he c i t e s p a r a l l e l d e f i n i t i o n s from P l a t o and A r i s t o t l e . But i t i s important to d i s t i n g u i s h between the Greek and I d e a l i s t i c concepti o n s ; the l a t t e r i s inseparable from the e t h i c a l i d e a l ('interesseloses G e f a l i e n ' , ' Zweck an s i c h ' ) , whereas the Greek i s l e s s i d e a l i s t i c , being concerned w i t h a e s t h e t i c p r o p o r t i o n , and can thus comprehend o r a t o r y , f o r example, w i t h i t s w i l l t o persuade.
1 1

4. For the 'epic' ('naive') p r i n c i p l e s i n v o l v e d here, see above, on 'Der Wanderer', 1 1 . 5 5 - 7 9 . Here too 'stehen' and 'schauen' ( c f . 'Der Wanderer', 11.64, 74) g a i n i n t e n s i f i e d meaning through the p a s s i v i t y o f the p o e t i c s e l f .

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V, 'BRQD UND WBIN': THE ANATOMY OF LONGING 1. This f e e l i n g i s one form of the deep s p i r i t u a l a f f i n i t y t o Rousseau, who i n the Abgezogenheit von allem Lebendigen' ('Fragment von Hyperion', 218/8) of the Reveries du promeneur s o l i t a i r e again and again turns t o , then away from, the world of men and i t s v a n i t y : 'Car pour eux a c t i f s , remuans, ambitieux, d e t e s t a n t l a l i b e r t e dans l e s autres e t n'en voulant p o i n t pour eux meme, pourvu q u ' i l s fassent quelquefois l e u r v o l o n t e , ou p l u s t o t q u ' i l s dominent c e l l e d ' a u t r u i , i l s se genent t o u t e l e u r v i e a f a i r e ce q u i l e u r repugne et n'omettent r i e n de s e r v i l e pour commander' (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Oeuvres completes, ed. Bernard Gagnebin and Marcel Raymond, B i b l i o t h e q u e de l a Pleiade (Bruges, 1 9 6 4 ) , I , p. 1059). I t i s the same f e e l i n g , but w i t h the i n t e n s i t y of youth, expressed a t the end of Hyperion: 'Und Einmal sah' i c h noch i n d i e k a l t e Nacht der Menschen zuruk und schauert' und weinte vor Freuden, daB i c h so s e e l i g war ... ( I I , 122/ 1 5 f ) . I n t h i s p e r i o d i d e a l i s a t i o n of a r t goes hand-in-hand w i t h a n t i p a t h y t o the world of a f f a i r s . For A.W. Schlegel P i n d a r i c l y r i c d i s s o l v e s 'der Zwang, d i e Bedurfnisse, d i e Muhseligkeiten' ( I I I , 2 1 7 ) ; thus Kant's 'interesseloses G e f a l l e n ' heralds the e l e v a t i o n above o r d i n a r y l i f e o f Romanticism. The c e l e b r a t i o n o f 'epic' detachment has more than a t r a c e of t h i s d i s t a s t e .
1 1

2. ' S p i r i t ' i s the breath of l i f e . H o l d e r l i n s panentheism, l i k e Hegel's, i s founded upon the b i b l i c a l t r a d i t i o n o f the c r e a t i v e Logos which begins i n Genesis 1 ( And the S p i r i t of God moved upon the face of the waters ... ) and c u l minates i n the Johannine c h r i s t o l o g y . H o l d e r l i n t r a n s f e r s t h i s agency t o Nature ( c f . 'Empedokles' I I , 5 3 8 ) .
1 1

3. See StrauB's h i g h l y s e n s i t i v e m e t r i c a l a n a l y s i s of t h i s strophe ( 7 2 - 7 5 ) . His conclusions: ' 1 . Die Melodie der d r e i a k t i g e n Kurzverse m i t mannlichem SchluB geht a l s f a s t ununterbrochene Saule durch d i e ganze Elegie ... und l a B t d i e zweiten Hexameterhsilf t e n exne eigene, d e u t l i c h abgehobene Stimme singen ... 2. An v i e r von den acht D i s t i c h e n grenzen ... w a l l t der Satz uber den Rand der D i s t i c h o n schale, aber i n den nachsten Hexameter e r g i e B t er s i c h n i c h t ungehemmt, sondern d i e neue Schale der pentametrischen e r s t e n Hexameterhalfte f a n g t i h n auf; zweimal f r e i l i c h u b e r w a l l t er auch d i e s e r "zweiten Schale Rund".' Thus he f i n d s the strophe c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f H o l d e r l i n ' s elegies i n t h e i r growing i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of connecting f l o w between rhythmic u n i t s ( 7 5 ) . k. The i d e a l o f 'renewal of language' i s p a r t of the great r e a c t i o n against the Enlightenment; the task of l i t e r a t u r e , above a l l of p o e t r y , becomes t o r e s t o r e l i t e r a l v i t a l i t y t o language deadened by metaphor ( c f . Zuberbtihler's i n t r o d u c t i o n ) . But the i d e a l i d e n t i t y of word and o b j e c t , s i g n and s i g n i f i c a t e , i m p l i e s , beyond mere a r t i s t i c v i v i d n e s s and immediacy, a r e s u s c i t a t i o n o f the p r i m i t i v e search f o r the magic word of power. 3?he speaker has power over the

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o b j e c t , t o release which an access of unwonted energy i s needed. The n a t u r a l time and place o f such an a c t i s n i g h t , when knowledge cedes t o i n t u i t i o n , and so i t belongs t o the dark 'romantic' n o r t h r a t h e r than t h e c l a s s i c a l south (runes were signs o f power). There are signs o f a s i m i l a r i n t e n t i o n i n Hegel ( c f . Werner Becker, Hegels B e g r i f f der D i a l e k t i k und das P r i n z i p des Idealismus: Zur systematischen K r i t i k der l o g i s c h e n und der phanomenologischen D i a l e k t i k ( S t u t t g a r t , 1969), p p . 1 2 5 f . ) . 5. Compare t h e p o s i t i o n and f u n c t i o n of 'the mountains' i n t h e f i r s t strophe o f 'Stutgard', of 'der A l t e , der Taunus' i n 'Der Wanderer', l i k e w i s e the image o f the h i l l t h a t u n d e r l i e s t h e rhythm o f 'Der Gang aufs Land'. Formal u n i t y i s dependent upon these images, j u s t as a poem's genos i s determined n o t by a b s t r a c t formal c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , but by Nature. 6. I i n t e r p r e t e d t h e essence beyond Empedokles, A g r i gent, Greece and Germany, and a l l other ' a c c i d e n t a l i t y ' of t h e 'Grund zum Empedokles' as e r o t i c l o s s of s e l f ('death') o f the i n d i v i d u a l ('Subjekt') t o Nature ('Obj e k t ' ) , and w i t h d r a w a l . This w i t h d r a w a l , 'Trennung' 'im UbermaaBe der I n n i g k e i t , wo s i c h d i e Entgegengesezten v e r wechseln', i s 'ErkenntniB' as opposed t o ' G e f u h l ; an a r c h e t y p a l f a l l from grace i n t o consciousness ( c f . Genesis
1

2.

