Naked Saint

This tale is like a fairy tale in that it exists in an indeterminate space, a transformation takes place, and the main characters end up together and live happily ever after. The story is similar to folktales in that the characters are talking flowers. The story is a Kunstmärchen because it evokes a strong irrational desire (desire to travel), a longing, it contains an idea of selfhood (Hyacinth wants to be alone), the misunderstood is crazy, the misunderstood has a fractured relationship, the misunderstood is searching for the extraordinary, and it deals with dreams and religion Hyacinth seems to go on a pilgrimage and only a dream can get him where he wants to go.

I think that the language is poetic and it evokes a power that is only in music. The story uses musical terminology to make things magical. We know in the beginning that the story takes place in a magical place because “the running brook jingled a ballad.” There is a lizard that sings about the lovers. The holy place of Isis is loaded with musical terms a dream “conducted” him, in the background are “loud tones” and “modulated chords” and “distant music surrounded the secrets of the lovers’ reunion.”

A Wondrous Tale of a Naked Saint

A Wondrous Tale of a Naked Saint does not resemble your average fairytale on the surface, however small elements in this tale do resemble the fairy tale genre. While, the tale does not open with "once upon a time in a far away land" as many fairy tales do, it does open with a timelessness that does make it very fairy tale-ish. With no set time or place the reader has no idea where they are.  Other fairy tale elements within the tale include the use of magic and abnormal beings.  The magic spell the saint is under is very characteristic of a fairy tale, as are the creatures/strange beings that wander around the forest.

In terms of music, while the writer does a good job of establishing what is music and of having powerful lyrics, I am not sure just words could ever fully replace music. I struggle in imagining how the songs would go. I can't picture the melody or back beat, all I feel when I read is cold words.  I think that things wold be a lot worse if the language was not so poetic, but I do not thing words can take the place of music. 

Langauge vs. Music

Within A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint I would argue that language, the poem is merely used to point out the power of music. It is obvious that Wackenroder would say that music is stronger than language because the suffering naked saint is distracted and upset by his talkative visitors, but he is cured and set free by the song of the lovers. Even though the naked saint was exposed to language on a daily basis, it was the use of language within the music that set his soul free.

I, on the other hand, think that poetic language has just as much power as music does. The message of poetry is very clear, and poems, like music, do have their own rhythms. The rhythm in poetry, however is dependent on the language within the poem, so the message is what really gets heard. Often times in music, words are written to fit a pre-written song. Although the music might sound beautiful, what is the value of the music when the language, the message communicated through the song is weak?

A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint as a Kunstmärchen

A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint is a Kunstmärchen for a number of reasons. First of all, the story takes place in the Orient and in class it was discussed that Kunstmärchen often have an element of exoticism. Also, Wackenroder writes: “Stories of childhood and antiquity from this region [the Orient] are replete with strange signs and enigmas that the mind, though it thinks itself smart, has yet to fathom.” This reflects Romantic ideas—ideas that were a reaction to values seen throughout the Enlightenment. A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint is a critique of reason, in general. The story also has many supernatural elements: the wheel of time, the transformation of homes into supernatural palaces, the naked saint’s transformation and journey into the sky, etc.

A Wondorous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint

This tale has a lot in common with the fairy tale genre. The first thing that struck my attention is we are instantly transported in the beginning to a world where fantastic beings exist. Wackenroder says "There are also strange beings that are frequently found in the wilderness of this regions." Fairy tales often have some type of creature/being in them, and it is not considered impossible but simply are part of the world in which they live. There is also mention of transfiguration (especially important for later) mentioned in the beginning. It states "naked saints who have taken human form after having drifted from the realm of the firmament and consequently do not know how to act like human beings." Another element of the fairy tale is the timeless/placesless aspect of it. It starts by saying "at one time...," so the reader is really given no idea where or when this story is taking place. There are magical elements to the story as well, like the saint being under some sort of magical spell that causes him to constantly see and be capitavted by the wheel.
The music in this story serves a very important purpose. It is a cataylst that allows for the naked saint to be freed, and undergo a transfiguration into a celestial entity (transfigurations often happen in fairy tales). I feel that the "song" is more important for its poetic structure and lyrics, rather than the tune. This creates an interesting tension in the story. The author only gives the reader information regarding the lyrics of the song, BUT "as soon as the naked saint heard the first notes of the music, the rushing wheel of time disappeared." So, for Wackenroder, who probably had sometype of music notes in mind when writing this, the actual music is more important. The reader, however, cannot be in the author's head and therefore are forced to accept that the lyrics are what make the song so appealing and allow the saint to be freed from the spell.

The Naked Saint

Wackenroder's literary tale, "A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint," fits into the fairy tale genre while also possessing many elements of the Romantic period. The story opens with a paragraph on the "marvelous things" of the Orient, which introduce the reader to a sense of wonder and enchantment, a common theme of the traditional folktale. We are introduced to a wilderness, or perhaps enchanted forest, where "supernatural creatures" and "strange beings" are found. Another fairy tale aspect of the "Naked Saint" is its concept of time; the tale never explains the time period in which we find the naked saint and his eternally spinning wheel. The tale also describes an "ethereal music" that flowed from two lovers' skiff. The music, much like kissing an ugly toad or a selfless act of kindness, breaks the naked saint's spell of madness, his rushing wheel of time disappears and a transformation occurs. The element of music serves not only as a different spin on the fairy tale's traditional spell-breaking-trope, but also as a medium of poetic language. The power of music evokes a sense of wonder and amazement in this tale. It is translated by the author into a poetic language that is accessibly to the reader who cannot hear the music for him/herself. The only part of the music that we can personally comprehend is the written lyrics; it is the job of the author to create an image of the power of the sound, the primary medium of music. In describing the music's effects as causing a "bright ethereal figure" to soar high into the air, "carried by the soft crescendo of the horns and the song." Through Wackenroder's exquisite use of poetic language, the reader can sense the intimate relationship between language, poetry and the evocative power of music.

Assignment 9 - 31. March 2009

Hi Alex, Jasmine, Allison, Tim and Alexandria,

Here is this week's assignment. Please take note of the deadlines.

Read Wackenroder's A Wondrous Oriental Tale of a Naked Saint and do the following:

1. Using elements from this tale, explain how it fits into the Fairy Tale/Kunstmärchen genre.

2. Trace the relationship of music and poetic language. Is the power evoked by music also accessible to language or does language merely point out to music and/or what music does.

Deadline for posts: 10.00 a.m. on Wednesday

Deadline for comments on a minimum of two posts: Midnight on Wednesday


Looking forward to your posts!

Ann