`Der Wiener aus Hofmannsthal': The Making of Max Mell's Das Apostelspiel

Author: Beniston, Judith¹

Source: The Modern Language Review, Volume 104, Number 2, 1 April 2009 , pp. 472-498(27)

Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association

Key:

- Free Content

- New Content

- Subscribed Content

- Free Trial Content

Abstract:

Once his own literary career was established, Hugo von Hofmannsthal was generous in supporting younger writers, with successive editorial projects allowing him to exercise both patronage and influence. Most notably, he formed a close and enduring friendship with Max Mell (1882-1971). Exploring the genesis of Das Apostelspiel (1923), the play that gave Mell his literary breakthrough, this article demonstrates that Hofmannsthal encouraged him both to make it more demanding theatrically and to sharpen its anti-Bolshevist message. The political stridency of Mell's revised text reveals significant parallels with Hofmannsthal's own drama Der Turm (1927).

Keywords: Hugo von Hofmannsthal; younger writers; patronage; influence; Max Mell; genesis; Das Apostelspiel; anti-Bolshevist message; Der Turm

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: University College London

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$22.00 plus tax Refund Policy