Die Flambierte Frau: Sati in European Culture

Abstract The German Romantic poet Karoline von Günderrode was a woman unlucky in matters of love. She lost Carl von Savigny to Cunegonde Brentano. Her affection for Clemens Brentano could not withstand his extravagant tastes. She then met Frederick Creuzer, a man noteworthy to historians of religion as the author of the light classic, Das Symbolik. He influenced Karoline intellectually, enlarging her knowledge and introducing her to Indian thought. Under Creuzer’s tutelege, Günderrode’s work was inspired by various themes from Indian mythology and philosophy. Works such as Die Erscheinung, Ein apokaliptisches Fragment, and the Geschichte eines Brahminen all express a vague longing for the Absolute, a belief in perfection of the soul through earthly denial, and the vision of death as a surrender to an Elemental Spirit. Not surprisingly, Karoline’s stimulating relationship with Creuzer developed into romance. Unfortunately, the Heidelberg philologist was already married to an older woman, whose wealth enabled him to pursue the life of a scholar.