17).

7. Discussion o f t h e poem i s t y p i c a l l y i n terms such as 'die e r h o f f t e Wanderung g o t t l i c h e r E r f i i l l u n g von Osten nach Westen, von Griechenland i n s h e i m a t l i c h e Hesperien' ( I n s e l Ausgabe, i i i , 5 4 ) . Since they can s c a r c e l y touch us e m o t i o n a l l y such terms tend t o reduce the poem t o an obj e c t of h i s t o r i c a l i n t e r e s t , w h i l e such comments seem t o me t o go beyond the l e g i t i m a t e f u n c t i o n (by and l a r g e observed i n the parent S t u t t g a r t e r Ausgabe) o f 'Erlauterungen' since they already i n v o l v e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . This i s the approach Constantine i s c o r r e c t i n g when he speaks o f t h e 'basic e l e g i a c i n s p i r a t i o n ' ; i t i s 'not necessary t o d i s t i n g u i s h the more personal poems from the odes and hymns whose subjects a r e , o s t e n s i b l y , Greece and Hesperia ... The h i s t o r i c a l - r e l i g i o u s "system" i n h i s l a t e r p o e t r y can best be understood i n terms o f t h e same emotional impulses as form the poems lamenting the s e p a r a t i o n from Susette Gontard' ( 4 9 ) . 'The problems o f an i n t e r p r e t a t i v e method which does not seek t o e x p l a i n t h e ideas i n p o e t r y but only t h e i r p o e t i c f u n c t i o n a r i s e c h i e f l y w i t h poems such as ... "Brod und Wein" ... out o f which H S l d e r l i n ' s "mythology" has been a b s t r a c t e d ' ; what matters i s always t h e 'emotional need out of which t h e poem grew' ( 5 4 f . ) 8. The l i n e s (and t h e i r a l l i t e r a t i o n ) are i n s p i r e d by John 3. 8: 'Der Wind blMset, wo er w i l l , und du horest s e i n Sausen wohl; aber du weiBt n i c h t , von wannen er kommt und wohin er f a h r e t . Also i s t e i n j e g l i c h e r , der aus dem Geist geboren i s t . '

565

9. The t r a n s i t i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n o f t h e eye w i t h w a t e r i s a l r e a d y a p p a r e n t i n 'Hyperions S c h i k s a a l s l i e d ' , where t h e l i q u i d 1 sounds o f 'Und d i e s e e l i g e n Augen/ B l i k e n i n s t i l l e r / Ewiger K l a r h e i t ' y i e l d a r h y t h m l i k e e t e r n a l l y - d r o p p i n g w a t e r . The B r u c h s t u c k no.18 ( 2 . 3 1 9 ) , where 'Thranen' and ' k l a r e s Auge** a r e a l r e a d y v i r t u a l l y p a r a t a c t i c Keimworte, shows how c l o s e l y t h i s c i r c l e o f m o t i f s i s r e l a t e d t o t h e l o s s o f S u s e t t e G o n t a r d ; t h u s t h e harmonious c o n t r a s t o f warm l a n d and c o o l shade i s t h e one h a l f o f ' H a l f t e des Lebens'. I n 'Thranen' and 'Patmos (where t h e i s l a n d i s a l s o a p l a c e o f 'shade') t h e s e a s s o c i a t i o n s have become poetic vocabulary.
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10. Lethe and t h e S t y x merge i n H y p e r i o n ' s s u r r e n d e r o f w i l l : ' I c h gab m i c h h i n ... , und b i l d e t e m i r e i n , i c h l i e g e i n Charons Nachen. 0 es i s t suB, so aus d e r Schaale d e r V e r g e s s e n h e i t zu t r i n k e n ' l, 8 6 / 1 2 - 1 5 ) . The passage i s a s l i g h t r e m i n i s c e n c e o f t h e R e v e r i e s ; i n t h e ode 'Rousseau' the p o e t - s e e r s t a n d s on t h e banks o f t h e r i v e r t h a t p a r t s t h e l i v i n g f r o m t h e dead. For a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e i d e a s and m o t i f s c o n n e c t i n g Rousseau t o H o l d e r l i n , see P a u l de Man, ' H S l d e r l i n s R o u s s e a u b i l d ' , HJb, 15 ( 1 9 6 7 / 6 8 ) , pp. 180-208. 11. the L i k e so,many i n 'Brod und Wein', t h e m o t i f comes f r o m New Testament (Matthew 26. 4 0 f . ) .

12. My r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e r h y t h m i n t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e o f t e n converges w i t h t h a t o f Jochen Schmidt, H o l d e r l i n s E l e g i e B r o d und W e i n : Die E n t w i c k l u n g des hymhischen S t i l s i n d e r e l e g i s c h e n D i c h t u n g ( B e r l i n . 1 9 6 8 ) . pp.64-68. My main c o n t r i b u t i o n here i s i n t h e o v e r r i d i n g r h y t h m i c c o n t i n u i t y w i t h i n w h i c h t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e , whose s t r u c t u r e i s t h e most pronounced i n t h e poem, i s h e l d .
T 1

