The works of this author have never enjoyed great popularity, although they were published in such popular magazines as, for example, “Der Sturm”, “Die Insel”, “Die Jugend”, “Die Fackel”, “Freie Bühne”, “Pan”, “Ver Sacrum” or “Aktion” and reputables publishing house, including Insel, Rowohlt, J C C Bruns, Schuster & Loeffler, Oesterheld and Georg Müller.
Among them there are no items referring to the way Scheerbart presents female, male and extraterrestrial figures, while this topic is extremely important for understanding the specific work of the German author.
In the first chapter, devoted to theoretical considerations, there appear the concepts, fantasy and, Orient – the two pillars on which Scheerbart’s work is based – as well as the issue of femininity and masculinity.
They were discussed in the context of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century literature, against which Scheerbart’s work can be seen as progressive, even due to the fact that emancipated female figures appear in his works, showing great courage in demanding equal treatment.
In addition to the explanation of historical and literary contexts in the second chapter, it was necessary to thoroughly analyse the poetics of the German writer, in particular the characteristic style of his works, expressed in the lightness with which this literary constructor created new worlds.
In his books, there is no room for sophisticated word games or complicated sentences, but they are characterized by special imagery and poetry, thanks to which Scheerbart is perceived as a precursor of expressionism and surrealism.
Characteristic features of his work are at the same time a chatty tone and apparent negligence in the choice of words, so the author probably wanted to show that he freely uses the language and does not care about criticism.
Analysis of the content of the works showed that Scheerbart’s literary interests were in science fiction, Orient, and pursuit of higher goals, and – as an eulogist of anti-eroticism – he made Orient, which in other works of this period was usually steeped in eroticism –, an almost anti-erotic place.
The fictional figures of men and women live in his works with restraint, and when they happen to follow passion, this pursuit leads to gruesome, violent situations, which, however, do not necessarily frighten the recipient – their grotesqueness makes them rather funny, which is another surprising element in works of Scheerbart.
In such scenes – usually overloaded with emotions – is shown the whole palette of various human vices, which are primarily the participation of male characters and definitely less often female ones.
The special aura of the Orient also helps men to break free from relationships that are destructive, and leads them to unite with the Hegelian spirit of the world, which for many of them is their most important goal of life.
The atrocities described in detail take place above all in the Middle East, but they can also occur in the Old Continent, especially since Scheerbart’s oriental novels are often an allusion to the situation prevailing in Europe at the time, while the writer was a declared opponent of capitalism, militarism and war.
Some of Scheerbart’s novels are located in space or imaginary planets, and are seen – even more clearly than his oriental works – as a critique of humanity and Europe of the early 20th century.
The boundless universe appears as an alternative to everything that the German author objected to, and so, next to eroticism, it was above all capitalism and militarism, as well as many other unacceptable views that he ridiculed in his texts.
Humor and fantasy were two essential elements in both his daily life and his work become more bearable.
The second chapter also discusses the fanciful way of classifying one’s own works as, for example, “harem novel,” “soul novel”, or “cultural novel” which goes beyond all literary standards.
July 2020
Stem nou! 