Karoline von Günderrode
Encyclopedia
Karoline Friederike Louise Maximiliane von Günderrode (February 11, 1780 - July 26, 1806) was a German
poet
, born in Karlsruhe
. Her poems are commonly related to Romanticism
.
Karoline von Günderrode, the oldest of six siblings, came from a poor but aristocratic family. In 1797 she entered a residence for noblewomen in Frankfurt, an institution in which poor unmarried aristocratic ladies were cared for and could live respectably while still keeping an eye out for a suitable marriage partner.
Von Günderrode was unable to come to terms with the prescribed feminine role and, ahead of her time, observed: "Masculinity and femininity, as they are usually understood, are obstacles to humanity." She suffered severely under the limitations of these roles. In a letter to Kunigunde von Brentano she writes: "I’ve often had the unfeminine desire to throw myself into the wild chaos of battle and die. Why didn’t I turn out to be a man! I have no feeling for feminine virtues, for a woman’s happiness. Only that which is wild, great, shining appeals to me. There is an unfortunate but unalterable imbalance in my soul; and it will and must remain so, since I am a woman and have desires like a man without a man’s strength. That’s why I’m so vacillating and so out of harmony with myself…." Karoline suffered from a nervously induced melancholy and had an unpredictable temperament that alienated some.
While attending a social event, von Günderrode met Friedrich Carl von Savigny
and fell in love. As she and him fell in love, von Günderrode reached the point where she expected a marriage proposal. Savigny, on the other hand decided to marry a less intellectual friend of Karoline von Günderrode: Kunigunde von Brentano.
After Savigny's betrayal, von Günderrode worked on her art. She wanted her art to unite life and writing. She wrote works with strong heroic women in the central role, such as Hildegun und Nikator and Mora. Through her writing she criticized the ideals of the bourgeois society at the time and its traditional gender roles.
In 1804 von Günderrode met the philologist and archeologist Georg Friedrich Creuzer
. Although he was married, Creuzer and von Günderrode developed a relationship. Creuzer asked his wife for a divorce, which she agreed to, although Creuzer suffered depression and anxiety from the public scandal resulting from his divorce and relationship with von Günderrode. Creuzer sought advice from his friends and colleagues. They suggested that he forget von Günderrode because she would never be a suitable wife.
Under the stress and anxiety from the scandal Creuzer became ill. In order to die with Creuzer, von Günderrode killed herself with a dagger.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
poet
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, born in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
. Her poems are commonly related to Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
.
Karoline von Günderrode, the oldest of six siblings, came from a poor but aristocratic family. In 1797 she entered a residence for noblewomen in Frankfurt, an institution in which poor unmarried aristocratic ladies were cared for and could live respectably while still keeping an eye out for a suitable marriage partner.
Von Günderrode was unable to come to terms with the prescribed feminine role and, ahead of her time, observed: "Masculinity and femininity, as they are usually understood, are obstacles to humanity." She suffered severely under the limitations of these roles. In a letter to Kunigunde von Brentano she writes: "I’ve often had the unfeminine desire to throw myself into the wild chaos of battle and die. Why didn’t I turn out to be a man! I have no feeling for feminine virtues, for a woman’s happiness. Only that which is wild, great, shining appeals to me. There is an unfortunate but unalterable imbalance in my soul; and it will and must remain so, since I am a woman and have desires like a man without a man’s strength. That’s why I’m so vacillating and so out of harmony with myself…." Karoline suffered from a nervously induced melancholy and had an unpredictable temperament that alienated some.
While attending a social event, von Günderrode met Friedrich Carl von Savigny
Friedrich Carl von Savigny
Friedrich Carl von Savigny was one of the most respected and influential 19th-century jurists and historians.-Early life and education:...
and fell in love. As she and him fell in love, von Günderrode reached the point where she expected a marriage proposal. Savigny, on the other hand decided to marry a less intellectual friend of Karoline von Günderrode: Kunigunde von Brentano.
After Savigny's betrayal, von Günderrode worked on her art. She wanted her art to unite life and writing. She wrote works with strong heroic women in the central role, such as Hildegun und Nikator and Mora. Through her writing she criticized the ideals of the bourgeois society at the time and its traditional gender roles.
In 1804 von Günderrode met the philologist and archeologist Georg Friedrich Creuzer
Georg Friedrich Creuzer
Georg Friedrich Creuzer was a German philologist and archaeologist.He was born at Marburg, the son of a bookbinder...
. Although he was married, Creuzer and von Günderrode developed a relationship. Creuzer asked his wife for a divorce, which she agreed to, although Creuzer suffered depression and anxiety from the public scandal resulting from his divorce and relationship with von Günderrode. Creuzer sought advice from his friends and colleagues. They suggested that he forget von Günderrode because she would never be a suitable wife.
Under the stress and anxiety from the scandal Creuzer became ill. In order to die with Creuzer, von Günderrode killed herself with a dagger.