Novalis's ‘Heinrich von Ofterdingen'

A highly detailed and original interpretation of Novalis's unfinished masterpiece, featuring a new annotated translation.

Heinrich von Ofterdingen is one of the greatest novels of German Romanticism. This is the most detailed study of the novel to date, showcasing its wide-ranging philosophical and literary virtues. Featuring a faithful new translation, this book will be essential reading for students and scholars of Romantic literature.Consumed by thoughts of a mysterious flower, Heinrich leaves his cold homeland and travels south until he meets Mathilde, who opens his eyes to the world's mysteries. Then a tragic event reveals the secret power of poetry… Heinrich von Ofterdingen, left unfinished at the time of the author's death, is a masterpiece of philosophical fiction and a classic of German literature. This highly detailed and original interpretation is the most detailed, comprehensive, and systematic study of the novel ever written. Developing fresh insights into the philosophical ideas of the novel while also attending to its symbolic, literary, and creative qualities, Owen Ware explores how Novalis probes the core problem of modern life – fragmentation and our sense of alienation from the world. Ultimately, he shows us, this novel is a timeless expression of the Romantics' idea that only the imagination, guided by love, can bring us back to our spiritual home.