Thomas Bernhard
Thomas Bernhard: A Literary Enigma
Full Name and Common Aliases
Thomas Bernhard, born Nicolaas Thomas Bernhard, is often simply referred to as Thomas Bernhard. He is known for his distinctive voice in literature and his unflinching critique of Austrian society.
Birth and Death Dates
Thomas Bernhard was born on February 9, 1931, and passed away on February 12, 1989. His life spanned 58 years, during which he became one of the most provocative and influential writers of the 20th century.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Thomas Bernhard was an Austrian national. He was a prolific writer, known primarily as a novelist, playwright, and poet. His works are characterized by their dark humor, philosophical depth, and critical examination of post-war Austrian society.
Early Life and Background
Thomas Bernhard was born in Heerlen, Netherlands, to an unwed mother, Herta Bernhard, and grew up in Austria. His early life was marked by hardship and illness. After his father abandoned the family, Bernhard was raised by his maternal grandparents in Vienna and later in Seekirchen am Wallersee. His grandfather, Johannes Freumbichler, a writer himself, played a significant role in shaping Bernhard's literary aspirations.
Bernhard's education was interrupted by World War II, and he was sent to a Nazi boarding school, an experience that left a lasting impact on him. In his late teens, he contracted tuberculosis, which led to a prolonged stay in a sanatorium. This period of illness and recovery profoundly influenced his worldview and writing style, infusing his work with themes of mortality and existential despair.
Major Accomplishments
Thomas Bernhard's literary career is marked by numerous accolades and a prolific output of novels, plays, and essays. He received several prestigious awards, including the Austrian State Prize for Literature in 1968 and the Georg Büchner Prize in 1970. Despite his contentious relationship with Austria, these honors reflect his significant contribution to literature and his status as a leading figure in European letters.
Notable Works or Actions
Bernhard's body of work is vast and varied, but some of his most notable novels include "Frost" (1963), "Gargoyles" (1967), "The Lime Works" (1970), and "Correction" (1975). His plays, such as "The Ignoramus and the Madman" (1972) and "Heldenplatz" (1988), are equally renowned for their incisive critique of Austrian society and history.
His writing is characterized by long, flowing sentences and a unique narrative style that often blurs the line between fiction and reality. Bernhard's works frequently explore themes of isolation, the absurdity of existence, and the failures of human institutions, making them both challenging and rewarding for readers.
Impact and Legacy
Thomas Bernhard's impact on literature is profound. He is often credited with reshaping the landscape of post-war European literature through his innovative narrative techniques and unyielding critique of societal norms. His works have been translated into numerous languages, ensuring his influence extends far beyond the German-speaking world.
Bernhard's legacy is also marked by his contentious relationship with Austria. His scathing critiques of Austrian culture and politics often sparked controversy, leading to a complex legacy that continues to provoke discussion and analysis. Despite—or perhaps because of—this, his works remain a staple in literary studies and continue to inspire writers and thinkers around the globe.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Thomas Bernhard is widely quoted and remembered for his fearless exploration of uncomfortable truths and his ability to articulate the complexities of human existence with both humor and gravity. His incisive observations on society, art, and the human condition resonate with readers and thinkers who appreciate his unvarnished honesty and intellectual rigor.
Bernhard's quotes often capture the essence of his worldview—one that is skeptical of authority, critical of societal norms, and deeply aware of life's inherent absurdities. His ability to distill complex ideas into memorable, thought-provoking statements ensures that his voice remains relevant and influential in contemporary discourse.
In sum, Thomas Bernhard's enduring legacy as a literary giant is a testament to his unparalleled ability to challenge, provoke, and inspire through the written word.
Quotes by Thomas Bernhard
He was the only world-famous piano virtuoso who abhorred his public and also actually withdrew definitively from this abhorred public.
Anyone can bear a catastrophe, once it has occurred, by at least seeming to avoid it through keeping busy, no matter which work routine he forces himself into.
One actually finds most people uninteresting, I thought, all the time – almost all the people we meet are uninteresting, having nothing to offer us but their collective mediocrity and their collective imbecility, with which they bore us on every occasion, and so naturally we have no time for them.
I don’t belong to the masses, I’ve been against the masses all my life, and I’m not in favour of dogs.
She herself had never had enough money and never enough time and hadn’t even been unhappy once, in contrast to those she called refined gentlemen, who always had enough money and enough time and constantly talked about their unhappiness. She.
We may know for decades that someone close to us is a ridiculous person, but it’s only after a lapse of decades that we suddenly see it.
All schools are bad and the one we attend is always the worst if it doesn’t open our eyes. What.
But we don’t always have to be studying something, I thought, it’s perfectly enough merely to think, to do nothing but think and give our thoughts free rein. To give in to our philosophical worldview, simply submit to our philosophical worldview, but that’s the hardest thing, I thought. Wertheimer.