Geschichte der Abderiten

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Christoph Martin Wieland's comic novel, written to entertain intelligent readers and admonish fools, aligns with the tradition of European literature exemplified by works like Sebastian Brant's The Ship of Fools and Erasmus's Praise of Folly. Wieland targets the provinciality, ignorance, and narrow-mindedness he observed in his contemporaries, but instead of a direct critique, he sets his narrative in the ancient Thracian city-state of Abdera during the fifth century B.C. This novel stands out as one of the liveliest literary achievements of the German Enlightenment, showcasing Wieland's kinship with authors like Henry Fielding and Laurence Sterne. Divided into five "Books," each section explores different facets of life in Abdera, inviting readers to draw parallels with contemporary Germany. The story begins with Democritus's return after years abroad, presenting him as a blend of his historical self, an 18th-century empirical scientist, and the ideal gentleman. The Abderites find Democritus peculiar, unable to grasp his unconventional ideas. His relationship with a black mistress further alienates him in their eyes, as they struggle to comprehend how beauty can exist outside their narrow standards.