Andreas Gryphius Criticism
Andreas Gryphius, a preeminent figure of the German Baroque, made significant contributions as a poet, playwright, and translator. His literary works, particularly during the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War and the plague, reflect his strong Christian beliefs and grappling with themes of mortality, faith, and the divine right of kings. Gryphius was not only adept in drama, composing tragedies and comedies that resonated with his contemporaries, but he also excelled in classical studies and commanded an impressive range of languages, as discussed in Observations on the Erudition of Andreas Gryphius.
Born in 1616 in Silesia amidst religious conflict, Gryphius was orphaned early and grew up under the influence of familial and religious strife. He first gained recognition as a scholar in Poland, publishing initial works like his epic poems on Herod, and later studied at the University of Leiden. His works, including the celebrated tragedy Leo Armenius, often explore the ephemeral nature of life and Christian martyrdom, themes explored in his dramatic works such as Catharine of Georgia, as analyzed by 'Weder mit worten noch rutten'.
Gryphius's mastery of the sonnet form is evident in his collection Sonnets, which reflects on war, death, and the transient human condition. His tragic plays frequently address tyrannicide and the divine rights of rulers, while religious themes pervade his work, evident in the moralizing Reyen used throughout his plays. Gryphius's comedies, though deemed less artistic by himself, display sharp observation and comedic flair, like Absurd Comedy; or, Mr. Peter Squentz, which satirizes human conceit, a view supported by Gryphius and the Squentz-Stoff.
Critically, Gryphius's reception has fluctuated. While his works were initially celebrated, their popularity waned in the Enlightenment due to a shift away from allegorical and theological content. The study of Germanistik in the 19th century revitalized interest in his works, positioning Gryphius as a seminal figure in German literary history. Modern critics appreciate his exploration of human vanity, resilience against evil, and his adept use of language. As noted by The Tragedies, his plays are now recognized for their dramatic staging and thematic depth, reaffirming his legacy as "the Immortal" and "the German Sophocles."
Contents
- Principal Works
-
Essays
-
Two Quartets: Sonnet Cycles by Andreas Gryphius
(summary)
In the following essay, de Capua examines how the two sequences of four sonnets that open and close Gryphius's Teutsche Reim-Gedichte Darein enthalten complement each other in theme, imagery, and poetic form.
-
Gryphius and the Crisis of Identity
(summary)
In the following essay, Spahr considers how Gryphius's works show evidence of the poet's deep concern over the interaction between man's outer self (his physical body, his connection to earthly matters) and his inner being (his soul, his link with eternity and the afterlife).
-
Observations on the Erudition of Andreas Gryphius
(summary)
In the following essay, Powell considers Gryphius's creative writings, orations, and explanatory notes, finding evidence of the author's strong classical background and store of renaissance learning.
-
On Imagery, Part I
(summary)
In the following essays, Bekker discusses the use of religious symbols in Gryphius's poetry in terms of the dogma and religious tradition of his time.
-
Spirit and Spirituality of the Counter-Reformation in Some Early Gryphius Sonnets
(summary)
In the following essay, Sasse examines the influence of the theology of the Counter-Reformation on Gryphius's early sonnets, focusing in particular on the poet's expressions of spirituality.
-
Gryphius and the Squentz-Stoff
(summary)
In the following essay, Best offers his viewpoint on the authorship of Absurd Comedy; or, Mr. Peter Squentz, arguing that the original play was written by University of Altdorf professor Daniel Schwenter (1585-1636) and that Gryphius in his version enlarged the cast and added the dimension of religious allegory.
-
The Comedies of Andreas Gryphius and the Two Traditions of European Comedy
(summary)
In the following essay, Aikin considers Gryphius's comedic oeuvre in terms of two varieties of comedies: the satirical, laugh-arousing play that features lower-class buffoonery; and the romantic type that follows the behaviors, ordeals, and hopes of respectable persons of any social class and ends happily.
-
The Tragedies
(summary)
In the following essay, Spahr provides a detailed examination of Gryphius's five tragedies with the goal of appreciating the works as did Gryphius's seventeenth-century contemporaries by considering the intent and scope of German drama in the 16th century.
-
Deceitful Symmetry in Gryphius's Cardenio und Celinde: Or What Rosina Learned at the Theater and Why She Went
(summary)
In the following essay, Sperberg-McQueen deliberates upon the “lessons” Cardenio und Celinde imparts to its female audience members: the futility of female independence and the obvious advantages of a patriarchal society. Sperberg-McQueen also theorizes about the reactions to the play of Rosina Major, whose presence at its March 1661 premiere is known through her father's diary.
-
‘Weder mit worten noch rutten’: The Force of Gryphius's Examples
(summary)
In the following essay, Wild focuses on how Gryphius relies mainly on dramatic examples rather than on linguistic articulation in Catharine of Georgia; or, Constancy Maintained in order to develop his theme of constancy.
-
Two Quartets: Sonnet Cycles by Andreas Gryphius
(summary)
- Further Reading