The Trickster Archetype in the Essays and Public Speeches of G. Grass

Section: History of Journalism

The article provides an analysis of the manifestations of the trickster archetype in Günter Grass’s political essays and public speeches. Günter Grass actualizes the trickster archetype on the levels of poetics (expressive means), themes and images of the author, fictional characters and real historical figures. In his works, Grass mentions such trickster incarnations as a court jester, mime artist, clown, picaro, fool and devil. The writer often uses such rhetorical techniques as irony, sarcasm and parody typical of describing a trickster. He highly appreciates the cultural and creative potential of the trickster archetype and criticizes his ideological opponents (e.g. Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Kiesinger) for their attempts to emphasize its destructive nature. Günter Grass develops the literary traditions of Menippean satire, invective and psogos. The image of the author in Grass’s journalism combines the features of a trickster and a culture hero.

DOI: 10.30547/vestnik.journ.5.2019.5171

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