Tales of Courtship by Jeremias Gotthelf

Among the best short works of Jeremias Gotthelf (1797-1854) are six stories of courtship, appearing here together for the first time in English translation. Gotthelf varies masterfully the age-old motif of the scheming suitor in How Joggeli Seeks a Wife, How Christen Wins a Bride and Michel's Courtship Adventures. Rich in earthy humor, these stories portray well-to-do, traditional farm families who represent the patriarchal ideal Gotthelf proposed as a model for Swiss society at large. The well-known historical tale, Elsi the Unusual Farm Maid, offers a tragic example of how the break-down of a family exerts a pernicious influence on individual lives. The Notary Gets Caught provides a different kind of warning: it satirizes the actions of a suitor who marries only for money. In contrast, The Broommaker of Rychiswyl portrays a suitor unconcerned with money who, in a typically Gotthelfian twist, becomes rich in the end. The tales of courtship show Gotthelf at his best as a creator of vibrant and believable characters. They are preceded by a critical introduction.