This month on the ark audio book club we discussed the nobel prizewinning author elfriede jelineks disturbing 1983 novel of repression desire and violence, the piano teacher. Like much of jelineks work, the chronology of the events in the book is interwoven with images of the past and the internal. Set in 1980s vienna, it describes a culture rotting under the weight of its oppressive, outmoded idealsa place mirrored by the heroines own repressed dreams. With walter as her student, erika spirals out of control, consumed by the ecstacy of selfdestruction. Buy the piano teacher by elfriede jelinek online at alibris. First published in 1983, the piano teacher is the masterpiece of. To say that i liked this book would be odd, but reading it was a riveting experience.
I n michael hanekes 2001 adaptation of elfriede jelineks novel, the role of the piano teacher is played, with a chilling impenetrability, by isabelle. The piano teacher by elfriede jelinek 9781852427504. Elfriede jelineks most popular book is the piano teacher. The nobel prize in literature 2004 was awarded to elfriede jelinek for her musical flow of voices and countervoices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of societys cliches and their subjugating power. Objectively a masterpiece, subjectively a book that.
Complete summary of elfriede jelinek s the piano teacher. Into this emotional pressurecooker bounds music student and ladies man, walter klemmer. Here she creates an arena in which three characters erica, the teacher of the title, erica. The piano teacher depicts the emotionally rigorous world of erika, and the neurotic love triangle that confuses violence for love. Elfriede jelinek was born in austria in 1946 and grew up in vienna where she attended the famous music conservatory. Jul 19, 2007 in her avowedly autobiographical novel the piano teacher, the austrian author elfriede jelinek has her alter ego erika kohut engage in a variety of voyeuristic activities. The piano teacher, erika kohut, bursts like a whirlwind into the apartment she. Elfriede jelineks most famous novel is an explicit, shocking exploration of sex and fantasy. The piano teacher elfriede jelinek read online free books. Complete summary of elfriede jelineks the piano teacher. The piano teacher, the most famous novel of elfriede jelinek, who was awarded the 2004 nobel prize in literature, is a shocking, searing, aching portrait of a woman bound between a repressive society and her darkest desires.
It seems to me that about all that can be said about a book like the piano teacher is that it will be worthwhile to some readers. Especially since the heroine of the novel has rather unusual preferences. Elfriede jelinek biography life, family, childhood. The piano teacher is compelling fiction, ensnaring the reader with the intensity of the authors vision and the bitter. Elfriede jelinek, austrian novelist and playwright noted for her controversial works on gender relations, female sexuality, and popular culture.
Translated by joachim neugroschel, it was the first of jelineks novels to be translated into english. She pays to sit in a booth at a peep show, smells a tissue into which the man before her has masturbated, and watches attentively as the girls on. The leading austrian writer of her generation, her other works include wonderful, wonderful times, women as lovers, and lust. The piano teacher is a brilliant, bitter, wonderful portrait of mother and daughter, artist and lover. Jelinek has won the nobel prize for literature and this book is listed as one of. The first edition of the novel was published in 1983, and was written by elfriede jelinek. Im definitely interested in reading more of elfriede jelineks work. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the piano teacher.
A novel books that changed the world kindle edition by jelinek, elfriede, neugroschel, joachim. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, or facilitation thereof. The piano teacher by elfriede jelinek sophie mackintosh after 2016 im done with sentimentality, and its hard to think of a less sentimental book than the piano teacher, objectively a masterpiece, subjectively a book that changed my life. The piano teacher by elfriede jelinek at this time in our collective political history, when comprehension of the dynamics of power are at their most urgent, it is puzzling that the work of efriede jelinek has encountered such dismissal and devaluation. Theres no lack of problems in elfriede jelineks novel the piano teacher. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 288 pages and is available in hardcover format. Neugroschel, joachimtranslator jelinek and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Translated by joachim neugroschel, it was the first of jelinek s novels to be translated into english. The most popular work from provocative austrian nobel laureate elfriede jelinek, the piano teacher is a searing portrait of a woman bound between a repressive society and her darkest desires. Its difficult to tell how much of the bile of the story is erikas worldview and how much is jelineks. The most popular work from provocative austrian nobel laureate elfriede jelinek, the piano teacheris a searing portrait of a woman bound between a repressive society and her darkest desires. The novel tells the story of erika kohut, a talented onetime concert pianist in vienna who, due to a couple of key performance failures although arguably the cause. The inevitable breakdown is an insight beyond what jelinek saw as the artificial prettiness of vienna to show a side. The piano teacher by elfriede jelinek librarything.
