Novalis, Hymnen an die Nacht [Hymns to the Night]

Dennis Mahoney (University of Vermont)

Ed. by Gerhard P. Knapp, University of Utah
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1800

Places

Germany, Saxony-Anhalt (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poem collection

Resources

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Hymnen an die Nacht

[

Hymns to Night

], a unique combination of rhythmic prose and strophic verse, is the only major literary work of Friedrich von Hardenberg (Novalis) to appear during his lifetime. In a letter to his friend Friedrich Schlegel on 31 January 1800, Hardenberg mentioned that he would be sending a poem soon for possible publication. By 23 February of that year, Schlegel must have received the manuscript, as, in a letter to their common friend Ludwig Tieck, Hardenberg asked Schlegel to leave out the word “Hymnen”. For whatever reason, in the sixth and final issue of their journal

Athenaeum

that was issued in August of 1800, Friedrich and August Wilhelm Schlegel printed their friend’s work in six parts under the title “Hymnen an die Nacht” and listed “Novalis” as…

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1716 words

Citation: Mahoney, Dennis. "Hymnen an die Nacht". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 September 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=14309, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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