作者: Sarah Elizabeth Utterson

Johann Karl August Musäus (1735–1787) was a German author best known for his contribution to German folklore and satire. Born in Jena, Thuringia, Musäus was initially educated to follow a theological path, but his inclination towards literature prevailed. An advocate of the Enlightenment, Musäus”s works often reflected his skepticism towards superstition and his inclination towards rationalism, yet he maintained a deep fascination with folktales and myths. His five-volume collection “Volksmärchen der Deutschen” (“German Folk Tales”), published between 1782 and 1787, is a cornerstone in the legacy of German folklore, a field later graced by the likes of the Brothers Grimm. Amongst his noteworthy works is also “Fantasmagoriana – The Tales of the Dead”, a compendium of spectral tales which gained notoriety for its encapsulation of supernatural and gothic themes. Musäus”s literary style incorporates touches of irony and humor, designed to both entertain and subtly criticize contemporary societal norms and literary tropes. While his work lacked the immediate universal appeal of some contemporaries, Musäus was a seminal figure in the Sturm und Drang movement, paving the way for subsequent German Romantic literature. His stories, rich in narrative complexity and moral overtones, continue to be an important part of the European literary canon.