Types of Weltschmerz in German Poetry | Page 7

helpless cry of pain, with its suggestion of
retributive fate. A poem of 1788, "Die Stille," written at Maulbronn,
epitomizes almost everything that we have thus far noted as to
Hölderlin's nature. He goes back in fancy to the days of his childhood,
describing his lonely rambles, from which he would return in the
moonlight, unmindful of his lateness for the evening meal, at which he
would hastily eat of that which the others had left:
Schlich mich, wenn ich satt gegessen, Weg von meinem lustigen
Geschwisterpaar.
O! in meines kleinen Stübchens Stille War mir dann so über alles wohl,
Wie im Tempel war mir's in der Nächte Hülle, Wann so einsam von
dem Turm die Glocke scholl.
Als ich weggerissen von den Meinen Aus dem lieben elterlichen Haus
Unter Fremden irrte, we ich nimmer weinen Durfte, in das bunte
Weltgewirr hinaus,
O wie pflegtest du den armen Jungen, Teure, so mit Mutterzärtlichkeit,
Wann er sich im Weltgewirre müd gerungen, In der lieben,
wehmutsvollen Einsamkeit.[21]
This love of solitude is carried to the extreme in his contemplation of a
hermit's life. In a letter to Nast he says: "Heute ging ich so vor mich hin,
da fiel mir ein, ich wolle nach vollendeten Universitäts Jahren
Einsiedler werden--und der Gedanke gefiel mir so wohl, eine ganze
Stunde, glaub' ich, war ich in meiner Fantasie Einsiedler."[22] And
although he never became a hermit, this is the final disposition which
he makes of himself in his "Hyperion."

These habits of thought and feeling, formed in boyhood, could lead to
only one result. He became less and less qualified to comprehend and
to grapple with the practical problems and difficulties of life, and
entered young manhood and the struggle for existence at a tremendous
disadvantage.
Another trait of his character which served to intensify his subsequent
disappointments, was the strong ambition which early filled his soul.
He aspired to high achievements in his chosen field of art. In a letter to
Louise Nast, written probably about the beginning of 1790, he makes
the confession: "Der unüberwindliche Trübsinn in mir ist wohl nicht
ganz, doch meist--unbefriedigter Ehrgeiz."[23] The mere lad of
seventeen had scarcely learned to admire Klopstock, when he speaks of
his own "kämpfendes Streben nach Klopstocksgrösse," and exclaims:
"Hinan den herrlichen Ehrenpfad! Hinan! im glühenden kühnen Traum,
sie zu erreichen!"[24] It is remarkable to note how this fancy of a
dream-life becomes fixed in Hölderlin's mind and reappears in almost
every poem. Closely allied to this idea is that of a "glückliche
Trunkenheit," and expressions like "wie ein Göttertraum das Alter
schwand," "liebetrunken," "Wie ein Traum entfliehen Ewigkeiten,"
"siegestrunken," "süsse, kühne Trunkenheit," "trunken dämmert die
Seele mir," can be found on almost every page of his shorter poems.
Hyperion expresses himself on one occasion in the words: "O ein Gott
ist der Mensch, wenn er träumt, ein Bettler, wenn er nachdenkt, und
wenn die Begeisterung hin ist, steht er da, wie ein missrathener Sohn,
den der Vater aus dem Hause stiess, und betrachtet die ärmlichen
Pfennige, die ihm das Mitleid auf den Weg gab,"[25] which further
illustrates the extravagant idealism by which he allowed himself to be
carried away, and the etherial and thoroughly unpractical trend of his
mind. The flights of fancy of which Hölderlin is capable are well
illustrated by another passage in "Hyperion." Referring to Hyperion's
conversation with Alabanda, he says: "Ich war hingerissen von
unendlichen Hoffnungen, Götterkräfte trugen wie ein Wölkchen mich
fort."[26] These facts have a direct bearing upon Hölderlin's
Weltschmerz, inasmuch as it was just this unequal and unsuccessful
struggle of the idealist with the stern realities of life that brought about
the catastrophe which wrought his ruin.

And just as his ideals are vague and abstract, so too are the expressions
of his Weltschmerz. It needs no concrete idea to arouse his enthusiasm
to its highest pitch. Thus Hyperion exclaims: "Der Gott in uns, dem die
Unendlichkeit zur Bahn sich öffnet, soll stehen und harren, bis der
Wurm ihm aus dem Wege geht? Nein! nein! man frägt nicht, ob ihr
wollt! ihr wollt ja nie--ihr Knechte und Barbaren! Euch will man auch
nicht bessern, denn es ist umsonst! Man will nur dafür sorgen, dass ihr
dem Siegeslauf der Menschheit aus dem Wege geht!"[27] It is in the
form of lofty generalities such as these, and seldom with reference to
practical details, that Hölderlin's longings find expression.
Entirely consistent with this idealism is the nature of his love, ardent,
but etherial, "übersinnlich." This is reflected also in his lyrics, which
are statuesque and beautiful, but lacking in passion and sensuous charm.
Hölderlin's earliest love-affair, that with Louise Nast, is important for
his Weltschmerz only in its bearing upon the development of his
general character. This influence was a twofold one: in the first place
his sweetheart was herself inclined