Bildungsroman a Literary Genre Essay Example

Bildungsroman a Literary Genre Essay Example Bildungsroman a Literary Genre Paper Bildungsroman a Literary Genre Paper In  literary criticism,  bildungsroman  or  coming-of-age story  is a literary genre which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood (coming of age),[2]  and in which character change is thus extremely important. [3]  The term was coined in 1819 by philologist  Karl Morgenstern  in his university lectures, and later famously reprised by  Wilhelm Dilthey, who legitimized it in 1870 and popularized it in 1905. [1][4]  The genre is further characterized by a number of formal, topical, and thematic features. 5]  The term coming-of-age novel is sometimes used interchangeably with  Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the  Bildungsroman  is normally dated to the publication of  Goethe’s  The Apprenticeship of Wilhelm Meister  in 1795–96. [6]  Although the  Bildungsroman  arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later thro ughout the world. Thomas Carlyle  translated Goethe’s novel into English, and after its publication in 1824, many British authors wrote novels inspired by it. citation needed]  In the 20th century, the genre has been particularly popular among female and[7][Need quotation to  verify]minority writers;[8][Need quotation to  verify]  it has spread to Germany, Britain, France,[9]  and several other countries around the globe. [citation needed] The genre translates fairly directly into cinematic form, the  coming-of-age film. A  Bildungsroman  tells about the growing up or coming of age of a sensitive person who is looking for answers and experience. The genre evolved from folklore tales of a  dunce  or youngest son going out in the world to seek his fortune. Usually in the beginning of the story there is an emotional loss which makes the protagonist leave on his journey. In a  Bildungsroman, the goal is maturity, and the protagonist achieves it gradually and with difficulty. The genre often features a main conflict between the main character and society. Typically, the values of society are gradually accepted by the protagonist and he is ultimately accepted into society  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ the protagonists mistakes and disappointments are over. In some works, the protagonist is able to reach out and help others after having achieved maturity. There are many variations and subgenres of  Bildungsroman  that focus on the growth of an individual. An  Entwicklungsroman  (development novel) is a story of general growth rather than self-cultivation. An  Erziehungsroman  (education novel) focuses on training and formal schooling,[citation needed]  while a  Kunstlerroman  (artist novel) is about the development of an artist and shows a growth of the self. Great Expectations  is widely considered to be a direct descendant of Goethes  Wilhelm Meister,  the prototypicalBildungsroman. Aurora Leigh  takes the genre and complicates it with problems of gender in Victorian society. Waterlandreconsiders personal growth in a postmodern context, using narrative not for description, but rather as the vehicle for maturation * Hayy ibn Yaqdhan, by  Ibn Tufail  (12th century), a precursor of the genre[11] * The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, by  Henry Fielding  (1749)[12] * The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, by  Laurence Sterne  (1759)[12] * Candide, by  Voltaire  (1759)[13] Emile: or, On Education, by  Jean-Jacques Rousseau  (1762) * Wilhelm Meisters Apprenticeship, by  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the paragon of the genre (1795–96) * The Sorrows of Young Werther, by  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  (1787), though the protagonist doesnt learn to accept society, and instead commits suicide. * The Swiss Family Robinson  (German: Der Schweizerische Robinson), by  Johann David Wyss, and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss (1812) * Jane Eyre, by  Charlotte Bronte  (1847