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mailing list archive - Re: Desinvolture et al.

Richard Brem wrote:

> I would say that "Desinvolture" describes a certain "Unbefangenheit" or
> "Unschuld der Macht" (a feeling of innocence or innate nonchalance regarding
> power). Someone used the term "kalten Arsches" - that comes close, but there
> is too much consciousness
> or cleverness in that.

Meyer points out that from the second version of the _Abenteuerliche
Herz_
EJ is creating a new vision of man - as anarch, as partisan, as distant
observer, as a private person who seeks to survive the storms of world
history. Already Stendahl had used desinvoltura, a sort of quiet resolve
(Gelassenheit) in the face of reality and power. One could possibly
describe the whole adventure of the two brothers in _On the Marble
Cliffs_
in the dangerous landscape of the Oberfoerster as some kind of
desinvolture.

Personally I prefer Gelassenheit to Unbefangenheit but who can say but
EJ himself.

Best wishes

Bertil Haggman
bertil.haggman@helsingborg.se



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