Melancholie und Menschwerdung zur Zeitenwende: Heimito von Doderers “Ritter-Roman” Das letzte Abenteuer

Abstract

This article presents a comparison of Heimito von Doderer’s historical texts “Das letzte Abenteuer” and “Ein Umweg” and Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s short story “Das Märchen der 672. Nacht” and one-act play “Der Tor und der Tod” in order to demonstrate Doderer’s relationship to the art and literature of the fin-de-siècle era. It focuses on melancholia, a central theme of culture around 1900 that plays a foundational role in Doderer’s works. This investigation concentrates on the Dance of Death as an especially significant motif. Alongside memory, melancholia can be understood as a central aspect of Doderer’s works.