Abstract

The genesis of Peter Handke's controversial «poetics» is investigated through an examination of key Elfenbeinturm essays and ORF «Bücherecke» manuscripts in which Handke's early literary preoccupations were most evident. From this a coherent and comprehensive view of the theoretical foundations of his literary concerns and practice emerges. This is followed by a detailed analysis of characteristic elements present in Handke's early narrative prose texts: Die Hornissen, Der Hausierer, Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter, Wunschloses Unglück and the collection of short stories Begrüßung des Aufsichtsrats. This investigation of the early texts reveals a common triadic relationship between the highly intrusive foregrounding of the narrative constituent of these texts, the manner in which the literary reality is realized, and their central thematic concern. Handke's rather enigmatic and somewhat neglected early prose works are made very much more accessible through the insights afforded by this book.