Theodor Fontane by Professor or Dr. Brian Tucker HARDBACK 9781501368356

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Explore the complex interplay between irony and avowal in Theodor Fontane's works within a post-truth context. This insightful book by Brian Tucker delves into how fashionable forms of unserious speech can contaminate communicative spheres reliant on honesty and trust. It argues that Fontane's major society novels depict a central conflict between these two modes of speaking, highlighting an irreconcilable discrepancy between word and deed as the source of emotional discord and societal upheaval. In an era marked by concerns over unreliability and falsehood, this study re-examines Fontane's novels, revealing a profound engagement with insincere and non-literal language. Tucker's analysis positions irony as a symbol of the disconnect between language and meaning, and the weakening of the ethical bond between words and their referents. The book investigates the resilience of human relationships amidst pervasive irony and the erosion of linguistic credibility. While Fontane is often labeled an ironic writer, Tucker critically distances his works from irony as a dominant idiom. Revisiting Fontane in a post-truth age sharpens the focus on the conflict between irony and avowal, making legible the stakes and contours of our contemporary condition. Product Summary: This hardcover book, written by Brian Tucker, offers a deep analysis of Theodor Fontane's works, focusing on the themes of irony and avowal in the context of a post-truth society. It features 264 pages and is written in English. ISBN: 9781501368356. Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing.