Tragedy and Trauerspiel

This project investigated tragedy and Trauerspiel along with their philosophical principles by means of selected examples of dramatic spectacles where one witnesses the interference and dialectic of the European secularization process from the 17th century to the present.

While contemporary tragedy is born under the profound influence of its earlier cultish origins, Trauerspiel unveils the underlying ambition for a religious experience or more fundamental eschatological self-enlightenment. In understanding the two phenomena, one must neither overlook their ancient or Christian heritage, nor perceive them as resulting from the historical progression of distinctly disparate forms. However, expressions of Christian, ancient, or pseudo-ancient origins endure and intermingle throughout the history of Trauerspiel and tragedy; these traces merit further investigation. Research in light of this conglomeration and hybridization broached in particular the representations of the state and sovereignty, thus formulating a project that highlights political theory discourse as theological investigation historically and systematically exploring the origins of tragedy or Trauerspiel and the implications that follow.

Current theories regarding secularization and its politics were not applied to Trauerspiel and tragedy in a one-dimensional fashion; rather, the question to what extent the two phenomena in turn influenced and determined central tenants of such theories have been examined. In this manner, we explored the possibilities of localizing denominational subtexts, as well as texts inquiring into the philosophy of the tragic.

Such a reconfiguration of tragedy and Trauerspiel under a literary, philosophical and religious historical regard therefore implicates investigations into representational and performance theory. In so doing, one will progress beyond the political dimensions of theater and theatricality, seeking out further examination of the theater public, be it imaginary, and the underlying historical development of “affect economy.”