Grillparzer's Libussa The Tragedy of Separation In Grillparzer's Libussa William Reeve provides an important interpre- tation of a work that has received little detailed attention from European and American critics. The play has been dealt with in a broader context in numerous monograph-length overviews or intro- ductions to Grillparzer, but this is the first time that it has received the careful consideration it deserves. Reeve not only offers a close textual analysis of the drama focusing on the theme of separation but shows how Libussa and its author fit into the development of the history of ideas in nineteenth-century Europe. He contends that Grillparzer's work anticipates Bachofen, Nietzsche, Freud, Neumann, and Lacan. Using Freudian psychoanalysis, Neumann's investigation of the female archetype, and anthropological studies, Reeve argues that Grillparzer's tragedy portrays the struggle between matriarchy and patriarchy, nurturers and warriors, and rural and urban cultures. Since Libussa proves unable to overcome the gender bias of her male subjects, the play concludes with a symbolic statement of masculine superiority as man and woman remain intellectually and physically apart. Reeve's analysis draws parallels with Grillparzer's other two completed posthumous tragedies, Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg and Die Judin von Toledo, relating his findings to the greater context of nineteenth-century German drama. WILLIAM c. REEVE is professor of German studies, Queen's University. Kaiser Joseph 11 am Pflug by J.B. Bergmuller. See p. 91. Reproduced with permission from the graphic collection of the Albertina, Vienna, Austria Grillparzer's Libussa The Tragedy of Separation WILLIAM C. REEVE McGill-Queen's University Press Montreal & Kingston • London • Ithaca McGill-Queen's University Press 1999 ISBN 0-7735-1831-2 Legal deposit first quarter 1999 Bibliotheque nationale du Quebec Printed in Canada on acid-free paper This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. McGill-Queen's University Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program for its activities. We also acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Reeve, William C, 1943- Grillparzer's Libussa: the tragedy of separation Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7735-1831-2 1. Grillparzer, Franz, 1791-1872. Libussa. 1. Title. PT2272.R33 1999 832'.6 098-901422-3 Typeset in Palatino 10/12 by Caractera inc., Quebec City Fur meinen deutschen Onkel, Wilfried Messier, in Dankbarkeit This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 3 The Inescapable Paternal Legacy: Act One 9 Cooperation/Integration versus Competition/Separation: Act Two 58 Likes Repel: Act Three 97 Jockeying for Position and Apparent Reconciliation: Act Four 135 The Final Separation(s): Act Five 185 Conclusion 247 Notes 259 Works Cited 283 Index 289 This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments This project, having lasted many years, owes much to many people, but in particular I wish to single out Prof. Ernst Wangermann (Salz- burg) for his freundliches Entgegenkommen, Dr. Wera Zelenka, Austrian Embassy, Ottawa, for her help in obtaining material, Bill McConnell for his patient typing of the many versions, and my family for their continued support and understanding. The second chapter, "The Inescapable Paternal Legacy: Act One," contains a slightly enlarged version of an article entitled "Divisive Fore-play in the 'Vorspiel' of Grillparzer's Libussa" which appeared in the "Special Franz Grillparzer Issue" of Modern Austrian Literature 28 (1995): 169-188. The author wishes to thank the editor of Modern Austrian Literature for permission to reprint this essay. A grant awarded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada enabled me to pursue this research interest in Vienna and collect much of the material needed to write this mono- graph. Needless to say, I am grateful to the Council for its vote of confidence. I should also like to express my gratitude to the Advi- sory Research Committee, Queen's University, for financial support to obtain some supplementary documents in Vienna.