The piano teacher brought jelinek a measure of international renown, though critics were admittedly confused by the themes in the work, and by what some saw as an autobiographical elementfor jelinek divided her time between a home in munich with her husband and periods in vienna with her mother, who was widowed when jelineks father died in. The piano teacher piano teacher mtv by elfriede author. Sigmund freud said sexual repression is at the root of most human problems. Erika kohut is a piano teacher at the prestigious and formal vienna conservatory, who still lives with her domineering and possessive mother. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the authors best ideas. John hawkes in my opinion, elfriede jelinek is one of the most stimulating, daring, and imaginative writers in presentday austria.
The film of the piano teacher by michael haneke won the three main prizes at cannes in 2001. I think if the content were something other than mutual psychic destruction, i would be giving it a 5. The piano teacher, 1988 addressed issues of sexual repression. She was awarded the nobel prize in literature in 2004 for her musical flow of voices and countervoices in novels and plays that, with extraordinary linguistic zeal, reveal the absurdity of societys cliches and their subjugating power. Free download or read online the piano teacher pdf epub book. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Elfriede jelinek erika kohut, a piano teacher who has lived with her mother all of her life, develops an obsession for walter klemmer, her young student. The piano teacher npr coverage of the piano teacher by elfriede jelinek and joachim neugroschel.
Elfriede jelineks the piano teacher is the disturbing story of a notsoyoung woman who is being terrorized by her domineering mother behind a bourgeois facade. The most popular work from provocative austrian nobel laureate elfriede jelinek, the piano teacher is a searing portrait of a woman bound between a repressive. The piano teacher piano teacher mtv by elfriedeauthor. Nov 27, 2010 i n michael hanekes 2001 adaptation of elfriede jelinek s novel, the role of the piano teacher is played, with a chilling impenetrability, by isabelle huppert. Jelinek plunges us into the mind of erika kohut, a repressed piano teacher and failed concert pianist who selfharms and joylessly engages in. Jelineks particular european imagination should be valued and enjoyed by american readers. The piano teacher is focused on what for jelinek are the essentials of human behaviour, and she examines the worst traits with a cold eye. Power, violence, sex and identity in elfriede jelinek s the piano teacher. D is one of the chosen who know that some things can never be fathomed, no matter how hard you try. Books by elfriede jelinek author of the piano teacher. Elfriede jelinek has 110 books on goodreads with 38608 ratings.
She pays to sit in a booth at a peep show, smells a tissue into which the man before her has masturbated, and watches attentively as the girls on display feign sexual pleasure. In the piano teacher, elfride jelinek creates a shocking portrait of a talented, capable woman fashioned by society into a ticking bomb. Publication date 2001 topics fiction, protected daisy publisher serpents tail collection. The most popular work from provocative austrian nobel laureate elfriede jelinek,the piano teacheris a searing portrait of a woman bound between a repressive society and her darkest desires. There is some crossover, obviously, as the author also taught at the conservatory, but. But today, the bank book went on an outing, a sum was withdrawn, and the result can now be seen. The piano teacher, the most famous novel of elfriede jelinek, wh. Elfriede jelinek s the piano teacher is the disturbing story of a notsoyoung woman who is being terrorized by her domineering mother behind a bourgeois facade. Sophie mackintosh on why elfriede jelineks the piano teacher is the best book of 1983. The main characters of this fiction, nobel prize story are.
Elfriede jelineks the piano teacher is the disturbing story of a. In her writings, jelinek rejected the conventions of traditional literary technique in favour of linguistic and thematic experimentation. The piano teacher elfriede jelinek 1001 books to read. First published in 1983, the piano teacher is the masterpiece of elfriede jelinek, austrias most famous writer. The inevitable breakdown is an insight beyond what jelinek saw as the artificial prettiness of vienna to show a side still reminiscent of its uncomfortable early postwar years. Jelinek received her education in vienna, where the. Other articles where the piano teacher is discussed.
The leading austrian writer of her generation, she has been awarded the heinrich boell prize for her contribution to german literature. The piano teacher elfriede jelinek pseudointellectual. Elfriede jelineks the piano teacher in 2004 elfriede jelinek was awarded the nobel prize for literature for her musical flow of voices and countervoices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of societys cliches and their subjugating power nobel, 2004. In her avowedly autobiographical novel the piano teacher, the austrian author elfriede jelinek has her alter ego erika kohut engage in a variety of voyeuristic activities. A student talks to isabelle huppert in the film version of the book imago. Sexuality and violence are coupled in this brilliant, uncompromising book set in modernday vienna, by the winner of the 1986 heinrich boll prize. How to read elfriede jelinek by tim parks the new york. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. In her writings, jelinek rejected the conventions of traditional literary technique in favour of linguistic and thematic. Pdf the piano teacher book by elfriede jelinek free.
280 764 745 1488 455 1139 336 55 1344 1215 1093 1069 1045 1078 870 141 1273 264 50 326 756 143 1403 586 164 1323 95 1181 1020 549 326 45 1054 1075 1404 60 117 636 745 266 356 1249