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| Adolf Hiremy-Hirschl, Die Seelen des Acheron ( Hermes Psychopompos ) |
First meeting with and
introduction to the unforgettable Settembrini.
Settembrini
is the first of the Major Mentors of Hans. See
the details of his first description : a delicate stranger encountered on the
path, striking a graceful pose propping himself on his cane and crossing his
ankles. His greeting is precise and melodious.
Settembrini is presented as the God Hermes, the mentioning of the ankles,
the cane, the precise and melodious communication capture all the attributes of
this fine deity: the winged sandals at
the ankles, his herald staff, the kerykeion, god of successful communication
and music, his handlebar moustache twirled at the end might even resemble the
wings of the helmet.
Hermes is the
conductor, the guide of the souls of the dead to the Underworld: He is the
Psychopomp.
Although the general impression is
that of a likeable and educated man, Thomas Mann reminds us that he looks poor, is clothed
shabbily and looks like an organ grinder, a street musician. A windbag even when he annoys a passing local
girl with some lewd remarks.
Describing Settembrini as an organ grinder ( Leiermann ) is more than a detail. Der Leiermann is the title of the last song of Schubert's Winterreise cycle.
Drüben hinter'm Dorfe
Steht ein Leiermann
Und mit starren Fingern
Dreht er was er kann.
Over there behind the village
Stands a Hurdy-Gurdy man,
And with numb fingers
He grinds away, as best he can
The begging musician in Schubert's song is dirt poor and stands with naked feet in the snow.
In Schubert's cycle, the lost wanderer stumbling through the snow covered forest encounters in the end the Hurdy-Gurdy man. The wanderer asks him in the very last lines, as if he finally has found a companion : Should I go with you ? Will you to my songs, play your Hurdy Gurdy ?
The image of Settembrini as a organ player pops up regurlarly during the entire novel and Ian Bostridge in his interpretation of Der Leiermann considers the possibility that the Leiermann figure represents death inviting people to a Toden danz.
Settembrini does not
like his stay in Davos. Like Joachim he gives the impression that he would
prefer going down immediately :
“One could in fact
forget completely where one is…” It sounds as if this idyllic décor of mountain
meadows and splendid weather are something bad.
“ Has the gloomy
ceremony of the first examination taken place yet… “How many months have our
Minos and Rhadamantus saddled you with…” …” Settembrini thinks Hans is a
patient like all others.
Settembrini is
surprised when he hears that Hans is not ill.
“You are not one of
us?” “Settembrini compares Hans to Odysseus visiting the Underworld ( Virgil)
Settembrini presents
himself as a disciple of the Italian freethinker Carducci famous for his ode to
Satan “Inno a Santana”
Hans finds there is a
preachy flavour in what Settembrini says
Settembrini: “ I am a
humanist, a homo humanus” and therefore an educator. Only the humanist can
defend dignity and beauty.
Malice, the spirirt of
criticism is a weapon to defend progress and enlightment against the powers of
darkness and ugliness.
First advice to Hans:
Form opinions !
2. Time
“And what sort of time
period you have in mind ?”
“Our smallest unit of time is the month”
“Our smallest unit of time is the month”
3. Death
Minos and Rhadamantus
are brothers, one is judge of the death and the other ruler of the underworld.
Settembrini means of course Behrens and Krokowski. Behrens is Rhadamantus and
Krokowski is the God Minos, known for his many love affairs… ( filled with the
secret of the ladies…) Settembrini criticizes the upcoming science of
psychiatry. Krokowski , the Man of the night, the man with the filthy thoughts.
Wohooooo !
Hermes : psychopomp
The Sanatorium Berghof
is in fact the Underworld, the World of the Moribundi, hanging between life and
death.
4. Eros
Hans nearly misspeaks
the name Settembrini… Mr Septem(ber)…What’s in a name ? I will not give it away
right now
5. Geography
5. Geography
Settembrini comes from
the south
6. Note
Neither Joachim or
Settembrini smoke because of their weak lungs ?
Settembrini: … I have
my vices too… ( he does not say which )
Adriatica Von
Mylendonk; Settembrini doesn’t like her because she is a devout Christian, from
an aristocratic family or just because she is a bossy woman ?
Settembrini reminds us
that the Sanatoria are Big Business and that their Managers go to the utmost to
keep their patients.
Is Settembrini serious
ill ? What keeps this man who advocates work and action on the mountain. Not a
serious case but a stubborn case.
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| Carducci |
