Höxter und Corvey: Erzählung

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

50444

Title

Höxter und Corvey: Erzählung

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in war-torn Höxter, 1673, this narrative captures the chaos following French occupation and religious strife. Through the eyes of a former knight turned monk and a witty student, the story explores themes of resilience, faith, and the absurdity of human conflict against a backdrop of ruined bridges and turbulent rivers.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in the winter of 1673, Wilhelm Raabe's *Höxter und Corvey* presents a harrowing portrait of a fractured community in the aftermath of French occupation and amidst intense religious strife between Catholics and Lutherans. The narrative opens at the ruined Weser bridge, where the city of Höxter lies in disarray. Brother Henricus, a former nobleman now a monk, crosses the broken bridge to deliver news from the Abbey of Corvey, encountering a weary Jewish woman fleeing the turmoil. Their meeting sets the stage for a tale of survival where hunger, property destruction, and the threat of violence from soldiers and rioting mobs define daily existence. The story vividly captures the absurdity and brutality of the era through the eyes of Lambert Tewes, a student who serves as a comic yet observant observer. Navigating the city's factions with wit and Latin quotations, Tewes witnesses the brutal persecution of a Catholic curate and the eventual exhaustion of the populace. Despite their grievances, the people find moments of shared humanity and dark humor in the face of absurdity. The narrative escalates as the city descends into rioting, culminating in tragic violence that forces a moment of reflection. As night deepens, the city's clock towers fall silent or show incorrect times, symbolizing the disruption of order. The following morning, life slowly resumes within the abbey and the city. Characters contemplate their futures amidst the ruins, balancing historical detail with intimate character studies. Raabe offers a poignant look at how ordinary people endure extraordinary hardship, finding strength in community and using irony to cope with the chaos of their times. The novel ultimately explores the resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of war, religious intolerance, and social collapse.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Fiction