Origin of the German Trauerspiel

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Walter Benjamin's first comprehensive analysis of modernity, originally titled "The Origin of German Tragic Drama," delves into the concept of mourning through the extravagant seventeenth-century theatrical genre of the trauerspiel, a precursor to opera. In Howard Eiland's new English translation, the text aligns more closely with the original German and Benjamin's philosophical style. Benjamin identifies allegory as the defining trope of both the Baroque period and modernity, suggesting that allegorical perception reflects a world of change and uncertainty, marked by a melancholic sense of transience, devoid of the transcendent elements found in medieval mystery plays. He argues that history itself functions as a trauerspiel, shaping modern allegory and its exploration of profound depths. His analysis encompasses German texts and late Renaissance European drama, including works like Hamlet and Calderón's Life Is a Dream. The prologue, one of Benjamin's most significant writings, outlines his method of indirection and the concept of "constellation," which serves as a framework for understanding the complexities of daily life. This thoroughly annotated translation, complete with a philological and historical introduction, offers a fresh perspective on Benjamin's critical insights, solidifying his status as a pivotal figure in twentieth-century literary criticism.