Abstract

Poetic Fragments is the second collection of writings by the neglected German poet, dramatist and philosopher Karoline von Günderrode (1780–1806), which she published in 1805. This bilingual English-German edition is the first volume of Günderrode’s work to appear with an English translation. An introduction and three essays argue for the philosophical significance and originality of the pieces included in Poetic Fragments and relate Günderrode’s thought to its Romantic and German Idealist context. This critical material argues that in Poetic Fragments Günderrode presents a radical and unique consideration of the nature of the universe, death, religion, agency, power, and gender roles, which deserves to be included in the academic study of German Romanticism and post-Kantian Idealism.