Historismus und literarische Moderne

This study examines the interplay between historicism and modern literature, exploring how 19th-century practices shape contemporary literary forms in Historismus und literarische Moderne.

In Historismus und literarische Moderne, Moritz Bassler explores the intricate relationship between 19th-century positivist-historical scientific practices and the literary modernity that emerged as a result. The author argues that this era produced a virtually infinite amount of knowledge, leading to a de-hierarchization of individual facts. This phenomenon is referred to as 'historicism,' which presents a textual problem that fundamentally shapes modern literature's material. Bassler delves into how the autonomous textures of modern literary works, ranging from Decadence catalogs to hermetic poetry, redefine the possibilities of literary signification.

The book is divided into three parts. The first section focuses on textual procedures within historicism, examining how these methods influence the construction of narratives and meanings. The second part shifts to the textures of literary modernity, highlighting the innovative approaches authors took to create new forms of expression. In the final section, Bassler addresses the challenges of new structural formations, emphasizing the need for a specific hermeneutic approach to understand the complexities of literary modernity.

Through rigorous analysis, Historismus und literarische Moderne not only sheds light on the historical context of literary developments but also proposes models for an adequate literary scholarly engagement with the described phenomena. Bassler's work invites readers to reconsider the intersections between history, literature, and interpretation in the modern age.