The Brothers Mann and the Brotherhood of Man

Abstract

<p>In the years preceding the First World War, Thomas and Heinrich Mann had each formulated his own distinct intellectual and social world views.</p> <p>Thomas had been gr e atly creative spiritual mentors of influenced by three very the nineteenth century: Schopenhauer, Wagner and Nietzsche. In his writing, Thomas emphasized the development of the individual and he was preoccupied by the effects of disease and decadence.</p> <p>Heinrich, on the other hand, strongly influenced by French writers, such as Emile Zola and Paul Bourget, stressed social aspects and the role of the individual by criticizing the prevailing conditions. He had also developed a theory of "literary politics" which called for the 'literary engagement' in the political life of the nation.</p> <p>The outbreak of the First World War saw the brothers embroiled in a major ideological conflict which led to an eventual break in their relationship.</p> <p>Thomas along with many intellectuals became swept up in the prevalent war hysteria and wrote several articles extolling the virtues and be nefits of war.</p> <p>Heinrich was one of a small number of intellectuals who found this war enthusiasm totally offensive a nd wrote his famous Zola essay criticizing those who enthusiastically supported the war. His essay became the catalyst for the ideological conflict which broke out with his brother, who for his part felt personally attacked by it.</p> <p>As a result, Thomas wrote his voluminous Reflections of a Nonpol it ical Man. In them, as well as extolling the virtues and superiority of German 'Kultur', he criticized his brother for supporting Germany's enemies.</p> <p>The main purpose of this thesis will be to examine the Mann brothers' ideological and ultimately fraternal conflict as seen against the background of the historical, political, social and cultural realities of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.</p>