Bernhard Schlink's Der Vorleser and the Problem of Shame

Author: Niven B.

Source: The Modern Language Review, Volume 98, Number 2, 1 April 2003 , pp. 381-396(16)

Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $21.27 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Bernhard Schlink's novel Der Vorleser has been criticized for portraying a concentration-camp guard, Hanna Schmitz, as a victim of illiteracy for whom the reader is supposed to feel pity. In contrast to this, it is here argued that Hanna Schmitz comes across not as a victim of illiteracy, but as an evasive individual who consistently refuses to face the shame this illiteracy causes her. In addition, the article contends that Hanna's development in prison is deeply compromised; Der Vorleser is not the Bildungsroman many take it to be.

Keywords: Schlink's; Der Vorleser; illiteracy; shame; Bildungsroman

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: The Nottingham Trent University

Publication date: 2003-04-01

More about this publication?

The Modern Language Review, the flagship journal of the Association, is available to all individual members as part of their subscription. MLR is one of the oldest journals in its field, maintaining an unbroken publication record since its foundation in 1905, and publishing more than 3,000 articles and 20,000 book reviews.

Each volume consists of four issues, published in January, April, July and October of each year. Its 1000+ annual pages are divided roughly equally between articles, predominantly on medieval and modern literature in the languages of Europe, and over 500 reviews of books in these areas. All contributions are in English, and each section is edited by a noted scholar in the field, under the overall supervision of the General Editor. Articles are chosen not only for their scholarly worth and originality but also, as far as possible, for their potential interest to a wider readership in other disciplines.