The Reception of English Literature in Germany

The Reception of English Literature in Germany by Lawrence Marsden Price examines the long and often paradoxical history of how German critics, writers, and readers have responded to English literature, especially in relation to their own literary traditions. Rather than advancing a rigid thesis, the book collects and arranges a wealth of opinions, influences, and judgments across centuries, offering a reference-rich narrative of cultural encounter. Price carefully distinguishes between broad national generalizations—which he resists—and the personal influences that English writers such as Milton, Shakespeare, or Sterne exercised on individual German figures like Klopstock, Goethe, or Schiller. The work thus unfolds as a record of cross-cultural dialogue, one that highlights both the productive contrasts and the misunderstandings inherent in Germany’s search for its own literary identity during formative periods. Price situates his study within the context of both French and German scholarly debates over national character and literary influence, yet he remains skeptical of sweeping claims. Instead, he emphasizes specific cases of inspiration, acknowledgment, and adaptation, showing how Germany’s deference to foreign models—particularly French and English—was itself a defining feature of its literary development in the eighteenth century. The book draws on the seminar tradition of Professor A. R. Hohlfeld, as well as on extensive critical commentary from leading scholars, and acknowledges its character as a work of reference rather than a work of art. By charting the waves of English influence on German letters and gathering the reflections of both minor critics and major literary figures, Price offers a valuable, comprehensive resource for understanding the intricate and often ironic exchanges that shaped German literature’s rise to international stature. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1932.