Sarah Kirsch und das versteckte Zitat in Christa Wolfs Sommerstück : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in German at Massey University

Abstract

Christa Wolf's novel Sommerstück, written between the mid-seventies and 1989 (the year of the collapse of the socialist East German state), when it was published, stands as proof of the author's sense of disillusionment, partly as a result of the authoritarianism of the leadership of the GDR since the time of the forced emigration of poet and songwriter, Wolf Biermann, in 1976. Yet more than that Wolf portrays in her novel the 'outbreak' or unleashing of a universally destructive, demonic power or spirit. This theme is also reflected in Sarah Kirsch's lyric poetry from that time, especially in the 'Vogel-Gedichten' ('bird-poems'), which Christa Wolf, by way of quote, reference and allusion, brings into Sommerstück. For this reason the analysis - firstly as independent works - of the poems which appear in Wolf's novel focuses primarily on the three 'Vogel-Gedichte'. The second chapter deals Christa Wolf's Sommerstück. The third chapter concerns the location and function of the poems of Sarah Kirsch within the context of the novel. It is concluded that the lyric poetry of Sarah Kirsch, in conjunction with the characterisation of Bella in the novel, who shows similarities to the poet, provides a background of rich association for Wolf's own thematic treatment, which in turn renders an often inaccurate and unflattering portrayal of Sarah Kirsch, but more particularly - as determined within the scope of this thesis - a distortion of her art.