Rafik Schami’s Tales about Fairy Tales

Authors : Dorothee OSTMEİER

Pages : 201-212

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Publication Date : 2014-05-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Rafik Schami’s Tales about Fairy TalesWalter Benjamin mourns the loss of storytelling, especially of the teller of fairy tales, in his essay „Der Erzähler” from 1936. Rafik Schami, however, promotes storytelling simultaneously as „alte neue Kunst” (old new art) in a 1998 interview. This tension between loss and innovation of oral fairytale traditions is a central theme in Schami’s texts. This essay focuses on the 1987 collection of „Märchen, Fabeln und phantastische Geschichten” entitled „Das letzte Wort der Wanderratte,” and especially on the eighth tale „Warum Momo sich in J.R. verliebte.” This is a satirical rewriting of Michael Ende’s conclusion of his popular fairy tale novel (Märchenroman) Momo from 1973.
Keywords : Rafik Schami, storytelling, narratology, colonialism