1 3 . Of. A.W. S c h l e g e l , I I , 3 1 1 : 'so w i r d d e r SchluB des e c h t e n Epos immer zwischen ungeendet und e n d l o s i n d e r M i t t e schweben'; h i s own example: 'Immer noch mehr v e r l a n g e n d i e Horenden, wenn d e r Gesang t<5nt.' Of t h e m e t r e : 'Das e p i s c h e SilbenmaB i s t d e r Hexameter, der d u r c h s e i n e g l e i c h e T a k t a r t d e r Ruhe, d u r c h s e i n e n zwischen F a l l und Schwung g l e i c h gemessenen Rhythmus d e r unbestimmten R i c h t ung, d u r c h s e i n e n u n e r s c h o p f l i c h e n Wechsel dem Umfange, und d u r c h s e i n e l e i c h t e n und immer v e r s c h i e d e n e n Ubergange aus einem Verse i n den anderen d e r G r e n z e n l o s i g k e i t des Epos e n t s p r i c h t . Er i s t schwebend, s t e t i g , zwischen V e r w e i l e n und F o r t s c h r e i t e n g l e i c h gewogen, und kann deswegen, ohne zu ermiiden, den Horer a u f e i n e r m i t t l e r e n Hohe i n ungemessene W e i t e n f o r t t r a g e n ' ( I I , 316). C o n c e p t u a l l y t h i s c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e ' E i n h e i t ' and * M a n n i g f a l t i g k e i t ' o f H o l d e r l i n s p o e t i c s ( t h e I l i a d expresses t h e I d e a l , ' A l l e s i s t E i n s ' ; see Konrad's n n . 6 5 , 8 4 ) . I t seems t h a t t h e s e t t i n g o f t h e g r e a t Homeric e p i c s , above a l l t h a t o f t h e I l i a d on t h e ' sea-shore, has i m p a r t e d i t s e l f t o t h e sense o f t h e i r f o r m ; n o t t h e l e a s t a s p e c t o f German Griechentum i s l o n g i n g f o r the sea.
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366

14. Kempter compares t h e s t r o p h i c f o r m t o t h e f l o w and impediment o f a r i v e r : 'Die r h y t h m i s c h e F l u t ... i n H o l d e r l i n s Gesang bewegt und s t a u t s i c h i n d e r t r i a d i s c h e n Fugung d e r S t r o p h e n .. . H b ' l d e r l i n s S t r o p h e n a r b e i t e n s i c h d u r c h e i n Gebirge von Schranken, Verklammerungen, E i n s c h a l t u n g e n , b i s der D u r c h s t o B g e l i n g f ( 6 9 ) ; M a u r i c e Benn, H o l d e r l i n and P i n d a r (The Hague, 1962) speaks o f t h e poem's p a s s i o n 'as i t surges a g a i n s t t h e u n y i e l d i n g t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e l i k e a wave b r e a k i n g over a r o c k ' ( 1 1 7 ) ; f o r Schmidt t h e r h y t h m i c d i v i s i o n s o f t h i s s t r o p h e are l i k e ' p i l l a r s ' and ' b l o c k s o f s t o n e ' , so t h a t t h e v e r s e i s l i k e a r i v e r b r e a k i n g a g a i n s t 'Felstrummern', and t h e whole s t r o p h e i s a p a t h t h r o u g h and over g r e a t o b s t a c l e s , i n i t s i m p u l s e t o b r e a k t h r o u g h the normal 'MaB' o f t i m e and p l a c e an a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e r e a t hymnic j o u r n e y s ( 6 6 f . ) . The 'Pesseln' ('Der g e f e s s e l t e trora') and ' S t r i k e ' ('Der R h e i n ' , 1 . 9 8 ) d i s s o l v e as a t l a s t the r i v e r loses i t s e l f , i t s i n d i v i d u a l being, i n the i n f i n i t y o f t h e open sea: ' dann ... i n den Ozean f r e u d i g n i e d e r ! ' ('Der M a i n ' ) . So t o o i n 'Abendphantasie' and 'Mein Eigentum' t h e p o e t stands b e f o r e t h e sky. Yet I do n o t f i n d t h a t t h e p o e t r y o f t h i s s t r o p h e has the s e n s i t i v i t y o f t r u e p e r c e p t i o n o f N a t u r e ; one may comp a r e t h e sense o f t h e sea, w o n d e r f u l l y s u g g e s t i v e and i n d i r e c t , i n 'Andenken' ( w r i t t e n a f t e r t h e r e t u r n f r o m Bordeaux).

1 5 . Schmidt 6 7 f . n o t e s t h i s change o f d i r e c t i o n : 'Das " d o r t h e r " im l e t z t e n Vers s t e l l t d i e v o l l e n d e t e Umkehrung des a n f a n g l i c h e n R i c h t u n g s a d v e r b s " d o r t h i n " dar' ( 6 8 ) . 16. FHA 6 . 2 0 5 ( b u t c f . S t u t t g a r t e r Ausgabe 2 . 5 9 1 ) . The F r a n k f u r t e r Ausgabe p r o v i d e s t h e c l e a r e r p i c t u r e o f t h e textual history. 1 7 . For t h e a s s o c i a t i o n s and t h e i r s o u r c e s , 62-64. see Schmidt

18 The f i r s t word o f absence, 'Thronen', r e v e a l s t h e same a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c thought-sequence as i n t h e opening t o 'Der A r c h i p e l a g u s ' : Nature i n h e r f u l l n e s s misses man *wie Heroen den Kranz'; man crowns N a t u r e ( c f . H y p e r i o n , I , 1 5 0 / 1 2 - 1 6 ; 4 . 1 5 2 , 1 4 f . , 1 9 f . ) . Schmidt 7 0 f . i s t o o p r e c i s e i n h i s r e j e c t i o n o f a p p o s i t i o n a l usage h e r e ; t h e metap h o r i c a l and l i t e r a l p o s s i b i l i t i e s are a l l o w e d t o c o - e x i s t i n e l e g i a c u n i t y , so t h a t 'Thronen' and 'Tempel', 'GefaBe' and 'Gesang', a r e a t once d i s t i n c t and a s s o c i a t e d . Behind t h i s process l i e s the i n c o m p a t i b i l i t y of H o l d e r l i n ' s ' r e l i g i o n ' w i t h t h a t o f Greece, i n d e e d w i t h any i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s e d forms ( ' P o s i t i v i t a t ' ) . 1 9 . Schmidt summarises t h e ' z w e i t e S t r o p h e n t r i a s ' as ' H S l d e r l i n s I d e e d e r K u l t u r ' ( 6 8 ) , t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e as 'Das Werden der K u l t u r ' ( 8 9 ) . The ease w i t h w h i c h t h e p o e t r y t h u s becomes a p h i l o s o p h y o f h i s t o r y i s d i s t u r b i n g . 20. Such a t r a n s i t i o n suggests t h a t these l i n e s a t l e a s t

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were composed about t h e same t i m e as ' H e i m k u n f t ' , whose second s t r o p h e , i n d e e d , has t h e same S p r a c h g e s t u s t h r o u g h enjambement: 'Der a t h e r i s c h e s c h e i n t Leben zu geben g e n e i g t , / Freude zu s c h a f f e n ... .
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21. StrauB t o o senses an ' i n h a l t l o s e U n e n d l i c h k e i t m e t r i c a l form o f 1 1 . 9 6 - 9 7 ( 7 6 ) .

