Ahnung und Gegenwart
Ahnung und Gegenwart, a novel written by J. von Eichendorff in 1811-12 and published by F. de la Motte Fouqué in 1815. It is divided into three books. In the first the young Graf Friedrich takes leave of his university friends and sets out for his native Austria. He has many random adventures and encounters. He meets the beautiful Rosa, and he and she are mutually attracted. Going on alone, he is overtaken by darkness and seeks shelter in a remote tumbledown mill. In the night he is attacked, but, with the help of an unknown girl, he wards off his assailants. From this point he is followed by a beautiful and melancholy boy named Erwin. Friedrich, who was wounded in the nocturnal encounter, is taken into the mansion of Graf Leontin, where he recovers. Leontin is a gay, capricious character and he has a sister, who proves to be the Rosa to whom Friedrich is already attracted. Faber, an eccentric man of letters, who appears at intervals in the story, is also an inhabitant of the mansion. The friends set out on a romantic journey without destination, but Rosa becomes bored and leaves with a Gräfin Romana for the ‘Residenz’ (Vienna). Friedrich and Leontin continue their aimless journey, staying for a time at the house of Herr von A., where they meet various eccentrics. Herr von A. has a daughter, Julie, who falls in love with Leontin. On learning that there is talk of a marriage between him and Julie, Leontin takes flight and Friedrich follows.
In Bk. II Friedrich arrives at the ‘Residenz’. He meets Rosa at a ball, and is disappointed at her frivolity; the social life of the capital seems to him shallow and meaningless. He calls at Gräfin Romana's mansion, spends the night there and is repelled by her sensuality. He meets the heir apparent (Erbprinz), a superficially attractive and successful philanderer. Friedrich next sets out with Leontin and Erwin for the Rhine. Two hunters whom they meet turn out later to be Rosa and Romana in disguise. The heir apparent presently carries Rosa off.
Bk. III begins with war, the defeat of the nation, and the beginning of a new life. Friedrich joins the patriotic forces in the mountains and distinguishes himself in the fighting. He meets Gräfin Romana again, who is irresistibly drawn to him. He repels her, whereupon she shoots herself. After the military defeat Friedrich is proscribed and wanders alone through the mountains. He meets the boy Erwin, who proves to be the girl who had once come to his aid at the mill and now takes the name Erwine. She dies and Friedrich, joined by Leontin, wanders on, discovering on the way his long-lost and half-crazy brother Rudolf, who proves to be Erwine's father. Friedrich resolves to turn his back on the world and enter a monastery, Leontin marries Julie and departs for the New World. Faber returns to the old life. As Friedrich leaves the monastery chapel, a veiled lady, who is Rosa, falls insensible to the ground.
Ahnung und Gegenwart is plentifully bestrewn with poems by Eichendorff, including some of his best-known songs, such as ‘Abschied’ (‘O Täler weit, o Höhen’), ‘Das zerbrochene Ringlein’ (‘In einem kühlen Grunde’), ‘Die Stille’ (‘Es weiß und rät es doch keiner’), and ‘Nachtlied’ (‘Vergangen ist der lichte Tag’). It contains, especially in Bks. II and III, much criticism of contemporary society. It has all the Romantic ingredients of landscape and atmosphere and at the same time affirms seriousness of purpose and religious faith. An obvious indebtedness to Goethe's Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre does not detract from its refreshing originality.
