Thomas Bernhards Trilogie der Künste: Der Untergeher / Holzfällen / Alte Meister

by Gregor Hens

Three late prose works of the Austrian novelist and playwright Thomas Bernhard (1931-1989), published between 1983 and 1985, display a number of interesting similarities and intertextual references in form and content. They are considered here as a single, trilogy-like work, replacing the monumental Extinction (which appeared in 1986 but was completed as early as 1981/2) as Bernhard's magnum opus. Taking as its point of departure a close textual analysis, the work attempts to unveil the internal construction of the novel rather than second-guess the author and his intentions. The underlying model for this project is Nabokov's famous reading of Kafka's "Metamorphosis." The three novels under consideration share a common core of narrative structure. Each one derives its composition from the form of art that is also central to the plot: music, drama, and painting respectively. In all three works, the untenability of the narrative situation is thematized. As the inherent perspective is dissolved, the musical, dramatic, and compositional structures are revealed that form the basis of these prose experiments.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Kåre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der er ingen afsnit i bogen, blot et langt kværnende afsnit. Der er konstante meta-refleksioner, hvor han tænker noget og fortæller, hvor han tænkte dette. Det gøres sjovt nogle gange og medfører mange gentagelser.
Scenen er de kunstneriske. Gad vidst, om man kunne lave en bog som denne om mere almindelige mennesker, og hvordan den i så fald skulle være.

Temaet er vel det samme som for fx Per Petterson med fx Ud og stjæle heste, men blot omvendt. Hvor Petterson fremmaner en følelse af oprindelighed, ægthed, væren et med et simpelt liv, fremmaner Bernhard en følelse af ikke at kunne opnå den følelse. Af hele tiden at være fanget i noget kunstigt, men længes efter noget ægte.
Det er vel særligt godt, at Bernhard netop først til sidst oplever det positive, ægte. Dermed sættes resten i perspektiv

[Christian Stettler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im Untergeher schreibt der Herr Bernhard so viel mal Neue Zürcher Zeitung, dass einem trümmlig wird.