Elfriede Jelinek (born 20 October 1946) is an Austrian feminist playwright and novelist. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004 "for her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society's clichés and their subjugating power." October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Feminism is a diverse, competing, and often opposing collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women. ... A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is someone who writes dramatic literature or drama. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... The Nobel Prize in literature is awarded annually to an author from any country who has produced the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency. The work in this case generally refers to an authors work as a whole, not to any individual work, though individual works are sometimes... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Elfriede Gerstl says for Jelinek:

Who is afraid by the texts of Jelinek is afraid of himself: of his own vindictful fantazies, by his own rage.....by the limits, laid by his own Mother.

Biography

Elfriede Jelinek talking to anti-government protesters in Vienna, June 2000

Jelinek was born on 20 October 1946 in Mürzzuschlag, Styria, Austria. Her father, being of Jewish-Czech origin ("Jelinek" means "little deer" in Czech), was a chemist and worked in strategically important industrial production during the Second World War, thereby escaping persecution. However, several dozen family members became victims of the Holocaust. Her "dominating" mother, with whom she shared the household even as an adult (compare The Piano Teacher) and with whom she had a difficult relationship, was from a formerly prosperous Vienna family. As a child, Elfriede suffered much from what she considered over-restrictive education in a Roman Catholic convent school in Viena. Her mother planned for Elfriede a career as a musical Wunderkind. At an early age, Elfriede was instructed in piano, organ, guitar, violin, viola and recorder. Later, she went on to study at the Vienna Conservatory, where she graduated with an organist diploma. Jelinek also studied art history and drama at the University of Vienna. However she had to discontinue because of an anxiety disorder that prevented her from following courses. Jelinek's biography reflects strongly in her opus. Elfriede Jelinek at an anti-government demonstration (Donnerstagsdemonstration) in June, 2000. ... Elfriede Jelinek at an anti-government demonstration (Donnerstagsdemonstration) in June, 2000. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Slovenian: Dunaj, Croatian and Serbian: Beč Romanian: Viena, Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya, Russian: Вена) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Mürzzuschlag is a town in Styria, Austria, with a population of 9,569 (2001). ... Styria (die Steiermark in German, Å tajerska in Slovenian) is a state or Land, located in the south east of Austria. ... Jews (Hebrew: יהודים, Yehudim) are followers of Judaism or, more generally, members of the Jewish people (also known as the Jewish nation, or the Children of Israel), an ethno-religious group descended from the ancient Israelites and converts who joined their religion. ... Chemist Julie Perkins of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory pours from a Florence flask. ... Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust The Holocaust was Nazi Germanys systematic genocide (ethnic cleansing) of various ethnic, religious, national, and secular groups during World War II. Early elements include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program established by Hitler that killed some 200,000 people. ... The Piano Teacher (French title: La Pianiste) is a 2001 film directed by Michael Haneke, starring Isabelle Huppert and Benoit Maginel. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Slovenian: Dunaj, Croatian and Serbian: Beč Romanian: Viena, Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya, Russian: Вена) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Prodigies are masters of a specific skill or art, a talent which manifests itself at an early age. ... Art history usually refers to the history of the visual arts. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into theatre. ... University of Vienna, main building, seen from Beethovens apartment The University of Vienna (German: Universität Wien) in Austria was founded in 1365 by Rudolph IV and hence named Alma mater Rudolphina. ...

Jelinek started writing poetry young. She made her literary debut with the collection Lisas Schatten in 1967.

In the early 1970s, Jelinek married Gottfried Hüngsberg.

Critics and politics

Her work before the Nobel Prize announcement was largely unknown outside the German speaking world and it is said to resemble that of acclaimed Austrian playwright Thomas Bernhard with the pathology of destruction and its concomitant comedic abrogation. In fact, although author's own differentiation from Austria, Jelinek's writing is deeply rooted in the tradition of Austrian literature. At its best it combines Robert Musil's sadness and Franz Kafka's sense of humor - in a little bit exaggerated manner. Thomas Bernhard Thomas Bernhard (February 9, 1931 - February 12, 1989) was an Austrian playwright and novelist. ... !This article is in the process of being edited! The efforts are part of the German wikipedias winter article review. ... Robert Musil (Klagenfurt, Austria, November 6, 1880 – April 15, 1942 in Geneva, Switzerland) was an Austrian writer, author of the unfinished long novel The Man Without Qualities (in German, Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften), one of the most important modernist novels. ... Kafka redirects here. ...

