Bildungsroman | Bildungsroman: Strictly a German Form of the Novel?
Kerschen is a freelance writer and the director of a charitable foundation for children. In this essay, Kerschen counters the argument that the Bildungsroman is strictly a German form of the novel by citing examples of the genre written in other languages.
Repeatedly, the Bildungsroman is defined as a “German” form of the novel. Without doubt, the genre originated in Germany and became commonly used in that country. However, for some critics to maintain that the genre is still predominantly, if not exclusively, German defies logic. Martin Swales, an oft-quoted authority on the Bildungsroman, says in his book The German Bildungsroman from Wieland to Hesse that “The Bildungsroman, both in theory and in practice, is little known outside Germany.” Hans Eichner remarks in his “Reflection and Action: Essays on the...
[The entire page is 1344 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Tell a friend about Bildungsroman at eNotes.
