Kristina Mendicino Boeken

Betrayal has never gone out of fashion. It is a ubiquitous phenomenon – from antiquity to the present, from the realm of politics to the most personal relationships. This book gathers essays by scholars from the fields of philosophy, comparative literature, classics, English literature, German studies and film studies to develop a fresh dialogue on betrayal as a problem that, above all, concerns representation. In contradistinction to approaches that privilege a notion of betrayal as a political or personal event, the working premise of this book is that all betrayals presuppose representational strategies. What are the conditions, structures, masks and moves that allow one to play false? This question is posed with special attention to the theological, political, ethical and theatrical dimensions of betrayal, as they emerge in specific texts throughout the Western tradition. Works by Chariton, Seneca, Chaucer, Machiavelli, Shakespeare, Kant, Goethe, Schiller, Hegel, Kleist, Hamsun, Pound, Benjamin, Borges, Koestler, Roth, Bruno Dössekker alias Binjamin Wilkomirski and Fassbinder take centre stage in these diverse examinations of betrayal.

Exploring the interplay between language and the subject of speech, this book delves into confessional, philosophical, and fictional texts. It examines how different forms of writing influence self-expression and identity, offering insights into the complexities of communication and understanding within various contexts. Through these readings, the author reveals the profound impact language has on personal narratives and the articulation of thought.

Focusing on the language of announcement in revolutionary texts, this study explores how novelty is articulated and perceived during periods of significant change. It delves into the rhetorical strategies employed in these writings, examining their impact on societal transformation and the ways they shape revolutionary thought. Through detailed analyses, the work uncovers the intricate relationship between language and the emergence of new ideas in revolutionary contexts.

Exploring the themes of language and translation, this work delves into the connections between translation and prophecy within German Romanticism and Idealism. It examines how translation serves as a means of expressing multiple voices and perspectives, often without the speaker's awareness. The narrative reflects on the recurring motif of Babel and Pentecost, highlighting the complexities of communication and the transformative power of language as it intertwines with the act of speaking for others.