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Political Trends in Contemporary Austrian Literature: An Analysis of Essays by Robert Menasse
Hobíková, Pavla ; Glosíková, Viera (advisor) ; Bučková, Tamara (referee)
This diploma thesis deals with the phenomenon of critical essay writing in the context of contemporary Austrian literature as exemplified by the author Robert Menasse. The introductory chapter presents Robert Menasse's life and work. The following chapter deals with Austria's interpretation of, and its struggle to come to terms with, its part in the complicated history of the last century as well as how this is reflected in post-war Austrian literature. The focus of the chapter is the issue of national identity - the development and re- definition of the proposition of Austria as the "first victim" of Nazi Germany - and its reflection in Austrian post-war literature. The key element of the thesis is an analysis of the essay collections, The country without qualities and Explain Austria to me. Through critical analysis of a wide range of topics in his essays - social partnership, the Austrian Independence Treaty, neutrality etc., Menasse presents a comprehensive picture of Austria with all its contradictions.
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Heimatroman in Quotation Marks. The Portrayal of Austria in the Novels The Sweetness of Life and The Mattress House by Paulus Hochgatterer
Ehrenberger, Jakub ; Hadwiger, Julia Nina Vanessa (advisor) ; Tvrdík, Milan (referee)
The novels of the Austrian writer Paulus Hochgatterer were called by the German literary critic Hans-Joachim Neubauer "Heimatromans in quotation marks". This thesis examines this unclear description in a form of a case study of the portrayal of the country in contemporary Austrian fiction. The study opens with an introduction to the life and works of Paulus Hochgatterer. Its central focus is a detailed analysis of the two latest novels by Hochgatterer, namely The Sweetness of Life (2006) and The Mattress House (2010). The novels are scrutinized on the basis of the preceding theoretical description of the genre Heimatroman and its historical development. The individual chapters consider space, nature, characters and narrative structure. By doing so, the "Heimatroman" claim is refuted and the often narrow understanding of regional literature acquires a global dimension.
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Political Trends in Contemporary Austrian Literature: An Analysis of Essays by Robert Menasse
Hobíková, Pavla ; Glosíková, Viera (advisor) ; Bučková, Tamara (referee)
This diploma thesis deals with the phenomenon of critical essay writing in the context of contemporary Austrian literature as exemplified by the author Robert Menasse. The introductory chapter presents Robert Menasse's life and work. The following chapter deals with Austria's interpretation of, and its struggle to come to terms with, its part in the complicated history of the last century as well as how this is reflected in post-war Austrian literature. The focus of the chapter is the issue of national identity - the development and re- definition of the proposition of Austria as the "first victim" of Nazi Germany - and its reflection in Austrian post-war literature. The key element of the thesis is an analysis of the essay collections, The country without qualities and Explain Austria to me. Through critical analysis of a wide range of topics in his essays - social partnership, the Austrian Independence Treaty, neutrality etc., Menasse presents a comprehensive picture of Austria with all its contradictions.
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