Jelinek's political philosophy, in particular her stance regarding feminism and her views regarding Austria's political parties, is of vital importance in assessing her work. It is also part of the reason for the vitriolic public controversy surrounding her. Feminism is a diverse, competing, and often opposing collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women. ...

Brief history of Jelinek's political engagements

Jelinek was a member of Austria's Communist Party in the years between 1974 and 1991. The CPA is a fringe movement; public Austrian intellectuals, even professedly left-leaning ones, have frequently accused it of unreconstructed Stalinism. Jelinek became a household name during the 1990s due to her vociferous clash with Jörg Haider's Freedom Party. Following the 1999 National Council elections and the subsequent formation of a coalition cabinet consisting of the Freedom Party and the Austrian People's Party, Jelinek became one of the new cabinet's most vocal critics. Citing the Freedom Party's alleged nationalism and authoritarianism, many European and overseas administrations swiftly decided openly to ostracize Austria's administration. The cabinet construed the sanctions against it as directed against Austria as such and attempted to prod the nation into a national rallying (Nationaler Schulterschluss) behind the coalition parties. This provoked a temporary heating of the political climate severe enough for dissidents such as Jelinek to be accused of treachery by coalition supporters. The Communist Party of Austria (de: Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, or KPÖ) is a communist party from Austria. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Stalinism is a brand of political theory, and the political and economic system named after Josef Stalin, who implemented it in the Soviet Union. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Jörg Haider in Carinthia (promotional photo) Jörg Haider (born January 26, 1950) is an Austrian politician. ... The Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, abbreviated to FPÖ) is an Austrian political party formerly associated with the name of Jörg Haider, who is no longer a party member. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The National Council or Nationalrat is one of the two houses of the Federal Assembly, the bicameral federal parliament of the Federal Republic of Austria. ... The Austrian Peoples Party (de:Österreichische Volkspartei, or ÖVP) is an Austrian political party. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix Nationalism is an ideology that holds that (ethnically or culturally defined) nations are the fundamental units for human social life, and makes certain cultural and political claims based upon that belief; in particular, the claim that the nation is the only legitimate... Authoritarianism describes a form of government characterized by strict obedience to the authority of the state, which often maintains and enforces social control through the use of oppressive measures. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation or state. ...

Jelinek's work

Part purposeful political writing, part self-therapy, her work is multi-faceted and highly controversial. Her prose and plays - acclaimed by some, criticized by others, i.e. leading German critics. Likewise, her political activism, hardiness, consistency and persistence in following her convictions on and off the stage, evoke highly divergent reactions - either positive or negative, depending on one's personal views. Despite the fact that some, who do not share her views, devalue her work rather than merely objecting to her opinion, Jelinek has won many distinguished prizes, among them are the Georg Büchner Prize (1998), the Müllheim Dramatists Prize (twice: 2002 and 2004), the Franz Kafka Prize (2004) and the Nobel Prize in Literature (2004, see below). Prose blah blah blahProse generally lacks the formal structure of meter or rhyme that is often found in poetry. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A critic (from Greek κριτικός, kritikós - one who discerns, from Ancient Greek κριτής, krités, a judge) is a person who offers reasoned judgement or analysis, value judgement, interpretation, or observation. ...

Prevalent topics in her prose and dramatic work are female sexuality, its abuse and the war of the sexes in general. Texts like Wir sind Lockvögel, Baby! (We are Decoys, Baby), Die Liebhaberinnen (The Lovers), Die Klavierspielerin (The Piano Teacher) are well illustrative for her opinions and are shocking for the reader with the unemotional description of brutality and power play in human relations. According to Jelinek, power and aggression are often driving forces of relationships. Her provocative novel Lust is a description of sexuality, aggression and abuse with pornographic qualities. It received little acclaim by many critics, but was considered misunderstood and undervalued by others. Rather than the plot itself, the cold description of moral failures was perceived as haunting. Readers seeking to indulge in a display of female "lust" will certainly be disappointed, as Jelinek rather aims at the contrary. This article is about the issues and phenomena pertaining to sexual function and behavior of human females. ... See: relational model personal relationship mathematical relationship, including: inverse relationship direct relationship relation (mathematics). ... Pornographic movies Pornography (from Greek πορνη prostitute and γραφία written material) (also informally referred to as porn, or porno) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but distinct from, erotica, though the two terms are often used interchangeably. ... Leicester University Student Television (LUST) is the University of Leicesters very own student-run television station. ...

