DANCES OF THE SELF IN HEINRICH VON KLEIST, E.T.A. HOFFMANN, AND HEINRICH HEINE

Published in 2006 by Ashgate, this scholarly work originated from Lucia Ruprecht’s research into the intersection of German Romantic literature and bodily expression. The volume investigates the late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century fascination with gesture and movement as a means of articulating the self, specifically analyzing the works of Heinrich von Kleist, E.T.A. Hoffmann, and Heinrich Heine through a lens of dance and performativity.

Ruprecht, a scholar specializing in German literature and performance theory, designed the text to challenge traditional interpretations that prioritize linguistic meaning over the physical presence of the body in literature. The study was well-received within academic circles for its interdisciplinary approach, bridging the gap between literary history and dance studies by examining how these canonical authors utilized the conceptual framework of dance to navigate the shifting identities of their era.