1

i n the

22. See Szondi's c h a p t e r 'Der andere P f e i l : Zur E n t s t e h u n g s g e s c h i c h t e des hymnischen S p a t s t i l s (pp.37-61). 2 3 . See Konrad's comments on t h e view o f language i m p l i e d by t h e V e r f a h r u n g s w e i s e ' ( p p . 1 0 5 , 1 0 7 , 1 1 5 * . ) : t h e f r a g ment b r e a k s o f f a t t h e p o i n t where H o l d e r l i n would have had t o c o n s i d e r language as 'das Medium d e r M i t t e i l u n g ' ( 1 1 5 ) . 2k. On H o l d e r l i n ' s ' M y t h o l o g i e d e r V e r n u n f t ' , see esp. S c h m i d l i n ' s two a r t i c l e s . Whether S c h e l l i n g was as c o n s t a n t l y i n H o l d e r l i n ' s mind as S c h m i d l i n suggests remains an hypot h e s i s , t h e a l l e g o r i s a t i o n ( "Psyche " ) o f 'Andenken' a w i l d one. But i t seems i n e v i t a b l e t h a t H S l d e r l i n w i l l have brooded' ( 7 . i i , 381 (Ld.362.a, *0) upon t h e p h i l o s o p h e r ' s m e t e o r i c success and h i s own o b s c u r i t y ; and t h a t t h i s w i l l have hardened h i s v i e w t h a t Germany p r e f e r r e d 'reason' t o b e a u t y , and c o n f i r m e d t h e a n a l o g y t o C h r i s t , whom t h e w o r l d knew n o t , and t h e need f o r s a c r i f i c i a l d e a t h . On t h e p r e sence o f Hegel i n t h e l a t e r s t a g e s o f 'Empedokles', see E m i l S t a i g e r , 'Der O p f e r t o d von H o l d e r l i n s Empedokles', HJb, 13 (1963/6 *0, p p . 1 - 2 0 ( p p . 1 8 f . ) .
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25* Compare t h e s i x t h s t r o p h e o f 'Der

Mensch'.

26. Terms l i k e ' t o overcome' and ' h i g h e r l e v e l ' a r e f r e q u e n t l y t o be e n c o u n t e r e d i n w r i t i n g on H o l d e r l i n . So here t h e I n s e l - A u s g a b e on t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e s i x t h t o t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e ( o f 1.99 t o 1 . 5 9 ) : ' H i e r i s t der Gedankengang w i e d e r , auf e i n e r hb'heren Ebene, d o r t angel a n g t , wo e r ... u n t e r b r o c h e n worden i s t ' ( i i i , 5 5 ) . The v a l u e upon which t h i s assessment i s based i s r a t i o n a l and n o t p o e t i c ; c f . C o n s t a n t i n e *f9: i t i s H o l d e r l i n ' s manner t o g i v e i m p u l s e s e x p r e s s i o n 'not i n any Gedankengang;, b u t i n o s c i l l a t i o n and w a v e r i n g between them"* ! ' t h e poem's meaning ... i s n o t t h a t t h e p o e t "wins t h r o u g h i n t h e end" ... , b u t i s a l l t h e demands o f h i s e m o t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n t h a t t h e poem has s t r u g g l e d t o compose' ( ^ 7 ) . He t o o f i n d s the f i f t h s t r o p h e p o e t i c a l l y d e f i c i e n t ( 6 1 f . ) .
-

2 7 . ' U n t e r s u c h t man n a m l i c h , wie j e n e M o t i v e , d i e aus d e r g r i e c h i s c h e n T r a g o d i e , aus den V o r s o k r a t i k e r n und aus d e r P h i l o s o p h i e P l a t o n s f u r H o l d e r l i n s Denken wirksam wurden, so l a f i t s i c h unschwer erkennen, daB d i e s e r R e z e p t i o n g r i e c h i s c h e r Denkmotive dasselbe Geschick e i n e r " f u n d a m e n t a l e n Umformung d e r o n t o l o g i s c h e n P r a g e s t e l l u n g ... im Umkreis d e r A u t o n o m i e - P r o b l e m a t i k von Welt w i d e r f a h r t , w i e es s i c h im P h i l o s o p h i e r e n Hegels b e g i b t ' ( B e r l i n g e r 2 ) . The same i s t r u e o f t h e c l a s s i c a l p o e t i c f o r m s .

