The Philology of Life

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The Philology of Life explores the philological project initiated by Walter Benjamin in his early essays on Hölderlin, the Romantics, and Goethe, revealing its significance as a methodological cornerstone of his broader work. Benjamin perceived the German literary landscape post-World War I as emblematic of a "crisis of historical experience," which the philosophy of life (Lebensphilosophie) addressed inadequately. His literary critique during this period focused on developing a philology that intertwines literary historical experience with life, grounded in the interaction with written images. This crucial aspect of Benjamin's methodology was overlooked by contemporaries, including Theodor Adorno, who criticized it for lacking dialectical depth. Additionally, postwar publications of Benjamin's writings failed to highlight this dimension. However, recent access to a broader array of his texts allows for a reevaluation of his early literary criticism and its evolution into later studies of Baudelaire and Paris. By illuminating this innovative approach, the study positions "the philology of life" as essential to understanding the critical framework of one of the most significant figures in the humanities.