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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Franz Grillparzer Biography GRILLPARZER, Franz (1791–1872). The greatest Austrian dramatist of modern times. He was born in Vienna, Jan. 15, 1791. His conscientious but unfeeling father, a lawyer, died in 1809, leaving the family needy. His mother, an affectionate but eccentric and morbidly sensitive woman, talented in music, committed suicide in 1819. After an unsympathetic schooling at home Grillparzer studied law in Vienna (1807–11), without making a brilliant success. Afterward he made himself familiar with French, English, Italian, and Spanish. In 1813 he entered government service in the financial department, in 1832 he was put over the archives, in 1847 he became a member of the Academy of Sciences, and in 1856 he retired. If we add to what has been said the fact that Grillparzer was once betrothed to Kathi Fröhlich, whom he first loved, always liked, but never wedded; that he visited Italy in 1819, France and England in 1838, and went to Turkey and Greece in 1843, and finally that he died, honored by all Europe, on the 21st or January, 1872, we know the most striking external incidents in his life. In German literature he is a link between Goethe, Herder, Schiller, and Lessing, who helped to shape his ideals, and a more modern school. His style is limpid, his verse smooth but virile, his painting of character, especially feminine, masterly. Grillparzer was catholic in his theatrical likings. The suburban theatres pleased him, but he was also a methodical student of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. In 1807–09, under the influence of Schiller's Don Carlos, he wrote a drama, Blanca von Kastilien; later he turned to Goethe and Shakespeare. Die Ahnfrau, a fate tragedy (although Grillparzer denied it), was played first at Vienna (1817) and afterward aroused enthusiasm throughout Germany, but caused the critics to class Grillparzer with Zacharias Werner and Adolph Müllner. This long vexed the poet. His tragedy Sappho (1818) made him famous and remains one of his best dramas. In 1822 followed Das goldne Vlies, the second greatest trilogy in German literature, which as a stage play, however, fell somewhat flat. This failure Grillparzer laid to the oppressive rule of Metternich. In König Ottokars Glück und Ende the dramatist portrayed the rivalry between Rudolph of Hapsburg and Ottokar of Bohemia. For two years the censor kept this play waiting, on the ground that it was unseemly to put the founder of the dynasty on the stage. Thanks to the Empress, the piece was played with great success in 1824. After the cool reception of the tragedy Ein treuer Diener seines Herrn (1828) Grillparzer held aloof from the stage for 10 years. On the refusal of Wehe dem der lügt, a comedy (1838), Grillparzer was utterly disheartened. Der Traum ein Leben, (1834), after La vida es sueño, by Calderón, a dramatic tale, is played still with success in Germany. Des Meeres und der Liebe Wellen (1840) handles the theme of Hero and Leander. In 1850 the public seemed to be eager for the poet's reappearance, but he said "Too late" and would not be persuaded. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. X (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 383-384. |