Abstract
This article explores the relationship between body and uniform as one of two competing narratives of masculinity. Literature and film depicting the Nationale Volksarmee of East Germany (NVA) present uniform's narrative of ideal military masculinity in conflict with a second, apparently more natural narrative of masculinity written on the body. Claus Dobberke's 'Ein Katzensprung' (1976) and Jürgen Fuchs's 'Fassonschnitt' (1984) explore ways that the body might subvert the effects of uniform. Ultimately, however, these two works depict the uniform transforming body and psyche and unsettling existing narratives of masculinity, even disrupting the narrative text itself.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 204-221 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Modern Language Review |
Volume | 110 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- Masculinity
- Military
- Gender
- Dobberke
- Fuchs
- GDR
- East Germany
- Uniform
- Narrative Theory
- Literature
- Film
- German Literature
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Tom Smith
- German - Senior Lecturer
- School of Modern Languages
- Centre for Contemporary Art
Person: Academic