- 368

28. There i s a d m i t t e d l y a t h e m a t i c t r a n s i t i o n between 1 1 . 102 and 103 a 'Wendung' f r o m ' d i e aufleren g l a n z v o l l e n E r s c h e i n u n g e n der K u l t u r * 'zum i n n e r l i c h e n , v e r g e i s t i g t e n B e r e i c h ' (Schmidt 1 0 6 ) ; i t s a e s t h e t i c weakness i s b r o u g h t out by t h e numinous power o f t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t . 29. E s s e n t i a l l y t h e d i v i n i t y o f 'Brod und Wein' i s o f the same q u a l i t y as t h a t o f F r i e d e n s f e i e r ' : 'Der G o t t ... g i b t s i c h im F o r t g a n g des G e d i c h t s zu erkennen ... e r s t zusammengenommen s i n d d i e Bezeichnungen der Name f u r den G o t t ... , e r s t i n d e r . i n n e r e n Dynamik i h r e r Gesamtheit s p i e g e l t s i c h d i e Bewegung des G e d i c h t s s e l b s t ' ( S z o n d i 8 0 ) ; i n d e e d , t h i s dependence o f t h e d e i t y upon t h e s u b j e c t i v e i n s t a n c e s h o u l d be more o b v i o u s i n t h e e l e g y t h a n i n t h e hymn, where t h e p o e t seems t o speak w i t h o b j e c t i v e c e r t ainty.
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30. See t h e c h a p t e r on 'Brod und Wein' i n R i c h a r d Unger, H o l d e r l i n ' s Ma.ior P o e t r y : The D i a l e c t i c s o f U n i t y CBloomington ( I n d i a n a ) , 1 9 7 5 ) ; cf Insel -AusgabeT i i i , 52. 3 1 . On t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f 'Dank' w i t h 'denken', see Zuberb u h l e r 88-90: 'Der "Dank" e r w e i s t s i c h im r e c h t e n "Gedenken" ... Danken und ( g e ) d e n k e n s t e h e n i n etymologischem Zusammenhang" ( 8 9 ) . (Compare t h e senses o f 'Gedachtnis' i n 1.36.)
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32. Schmidt a l l o w s no such a m b i v a l e n c e : 'Das D i s t i c h o n ... i s t von e i n e r gewissen v e r s t a n d n i s e r s c h w e r e n d e n Ambivalenz ... Die Worte " e r " und " s e l b s t " s i n d auf Dionysos zu beziehen' (1*t8). S i m i l a r l y , he s t a t e s c a t e g o r i c a l l y ( 3 8 f . ) t h a t " d i e Schwarmerische' ( 1 . 1 5 ) has t r a n s i t i v e f o r c e . But t h e grammar o f p o e t r y , e s p e c i a l l y H S l d e r l i n ' s , cannot be t i e d t o a s i n g l e e x c l u s i v e f u n c t i o n ; p a r t of the beauty of the verse l i e s i n the f a i n t suggestion t h a t , perhaps, N i g h t too i s wrapped up i n her dreams, u n r e a c h a b l e , 'wenig bekummert urn una'. Thus t h e m e r e l y r a t i o n a l p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n by 'Mythol o g i e d e r V e r n u n f t ' , w h i c h i n i t s e l f would be a r i d l y a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c , has, i n n o n - r a t i o n a l , m y s t e r i o u s f a s h i o n , l e n t i t s e l f to a personal d e s c r i p t i o n w i t h i r r a t i o n a l a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c u n d e r t o n e ; even ' d i e E r s t a u n e n d e ' , a l t h o u g h l o g i c a l l y o b v i o u s l y t r a n s i t i v e , has t h i s second, subliminal, function. 33* Cf. S p i n n e r ' s c o n c l u d i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s on 'Unter den A l p e n gesungen': 'Das I c h e r s c h e i n t n i c h t a l s r e a l komm u n i z i e r e n d e s , sondern a l s e i n e s , das Kommunikation i n t e n d i e r t ... ' ( 7 2 ) . A g a i n one i s reminded o f Hegel's d i c t u m : 'Sprache und A r b e i t s i n d AuBerungen, w o r i n das I n d i v i d u u m n i c h t mehr an ihm s e l b s t s i c h b e h a l t und b e s i t z t , sondern das I n n e r e ganz auBer s i c h kommen l a B t und d a s s e l b e Anderem p r e i s g i b t . ' The vagueness and ( t h r o u g h t h e c a p i t a l l e t t e r ) s l i g h t p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f 'Anderem' convey a q u i v e r o f f a s c i n a t i o n and f e a r ; language t o o i s a k i n d o f s e l f s u r r e n d e r , and must needs be ( ' r a t i o n a l l y ' ) r e c o n s t r u c t e d so as t o p r e s e r v e t h e sphere o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l .

369

Pew w r i t e r s on H o l d e r l i n have seen communication as t h e m a t i c , and o n l y S t r a u B , i n h i s e l o q u e n t c o m p a r i s o n o f H o l d e r l i n w i t h Goethe, r e l a t e s i t d i r e c t l y t o p o e t i c f o r m : t h e f l o w i n g r h y t h m o f t h e E l e g i e s expresses a l o n g i n g f o r community, a s t r i v i n g beyond t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f a c l o s e d f o r m as beyond t h o s e o f ( c o n t e m p o r a r y ) b o u r g e o i s s o c i e t y ( 8 1 - 8 3 ) ; t h i s he c o n t r a s t s w i t h Goethe's u l t i m a t e acceptance of f o r m a l l i m i t a t i o n ( t h e ' p a i r ' , couple, of l i n e s i n the c o u p l e t ) as o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s p l a c e w i t h i n s o c i e t y . The main d i s c u s s i o n c l o s e s t t o t h e i s s u e , i n r e c e n t l e f t - w i n g s c h o l a r s h i p , g e n e r a l l y c o n s i s t s i n t h e crude a s s e r t i o n t h a t H o l d e r l i n r e j e c t s t h e c l a s s i c a l c l a i m t o autonomy by t h e work o f a r t (PHA, E i n l e i t u n g , 1 7 ; Kurz 1 0 2 ) . I f communica t i o n i s i n d e e d t h e m a t i c t h x s a s s e r t i o n must be ( n o t abandoned, b u t ) q u a l i f i e d ; f o r i f t h e theme o f communication were i t s e l f an o b j e c t o f communication ( i . e . were p a r t o f t h e p o e t ' s message) i t would be r e d u n d a n t . 3 4 . The a m b i g u i t y i s c l o s e r t o t h e s u r f a c e i n t h e des c r i p t i o n o f Empedokles' c h a r i s m a t i c power ( 4 . 1 5 9 2 9 - 3 1 ) : ' i n d e r r a t h s e l h a f t e n Nacht der Z e i t ' . 35 'Nehme i c h dazu, daB unser G e i s t oder d i e ganze K r a f t u n s e r s schon w i r k l i c h gewordenen I n d i v i d u u m s unsers I c h s i n den e r s t e n Stunden, j a v i e l l e i c h t i n den e r s t e n Tagen nach d e r EmpfangniB, i n einem Trb'pfchen z a r t e r F l u s s i g k e i t ... e n t h a l t e n i s t ... '; ' e i n k l e i n e s h e l l e s , d u r c h s i c h t i g e s T r b p f c h e n ' (S.Th. Sommering, flber das Organ der Seele ( K S n i g s b e r g , 1 7 9 6 ) , pp.42, 4 3 ; . (See t h e two F r a n k f u r t e p i g r a m s , 1 . 2 2 7 . ) 3 6 . Prom t h e l i n e s a t t r i b u t e d t o H e i n r i c h Meibom; ' S c h l a f ! siiBer S c h l a f ! obwohl dem Tod wie du n i c h t s ... ' i s a p a l l i d t r a n s l a t i o n .

...

Mbrike's gleicht

3 7 . V i r g i l , A e n e i d . 6 , 7 3 1 - 3 4 , t r a n s . H. Rushton F a i r c l o u g h ( V i r g i l i n two volumes, Loeb C l a s s i c a l L i b r a r y , r e v i s e d e d i t i o n (London, 1 9 6 7 ) ) . 3 8 . Rehm t o u c h e s upon t h i s paradox i n h i s s e c t i o n on H e r d e r : 'Nur w e i l das Griechentum ganz n a t u r h a f t e i n "Maximum" von n a t i o n a l e r A r t d a r b o t , k o n n t es auch aus d i e s e r s e i n e r E i g e n a r t zwar a l l g e m e i n g u l t i g e und i i b e r g e s c h i c h t l i c h e , aber n i c h t u n g e s c h i c h t l i c h e Werte p r a g e n und v e r k o r p e r n ' ( 9 3 ) . 3 9 . Konrad comments i n p a s s i n g on t h e a m b i g u i t y o f 'Kunst': P o s i t i v gewordene Sprache d e r N a t u r i s t a l s o immer d u r c h Kunst ( w o h l im w e i t e s t e n Sinne des Wortes, so daB auch W i s s e n s c h a f t d a r u n t e r zu z a h l e n i s t ) v e r m i t t e l t e Sprache'
(115).

