Variations of Early Motifs and Parody in Thomas Mann's Novel "The Confessions of the Adventurer Felix Krull"

Abstract

The sense of time, the power of music, the symbolism of colors, mythology and the theme of fairy tales, human faces, the meaning of names, society and modernity, homosexuality, illness and medicine - this is just a short list of the topics that are given attention by researchers interested in Thomas Mann in German, Georgian and generally European or non-European scientific publications. Thomas Mann's early literary works are notable for the development of color symbolism, mythological and fairy tale themes, a gallery of female characters with the characteristics of nymphs, love and intimate scenes and dialogues. This study presents variations of these themes and motifs in Mann's last novel: “Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers Felix Krull“ ("Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man: The Early Years”). The article explores the novel to illustrate the parody of early motifs in Mann's later work: as a result of the comparison of artistic forms, intertextual analysis, and discussion of mythological contexts, the paper underscores that Thomas Mann's early motifs are found in his later work with various variations and a pronounced parody. The basis for this assertion is also provided by the comparative analysis of dialogues and specific routine scenes in Mann’s earlier novels.