Following in the Tracks of a Dog: “The Beggarwoman of Locarno” Revisited

Abstract

This essay identifies key themes in Kleist’s “The Beggarwoman of Locarno,” such as the contrast between meaning and noise, perception and reason, and human and animal. All of these themes are traced back to the dog in the tale, which is shown to play a pivotal role in exposing and expressing the limits of language, anthropomorphism, and reason. In this way, the essay hopes to show the specific ways in which Kleist’s story undermines the human speciesist claims to identity and individuality. To this aim, particular attention is devoted to the roles that sound and temporality play in the text.