| This dissertation explores the use of the image of Rome in German-language literature after 1945 as a means of cultural appropriation viewed within the framework of translation studies. While the Greek tradition is almost exclusively tapped for its mythology, allusions to the Roman heritage tend to focus on its historical figures and circumstances. Metaphors of death, decay, and transitoriness delineate the image of Rome. The first half of the dissertation examines general perceptions of antiquity, discusses the relationship between "Antikerezeption," translation theory, and cultural studies, and surveys the image of Rome across German-language literature after 1945. The second half of the dissertation narrows the focus to the Austrian context and examines the ideological and poetic systems that form the two case study novels: Chinese des Schmerzes by Peter Handke and Die letzte Welt by Christoph Ransmayr. |
