Zwischen Höllischem Feuer und Doppeltem Segen

English summary: For over 2000 years, mankind has been fascinated by the idea of genius, and the explanations of this phenomenon range from Plato's notion of divine madness to the claim of absolute originality in the Sturm und Drang period. The protagonists of Thomas Mann's novels Lotte in Weimar ('The Beloved Returns'), Joseph and His Brothers, and Doctor Faustus are part of this tradition: Goethe, to Mann the epitome of genius, is presented as an artist of the Fin de Siecle; the...
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English summary: For over 2000 years, mankind has been fascinated by the idea of genius, and the explanations of this phenomenon range from Plato's notion of divine madness to the claim of absolute originality in the Sturm und Drang period. The protagonists of Thomas Mann's novels Lotte in Weimar ('The Beloved Returns'), Joseph and His Brothers, and Doctor Faustus are part of this tradition: Goethe, to Mann the epitome of genius, is presented as an artist of the Fin de Siecle; the brilliant composer Adrian Leverkuhn, who makes a deal with the Devil to heighten his creativity, is depicted with reference to the ancient concepts of inspiration and melancholy; and Joseph, bearer of the 'double blessing', transcends in his person the very concept of genius. This study analyzes how Thomas Mann's fictional characters continue the tradition of genius and, at the same time, are convincingly presented as modern-time genius figures. German description: Seit uber 2000 Jahren beschaftigen sich die Menschen mit der Frage, was ein Genie ausmacht, und die Erklarungsversuche reichen vom gottlichen Wahnsinn Platons bis zum Originalitats-Postulat des Sturm und Drang. Auch die Protagonisten von Thomas Manns Romanen Lotte in Weimar, Joseph und seine Bruder und Doktor Faustus stehen in dieser Tradition: Goethe, fur Mann zeitlebens der Inbegriff des >grossen MannesGestalt der Erfullung< (H. Kurzke), vollzieht sich gar die Transzendierung des Genies. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Frage, wie Thomas Mann mit seinen Figuren die Genietradition fortschreibt und sie zugleich im Kontext der klassischen Moderne als Genies inszeniert.