Political and social indoctrination in Calderon's La Vida Es Sueno and Kleist's Prinz Friedrich von Homburg

My thesis examines society’s role in the construction of each protagonist’s political and social identity in Calderon’s La vida es sueno and Kleist’s Prinz Friedrich von Homburg. The thesis begins with an introduction to Judith Butler’s theory of performativity, the foundation of the thesis. The first chapter differentiates between Calderon and Kleist, in terms of their historical periods and the characteristic spirit behind each work. The second chapter explores the role that manipulated and constructed dreams play in the formation of each protagonist’s political identity. The third chapter analyzes the relationship that each protagonist has with the law of the state. Since both protagonists appear to be the successors to the sovereign leaders of their respective countries, I will argue that they undergo a process of political indoctrination, through which they establish a personal relationship with the state in which they live and the laws by which they are governed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Comparative Literature

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Asante-Nimako, Maud C.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Esterhammer, Angela

• Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600-1681)
• La vida es sueno
• Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811)
• Prinz Friedrich von Homburg
• Judith Butler
• performativity theory
• dream/reality dichotomy
• individual and the state
• political and social manipulation
• natural law and positive law.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/39060

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/39060