Das Märchen der 672. Nacht und andere Erzählungen

Hugo von Hofmannsthal (1874 - 1929), an Austrian writer, playwright, lyricist, librettist, and co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, is considered one of the most significant representatives of the German-speaking Fin de siècle and Viennese Modernism. This work from 1905 includes, in addition to "The Tale of the 672nd Night," the stories "Rider's Tale," "Experience of the Marshal of Bassompierre," and "A Letter" (a letter from Lord Chandos to Francis Bacon). Hofmannsthal himself characterized the tale with the words: "The enormity of life can only be made bearable through action; merely observed, it paralyzes." The "Rider's Tale" is an exceptional phenomenon and marks the beginning of literary modernism. In "Experience of the Marshal of Bassompierre," fire plays a significant role. Hofmannsthal succeeds with the help of his descriptions.