Heinrich Von Kleist (1777–1811) was a one of the greatest German poets and dramatists of the nineteenth century, and as a poet he was a source of inspiration for the Realist, Expressionist, and Existentialist movements in France and Germany. Among his best known works are “The Earthquake in Chile,” “Michael Kohlhaas,” and The Marquise of O—which demonstrate his mastery in writing violent mysteries and his often-returned-to theme of men driven to their limits. The Kleist Prize, a highly regarded prize in German literature, is named after him. |