Abstract
D. Litt. et Phil. (German)
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer is, on the grounds of his stories, counted among the Realists in German literature, whilst many have also discovered symbolistic elements in his poetry. The questions upon which this thesis is based are, firstly, on how far the apparently merely realistic events and descriptions in Meyer's stories (most of which are based on historic facts) are of a metaphoric or symbolistic nature and, secondly, what can, as a result of this, be said about Meyer’s view of life and the human condition.
In the Introduction certain aspects of the wide field of research on the concept of the ‘symbol’ , are raised, as well as the differences between 'metaphors' and ‘symbols’ pointed out. The larger part of this work is concerned with the detailed analysis of metaphors and symbols in three of Meyer's stories, "Das Amulett", "Der Heilige" and “Angela
Borgia”. As the three stories comprise the whole of the poet’s creative life, possible variations and developments in his use of metaphors and symbols can be pointed out. By analysing them within the context of the individual story, the danger of destroying the unity
of the work is avoided.
The careful analysis of the stories showed that despite their richness and variety, there are certain spheres from which the poet time and again takes his metaphors. The most important of these are: nature, colours, art, mythology and Christian symbolism. Many of these metaphors are used mainly for the characterization of people, or to emphasize or relate certain events and situations, but the majority can be called symbols, as they show certain aspects of Meyer's view of life as a whole: the idea of the world as a stage, the conflict of reality and pretence, the basic ambiguity of all things, the close relation of life
and death, the aspect of hunters and hunted and the depiction of the world mainly as an inner and outer hell in which paradise has but a very small room.
The metaphoric richness in "Angela Borgia" compared to “Das Amulett” has increased largely, but nevertheless one cannot speak of a gradual increase throughout Meyer's creative life.
In conclusion, certain aspects of Meyer's position within his own time have been outlined. In contrast to Romantic works in German literature one does not find unrealistic descriptions in Meyer's prose works - for this he can be called a 'Realist'. Yet the metaphoric and symbolic qualities of his work may be stronger than in that of the other Realists, although he has little in common with either the Naturalists or the Symbolists or the l'art pour l'art movement. 'Realistic' art is to Meyer the depiction of the ambiguity and suffering which characterize human life, but he still sees an ideal in humane behaviour and compassion which can bring about a certain redemption in a basically Christian sense.