Hegel's aesthetic theory and the critique of romanticism*.

摘要

The thesis of this work is that there is a definite relationship rather than a discontinuity between the aesthetic theory of the most influential philosopher of his time, G. W. F. Hegel, and much of the literary practice of that period. This relationship becomes clear by pointing out ways in which Hegel is revealed as quite the opposite of what he is often portrayed to be--a romantic--by those who do not occupy themselves with his texts. To the contrary, his point of view incorporates a consistent and coherent position that opposes forcefully and often polemically many then prevailing positions of European romanticism. This essay concentrates on two of these moments. The first is the critique of subjective irony, especially as formulated by the young Friedrich Schlegel. This is accomplished by consulting, among others, Fichte, Benjamin, Lettau, Lukacs, Szondi and Walser--aside from Hegel himself. Secondly, Hegel's throughgoing critique of natural beauty is analyzed, primarily from within the aesthetic theory, but also with respect to the critique of the philosophy of nature and the concept of force within the larger context of the system itself. This portrayal is itself subjected to analysis through the critique of the great neo-Hegelian, Theodor Adorno. After a brief sketch of other aspects of the aesthetic system, the concept of history and various other poetic matters, the essay turns to an analysis of contemporary writers. The first of these, Kleist, is presented as a writer whom Hegel should have recognized as an instinctively dialectical writer, but did not. Reasons are advanced why this could have been the case. The next writer to be examined is Heine, a writer who had considerable contact with Hegel. His ambivalent and self-critical relationship to romanticism is examined in the light of what has been learned about Hegel's aesthetics. Finally, Stendhal is considered briefly as another example of a transitional figure. With this study we find that there is indeed a relationship between Hegel's aesthetics and the practice of literary production during and after his life. ftn*Originally published in DAI vol. 52, no. 8. Reprinted here with corrected text.