The Purpose of the “New Language” of Poetry in the Theoretical-Aesthetic Concepts of P. Celan and I. Bachmann

Abstract

The paper outlines the distinctive features of post-war German lyrical poetry and the poets’ union “Group 47,” which laid the foundation for a new theoretical perspective and literary style. The paper analyzes the significant theoretical works of Ingeborg Bachmann and Paul Celan. Special attention is focused on Celan’s theoretical-aesthetic concept as articulated in “The Meridian” (“Der Meridian”), a vision wholly shared by Ingeborg Bachmann. The research explores the central issues of the theoretical-aesthetic concepts of Celan and Bachmann, such as the function and purpose of lyrical poetry, the specificity of poetic language, the poet's relationship with reality, and the philosophical influences on the poet’s creative work etc.

The study determines that the rejection of old literary traditions by these poets stemmed from their desire to create a “new language” with a new mode of expression. In their lyrical poetry, this goal is realized through the use of cryptic expression, laconicism, the rejection of punctuation, the breaking of rhyme and violation of syntactic rules. The “new” lyrical poetry is also characterized by the abundance of metaphors, allegories and symbols; a verse line structure; free rhythm; weakening of the function of the lyrical “I” and a direct “dialogue” with the reader.

Typical features of Celan’s “hermetic” lyrical poetry include: “mysterious codes” and allusions to specific Biblical narratives and figures, a pessimistic thematic approach, and the frequent use of adjectives denoting dark colors. The opposing motifs embodied in the poetry of Celan and Bachmann—protest and silence, good and evil, death and life—are in direct correlation with the issues of post-war philosophy, which also heavily emphasizes melancholy, alienation, fear, spiritual crisis and emptiness.

The existential philosophies of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Martin Heidegger have had a particularly strong influence on the poems and theoretical writings of Paul Celan and Ingeborg Bachmann.