Gendered Perspectives: Crisis and Representation of the Body in fin-de-siècle Vienna Open Access

Abstract

This thesis examines the multifaceted nature of gender discourse in fin-de-siècle Vienna through close readings of literature, artworks, and psychosocial theory. Drawing on primary sources from prominent writers and artist Gustav Klimt, this study explores the interplay between society, culture, and gender through the representation of the body. Through these two different mediums, we are able to further consider the effects of the gendered crisis in language through Schnitzler’s Fräulein Else, Hofmannsthal’s Ein Brief, and Klimt’s Judith I. Psychoanalysis emerged as a product of the intellectual and cultural landscape, reflecting Sigmund Freud’s fascination with the depths of the human psyche. His theories provide a framework for understanding the unconscious forces that drive human behavior and are relevant to analyze the cultural works of his time. The final chapter dives into the works of Otto Weininger, Rosa Mayreder, and Sigmund Freud and where they intersect in beliefs about gender. The conversations on gender and sexuality during Vienna around the 1900s remain relevant today, offering insights into the contemporary discussions on gender, identity, and societal norms.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: The Female and Male Body in Literature

CHAPTER TWO: On Klimt and the Vienna Secession

CHAPTER THREE: Controversial Voices in Vienna

CONCLUSION

Works Cited

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	German
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Gender Studies European Studies
Keyword	gender Vienna fin-de-siècle
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Buchholz, Paul, Emory University
Committee Members	Uca, Didem, Emory University Cronan, Todd, Emory University

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