The Lure of the Orient in German Romantic Imagination October 23, 2008

Writing that the world had to be romanticized through poetic transformation, the German poet Novalis inspired a turn to the "East" as a place for the imagination to flourish. Engendering visions of warmth, dreams, and passion, the Orient promised a renewal of language and poetry reflecting the romantic spirit of longing for the infinite. Diana Behler offers insight into this literary movement and its influence on these authors' work.