Fenster und Ferne. Einige Bemerkungen zu Eichendorffs Lyrik

Abstract

This article is based on the result of the research done by Richard Alewyn, Alexander von Bormann, Helmut Koopmann, Herman Meyer and Oskar Seidlin in relation to the meaning of the themes "Fenster" (window) and "Ferne" (distance). In a brief reflection in which Eichendorff's lyrical landscapes are presented as a "system of symbols", it is also evident that "der erlebte Raum" (space as one experiences it) can in fact be expressed concretely by means of this "window" symbolism. The central issue here is the meaning of this symbol as a constant factor, displaying the ever-present transition from interior to exterior, from the inside of "something" to the outside, thereby creating a continual tension within the text. This study shows that the Romantic poet Eichendorff uses reality in order to erase boundaries, so that he can in fact express that which is beyond words, which is inexpressible. In this respect the window is a hinge, the borderline where "Ahnung" (presentiment) and "Gegenwart" (the present) meet.