Experimentierfeld Versepos (1918–1933)
Mit Studien zu Thomas Mann und Alfred Döblin
[Epic Poetry as Field of Experimentation (1918–1933). With studies on Thomas Mann and Alfred Döblin]

We normally situate the epic in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Long narratives in verse from modern times, by contrast, are practically unknown to us—which does not mean that they do not exist. Clara Fischer’s study is the first exploration into the German verse epic from 1918 to 1933. She focusses on two prominent authors whose verse epics, unlike their novels, were quickly forgotten: In chapters on Thomas Mann’s Gesang vom Kindchen (1919) and Alfred Döblin’s Manas (1927), Fischer explores the authors’ reasons to write narratives in verses shortly after the First World War. Comprehensive historical contextualization and detailed text analyses shed new light on the texts, which may seem strange at first. As it turns out, the verse epic plays an important role both during the crisis of the novel at the start of the 20th century and for the self-conception of two authors setting high standards for literary language. However, the importance of this unusual genre is not limited to Mann and Döblin, as evidenced by a commented work bibliography of over 200 titles, allowing for deeper insight into epic poetry during the Weimar period.