The Form of Kleist's Penthesilea and the Iliad

Abstract

While pondering several means by which achieves singular impact of Penthesilea, critic may eventually find his curiosity piqued by enigma of one of those characteristics which contribute to stunning effect of this drama, its unusual form: twenty-four consecutive scenes, unrelieved by internal or external breaks in dramatic action. Although this structure is a conspicuous feature of this play, which is usually classified as a one-act tragedy, remarkably few critics have addressed themselves to task of investigating why chose this particular form for Penthesilea. To compound problem of dearth of critical speculation in this area, conclusions of those few who did essay an explanation range from what is tantamount to summary dismissal of matter to complex theories on function of this form which are, despite their plausibility, not completely satisfying. To wit-at one end of critical spectrum, Blankenagel simply asserts that the tragedy was written in one act partly because of author's temporary indifference to demands of theater but more particularly because its precipitately violent tempo made it unsuited to division into acts.' At other extreme, Jochen Schmidt, taking an opposite view of Klei'st's awareness of theatrical requirements, contends that der Regisseur Kleist was conscious enough of stagecraft to structure play around a prop, great bow of Amazons, and that form is therefore governed by what he calls die sich gewaltig entrollende Bogen-Motivik.2 Somewhere between two poles, Petersen and Furst conclude that Penthesilea has a musical structure based on