"Der Rivale" by Gabriele Wohmann
Gabriele Wohmann's short story “Der Rivale” is a typical example of the work of the Darmstadt writer - she is one of the most productive German short story authors.
With supposedly more than 600 short stories, she is now known as the “Queen of the Short story“Titled. Relationships between couples always play a major role in the short stories, short stories and novels, but also in the poems.
On the interpretation of "Der Rivale"
Gabriele Wohmann, observing closely, describes a tricky two-way relationship in "Der Rivale", whose problems are generally seen as a symbol of human (failing) communication can.
- The two protagonists, Simone and Ruodi, never speak openly about their feelings for one another. Their appeals to one another are always clad in ambiguous statements. Simone even invents a man to whom she is unhappily engaged, just so that she doesn't have to show Ruodi her true feelings. Nevertheless, she wants to draw his attention to herself and win his love.
- Your in the story The appeal “love me” hidden by the unhappy engagement (in the hope of making Ruodi jealous and recognizing a sign of his affection in it) does not reach Ruodi.
- The message that reaches Ruodi is: It is hopeless, the fight for Simone is lost from the start, and it is not worth developing any further feelings.
- The misunderstanding is compounded when Simone tries to make Ruodi jealous. She praises the virtues of older men (the fictional fiancé). What Ruodi receives as a rejection of his person is thought to be the opposite: Simone wants to provoke a proof of love on his part.
Franz Kafka wrote many short stories and novels in his life, which unfortunately only ...
Gabriele Wohmann as an observer of human communication
Gabriele Wohmann's “Der Rivale” can also be seen from the perspective of communication psychology on the "four-page model" that Friedemann Schulz von Thun in the early 1980s has developed. It assumes that one and the same message from the sender on the one hand and from the recipient on the other hand after each four sides can be understood differently - in terms of content, self-disclosure, relationship and Appeal.
