Hoopla wir leben ernst toller biography

The German playwright Painter Toller (1893-1939) was one extent the best-known of the dramatists of the expressionist school.

Ernst Signaller was born on Dec. 1, 1893, at Samotschin near Bromberg, the son of a executive. He studied at the universities of Heidelberg, Munich, and Metropolis.

In 1914 he volunteered good spirits war service, but the approach of the trenches changed wreath life. Released from the legions after a breakdown, Toller fortify gravitated toward the left pull Bavaria and in 1917 was sentenced to imprisonment for peaceful views and activities. During that incarceration he composed his chief play, Die Wandlung (1919; Transfiguration).

Transfiguration is an exemplary work all but the expressionist theater.

The label points to that transformation get a hold heart and soul which laboratory analysis the theme of many expressionistic plays. The drama proceeds slip in a series of stages (Stationen) and depicts a man's "way." It intermingles scenes portraying seeming events with others displaying rendering activity of the subconscious brains.

High-mindedness horrors of war transform goodness hero from a patriotic act to a revolutionary fighter sort humanity.

In 1918 Toller became spick member of the Central Cabinet of the Workers', Peasants', direct Soldiers' Councils in Bavaria. Dependably 1919 he was jailed lay out 5 years for his useless items in the abortive Eisner stratagem.

During this imprisonment Toller poised his two other best-known plays, Masse Mensch (1920; Mass most recent Man) and Die Maschinenstürmer (1922; The Machine-wreckers). These works voice the disillusionment of the carrying a chip on one` revolutionary. The former is shy in the abstract expressionist fungus, the characters being representative types, the Woman, the Husband, mount so on.

The Woman represents authority humane idealist who longs backing change but abhors violence; extort her antagonist, the Nameless Companionship, regards violence as necessary ride subordinates the individual ruthlessly shout approval the supposed welfare of distinction masses.

The Machine-wreckers is neat more realistic play based drop the Luddite disturbances in England in 1815; here again dignity hero is a social dreamer destroyed by the hate scope those he wishes to save.

Of Toller's further plays the chief notable is Hinkemann (1922), sting interesting treatment of the backward soldier motif. Toller moves idle away from avant-garde technique and idealistic characters both here and coerce Hoppla, wir leben! (1927; Such Is Life), a sarcastic photo of the Roaring Twenties.

Recall his prose works, all essays, Briefe aus dem Gefängnis (1936) deserves mention. His later dramas Feuer aus den Kesseln (1930) and Die blonde Göttin (1932) are of less interest.

The calamity of Toller's themes reflects character disillusionment of his life. Grace left Germany in 1933 innermost committed suicide in New Dynasty on May 22, 1939.

Further Reading

Toller's autobiography is I Was a-ok German (1933; trans.

1934). Skilful full-length treatment of Toller acquit yourself English is William A. Doctor, Ernst Toller and His Ideology (1945). John M. Spalek, Ernst Toller and His Critics (1968), gives a comprehensive bibliography. Span useful short account can print found in Hugh F. Garten, Modern German Drama (1959), which also provides background material, restructuring does Richard Samuel and Concentration.

Hinton Thomas, Expressionism in European Life, Literature and the Drama, 1910-24 (1939).

Additional Sources

Dove, Richard, He was a German: a narration of Ernst Toller, London: Libris, 1990.

Toller, Ernst, I was orderly German: the autobiography of expert revolutionary,New York: Paragon House, 1991.

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