Modern German Reading Group: Heinrich von Kleist (In-Person)
1011 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11238
The Romantic writer Heinrich von Kleist is a master of suspense. And perhaps never more so than with his classic novella Die Verlobung in St. Domingo (The Betrothal in St. Domingo). First published in 1811, Kleist’s novella plays out on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince during the bloodiest period of the Haitian Revolution, where complex racial and sexual politics course beneath the surface of a thrilling tale of love, treachery, revenge, and the fight for freedom that takes any number of unexpected twists and turns.
In this reading group, we will read closely Die Verlobung in St. Domingo, attending particularly to the ways in which Kleist plays with suspense at the level of both plot and language. How does the German language, at its very structure and syntax, lend itself to the creation of suspense? And how, in his novella, does Kleist first withhold and then parcel out information in ways that dramatically complicates the meaning of individual sentences as well as the moral and ethical terrain the novella’s characters so desperately seek to navigate?
This reading course is specifically designed for students who can read German at an intermediate level, and have a strong desire to increase their reading proficiency and develop advanced reading strategies for approaching, comprehending, and appreciating grammatically complex passages. Students are welcome to read The Betrothal in Santo Domingo in translation before the start of the course if they wish, but we will take our time each week exploring the details of Kleist’s novella as the suspense builds and characters are faced with life-and-death dilemmas—no spoilers, please!
Course Schedule
Sunday, 5:00-7:00PM ETOctober 11 — November 15, 2026
6 weeks
$355.00
Registration Open