40. The c e l e b r a t i o n o f music and i t s s o o t h i n g power i n t h e opening t o P i n d a r ' s f i r s t P y t h i a n ode i s u n d o u b t e d l y an i n s p i r a t i o n here ( a l t h o u g h t h e r e the i n h a b i t a n t of H e l l i s r e p r e s e n t e d as a f r a i d ) . There are s i g n s o f Orphism i n P i n d a r : 'Each man's body f o l l o w s t h e c a l l o f o v e r m a s t e r i n g d e a t h ; y e t s t i l l t h e r e i s l e f t a l i v e an image o f l i f e , f o r

370

t h i s a l o n e i s f r o m t h e gods' ( f r . 1 1 6 B . ; t r a n s , by E.R. Dodds, The Greeks and t h e I r r a t i o n a l ( B e r k e l e y and Los A n g e l e s , 1 9 7 3 ) , p . 1 3 5 . I t i s p a r t o f what Benn c a l l s t h e ' s p i r i t u a l a f f i n i t y ' between t h e two p o e t s . i f l . G o n s t a n t i n e speaks o f a 'semblance o f p r o g r e s s i v e , c h r o n o l o g i c a l t h i n k i n g ' ( 5 2 ) : 'Since t h e f o r m o f h i s poem i s r a r e l y a s i m p l e p r o g r e s s i o n f r o m r e g r e t t o hope and r a r e l y has t h e c o n f i d e n c e o f d i a l e c t i c argument, b u t i s r a t h e r a s w i n g i n g t o and f r o between e m o t i o n a l demands, so t h a t w i t h i n t h e poem t h e a f f i r m a t i o n may s e v e r a l t i m e s be won and l o s t , t h e f e e l i n g i s t h a t t h e end o f t h e poem may n o t be f i n a l , t h e i m p u l s e s c o n t i n u e i n p l a y and a new poem must d e a l w i t h them a g a i n ' ( ^ 7 , on. t h e e l e g i e s f o r S u s e t t e G o n t a r d ) . Not t i l l 'Heimkunft' does t h i s f e e l i n g disappear. k2. On F r i e d r i c h S c h l e g e l and t h e ' I n t e r p r e t a t i o C h r i s t i a n a ' , see Rehm 2 5 5 - 3 1 8 . As w i t h t h e q u e s t i o n o f Greece's h i s t o r i c i t y , i t i s n o t so much a problem t h a t i s i n v o l v e d as an 'harmonious c o n t r a d i c t i o n ' whose u n r e s o l v a b l e conf l i c t p o s i t i v e l y s e r v e s t h e p o e t i c purpose; a ' s i g n * , t h e n , of t h e ' s p i r i t . On Heinse, see Rehm 78-83; a l s o A d o l f Beck's comment: 'Heinse b e g r i f f und b e j a h t e ... n u r , was s e i n e r v i t a l i s t i s c h - d i o n y s i s c h e n L e b e n s a u f f a s s u n g zu e n t s p r e c h e n s c h i e n . H S l d e r l i n s e i n e r s e i t s sah i n H e i n s e , m i t dem e r den A'therGlauben t e i l t e , e i n e n G e i s t e s v e r w a n d t e n ( H o l d e r l i n : E i n e C h r o n i k i n Text und B i l d , ed. A d o l f Beck and P a u l Raabe ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1 9 7 0 ) , p.376).
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43. Benn dares t o c r i t i c i s e 'Der R h e i n ' , t h o u g h f o r d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n s : ' I n "Der Rhein" and "Patmos" ... a r e ... v e r s e s w h i c h seem t o be n o t e n t i r e l y f r e e f r o m m o r b i d i t y and w h i c h convey a d i s q u i e t i n g sense o f t h e i n s t a b i l i t y o f the p o e t ' s mind' (15 *-)* What I f i n d d i s q u i e t i n g i n 'Der Rhein' i s n o t m e n t a l i n s t a b i l i t y , b u t t h a t f a t a l s t r e a k i n the h i s t o r y o f t h e German mind: w o r s h i p o f power and p e r f e c t i o n . A d m i r a t i o n f o r i t s f o r m a l p e r f e c t i o n e.g. Bb'schenstein (Rheinhymne) 12: '"Der Rhein" s t e l l t i n d e r d u r c h g a n g i g e n B e z o g e n h e i t a l l e r T e i l e a u f e i n a n d e r den Hohepunkt H o l d e r l i n i s c h e r K o m p o s i t i o n dar' seems t o me t o d e r i v e f r o m a f a l s e c r i t e r i o n . Schmidt has s i m i l a r a d m i r a t i o n f o r 'Brod und Wein', ' d i e i m f o r m a l e n Aufbau am e s e t z m a B i g s t e n g e g l i e d e r t e d e r E l e g i e n ' : ' I n "Brod und ein" a l l e i n kommt d i e D r e i z a h l ganz z u r H e r r s c h a f t ... e i n e a b s o l u t e Zahlenharmonie ... ' ( 8 ) . He makes l i t t l e attempt t o r e l a t e t h e strophic form t o the thematic m a t e r i a l and t o ask whether and t o what e x t e n t t h e e x t e r n a l d i v i s i o n s c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e p o e t i c e f f e c t . I m y s e l f f i n d t h a t 'Brod und Wein' i s by no means f o r m a l l y p e r f e c t ('Heimkunft' i s the p e r f e c t e l e g y ) and t h a t i t s g r e a t n e s s depends upon t h i s i m p e r f e c t i o n . 'Der R h e i n ' , on t h e o t h e r hand, i s i n d e e d e x t e r n a l l y p e r f e c t (and h i g h l y i n t e l l e c t u a l ) b u t lacks d e p t h . I t i s n o t g u s t , as Szondi s a y s , t h a t w i t h i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f an h e r m e t i c poem t h e t a s k cannot be 'dem Ged i c h t dessen e n t s c h l i i s s e l t e s B i l d an d i e S e i t e zu s t e l l e n ' (12), b u t t h a t where t h i s can be done t h e poem has deserved
1

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and f a i l e d . I n t h e b r i e f e s t space S t r a u B c a p t u r e s t h e essence o f the a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i o n i n t h e E l e g i e s : e b e n d i e s e Spannung zwischen Strdmung und Ordnung, auch d i e Spannung zwischen Satzordnung und V e r s o r d n u n g , s c h a f f t e i n e Beziehungsdynamik ... ' ( 7 8 ) ; and t h i s l e a d s t o t h e Hymns: 'Die r h y t h m i s c h e Form ... g e w i n n t b e i H o l d e r l i n E r f l i l l ung i n d e r h d c h s t e n d r a m a t i s c h e n Spannung zur Sprachbewegung' ( 8 3 ) .
1

it,

372

VI.

