Citation

Schlimme J. Psychiatr. Prax. 2001; 28(5): 230-234.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

10.1055/s-2001-15576

PMID

11479830

Abstract

Heinrich von Kleist's life was shaken repeatedly by negative life-events, finally he committed suicide in his last life-crisis (1811). His work was mostly understood as descriptions of negative life-events and failed-being. In this article it will be shown that in at least two "crises" Kleist's work can be understood as a creative overcome of those. Kleist shows in his "Essay to Find a Sure Way to Happiness" (1799) his way of solving his "Soldier-Crisis" (1798), a depressive episode. In "The Broken Jug" (1802 - 1805) he shows the implications of a philosophical problem experienced in his "Kant-Crisis" (1801) and offers chances to overcome this particular crisis, which still seems to be an actual problem of ourselves. Though his crises must be understood as depressive episodes, at least the "Kant-Crisis" with its connections to philosophical and artistical matters seems to be more complicated than a simple depressive syndrome. Kleist formulates his basic life-experience, to be repeatedly shaken by "crises" respectively depressive episodes and the necessity to overcome each in a new way of living.

Language: de

Keywords

Creativity; Depressive Disorder; Drama; Famous Persons; Germany; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; Humans; Male; Medicine in Literature; Psychoanalytic Interpretation; Suicide