In her later work, Jelinek has somewhat abandoned female issues to focus her energy on social criticism in general and Austria's difficulties to owing up to its Nazi past in particular e.g. in Die Kinder der Toten (The Children of the Dead). A cultural critic is a critic of a given culture, usually as a whole and typically on a radical basis; a social critic of a given society, but the overlap is large. ... The term National Socialism has been used in self-description by a number of different political groups and ideologies, some of which have no connection with the Nazis; see National socialism (disambiguation). ...

Her plays often involve an emphasis on choreography like Sportstück. In Sportstück the issue of violence and fascism in sports is explored. It is not astonishing then, following what has been pointed out, that her plays are considered taciturn, yet lavish productions by some people, and a celebrated new form of theater by others. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Choreography literally dance-writing, also known as dance composition), is the art of making structures in which movement occurs, the term composition may also refer to the navigation or connection of these movement structures. ... Violence refers to acts of aggression and abuse which causes or intends to cause criminal injury or harm to persons, and (to a lesser extent) animals and property. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Jelinek's novel Die Klavierspielerin (The Piano Player) was filmed with title The Piano Teacher by the acclaimed Austrian director Michael Haneke (director of films like Caché), having French actress Isabelle Huppert play the repressed pianist. The Piano Teacher (French title: La Pianiste) is a 2001 film directed by Michael Haneke, starring Isabelle Huppert and Benoit Maginel. ... Michael Haneke A feature film is twenty-four lies per second. ... Caché (marketed as Hidden in English) is a 2005 French-language film, written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke. ... Isabelle Ann Huppert (born March 16, 1953) is a French actress. ... A pianist is a person who plays the piano. ...

In late April 2006., Jelinek stood up to protect Peter Handke, once credible and progressive author and playwright. His play was removed from the repertoire of Comedie Francaise due to the fact that he was a supporter of Slobodan Milosevic. The Com die-Fran aise or Th tre fran ais is the only state theater in France. ... Slobodan Milošević. ...

The Nobel Prize

Commenting on the Nobel Prize, she said she was feeling very happy for receiving the Prize but also felt a despair: "despair for becoming a known, a person of the public". Paradigmatic for her modesty and subtle self-irony, she - a reputed feminist writer - wondered if not been awarded the prize mainly for "being a woman" and suggested that among authors writing in German, Peter Handke whom she praises as a "living classic", would have been a more worthy recipient. This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Peter Handke (born December 6, 1942) is an avant-garde Austrian novelist and playwright. ...

Jelinek was criticized for not accepting the prize in person; instead a video message was presented at the ceremony. Others appreciated that Jelinek openly disclosed that she suffers from agoraphobia and social phobia, anxiety disorders which can be highly disruptive to everyday functioning yet are often concealed by those affected out of shame or feeling of inadequacy. Jelinek has said that her anxiety disorders make it impossible for her even to go to the cinema or to board an airplane (in an interview she wished to be able to fly to New York to see the skyscrapers one day before dying), and she felt incapable of taking part in any ceremony. However, in her own words as stated in another tape message: "I would also very much like to be in Stockholm, but I cannot move as fast and far as my language." Agoraphobia is a form of anxiety disorder. ... Social anxiety, sometimes known as social phobia or social anxiety disorder (SAD), is a common form of anxiety disorder that causes sufferers to experience intense anxiety in some or all of the social interactions and public events of everyday life. ...