'HEIMKUNFT': HYMNIO ELEGY

1. Cf. t h e v a r i a n t t o t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n o f 'Der E i n z i g e ' , 'Und t r e p p e n w e i s e s t e i g e t / Der Himmlische n i e d e r ' ( 2 . 7 4 5 , 5 f . ) , a l s o t h e f o u r t h l i n e o f 'Der Rhein'. 2. Heidegger d e s c r i b e d 1.13 o f 'Andenken' as an 'Atemh o l e n ' ( M a r t i n H e i d e g g e r , E r l a u t e r u n g e n zu H o l d e r l i n s D i c h t u n g ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1 9 7 1 ) , p. 1 0 0 ) . 3. 'Solche "Schwermut" i s t es auch, was i n H o l d e r l i n s D i c h t u n g e n s t e t s f o r t a l s uberwunden anwesend i s t und was noch den h e l l s t e n von i h n e n i h r e T i e f e , i h r e Schwere, i h r e n E r n s t v e r l e i h t ' ( R o l f Z u b e r b i i h l e r , ' H o l d e r l i n : "Heimk u n f t ' " , HJb, 19 -20 ( 1 9 7 5 - 7 7 ) , p p . 5 6 - 7 5 ( p . 6 1 ) ) . 4. 'Der Ausdruck " i n Bergen e i n O r t " ... s c h e i n t das una u s s p r e c h l i c h e Wesen d e r Heiraat i n e i n e Forrael zu v e r d i c h t e n ; denn " O r t " h a t f u r H o l d e r l i n den S i n n von "Ursprung" und " Z i e l " und " R u h e s t a t t e " z u g l e i c h , und d i e "Berge" s i n d d i e m u t t e r l i c h Bergenden und Behiitenden' ( Z u b e r b i i h l e r (' "Heimkunf t ' " ) 7 2 ) . 5. L i n e s 3 0 0 - 3 5 1 ' H o l d e r l i n w i l l have i n t e r p r e t e d t h i s as a cosmic myth; see Szondi's comments on t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of A p o l l o and Juno as L i g h t and E a r t h (99). 6. 'As he spoke, t h e Son o f Chronos t o o k h i s Wife i n h i s arms; and t h e g r a c i o u s e a r t h s e n t up f r e s h g r a s s b e n e a t h them, dewy l o t u s and c r o c u s e s , and a s o f t and crowded bed o f h y a c i n t h s , t o l i f t them o f f t h e ground. I n t h i s t h e y l a y , c o v e r e d by a b e a u t i f u l g o l d e n c l o u d , f r o m w h i c h a r a i n o f g l i s t e n i n g dew-drops f e l l . ' (Homer, I l i a d , 14, 1 1 . 3 4 6 - 5 1 , t r a n s . E.V. R i e u (Homer, The I l i a d , Penguin Books (Harmondsw o r t h , 1 9 5 3 ) , p . 2 6 6 ) ) . Cf. 'Der Wanderer' ( f i r s t v e r s i o n ) , 11.23-28. 7. Z u b e r b u h l e r ( ' " H e i m k u n f t " ' ) speaks o f t h e p o e t ' s awakeni n g from t h e ' g l o w i n g dream' t o f a c e t h e d i s t a n c e o f t h e i d e a l f u t u r e , and t h e n f i n d i n g answer and c o n s o l a t i o n i n music ( 7 4 f . ) . T h i s d e s c r i p t i o n seems t o me f a r more app r o p r i a t e t o 'Brod und Wein', e s p e c i a l l y i t s l a s t s i x l i n e s ; h e r e t h e r e i s n e i t h e r s e a r c h nor d i s a p p o i n t m e n t . He t o o sees a t t h e h e a r t o f 'Heimkunft' t h e ' e x - c e n t r i c ' j o u r n e y , t h e ' A u s - s i c h - H e r a u s t r e t e n ' and ' I n - s i c h - B l e i b e n ' (57): ' J e t z t , im L i c h t e d e r " H e i m k u n f t " , da s i c h d e r Ursprung a l s Z i e l e r w e i s t , e r s c h e i n t d i e A u s f a h r t a l s " t d r i c h t " ... ' ( 6 9 ) . 8. T h i s d e s c e n t , foreshadowed i n B 1 7 0 , 5 2 - 5 9 , i s i n t i m a t e d i n H y p e r i o n ( I , 1 5 7 / 1 2 - 1 4 ) . Thus t h e p o e t b r i n g s n o t o n l y i n s p i r a t i o n , b u t ' E r z i e h u n g ' , ' G e r i c h t ( 2 . 3 1 8 ) , 'Geseze' ( ' D i c h t e r b e r u f ' , 1 . 6 ) ; l i k e K a n t , l i k e Moses: 'Kant i s t d e r Moses u n s e r e r N a t i o n , d e r s i e aus d e r a g y p t i s c h e n Ers c h l a f f u n g i n d i e f r e i e einsame Wuste s e i n e r S p e c u l a t i o n f i i h r t , und d e r das e n e r g i s c h e Gesez vom h e i l i g e n Berge b r i n g t ' (B172, 9 3 - 9 5 ) . So t h e m y t h i c a l j o u r n e y t o t h e
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d i v i n e l y a w f u l o r i g i n ( o f N a t u r e ) (see S c h m i d l i n ('"Psyche" ) 321) i s a Mosaic v e n t u r e .

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9. There i s a 'renewal o f language' i n t h e famous gnome ' E i n R a t h s e l i s t R e i n e n t s p r u n g e n e s ('Der R h e i n ' , 1,. 4 6 ) .

