Zwischen den Kulturen - Zwischen den Zeiten. Zur Grenzfigur Lola im Roman Herztier von Herta Müller
In-Between Cultures and Times. On Lola, the Liminal Character in Herta Müller's Herztier

Summary/Abstract: Herta Müller’s characters are always located on the border between the Romanian and the German language and culture. The identity of the protagonists is also formed at the verge of this border. Müller uses many words and phrases from the Romanian language in her metaphors, translates them into German and incorporates them into her poetic language. The paper discusses Lola’s character from the novel Herztier. The analysis deals with the linguistic and cultural imprint of Lola’s character, as well as with the problem of the perpetrator-victim dichotomy, an aspect that determines all of Müller’s female characters. Lola is not an agent but a borderline figure in the novel. Her figure is located on the border between the rural and urban space, between Romanian and German language and culture, and between being a victim and being an accomplice.

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