When Staller in Kroetz′s play Stallerhof says `Die Red bleibt eim weg′1, having a serious word with Sepp about his ill-advised relationship with Staller′s under age daughter Beppi, then this seems to be symptomatic for all the characters in the play, who, to some degree, all seem unable to express themselves and at times even appear completely speechless. Consequently, most striking in Stallerhof and, to less extent, Geisterbahn is not what people say, but what they do not say. And this is probably more you would think of in the first place.
In the opening scene of the first act we are introduced to Stallerin and Beppi, the latter reading aloud a postcard from her aunt. Beppi is struggling with her reading and receives a smack in the face from her mother when she misreads dialectal `mir′ instead of `wir′. Beppi′s mother′s rage is both, an irony in itself and totally inappropriate in this situation. First of all, it is the mother herself who only speaks dialect at home, naturally using `mir′ instead of High German `wir′ for this is one of the most obvious features of Bavarian dialect, and it seems only logical that her slightly handicapped daughter′s language behaviour is a mere representation of her parents′ for they serve as her model.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Die Sprachlosigkeit in Kroetz's Stallerhof and Geisterbahn
- Stallerhof: A Microcosm of Society
- Beppi's Struggle for Self-Expression
- The Significance of Silence
- Language as a Reflection of Social Hierarchy
- Beppi's Development and the Role of Dialect
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay examines the role of language and silence in Franz Xaver Kroetz's plays Stallerhof and Geisterbahn. It analyzes how the characters' linguistic behavior reflects their social positions, their struggles for self-expression, and the limitations imposed on them by societal structures.
- The power dynamics and social hierarchy in Stallerhof and Geisterbahn
- The impact of social circumstances on individual agency and the ability to express oneself
- The significance of silence as a form of communication in Kroetz's plays
- The role of language in shaping and reinforcing social structures
- The use of dialect as a linguistic device in Kroetz's works
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The essay begins by examining the phenomenon of "Sprachlosigkeit" (speechlessness) in Stallerhof, focusing on Staller's inability to communicate effectively with his family and the consequences of his silence.
- It then analyzes Beppi's character, highlighting her struggle for self-expression through language and her reliance on non-verbal communication.
- The essay explores the significance of silence in Kroetz's plays, arguing that silence can be a powerful form of communication, reflecting the characters' inner turmoil and the constraints they face.
- It then analyzes how language is used to reinforce and reflect social hierarchies, with the characters' linguistic behavior mirroring their social positions.
- The essay concludes by examining Beppi's development in Geisterbahn, highlighting her growing awareness of language and her attempts to use it more creatively and deliberately.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This essay focuses on the concepts of Sprachlosigkeit, silence, dialect, social hierarchy, power dynamics, and self-expression in the context of Franz Xaver Kroetz's plays Stallerhof and Geisterbahn.
- Quote paper
- Martin Stepanek (Author), 2000, Die Sprachlosigkeit in Kroetzs Stallerhof and Geisterbahn, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/9636