| Research Abstract |
Walter Benjamin. argued in his "Goethes Affinity'(Wahlverwandtschaften)", that Goethe was, too much obsessed with his fatalistic idea of human destiny, even though he wanted to be more liberal minded. Benjamin called this fatalistic idea of Goethe's "mythical power". My research is, as it were, an attempt to develop this argument, criticizing some of his points at the same time.
In the fall of 2006, I gave a speech entitled " Goethes Iphigenie auf Tauris and sacrifice ", at the convention of Hokuriku-Branch of German Literary Society of Japan. I tried to show how the will for liberty (= the will trying to abolish sacrifice) confronts itself with myhical power (= the power to demand sacrifice ) and the process and the result of this confrontation. You can read my speech text in the booklet of the research outcome.
Then, in the thesis entitled. " Helen and Phorkyas in Act 3, Part II, Goethes Faust-a enlightening movement of beauty", I tried to show that Helen's beauty, which is a myth in itself, hides within itself the idea of the survival of the fittest in nature, the law of the jungle. This fundamental nature of Helena's beauty is revealed through the dispute between her and Whorkyas, disguised Mepistopheles and Helen's escape and marriage with Faust suggest the hope to solve the contradiction in a figurative manner. And in " Passion, Delay and Sublimation in Goethes Affinity'(Wahlverwandtschaften)-mainly on Eduard and Ottilie", I tried to show that passions, which could overcome existing morals and conventions, that is, "mythical power" by nature, are sublimed through repeated delays to an aesthetic and contemplative mental attitude.
Originally, I had a plan to have these three articles (including "Goethes Iphigenie auf Tauris and sacrifice" ) printed in the above-mentioned booklet after having them printed on research journals. Unfortunately I had little time for this purpose. But I intend to publish these three articles in suitable journals at an early date.
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