In 2005, Knut Ahnlund left the Swedish Academy in protest, describing Jelinek's work as "whining, unenjoyable public pornography" as well as "a mass of text shoveled together without artistic structure" ^[1]. He said later her selection for the prize "has not only done irreparable damage to all progressive forces, it has also confused the general view of literature as an art".^[2] Knut Ahnlund (b. ... The Swedish Academy or Svenska Akademien, founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. ...

Bibliography

Novels

• bukolit. hörroman; Wien 1979 (ISBN 3853940234)
• wir sind lockvögel baby!; Reinbek 1970 (ISBN 349912341X)
• Michael. Ein Jugendbuch für die Infantilgesellschaft; Reinbek 1972 (ISBN 3499250128)
• Die Liebhaberinnen; Reinbek 1975 (ISBN 3499250640)
• Die Ausgesperrten; Reinbek 1980 (ISBN 349803314X)
• Die Klavierspielerin; Reinbek 1983 (ISBN 3498033166)
• Oh Wildnis, oh Schutz vor ihr; Reinbek 1985 (ISBN 3499134071)
• Lust; Reinbek 1989 (ISBN 3498033239)
• Die Kinder der Toten; Reinbek 1997 (ISBN 3499221616)
• Gier; Reinbek 2000 (ISBN 349923131X)

1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Plays

• Was geschah, nachdem Nora ihren Mann verlassen hatte; 1977
• Clara S.; 1981
• Burgtheater; 1983
• Krankheit oder Moderne Frauen; 1984
• Präsident Abendwind; 1987
• Wolken.Heim; 1988
• Totenauberg; 1991
• Raststätte; 1994
• Stecken, Stab und Stangl; 1996
• Ein Sportstück; 1998
• er nicht als er; 1998
• In den Alpen
• Das Werk
• Prinzessinnendramen
• Bambiland; 2003

Translations

• Die Enden der Parabel (Gravity's Rainbow) novel by Thomas Pynchon; 1976
• Herrenjagd Drama by Georges Feydeau; 1983
• Floh im Ohr Drama by Georges Feydeau; 1986
• Der Gockel Drama by Georges Feydeau; 1986
• Die Affaire Rue de Lourcine Drama by Eugène Labiche; 1988
• Die Dame vom Maxim Drama by Georges Feydeau; 1990
• Der Jude von Malta Drama by Christopher Marlowe; 2001
• Ernst sein ist alles Drama by Oscar Wilde; 2004
• Lyrik und Kurzgeschichten (latein-)amerikanischer AutorInnen

Gravitys Rainbow book cover. ... Thomas Pynchon in 1957 Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. ... Georges Feydeau, (8 December 1862-5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as La Belle Epoque. ... Georges Feydeau, (8 December 1862-5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as La Belle Epoque. ... Georges Feydeau, (8 December 1862-5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as La Belle Epoque. ... Eugène Marin Labiche (May 5, 1815-1888), was a French dramatist. ... Georges Feydeau, (8 December 1862-5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as La Belle Epoque. ... An anonymous portrait, often believed to show Christopher Marlowe. ... Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Anglo-Irish playwright, novelist, poet, short story writer and Freemason. ...

Opera libretto

• Lost Highway (2003), adapted from the film by David Lynch, with music by Olga Neuwirth

Olga Neuwirth is a contemporary avant-garde composer. ...

Jelinek's novels in English

• The Piano Teacher (1988), translation of Die Klavierspielerin by Joachim Neugroschel. New York: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 1555840523.
• Wonderful, Wonderful Times (1990), translation of Die Ausgesperrten by Michael Hulse. London: Serpent's Tail, ISBN 1852421681.
• Lust (1992), translated by Michael Hulse. London: Serpent's Tail, ISBN 1852421835.
• Women as Lovers (1994), translation of Die Liebhaberinnen by Martin Chalmers. London: Serpent's Tail, 1994, ISBN 1852422378.

References

• ↑  "Plot Thickens in Nobel Author Saga". (Los Angeles Times, October 12, 2005)
• ↑  "Nobel literature academy member quits in protest". (Reuters, October 11, 2005)

The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the western United States. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Reuters Group plc LSE: RTR NASDAQ: RTRSY is best known as a news service that provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters. ... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official web site (in German)
• Elfriede Jelinek-Forschungszentrum
• Nobel site biography
• BBC synopsis
• Biography at FemBio