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.