HERTA MÜLLER AND THE EMPIRE OF METAPHOR

Marius Miheț

Universitatea din Oradea, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Abstract

The fact that, for nearly a decade, none of her works have been translated into Romanian reflects not only a lack of public success but also the absence of editorial interest aligned with the author’s specific demands. Equally revealing is the near-anonymity surrounding the celebration of her seventieth birthday within the Romanian literary community. Uncompromising, incisive, and unapologetically principled, Herta Müller rejects any editorial, translational, or human compromise as a testament to her unwavering ethical stance toward a country she loves conditionally. This study examines the early memoir volumes of Herta Müller, focusing on the narratological and poetic dimensions of a labyrinthine body of work that remains largely unexplored, particularly following the Nobel laureate’s gradual descent into obscurity among contemporary audiences, especially in Romania.

Keywords

Herta Müller biography Romanian and German literature trauma exile literature