Kaspar (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Peter Handke
- First Published: 1968
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Play of ideas
- Time of Work: Unspecified
- Setting: Indeterminate
- Genres: Drama, Symbolist literature, Speech drama
- Subjects: Language or languages, Communication, Existentialism
Characters Discussed
Kaspar, whose name denotes a clown in German. He is described by the playwright as bearing no resemblance to any comedian; rather, he looks like Frankenstein’s monster (a creature artificially imbued with life) or King Kong (a gigantic gorilla who, on film, demolished Manhattan). He starts the play by emerging from the slit in mid-curtain only after numerous fumbling attempts. The playwright’s description of his appearance is precise about his costume (he has a round, wide-brimmed hat, a light-colored shirt, a colorful jacket with many metal buttons,...
[The entire page is 585 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
