To which extent does literature and poetic language figure in the thinking of two of the most important intellectuals of the 20th century, namely Hannah Arendt and Theodor Adorno – two writers who were constantly in conflict with each other. Hannah Arendt maintains that the poets are archivists of facts „The men who stand guard over facts are not the officers of interest groups – no matter how legitimate their claims – but the reporters, the historians, and finally the poets.“ (1966). In this course, using exemplary texts, we shall explore how Arendt and Adorno refer in their writings to German literature – for example to works by Goethe, Heine, Rilke, Brecht, Kafka and Hebbel. This course is also an introduction to questions and problems about the relationship between literature and philosophy.
- Teacher: Birgit Erdle