Event Title
Beethoven in Kundera's "Unbearable Lightness of Being"
Presentation Type
Oral and/or Visual Presentation
Presenter Major(s)
Anthropology, History
Mentor Information
Gabriela Pozzi
Department
Modern Languages and Literatures
Location
Kirkhof Center 2270
Start Date
11-4-2012 1:00 PM
Keywords
Philosophy/ Literature
Abstract
Through fundamentally examining the question of fate versus free will, Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" heavily references the fourth movement of Beethoven's last string quartet, "Der schwer gefasste Entschluss." This quartet and Kundera's novel share a powerful metaphorical relationship. Through careful study, the parallel motifs and structural elements between the two works are illuminated, thus providing a new perspective on Kundera's usage of this metaphor. An enhanced understanding of this core metaphor in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" sheds new light on the meaning of Kundera's work and the author's answer to the struggle between fate and free will.
Beethoven in Kundera's "Unbearable Lightness of Being"
Kirkhof Center 2270
Through fundamentally examining the question of fate versus free will, Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" heavily references the fourth movement of Beethoven's last string quartet, "Der schwer gefasste Entschluss." This quartet and Kundera's novel share a powerful metaphorical relationship. Through careful study, the parallel motifs and structural elements between the two works are illuminated, thus providing a new perspective on Kundera's usage of this metaphor. An enhanced understanding of this core metaphor in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" sheds new light on the meaning of Kundera's work and the author's answer to the struggle between fate and free will.