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Bettina Brentano-von Arnim, the first book in English devoted to Brentano-von Arnim's controversial views on gender, politics, and language theory, continues the process of recent rediscovery of this complex and brilliant author. The book opens with an essay by Christa Wolf on Brentano-von Arnim, revealing connections between the two writers. Other chapters address the issues central in her texts: gender, anti-semitism, social inequity, female bonding, and women in relation to traditional literary genres, language, music, religion, nature, and utopia This volume also presents new readings on her better-known works, including Goethe's Correspondence with a Child, Gunderode, and The Spring Wreath, as well as on her later writings, such as Conversations with Demons and Poor Book, that have been largely neglected by critics until now and which present her as deeply engaged in the political and social events of her time. Contemporary readers familiar with feminist debates will be well-acquainted with the subjects, but will undoubtedly be surprised at the modernist treatments given them by Bettina Brentano-von Arnim. The portrait that emerges is one of a woman who was, in the best sense of the word, unsettled, who wanted to unsettle, and who remains unsettling
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