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Novellas were certainly a topic in German class. If you don’t remember what a novella is, let’s refresh your literary knowledge a little.
What is a novella: short definition, characteristics, and examples
A novella (from the Italian novella or the Latin novus, meaning “new”) is a distinct literary genre: a short to medium-length prose narrative that focuses on a central, extraordinary, or fateful event.
- In German-speaking countries, the novella was often referred to as the “little sister of drama” (e.g., Theodor Storm) because it has a clearly structured plot with a striking turning point.
- In contrast to the short story, the conflict in the novella is elaborated and usually leads to a decisive turning point; the short story, on the other hand, often remains more fragmentary and episodic.
- Well-known novellas include:Heinrich von Kleist — Michael Kohlhaas (legal and moral escalation as a novella);& nbsp;Theodor Storm — Der Schimmelreiter (a story of fate with a symbolic level); Gottfried Keller — Kleider machen Leute (concentrated social observation); Stefan Zweig — The Royal Game (psychologically dense, symbolically charged); Günter Grass — Cat and Mouse (modern novella form; dense narrative style); Adalbert Stifter — Rock Crystal (as an example of poetic condensation)
Historical development and literary significance
The roots of the novella lie in the Italian Renaissance: models can be found in particular in Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron (around 1350), a collection of short narrative texts that are considered an early form of the novella.
- These precursors were characterized by more realistic, true-to-life episodes and formed the model for the later narrative form.
- In the 19th century, the novella became very important in German literature, especially within poetic realism (from around 1840 onwards). Authors of this era (e.g., Theodor Storm, Gottfried Keller, Adalbert Stifter, Heinrich von Kleist in the transitional period) used the novella to depict moral, social, or fateful conflicts in a concentrated form.
- The novella often served as a means of depicting “reality” in a condensed form in a poetic-realistic way.
Formal features — what defines a novella
Now that we have looked at the origins and development of the novella, it is worth taking a closer look at its formal structure.
The special effect of this genre is based not only on its content, but above all on its precise composition and the symbolic density with which it recounts an extraordinary event in a concentrated form.
- Closed form / tight, mostly linear plot: Novellas recount a limited sequence of events without major subplots; the plot usually leads to a dramatic or fateful turning point (the peripeteia).
- Leitmotif: Recurring images, objects, linguistic formulas, or situations can function as a leitmotif that holds the narrative structure together.
- Symbolic object (central object/symbol): A single object or motif can be central to the plot and take on symbolic significance (research often describes this as a continuation of Heyse’s “falcon theory” or the concept of the symbolic object). This central object acts as a trigger or turning point in the narrative.
- Focus on an extraordinary/fateful event: The novella is often based on an “unheard-of event” (Goethe) or a stroke of fate that suddenly changes the life of the character(s).
- Symbolic density / scope for interpretation: The condensed form often results in a high degree of symbolic density; novellas therefore leave plenty of room for diverse interpretations.
Theory and delineation
Now that the central characteristics of the novella have been outlined, it is helpful to classify this genre theoretically and distinguish it from related narrative forms.
- Novella theory (brief note): In the 19th century, Paul Heyse formulated the famous so-called “Falcon Theory” (1871) — based on a novella from the Decameron— and used it to describe the structuring principle of a central object or event that holds the story together. This model was later expanded in literary studies and continued under the term “thing symbol.” Heyse’s perspective thus emphasizes the moment of the singular, memorable event as the formal center of the novella.
- Distinction between novella, short story, and novel: Characteristics of a novella: Medium length; clear, closed form; a central, typically extraordinary event; symbolic condensation; usually few characters, tight composition.
- Characteristics of a short story: Even shorter; often open ending; snapshot or single scene; less fully formulated turning points; everyday life or open situations without extensive explanation.
- Characteristics of a novel: Large format; scope for multiple plot lines, detailed character development, extensive depiction of time and society.
- These distinctions are not always clear-cut—literature is fluid—but they help to identify typical functional differences.
