Robert Musil and the Legacy of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Novel, Essay, Influence, Massachusetts).

Abstract

Although the influence of Emerson on Musil has long been recognized, its full extent has not been described. Previous scholarship has not collected all of Musil's references to Emerson, nor has it approached Emerson's works as literary models, as distinct from mere sources. To remedy this, the dissertation assesses Musil's ideas on influence and Emerson's German-language reception. Then, proceeding from Musil's own perception that his times inherited from Emerson the problem of the false split between spirit and rationality, the study treats four shared ideas for a solution. These four, similitude, dynamism, equilibrium, and essayism, are examined mainly in the essays, unpublished notes, and Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften, where their use or misuse by various characters is compared. Emerson's thoughts have become integral elements of Musil's work, and therefore, quotations and allusions support the argument, but do not constitute its substance. The basis of comparison is the affinity Musil felt with Emerson, and the dissertation tries to explain that sense of kinship. Emerson was for Musil an exemplar of the essay, and a model for both literary and ethical essayism.