The development of literary counterpoint and its culmination as the art of the fugue in Hermann Hesse's 'Der Steppenwolf'

This study examines Hermann Hesse's novel Der Steppenwolf as a work of literary counterpoint. In this dissertation I draw upon the theories of Wolfgang Iser in the field of Reader Criticism as the theoretical basis for my argument. A parallel is made between his work in this area and contrapuntal music. Iser's ideas regarding the function of the literary Leerstelle or 'blank' are used in conjunction with the techniques employed in the composition of the musical fugue in discussing the novel as a text written in literary counterpoint. Thomas Mann's novella Tonio Kroger is discussed in terms of its musical Sonata form and treatment of leitmotif themes. This contrasts with Hesse who structures Der Steppenwolf along the same lines but uses contrapuntal techniques in the development of his themes. Musical examples from the Mozart Piano Sonata in C Major, K. 545 are cited to support this argument. Furthermore, Der Steppenwolf is analyzed in four sections as corresponding to the classical symphony which challenges the position of German Literary critic Theodore Ziolkowsky in his canonical article. Hesse's novel is shown as representing a culmination of musical concepts the author has addressed in his oeuvre. The dissertation concludes by suggesting that Iser's theories are as suitable for the analysis of contemporary music as they are for literature.