Heinrich von Kleist

An ingenious “whodunit” and one of the greatest works of German literature, The Marquise of O— subverts the 18th–century notion of the infallibility of man and reveals the true ambiguity and caprice of humanity. Foreword by Andrew Miller. Held captive by a band of unspeakable ruffians, the Marquise of O— is rescued before they can subject her to a fate worse than death. So, how, some months later, can it be that she finds herself pregnant? Believing herself fully innocent, although failing to convince her prudish family of her honor, she places an advertisement asking the perpetrator to identify himself. Heinrich von Kleist (1777–1811) is the first of the great dramatists of 19th–century German literature.

The Marquise of O-

A vivid new translation of a timeless classic: Kleist's tense, ambiguous novella about an unexpected pregnancy In a Northern Italian town during the Napoleonic Wars, Julietta, a young widow and mother of impeccable reputation, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. This follows an attack on the town's citadel, in which several Russian soldiers tried to assault her before she was rescued by Count F-, at which point she fell unconscious. Thrown out of her father's house, Julietta publishes an announcement in the local newspaper stating that she is pregnant and would like the father of her child to make himself known so that she can marry him. What follows is an ambiguously comic drama of sexuality and family respectability. One of Kleist's best-loved works, The Marquise of O- is an ingenious and timeless story of the mystery of human desire, and Nicholas Jacobs's new translation captures the full richness of its irony.

Anyaconda

I liked the writing although I sometimes feel a tad detached due to the telling the story in the 3rd person and it is more telling than showing.
Interesting premise and it was okay, however I preferred "Isolde" to the Marquis of O-.

Thanks Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

The Marquise of O-

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