Friedrich Spielhagen

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Friedrich Spielhagen (1829-1911), once a prominent realist, faced decanonization during his lifetime, leading to sporadic critical interest that often echoed the negative judgments of his contemporaries. Most scholars have focused on his early novels and his narrative theory, overlooking the extensive body of work he produced in the latter part of his career. Despite being a well-known realist and a theorist, his deep knowledge of European, English, and American literature suggests he may have been undervalued. This study examines his entire career, prioritizing his later novels and novellas, which critique the Wilhelminian Reich in light of his Vormärz ideals of freedom and democracy. It also explores his reluctant alignment with Social Democracy and the influence of harsher realism from French authors like Emile Zola. Key thematic areas include the aristocracy, class identity, liberalism, Social Democracy, military culture, dueling, Jewish identity, American themes, women and love, and his complex engagement with contemporary French literature. By shifting focus from his theoretical contributions, the study aims to highlight the richness of his narrative creativity.