Abenteuerroman

Abenteuerroman, a kind of novel intended usually for entertainment, but sometimes serving more serious purposes. The Abenteuerroman can be traced back to some of the verse tales of the Middle Ages, such as Ruodlieb, Salman und Morolf, König Rother, or Herzog Ernst, and manifests itself later in Arthurian romance. The tradition is continued in prose tales of the 16th c. of which the chap-book Fortunatus and Der Goldtfaden by G. Wickram are examples. The adventure novel rises to its greatest height in Grimmelshausen's Der abenteuerliche Simplicissimus. Also worthy of mention are Grimmelshausen's other ‘Simplician novels’, the works of J. Beer, and, in the early 18th c., Die Insel Felsenburg (1731-43) by J. G. Schnabel. In the late 18th c. wildly romantic adventure novels (Schauerromane and Ritterromane), which correspond to the English ‘Gothick’ novel, occur in great profusion. The Romantic period itself brought attractive variations of the genre in Eichendorff's novels. Exciting adventure, as suitable for boys as for men, is offered in the novels of F. Gerstäcker and, later, of Karl May, nearly all set in America. In the 20th c. the Abenteuerroman occurs either frankly as entertainment or in satirical or ironic form (e.g. Thomas Mann's Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers Felix Krull). A special form of the Abenteuerroman is the Schelmenroman, a category which comprises some of the works and authors mentioned above, viz. Grimmelshausen, Beer, and Mann's Krull.