The study combines a general theory of the history of literary genres with a history of the sonnet from the Middle Ages to the Romantic period. It demonstrates the adaptability of artistic genres, paying special attention to media and communication theory and social and historico-cultural aspects. For the sonnet, it proposes models for its genesis in the Middle Ages and its various historical manifestations. This is a fundamental work on genre theory and the history of the German and European sonnet.

Autorentext

Thomas Borgstedt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.