Männlichkeitskonstruktionen in Ernst Tollers Dramen „Der deutsche Hinkemann” (1923) und „Der entfesselte Wotan” (1923)
The architecture of manhood in Ernst Toller’s plays ''Hinkemann: A Tragedy'' (1923) and ''Wotan Unbound'' (1923)

Summary/Abstract: The social changes that took place throughout the Weimar Republic Era affected gender roles in their depth – not only the image of the New Woman arose, but at the same time the traditional image of the heroic soldier was questioned. New images of a more sensual masculinity coexisted with the old ones. Dramatic texts and theatre in particular were and are predestined spaces to try out new forms of gender roles and characters. For instance, Ernst Toller’s ''Hinkemann'' is one of the first plays to address the effects of disability caused by war on ideas of masculinity as well as individual fates. Alongside this tragic illustration of the effects of missing representation and failing identification with the hegemonic idea of masculinity Toller wrote a comedy on the same hegemonic masculinity of the war hero in the same year. In ''Der entfesselte Wotan'' an unsuccessful hairdresser manages to gain power through founding an emigration society and staging himself as the messianic leader of this company. The analysis of the two dramatic texts points out that fictional texts are an important mirror of social change and especially the theatre is the place where new concepts of gender are staged and discussed.

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