Novalis

Dennis Mahoney (University of Vermont)
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Of the many authors writing in German at the end of the 18th century, one of the most illustrious was the multi-talented poet, novelist, aphorist, philosopher, political theorist, natural scientist, and religious mystic Friedrich von Hardenberg. Born into a family of nobility that could trace its lineage back to ancestors in the 12th century who named themselves

de Novali

, after their settlement Grossenrode, or

magna Novalis

, Hardenberg was to employ this designation of “clearer of new land” as his pseudonym and poetic goal. Together with Friedrich (1772-1829) and August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767-1845), he became one of the founders of German Romanticism; unlike them, he distinguished himself both as a poet as well as a critic. A student and protégé of the dramatist and historian…

2632 words

Citation: Mahoney, Dennis. "Novalis". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 September 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1975, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1975 Novalis 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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