Friedrich A. Kittler: Discourse Networks 1800/1900 (1985–) [German, English]

14 October 2012, dusan

“This is a highly original book about the connections between historical moment, social structure, technology, communication systems, and what is said and thought using these systems–notably literature. Friedrich Kittler focuses on the differences between ‘discourse networks’ in 1800 and in 1900, in the process developing a new analysis of the shift from romanticism to modernism. The artful structure of the book begins with Goethe’s Faust and ends with Valéry’s Faust. In the 1800 section, the author discusses how language was learned, the emergence of the modern university, the associated beginning of the interpretation of contemporary literature, and the canonization of literature. Among the writers and works Kittler analyzes in addition to Goethe’s Faust are Schlegel, Hegel, E.T.A. Hoffman’s The Golden Pot, and Goethe’s Tasso. The 1900 section argues that the new discourse network in which literature is situated in the modern period is characterized by new technological media–film, the photograph, and the typewritten page–and the crisis that these caused for literary production. Along the way, the author discusses the work of Nietzsche, Gertrude Stein, Mallarmé, Bram Stroker, the Surrealists, Rilke, Kafka, and Freud, among others.”

Aufschreibesysteme 1800/1900
First published in 1985
Third, completely revised edition
Publisher Wilhelm Fink Verlag, Munich, 1995
ISBN 3770528816, 9783770528813
524 pages

Discourse Networks, 1800/1900
Translated by Michael Metteer, with Chris Cullens
Foreword by David E. Wellbery
Publisher Stanford University Press, 1990
ISBN 9780804720991
496 pages

Reviews: Franz Futterknecht and David Wellbery (Poetics Today, 1987, EN), Robert C. Holub (German Quarterly, 1987, EN), Thomas Sebastian (MLN, 1990, EN).

Wikipedia (DE)
Publisher (DE)
Publisher (EN)

Aufschreibesysteme 1800/1900 (German, 3rd ed., 1985/1995, removed on 2024-2-6 upon request from Brill)
Discourse Networks, 1800/1900 (English, 1990, updated to the full book on 2014-1-30 via poshumano, updated to single-page OCR’d version on 2014-1-31 via Marcell Mars)

Online version of Index of persons (at Monoskop wiki)


3 Responses to “Friedrich A. Kittler: Discourse Networks 1800/1900 (1985–) [German, English]”

  1. Bata Životinja on February 15, 2015 12:32 pm

    This website is fantastic! Great work!

    Some incredible books can be found here, you have great Kittler’s stuff!

    I would like to ask you for the Mission Impossible :)

    is there, anywhere

    Robert Holub, Crossing Borders: Reception Theory, Poststructuralism, Deconstruction. Madison: University of Wisconsin 1992

    I think it doesn’t even exist as an ebook, but when I see everything this website has I just gotta ask :)

    Either way, you’re my hero! :)

  2. dusan on February 15, 2015 3:24 pm

    Thanks Bata, here’s at least the chapter on Kittler and portions of the preface and chapter 1.

  3. Bata Životinja on February 16, 2015 2:07 pm

    Thank you!

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