1

10. Compare S p i n n e r ' s a n a l y s i s o f 'Unter den A l p e n gesungen': the poem i s a p r o g r e s s i v e s e l f - r e c o n s t r u c t i o n , above a l l a r e g a i n i n g o f t h e power t o speak, and t h u s o f p e r s o n a l i d e n t i t y ; t h e i m p l i e d o p p o s i t e 'Spinner does n o t b r i n g t h i s out s u f f i c i e n t l y ) i s p e r c e p t i o n . 'Durch den Deutenden und Singenden w i r d das Geschaute zum G e d e u t e t e n , w i e umgekehrt das I c h d u r c h das Geschaute ( d u r c h d i e h e i l i g e U n s c h u l d , d u r c h d i e N a t u r ) zum Deutenden und Singenden w i r d ' ( 6 8 ) ; b y t h e f i n a l s t r o p h e 'das I c h i s t n i c h t mehr e i n staunendes, u n m i t t e l b a r b e t r o f f e n e s , sondern e i n d e u t e n und s i n g e n w o l l e n d e s . Das Medium Sprache i s t zum B i n d e g l i e d zwischen I c h und Himmlischem geworden' ( 6 6 ) . I do n o t , however, f i n d t h i s p r o g r e s s i v e s t r u c t u r e ( w h i c h would have been a e s t h e t i c a l l y mechanical); r a t h e r , the f i r s t f o u r strophes are t h e m s e l v e s a l r e a d y 'Deutung', f o r h e r e p u r e p e r c e p t i o n has t a k e n t h e m y t h i c a l f o r m o f ' h e i l i g e Unschuld' and t h e hymnic f o r m o f i n v o c a t i o n ; t h e i n f i n i t y o f t h e A l p i n e s k y has f o u n d o u t l i n e t h r o u g h a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h ( t h r o u g h t a k i n g the shape o f ) an ' i n n o c e n t ' c h i l d ( c f . S p i n n e r 6 1 f . ) . Through t h i s c o n c e p t u a l i s i n g i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f 'Staunen' as i m p l i c i t a n t i t h e s i s t o ' p u r i t y ' , which i n t u r n enables c o n c r e t i s a t i o n i n t h e c h i l d , t h e f i r s t f o u r and f i n a l s t r o p h e s p r o v i d e the framework, t h e s a f e t y o f a remembered sphere, i n w h i c h l o s s o f s e l f can t a k e p l a c e . B u t w i t h t h e f i f t h s t r o p h e comes, s u d d e n l y , t h e word ' a l l e i n ' ; 'du' f a l l s away, and ' im f o r t r e i f i e n d e n Strom des Wechsels' ( c f . p . 3 4 9 , above, n.48), i n a s t r e a m o f f o r m l e s s phenomena p a s s i n g o v e r t h e l i n e - e n d i n g s and i n t o one a n o t h e r , c a r r i e d by u n p a u s i n g 'und's, u n l i m i t e d even by a r t i c l e s , t h e ' I c h ' y i e l d s i t s e l f . Thus t h e ' B e t r o f f e n h e i t ' , t h e t e a r i n g - a w a y f r o m i t s ' M i t t e l p u n k t ' o f t h e p o e t i c s e l f , i s i n t h e f i f t h and s i x t h s t r o p h e s : where i t can be i n t e r p r e t e d . ( S p i n n e r says t h a t the 'Siehe' o f t h e t h i r d s t r o p h e reduces t h e 'Abstand des Staunenden vom B e s t a u n t e n ' and c r e a t e s t h e 'Raum e i n e r Kommunikation zwischen zwei G e s p r a c h s p a r t n e r n * ( 6 4 ) ; b u t the v e r y f i r s t l i n e addresses t h e 'du'.) 11. The c o n c l u d i n g l i n e o f t h e f o u r t h s t r o p h e , 'Und i n Bergen e i n O r t f r e u n d l i c h gefangen mich nimmt', m e r e l y r e n d e r s t h e q u a l i t y o f each s t r o p h i c sphere o f 'Heimk u n f t ' e x p l i c i t . Compare 1.72 o f 'Der Wanderer", 'Freundl i c h nimmst d u , w i e e i n s t , Himmel d e r Heimath, mich a u f * , a l i n e w h i c h , l e n d i n g o u t l i n e t o t h e emerging s t r o p h i c f o r m , f u n c t i o n s d y n a m i c a l l y i n e n t r y deeper i n t o t h e i d y l l i c r e a l m . The d e f i n i t i o n s o f p a s t o r a l and i d y l l i c purpose b y Rosenraeyer ('a s t a t e o f s u s p e n s i o n ' where ' a l l f l u x ... i s put t o r e s t ' , 6 7 ) , and B o s c h e n s t e i n - S c h a f e r ( D i e I d y l l e ... b e s c h r e i b t e i n e n a b g e g r e n z t e n Raum, i n dem s i c h Grundformen menschlicher Existenz v e r w i r k l i c h e n ' , 13) i l l u m i n a t e t h e p r o x i m i t y o f H o l d e r l i n ' s s t r o p h i c form t o i d y l l ; b u t t h i s p r o x i m i t y d e r i v e s f r o m an extreme i d e a l i s a t i o n o f t h e n a t u r e
9

- 374 -

of a r t as capable o f a b s o l u t e freedom f r o m n e c e s s i t y , t i m e , and purpose. Rosenmeyer observes: ' I n a sense a l l l i t e r a t u r e i s a r e t r e a t from a c t i o n ' ( 6 8 ) . W i t h H o l d e r l i n , however, t h i s r e t r e a t t a k e s p l a c e f o r a h i g h e r purpose ( c f . t h e c r i t i c i s m of Kant and F i c h t e , B172, 9 0 f . ) . The p a r a d i g m a t i c c u t t i n g o f t h e bond between p e r c e p t i o n and i n t e l l e c t , namely, o f f u n c t i o n , y i e l d s a c r u c i a l b u t p r o b l e m a t i c merging o f t h e concepts 'Nature' and ( e m p i r i c a l ) ' r e a l i t y ' ( c f . B186, 70-72;. Szondi's essays o f t e n c i r c l e about t h i s i s s u e ( s e e esp. h i s a n a l y s i s o f t h e ' e p i c ' tendency i n t h e hymnic p r e l u d e s ( 1 4 8 - 5 6 ) : ' H o l d e r l i n s Werk i n den Jahren 1802-1804' i s ' A f f i r m a t i o n des U n t e r s c h i e d e n e n , das s i c h zum Ganzen n i c h t mehr fxigen muB' (163) I n t h i s he develaps t h e work o f W a l t e r Benjamin and Theodor W. Adorno; see e s p e c i a l l y t h e l a t t e r ' s essay ' P a r a t a x i s : Zur s p a t e n L y r i k H S l d e r l i n s ' (Theodor W. Adorno, Gesammelte S c h r i f t e n . 16 v o l s ( F r a n k f u r t / M a i n , 1973 -78), X I , pp.447 -91).

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